8.18.11: Medal Days | New York Social Diary

Medal Days

Medal Day picnicers at The MacDowell Colony's 52nd annual Medal Day celebration.

The MacDowell Colony, one of the country’s leading—and first—artist residency programs, presented Edward Albee with the 2011 Edward MacDowell Medal, during the Colony’s 52nd annual Medal Day celebration. The film and theatre director Mike Nichols, a longtime friend and collaborator of Albee, and Michael Chabon, chairman of the Colony’s board of directors, spoke during the ceremony. The event drew approximately 1,500 attendees to the Colony’s historic, idyllic, quiet grounds in Peterborough, New Hampshire.

The MacDowell Medal is given to an individual artist who has made an outstanding contribution to his/her field.

The selection of Albee this year is only the third time the honor has gone to a playwright. Thornton Wilder, in the Medal’s inaugural year of 1960, was the first, and Lillian Hellman, in 1976, was the most recent. The writers Edward Weeks and John Hersey, respectively, spoke on the occasions. Among the other luminaries who have received the Medal are visual artist Georgia O’Keeffe (1972), composer Leonard Bernstein (1987), architect I.M. Pei (1998), filmmaker Stan Brakhage (1989), interdisciplinary artist Merce Cunningham (2003), and writer Alice Munro (2006).

Diane Sawyer and Mike Nichols

Michael Chabon presents Edward Albee with the 2011 Edward MacDowell Medal

Edward Albee and Michael Chabon

Michael Chabon and Mike Nichols

The ceremony was followed by Make a Scene, a performance resulting from this year’s Make Art collaboration with Andy’s Summer Playhouse. Located in Wilton, New Hampshire, Andy’s is an innovative theater fostering creative collaborations between children and professional artists in a variety of media: performance art, theatre, dance, music, puppetry, video, set and lighting design and playwriting.

During the month of July, MacDowell Fellows Stephen Karam and Alexandra Napier worked with Jennifer Emerson Foreman, Andy’s Lab Director, to lead workshops for young playwrights enrolled in the John C. Russell Playwriting Lab. Karam and Napier mentored the group as they developed situations and characters that unfolded today as 10-minute plays on the Medal Day stage. MacDowell is grateful to the New Hampshire Charitable Foundation for making the collaboration possible.

clockwise from top left: David Macy (Resident Director, The MacDowell Colony), Michael Chabon, Mike Nichols, Susan Davenport Austin (President, The MacDowell Colony), Edward Albee, Cheryl Young (Executive Director, The MacDowell Colony)

Michael Chabon, Ayelet Waldeman, and Mike Nichols

Medal Day is a singular opportunity for the public to experience not only the Medal Ceremony, but also a glimpse into one of America’s most storied and vital refuges for creative work. Medal Day attendees spend most of the afternoon on tours of the 32 artist studios dotting the Colony’s 450 acres of woodland and fields.

One of these is Veltin Studio, where Thornton Wilder worked on Our Town, and where writer Eric Lehman is currently in residence on his fourth novel. Baetz Studio, which has previously housed Spalding Gray and James Baldwin, is where Stephen Karam is currently rewriting his play Sons of the Prophet for a premiere this fall at Roundabout.

Edward Albee and Mike Nichols

Medal Day Crowd under the Tent

Other current artists-in-residence are the Tony- and Obie Award-winning playwright and performer Sarah Jones (Bridge & Tunnel), who is working on a commission for Lincoln Center Theater; and the beloved New York artist John Kelly, who is re-conceiving his work Find My Way Home for performances at New York Live Arts this October. Between November 2010 and April 2011, the Colony hosted 23 artists working in theatre, including David Adjmi and Young Jean Lee, whose MacDowell-developed works will make New York premieres in the 2011-12 season.

The MacDowell Colony welcomes more than 250 composers, writers, visual artists, theatre artists, architects, filmmakers, and interdisciplinary artists from the United States and abroad each year. The sole criterion for acceptance is talent; a panel in each discipline selects Fellows. A registered National Historic Landmark, The MacDowell Colony was awarded the National Medal of Arts in 1997.

Visitors view Kristin Jones installation at Pageant Theatre

Performance Artist, Sarah Jones entertains visitors in her studio

Last Saturday, the Animal Rescue Fund of The Hamptons hosted a dinner dance, Magic Under the Moonlight, on the ocean at the Bridgehampton Tennis & Surf Club. More 200 guests from New York and the Hamptons attended to celebrate ARF and raise important funds for cats and dogs in need.

The event was chaired by Rachel and Gary Sumers and all proceeds benefitted ARF, the leading animal adoption center on the East End of Long Island.

Dick Gilbert, Larry Brown, Shelly Brown, Rachel Sumers, Gary Sumers

Dick Gilbert, Larry and Shelly Brown, and Rachel and Gary Sumers

There was a raw bar and cocktails, followed by dinner and magic by magician JB Benn. Afterwards, the party continued into the night with music by DJ duo AndrewAndrew and a beach bonfire under the stars.

