Players Foundation Extends 'The Half' Exhibit Through 6/29

The Players FOUNDATION FOR THEATER EDUCATION Executive Director John Martello announced the two-week extension of the The Half: Photographs of Actors Preparing for the State, an exhibition of celebrity photographs of actors in their dressing rooms taken by Simon Annand in the 30 minutes before curtain up, known as the half. The exhibition will now run until June 29th, 2012 at The Players (16 Gramercy Park South, New York) and is accompanied by Annand's book The Half.

'We are excited to extend the exhibit of these magnificent photos by Simon Annand,' Martello said. 'Our background as a repository for theatrical memorabilia has given us a unique sense of cultural history. These photos ? which span nearly three decades ? reflect modern cultural history; this extension, The Players? dedication to it.'

Kate Bailey of the V&A?s Department of Theatre and Performance curated the selection with Annand in the original London exhibit. The portraits capture 25 years of theatre history and show actors including Glenn Close, James Earl Jones, Cate Blanchett, Ethan Hawke, Colin Firth, and more, in the intimacy of their dressing rooms at ?the half.? ?The half? is one of the most private times for an actor, a time for intense concentration to prepare for the performance ahead. It is a moment rarely captured on film.

Admission to the exhibit will be $10 (suggested donation), from 11 AM- 4 PM, Mondays through Fridays. On Tuesdays and Thursdays at 3 PM, admission includes a guided tour of the private PLAYERS.

In 1888, Edwin Booth, America?s pre-eminent Shakespearean actor, and 15 other incorporators, including Mark Twain and General Tecumseh Sherman, founded The Players. Its purpose: ?The promotion of social intercourse between members of the dramatic profession and the kindred professions of literature, painting, architecture, sculpture and music, law and medicine, and the patrons of the arts.? Today, The Players preserves its heritage by remaining a repository of theater history, memorabilia and theatrical artifacts. The Players FOUNDATION FOR THEATER EDUCATION was established to foster an understanding and appreciation of the American Theatre, utilizing the unique history of The Players and the myriad personalities who have contributed to that history. The Players FOUNDATION FOR THEATER EDUCATION is a 501(c)(3) organization. For more information: http://www.theplayersnyc.org.

The V&A is the world?s leading museum of art and design with collections unrivalled in their scope and diversity. It was established to make works of art available to all and to inspire British designers and manufacturers. Today, the V&A?s collections, which span over 2000 years of human creativity in virtually every medium and from many parts of the world, continue to intrigue, inspire and inform. The V&A has the largest touring programme of any museum of art and design in the world and has the greatest national and international reach. In 2011, 21 V&A exhibitions travelled to 34 venues in 13 countries worldwide, where they were seen by over 2.3 million people www.vam.ac.uk