21 May Press Release | Panel Announcement KSF Artists of Choice
The Kevin Spacey Foundation (KSF) has announced the judging panel for its KSF Artists of Choice program - a pioneering funding and mentoring initiative for UK and US based emerging artists working in theatre, musical theatre, music, dance or film. Epitomizing KSF’s aim of ‘sending the elevator back down’ it will provide funding, year-round support and mentoring by industry heavyweights.
Recipients of the KSF Artists of Choice will receive £10,000 or $10,000 in funding, year-round in kind support from the Foundation and an industry mentor. The Foundation is looking for exceptionally creative emerging artists with the talent and drive to succeed in the ever more competitive creative industries. Applications will be taken from emerging individuals from the UK and US across the five discipline of film, theatre, dance, music and musical theatre with the term ‘emerging’ meaning an artist of any age who has yet to be commercially successful and is not exclusively earning a living from purely working in the arts. Applications are open on the Foundation’s website until Friday 29 May 2015 with in-person shortlisted interviews with all, or some, of the panel members taking place in early June. KSF Artists of Choice will be awarded to five UK-based and five US-based artists in July 2015.
Kevin Spacey, Founder of KSF said:
“I am truly excited to see what emerging artists can do with this opportunity and will be personally overseeing the shortlisting process to discover some of the best new talent coming out of the UK and the US. I am hugely grateful to our panel members for joining us, all of whom share my desire to support those on their way up.”
Steve Winter, Executive/Creative Director of KSF, said:
“We are passionate about empowering emerging artists to create exceptional new work in a time when funding cuts makes that even more of a challenge. KSF Artists of Choice has the potential to transform the careers of emerging professionals working across the performing arts.”
Working alongside Kevin Spacey and Steve Winter to select the recipients will be some of the most exciting and respected creatives working in the industry today, including:
Film
Director of Europe for the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Science Carola Ash, Pride writer Stephen Beresford, Radio 1 and 1Xtra Movie Critic Rhianna Dhillon, Weekend director Andrew Haigh, Head of BBC Films Christine Langan and double Oscar winning actor, director, singer and KSF founder Kevin Spacey.
Theatre
Playwright Samuel Adamson, producer and creator of The 24 Hour Plays Tina Fallon, actor and writer Cush Jumbo, theatre director Jamie Lloyd, Artistic Director Neil Pepe, actor Andrew Scott, theatre director Charlie Westenra and producer Kim Whitener.
Dance
ZooNation’s Carrie-Anne Ingrouille, Wayne McGregor | Random Dance’s Wayne McGregor, American Ballet Theatre’s Kevin McKenzie, New Adventures’ Etta Murfitt, English National Ballet’s Tamara Rojo, choreographer and producer Lee Smikle and Jasmin Vardimon Dance Company’s Jasmin Vardimon.
Music
Film composer David Arnold, Relationship Manager Music at Arts Council England Chris Bye, composer and conductor Patrick Hawes, Director of Music at Southbank Centre Gillian Moore and Grammy Award-winning singer Paul Phoenix.
Musical Theatre
Director and choreographer Warren Carlyle, actress and singer Cynthia Erivo, actor and singer Alex Hanson, director Tamara Harvey, musical director and composer Theo Jamieson, actress and singer Laura-Michelle Kelly, actor and singer Joe McFadden, artistic director, orchestrator and musical director Ted Sperling and Neil Marcus and Jane Semark for production company The Stable.
For information contact [email protected]
ABOUT KSF
The purpose of The Kevin Spacey Foundation (KSF) is to use the esteem and position associated with its namesake to create initiatives that discover, train, fund and mentor emerging artists in drama, dance, music, and film and life enhancing theatre-in-education projects across the globe, in line with its vision statement to: ‘Send the elevator back down’
KSF’s recipients are those seeking a career in the performing arts and film predominately - but not limited to - secondary school children, further and continuing education students, undergraduates (freshmen, sophomores, juniors and seniors), post graduates, graduates or those without formal education but the talent and drive to succeed.