The evening honored Dr. Lewis Berman, Veterinarian and Founder of Park East Animal Hospital, for his 50 years of outstanding veterinary practice and service to the animal welfare community.

Longtime animal rescue advocate and renowned New York Post columnist and NBC commentator Cindy Adams introduced Dr. Berman and presented him with his award. Joining in the evening’s festivities was a selection of ARF cats and dogs available for adoption. By the end of the evening nearly $250,00 had been raised in support of ARF and Phoebe, a 3-month-old dachshund mix had found a loving new home.

Dr. Lewis Berman

This year Charitybuzz was the official online auction dealer for the event and promoted exciting experiences and packages including a backstage tour of NBC with Chuck Scarborough, a signed copy of Keith Richards’ biography, tickets and backstage passes to the Big Apple Circus, and a round of golf at the exclusive Maidstone Golf Club. Interested bidders still have the chance to make offers online until Today, August 18, 2011 at 3:00 PM by clicking here.

Among those attending: Chuck and Ellen Scarborough, Amanda (Mrs. Lewis) Berman, Emilia Saint-Amand and Fred Krimendahl, Jean and Martin Shafiroff, Patsy and Jeff Tarr, Barbara Slifka, Frances Hayward, Sandra McConnell, Barbara and Alan Washkowitz, Liz Brown and Leslie Alexander, Shelly and Larry Brown, Richard Thompson, William McKnight, Lisa and Brian McCarthy, Bernard Maisner, Polly Bruckmann, Margo and James Nederlander, Gale and Ira Drukier.

Jeff and Patsy Tarr

Sabrina Balereri, Celeste Fierro, Stefania Zaretti

Sabrina Balereri, Celeste Fierro, and Stefania Zaretti

Dr. Lewis and Amanda Berman

Wendy Riefler, Brian McCarthy, Matt McCarthy. Lisa McCarthy, Duncan Riefler

Wendy Riefler, Brian McCarthy, Matt McCarthy. Lisa McCarthy, and Duncan Riefler

Kristine Raab, Leslie Alexander, Liz Brown

Kristine Raab, Leslie Alexander, and Liz Brown

Meredith and Curvin Lovejoy

Alla and Greg Saunders

Zurima and Mark Kayton

Barbara Slifka and Lisa McCarthy

Christopher Robbins, Francis Hayward, Ken Wolfe

Christopher Robbins, Francis Hayward, and Ken Wolfe

Amy Eagle, Richard Thompson, Chuck Scarborough, Ellen Scarborough

Amy Eagle, Richard Thompson, Chuck Scarborough, and Ellen Scarborough

Amanda Berman, Meredith Lovejoy, Curvin Lovejoy, Sara Davison

Amanda Berman, Meredith Lovejoy, Curvin Lovejoy, and Sara Davison

Christopher Obetz, Sandra McConnell, Charles McConnell, Emma Jesberg

Christopher Obetz, Sandra McConnell, Charles McConnell, and Emma Jesberg

Elvis Restaino

Huck and Diane Gover

Hal Lehr and Jessica Lella

Sherrie Krantz

Matthew Posnick and Ralph

Jimmy Nederlander, Margo McNabb Nederlander

Jimmy and Margo McNabb Nederlander

Michael Frank and Elena Buchkovskaya

Sara Davison, and Bette and Larry Smith

Jean Shafiroff, Jackie Shafiroff, Martin Shafiroff, Elizabeth Shafiroff

Jean, Jackie, Martin, and Elizabeth Shafiroff

Gail Druker and Dr. Lewis Berman

Barbara Washkowitz

Rachel Sumers

Ellen Scarborough

Kristin Johnson and Jennifer Corwin

Riki Shaw and Kim Zuccarini

Marshall Watson, Susan Braden, Brian McCarthy, Joseph Kelly

Marshall Watson, Susan Braden, Brian McCarthy, and Joseph Kelly

Roger and Erica Matloff

Par BonÈr, Anika Malhotra, Jenny Ljungberg, Sophie Hindmarsh-BonÈr

Par BonÈr, Anika Malhotra, Jenny Ljungberg, and Sophie Hindmarsh-BonÈr

David Wassong and Cynthia Clift

Nicole Gabona, Annie Coleman, Michelle Chae, Jennifer Corwin

Nicole Gabona, Annie Coleman, Michelle Chae, and Jennifer Corwin

Dionisio Fontana, Lisa Cowley, Ricardo Garcia

Dionisio Fontana, Lisa Cowley, and Ricardo Garcia

Cindy Adams

Gregory Speck and Francis Hayward

Christina Macdonald

Last Friday evening in East Hampton, Martha Stewart was honored at the Guild Hall's annual Summer Gala. Alec Baldwin was Master of Ceremonies. There was also a preview exhibition celebrating artist Richard Prince whose new show at Guild Hall is titled "Covering Pollock." Prince's series is based on photographs of Pollock and his wife artist Lee Krasner at their home in East Hampton. After a dinner Simon de Pury conducted an auction of works by William Wegman, Clifford Ross, Andres Serrano, Barbara Kruger, Bryan Hunt and Eric Fishl. The evening netted about $500,000 for Guild Hall.