Actors' Equity Association has announced that Micki Grant, a multi-award winning actor, composer-lyricist and playwright, is the recipient of the 2009 Paul Robeson Award. The award will be presented on Oct. 9, 2009 at the General Membership Meeting at Actor's Equity Association's headquarters in New York City.
Currently in its 35th year, The Paul Robeson Award was first presented in 1974, honoring a person who best exemplified the principles by which Robeson himself lived. Past recipients include Sidney Poitier, Lloyd Richards, Judith Jamison, Carl Harms, Ossie Davis and Ruby Dee.
Grant began her theatrical career with the Center Aisle Players. Her stage credits include Don't Bother Me, I Can't Cope; Langston Hughes' Tambourines to Glory, marking her Broadway debut; Having Our Say; and regional productions of the Cradle Will Rock, Brecht on Brecht and To Be Young, Gifted and Black. Also on Grant's resume is being the first African-American contract performer on a daytime TV soap, playing attorney Peggy Nolan for seven years on "Another World." Other television credits include "The Edge of Night" and "Guiding Light."
Grant was nominated for Tony Awards for book, music and lyrics for Don't Bother Me, I Can't Cope and won the Outer Critics Circle Awards for score and performance, and the Drama Desk Award for lyrics and performance. She was the first woman to win the Grammy Award for score for the production and was also Tony-nominated for her contributions to Working. Additional Grammy nominations include one for best score with Alex Bradford for Your Arms Too Short to Box With God.
Grant is also the recipient of a CLIO Award for her commercial tunes.
Actors' Equity Association founded in 1913, represents more than 48,000 Actors and Stage Managers in the United States. Equity seeks to advance, promote and foster the art of live theatre as an essential component of our society.