Its inaugural project was Richard’s Rampage a global arts education initiative linked to the world tour of Richard III starring Kevin Spacey in the title role. Since then KSF has evolved into a scholarship and grant giving entity offering 13 full fully funded places per year to Regent’s University London and Pace University New York through KSF SCHOLARSHIPS and financial support to individuals and companies in the performing arts or film through KSF GRANTS. 2014 saw it formalize its offer further by introducing a third stand of activity: KSF LEARNING that uses theatre-in-education to improve aspiration through bespoke projects and workshops. It also hosted a third fundraising Gala in Washington DC - Kevin Spacey In Concert for an audience of 800 followed by an informal after-party for 350 luminaries from stage, screen, boardroom and podium co-chaired by Kevin McCarthy House Majority Leader and Steny H. Hoyer Democratic Whip
This year the Foundation launched HOME GROWN, a KSF Learning initiative in the UK, US and Middle East with the latter encompassing a talent search across 13 countries culminating in a performance in Sharjah of a new production showcasing ‘home grown’ talent that joined disparate and conflicting religions and cultures across the region. Its scholarship program also continued, as did its grant giving with support offered to 64 artists or companies seen by audiences of over 80,000 people.
That Grant program was recently repositioned to support fewer companies with larger sums and ongoing support, now called KSF ARTISTS OF CHOICE.
PANEL MEMBER BIOGS
FILM
Carola Ash is Director of Europe for the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences working as their representative for European members and raising the Academy’s international profile. She has been a creative producer, with over 25 years experience in film and television. She was Head of Production at Future Films for 10 years, and was director of international production for five years at Warner Bros International Television; previously she was based in LA working for the actor Andy Garcia. She is a member of BAFTA and Women in Film.
Stephen Beresford is a writer whose first play The Last of the Haussmans, was produced by the National Theatre in 2012, and stared Julie Walters. He received the 2015 BAFTA Award for Outstanding Debut By A British Writer, Director or Producer for his screenplay Pride. The film won the Queer Palm Award at Cannes and Best British Film at the British Independent Film Awards and was also nominated for a Golden Globe (best picture, comedy or musical). .
Rhianna Dhillon is a Movie Critic for Radio 1 and 1Xtra. She has a podcast Movies with Rhianna and presents BAFTA Guru Podcast. She went to Reading University 2008- 2011 and got the job at Radio 1 while she was still there.
Andrew Haigh is a film director, screenwriter and producer. His acclaimed romantic drama Weekend won the SXSW Audience Award for Emerging Visions and London Film Critics’ Circle award for Breakthrough British Filmmaker. His latest feature, 45 Years, won two Silver Bears at Berlin this year and will be released in August. He is also for the showrunner of the HBO drama Looking.
Christine Langan is Head of BBC Films. Her recent producing credits include Stephen Frears’s BAFTA winning and Golden Globe and Academy Award nominated Philomena; Simon Curtis’s Woman in Gold and Thomas Vinterberg’s Far From The Madding Crowd starring Carey Mulligan.
THEATRE
Samuel Adamson is a writer whose work in theatre includes book and lyrics for The Light Princess (music by Tori Amos), Southwark Fair, a new version of Ibsen’s Pillars of the Community, and Mrs Affleck (from Ibsen’s Little Eyolf) all at the National Theatre. He is artistic associate on the Tony Award-winning stage adaptation of Michael Morpurgo’s War Horse (Lincoln Centre Theatre, New York; Princess of Wales Theatre, Toronto; US tour; Australian tour; UK tour).
Tina Fallon is an independent theatre producer and creator of The 24 Hour Plays® which brings together extraordinary artists to create time-limited theatre around the world. Regular events include The 24 Hour Plays on Broadway, The 24 Hour Musicals, productions in London, Los Angeles, Dublin, Athens and Florence. Through collaborations with organizations like London’s Old Vic, The Del Sole Foundation, and Urban Arts Partnership, The 24 Hour Company’s productions have raised millions of dollars for charities worldwide.
