Heather Smaha wins Eve Adamson Lighting Design Award

Phoenix Theatre Ensemble, announces that Heather Smaha, a recent graduate from New York's SUNY Purchase College, is the winner of the third annual Eve Adamson Excellence in Lighting Design Award. The award presentation will take place at the performance of the company's production of Yasmina Reza’s "Art," on Saturday, December 10 at 8:00 pm at The Wild Project, 195 E 3rd Street, New York's premiere green/eco-conscious theatre.

Eve Adamson was the founder of New York's Jean Cocteau Repertory and remained its Artistic Director for 18 years, during which time she presented a demanding repertory ranging from the Greeks to Shakespeare, and from modern theatre pioneers Chekov, Pinter and Pirandello. Seeking to reach what Cocteau referred to as "the poetry of theatre" where all elements come together as a cohesive whole, she began experimenting with light design in the mid-1980s and continued to light her own shows throughout her career. She died in 2006, one week before she was to begin rehearsals for Phoenix Theatre Ensemble's production of Anouilh's “Antigone.” Phoenix Theatre Ensemble established the “Eve Adamson Award for Excellence in Lighting Design” in 2008, inviting nominations of deserving graduate students majoring in lighting design from metropolitan area colleges and universities.

Ms. Smaha was singled out from an outstanding group of nominees. Phoenix Theatre Ensemble founder and award committee member, Craig Smith, commented "Ms. Smaha is an outstanding designer. Her use of key light and sculpting the human figure on stage is very much in keeping with aesthetic of Eve Adamson’s work. We are thrilled to be making this presentation to Ms. Smaha."

The Eve Adamson Award for Excellence in Lighting Design includes a commemorative certificate, a cash award of $1,000, and an opportunity to design a main-stage Phoenix production in the 2011-12 season, which this season is the company’s production of Yasmina Reza’s "ART," opening on December 8th. The award will be presented on Saturday, December 10 at 8:00 pm at the performance of "ART" and will be followed by a reception at the theatre in honor of Ms. Smaha. Tickets are $25 and may be obtained by calling 212-352-3101 or visiting www.PhoenixTheatreEnsemble.org.