Janeane Garofalo Hosts Artios Awards, Nora & Delia Ephron to be Honored by Stanley Tucci, 11/2

The Casting Society of America has announced that comedian Janeane Garofalo will host the year's New York 25th Annual Artios Awards® ceremony on Monday, November 2, 2009 at The Times Center, in the newly built New York Times Building (620 Eighth Avenue). The reception will commence at 5:30 p.m. EST). She will be joined by actor Stanley Tucci, who will present the coveted New York Big Apple Award to Nora Ephron & Delia Ephron (their new theatrical production, Love, Loss, and What I Wore, just opened to rave reviews in New York). Simultaneously, the Los Angeles award ceremony will be held at the Hyatt Regency Century Plaza Hotel (reception will commence at 5:45 p.m. PST).  

Presented yearly for outstanding achievement in casting, awards are given on the criteria of originality, creativity and contribution of casting to the overall quality of a project. The term "Artios" is from the ancient Greek word meaning "perfectly fitted."

Each year, in addition to the awards presented to casting directors for their achievements in Theater, Television and Film casting, the Casting Society of America also recognizes Industry notables with a Career Achievement Award, The New York Apple Award and bestows the Hoyt Bowers Award on one of its own. In addition to Nora Ephron and Delia Ephron, this year's honorees are (at the Los Angeles ceremony) Laura Ziskin will receive the Career Achievement Award, and John Frank Levey, the Hoyt Bowers Award.

The Artios Awards were first given in 1985 to honor excellence in casting and was held at the Crystal Room of the Beverly Hills Hotel attended by 500 industry leaders. The first New York awards were given three years later.

For ticket information, please call (212) 868-1260, or (323) 463-1925, or via email at castingsociety@earthlink.net.

The CSA is the premier organization of theatrical casting directors in film, television, and theater, and is passionately committed to establishing a recognized standard of professionalism in the industry; enhancing the stature of the profession in the industry; freely exchanging information and ideas among members; providing the opportunity to honor the outstanding achievements of its members; and providing members with profession support and resources. CSA members are a united professional society that society that consistently set the level of professionalism in casting on which the entertainment industry has come to rely. With more than 425 members, the CSA has representation not only in the United States, but also Canada, England and Australia. For more information, or to become a member, visit www.castingsociety.com.