Cush Jumbo is an actor and writer. She was awarded the Ian Charleson Award 2012. In November 2013 she was presented with The Evening Standard Emerging Talent Award for her one-woman show Josephine and I, which was performed at The Bush and then transferred to The Public in New York. In 2013 she was also nominated for the Best Supporting Actress Olivier Award for her portrayal of Marc Anthony in Phyllida Lloyd’s Julius Caesar at The Donmar Warehouse.
Jamie Lloyd is a theatre director. Recent work includes, as artistic director of Trafalgar Transformed at Trafalgar Studios (presented by Jamie Lloyd Productions): The Ruling Class, Richard III, The Pride, The Hothouse, Macbeth (Olivier nomination for Best Revival) and Urinetown (St. James and Apollo), Assassins (Menier Chocolate Factory) and Cyrano de Bergerac (Roundabout Theatre Company; American Airlines Theatre, Broadway).
Neil Pepe is the artistic director of the Atlantic Theatre Company. He most recently directed David Mamet’s A Life In The Theatre on Broadway with Patrick Stewart and T.R. Knight. He made his Broadway debut with the acclaimed hit revival of Mamet’s Speed-the-Plow. Atlantic productions include Ethan Coen’s Almost an Evening and Offices, David Mamet’s Keep Your Pantheon and American Buffalo and Jez Butterworth’s Mojo, The Night Heron and Parlour Song.
Andrew Scott is a BAFTA and Olivier-award winning actor. His recent films included Ken Loach’s Jimmy’s Hall and Matthew Warchus’ Pride, (BIFA for Best Supporting Actor). TV includes his role as Moriarty in worldwide smash- hit drama Sherlock. Recent theatre includes Birdland at the Royal Court, and Aristocrats and Emperor and Galilean at the National, as well as numerous plays in Dublin, London and New York. His forthcoming films include Frankenstein and Alice: Through The Looking Glass. He is currently filming Spectre, the next installment of the Bond franchise.
Charlie Westenra is a theatre director who trained with Augusto Boal’s Centre of the Theatre of the Oppressed and the Donmar Warehouse. Her credits include Return of the Soldier (Jermyn Street Theatre), Titanic: Scenes from the British Wreck Commissioner’s Enquiry (MAC Belfast), Lower Ninth (Donmar Trafalgar) and Kiss of the Spiderwoman (Donmar).
Kim Whitener is directing producer of HERE, one of New York’s most prolific producing organisations. Until 2007 Kim was an independent producer with her own company KiWi Productions. Her projects and clients have included The Builders Association’s Alladeen, Super Vision, and Continuous City, Martha Clarke’s The Garden of Earthly Delights remount, and several works with Big Dance Theatre.
DANCE
Carrie-Anne Ingrouille is a performer, choreographer, teacher and director for ZooNation Dance Company, Her latest performance and choreography credits include: Into the Hoods (resident director, dance captain, ensemble, swing) Beijing Olympic Handover Ceremonies (performer) StreetDance 3D (assistant choreographer, performer) T4 On The Beach (choreographer for Esmee Denters) Olympic Torch Relay (choreographer, performer) and Some Like It Hip Hop (co-choreographer, resident director, dance captain, ensemble).
Wayne McGregor CBE is a multi-award-winning choreographer and director, Artistic Director of Wayne McGregor | Random Dance and Resident Choreographer at The Royal Ballet. He has created new works and has his work in the repertory of the world’s leading ballet companies including Paris Opera Ballet and Bolshoi Ballet. He has choreographed for film (Harry Potter), music video (Radiohead), fashion shows (Gareth Pugh) and the Brit Awards (Paloma Faith). He is known for his collaborations across technology and science, and was the subject of Thinking with the Body exhibition at Wellcome Collection.
