Ronald Rand Celebrates 20 Years Touring As Harold Clurman In LET IT BE ART!

Goodwill Cultural Ambassador Ronald Rand, recently returned from performing at Nairobi's National Theatre in The Kenya International Theater Festival, will celebrate his 20th year of touring, performing his celebrated solo play, LET IT BE ART! in a special performance presented by Tennessee Valley Art Association (TVAA) at The Ritz Theatre's Ritz Studio in Sheffield, Alabama on February 29th.

"We're thrilled Ronald Rand will be performing his inspiring play embracing the Shoals' spirit of culture and collaboration." said Executive Director Christi Williams-Britten, who is following in the footsteps of passionate creative community leaders Mary Settle Cooney and Ethel Davis who dedicated themselves to further the growth of the arts in the Tennessee Valley. "Ronald's performance is an unforgettable evening of down-to-earth humor, exciting storytelling and dynamic passion!"

Audiences are taken on an inspiring journey the moment Rand enters the stage, traveling to New York City, Paris and Moscow, witnessing the creation of America's greatest acting company, The Group Theatre, meeting many of the most vibrant personalities of the 20th century such as Stella Adler, Lee Strasberg, Clifford Odets, Aaron Copland, Constantin Stanislavsky, Robert Edmond Jones, Marlon Brando - even Katharine Hepburn and Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis.

President Jimmy Carter wrote in 1980: "Harold Clurman was known as a 'True Man of the Theatre.' Harold Clurman founded The Group Theatre and shared it with millions of Americans. He brought to America a world of new knowledge. I am pleased to join in honoring the director, critic, teacher, spirit of the American Theatre - Harold Clurman."

Harold Clurman has been called "the most influential figure in the history of the American Theatre. One of America's greatest directors, he co-founded The Group Theatre with Lee Strasberg and Cheryl Crawford. Clurman embodied the passion and fervor of an entire generation! Clurman was the award-winning director of forty of the most important plays in Broadway history, including the original productions of A MEMBER OF THE WEDDING WITH Julie Harris and Ethel Waters, BUS STOP with Kim Stanley and Elaine Stritch, the national tour of A STREETCAR NAMED DESIRE with Uta Hagen and Anthony Quinn, A TOUCH OF THE POET with Helen Hayes, Eric Portman and Kim Stanley, Clifford Odets' AWAKE AND SING and GOLDEN BOY, WALTZ OF The Toreadors with Sir Ralph Richardson, TIGER AT THE GATES with Sir Michael Redgrave, INCIDENT AT VICHY with Joseph Wiseman, Hal Holbrook and Roy Scheider. He also directed Marlon Brando in TRUCKLINE CAFÉ. Clurman directed around the world in Japan, London and Israel, and authored several books including "The Fervent Years about The Group Theatre, "On Directing," "Ibsen," and his autobiography, "All People are Famous." Clurman's writings can be found in "The Collected Works of Harold Clurman" and "The Soul of the American Actor" Newspaper.

Ronald Rand's transformational performance as Harold Clurman has received standing ovations around the world in 25 countries, in three critically acclaimed Off-Broadway productions, representing the United States at the 2018 World Theater Olympics, and at over a hundred theaters, art centers, colleges and universities around the world and across America.

This past August, Rand representing the United States, performed in his inspiring solo play, LET IT BE ART! in the Colombo International Theater Festival, and was invited to perform for hundreds of students at the University of Visual and Performing Arts in Sri Lanka.

Rand is an acclaimed stage and film/TV Actor, starring in several plays Off-Broadway and across America, he has appeared in over 200 films including A MARRIAGE: STIEGLITZ AND O'KEEFE with Christopher Plummer and Jane Alexander, QUIZ SHOW with Ralph Fiennes and Paul Scofield directed by Robert Redford, HOMELESS with Yoko Ono, FAMILY BUSINESS with Sean Connery and Dustin Hoffman, IN & OUT with Kevin Kline, LAW AND ORDER and SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE.

Rand has brought to life Captain Arthur Keller (father of Helen Keller) in a solo presentation he created for the past three years in The Helen Keller Festival, and last year as Charles Dickens in his new one-person show reading Rand's adaptation of "A Christmas Carol" in Tuscumbia, Alabama.

Rand is the librettist of a new opera, IBSEN, about Henrik Ibsen's final days, with composer Harmut von Lieres. IBSEN's World Premiere will be performed by conductor Dr. Ashley William Joseph and the Indian National Symphony Orchestra, directed by Nancy Rhodes, choreographed by Mallika Sarabhai in Bangalore on November 7th, to be followed by an World Tour to Malaysia, Thailand and the Philippines.

Founder and Publisher of "The Soul of the American Actor" Newspaper, in its 21st year, Rand is the author of two books, "Acting Teachers of America" and "CREATE!" which includes over 150 artworks and 130 interviews including Carol Burnett, Brian Cox, Nicole Ansari, Alec Baldwin, Ruby Dee, Ossie Davis, Chaka Khan, Christopher Plummer, Ben Vereen, Chita Rivera, Paul Tazewell, Michel Frayn, Eve Ensler, Edward Albee, Jacques d'Amboise, Stephen Henderson, Tommy Tune, John Patrick Shanley, Patricia Neal, Luise Rainer, Martha Carpenter, Katherine Dunham, Robert Lepage, Alonzo King and Robert Wilson.

An internationally-renowned director, Rand's production of the hit comedy, LUV, starring Zana Marjanovic, lead of Angelina Jolie's film, In the Land of Blood and Honey, continues into its 5th sold-out year at Sarajevo's prestigious Chamber Theatre 55, and has traveled across Bosnia & Herzegovina, Serbia, Slovenia, and Montenegro winning awards at many festivals.

Rand will also teach his acclaimed 6 week "Art of Transformation" Master Acting Workshop Series, highlighting Constantin Stanislavsky's acting chart, "Method of Physical Actions," at The Ritz Studio in Sheffield in March and February.

As a Master Acting Teacher, Rand has taught over 35 years at over a hundred universities, colleges, acting academies and acting schools around the world in 25 countries, across America, and was an Adjunct Professor of Theater at Pace University, University of North Alabama, and Northern Illinois University.

According to Rand, "I'm honored in my 20th year of touring around the world and across America as Harold Clurman in my solo play, LET IT BE ART! creating a great sharing of friendship and communication through the art of storytelling. I'm delighted to be able to bring Harold Clurman to the Shoals in northwest Alabama!"

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