Kevin McKenzie is artistic director of American Ballet Theatre. He was a leading dancer with both the National Ballet of Washington and The Joffrey Ballet before joining American Ballet Theatre as a Soloist in March 1979. He was appointed a principal dancer the following December and danced with the Company until 1991. He was appointed artistic director in 1992.
Etta Murfitt is a British dancer, choreographer and the associate artistic director of the Matthew Bourne’s New Adventures and its educational strand REBOURNE She has worked for Matthew Bourne for over 25 years Performing in all his major works and is responsible for staging all his existing work and collaborating on new work. Etta is also an associate artist for Kneehigh theatre and choreographs for them on a regular basis.
Tamara Rojo is the artistic director of the English National Ballet, as well as a lead principal dancer. She was previously a principal dancer with The Royal Ballet, and continues to perform with the company as a guest artist. Tamara won the 2010 Laurence Olivier Award for Best New Dance Production with Goldberg: the Brandstrup-Rojo Project. King Juan Carlos has decorated Tamara with Spain’s three highest Honours, The Prince of Asturias Award, the Gold Medal of Fine Arts and Encomienda de Número de Isabel la Católica.
Lee Smikle is a teacher, choreographer, artistic director and producer. He trained at the Rambert School of Ballet & Contemporary Dance and Swindon Dance. As a performer he was a core member of Matthew Bourne’s New Adventures for many years touring internationally with shows like Swan Lake, The Car Man and Nutcracker! He now leads on choreographic projects for their educational company, Re:Bourne. Lee is the founder and Artistic Director of Shoreditch Youth Dance and Free to Fall.
Jasmin Vardimon is a choreographer and associate artist at Sadlers Wells and founder of the Jasmin Vardimon Company. In 2013 Jasmin Vardimon received the International Theatre Institute Award for Excellence in Dance in recognition of her choreographic work over recent years. She has also been recognised with the positions of Associate Artist at The Place in 1998 and at Yorkshire Dance as a Partner from 1999 – 2005. Last year she has been awarded an honorary doctorate from The Royal Holloway University.
MUSIC
David Arnold is an English film composer best known for scoring five James Bond films, Stargate (1994), Independence Day (1996), Godzilla (1998) and the television series Little Britain and Sherlock. For Independence Day he received a Grammy Award for Best Instrumental Composition Written for a Motion Picture or for Television and for Sherlock he, and co-composer Michael Price, won a Creative Arts Emmy for the score of “His Last Vow”, the final episode in the third series.
Chris Bye is Music Relationship Manager for the North at Arts Council England. He has been heavily involved in developing support for contemporary popular, alternative and electronica music. He has ensured funding for bands, festivals, labels and promoters at a regional level and continues to provide expert advice on how to get it, via panels, workshops and one-to-one sessions across the country. A passionate enthusiast for emerging acts, Chris tips for Amazing Radio, BA, Tipping Point and Tom Robinson’s Fresh on the Net.
Patrick Hawes is a British composer, conductor, organist and pianist. He is best known for writing the Highgrove Suite for HRH The Prince of Wales, for being a Composer in Residence for Classic FM and for the Number One selling album Angel. He is currently working on several ventures including a clarinet concerto, a major project for Sony with Blur guitarist Alex James, and his biggest project to date – a choral symphony entitled The Great War Symphony – to be premiered in its entirety in 2018.
Gillian Moore is director of Music at Southbank Centre. She was appointed head of Classical Music in December 2011, having joined the organisation as head of Contemporary Culture in 2006. Gillian was awarded the Sir Charles Groves Award for services to British music, in 1992 she was created an honorary member of the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, and in 1994 she was awarded an MBE for services to music and education.
Paul Phoenix is a Grammy Award-winning singer. After 17 years and nearly 2,000 concerts performing, mentoring and coaching as tenor in one of the world’s most celebrated vocal ensembles, The King’s Singers, 2014 marked Paul Phoenix’ ‘retirement’ from The King’s Singers and the launch of a new phase: ‘Purple Vocals - Perform & Engage’. Purple Vocals is both an online and personal consultancy, coaching choirs, ensembles and individuals in a range of skills.
MUSICAL THEATRE
Warren Carlyle is a New York based English director and choreographer. He has directed and choreographed ten Broadway shows. Warren is a winner of the Tony Award, the Drama Desk Award and the prestigious Astaire Award for choreography.
Cynthia Erivo is an actress who was shortlisted for Evening Standard Award for her performance of Celie in The Color Purple at London’s Menier Chocolate Factory. She will reprise her role opposite Jennifer Hudson on Broadway this autumn. She will be seen next at the Royal Festival Hall in the upcoming concert of How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying.
Alex Hanson recently starred in Follies at the Royal Albert Hall opposite Christine Baranski. His many musical theatre roles include Stephen Ward in the play of the same name, Frederick in A Little Night Music in the West End and on Broadway, Pilate in the Jesus Christ Superstar 02 London and Arena Tour, Captain Von Trapp in The Sound of Music and Otto in Marguerite (both West End).
Tamara Harvey directed the plays that form an integral part of Roland Emmerich’s 2010 film Anonymous and in 2011 she was the Associate Director at the Bush Theatre. She is currently developing a new musical with Tim Rice. Her credits include From Here to Eternity (West End), Educating Rita (Menier Chocolate Factory, Bath & Tour) The Kitchen Sink, tHe dYsFUnCKshOnalZ! (Bush), Tell Me on a Sunday (UK tour), Plague over England (Finborough and West End) and Fat Pig (Associate Director with Neil La Bute).
Theo Jamieson is a musical director and composer. He trained at Trinity College of Music and the Royal Academy of Music. As a musical director his work includes High Society (Old Vic) and Here Lies Love (NT). His musical theatre writing has been performed at Kings Place, Shaw Theatre and Blackheath concert halls; orchestration for Adam Guettel and Maria Friedman in concert
Laura-Michelle Kelly is currently playing Sylvia Llewelyn Davis in Finding Neverland at the Lunt Fontanne Theatre on Broadway. Other credits include Eliza Doolittle in My Fair Lady at The Kennedy Centre, Washington DC and South Pacific at The Muny, in St Louis USA. Other theatre credits include reprising her Oliver Award-winning role as Mary Poppins on Broadway and Anna in The King and I at The Muny, in St Louis. She played Karen, along side Kevin Spacey and Jeff Goldblum in Speed The Plow at the Old Vic.
Joe McFadden is a Scottish actor whose musical theatre performances include Ed Reiss in Torch Song Trilogy, Caractacus Potts in Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, Finch in How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying, and Mark Cohen in Rent. He played the eponymous hero in Aladdin at The Old Vic in Kevin Spacey’s first season as artistic director.
Ted Sperling is a director and musical director. He is the artistic director of the Collegiate Chorale, Principal Conductor of the Westchester Philharmonic, a consultant to the Public Theatre, and a Creative Director of the 24-Hour Plays. He received the 2006 Ted Shen Family Foundation Award for leadership in the musical theatre, and won the Tony and Drama Desk Awards for his orchestrations of The Light in the Piazza, for which he was also music director. He is currently conducting The King and I at Lincoln Centre Theatre.
The Stable commissions, develops and produces original musical theatre headed up by Neil Marcus and Jane Semark. Prior to The Stable, Neil was Executive Director of Mercury Musical Developments, a charity dedicated to the craft of writing book, music and lyrics for musical theatre. Jane was part of the original team at Kevin Spacey’s Old Vic Theatre Company, where she worked on more than 20 productions including international transfers and tours.
END
Photo of previous KSF Grant Winners with Kevin Spacey by Wesley Mann