Actors Theatre of Louisville Unveils 36th Humana Festival Poster Design

Actors Theatre of Louisville today unveiled the official poster design for the 36th Annual Humana Festival of New American Plays. This year's design, an assemblage illustration inspired by the creative imagination of the writer, is illustrated by Nashville-based national award-winning illustrator and designer Wayne Brezinka and will be used to promote and commemorate this year's Humana Festival of New American Plays that runs February 26 - April 15, 2012.

Wayne Brezinka said "It's always a thrill for me to receive a new commission. As I began to read more about the specifics of this particular assignment and the words "anything goes," I was in heaven. Theatre, the Largest American playwright festival, illustration and anything goes? A dream job! I'm honored to be a part of this year's 36th Annual Humana Festival."

Kory Kelly, Director of Marketing and Communications said: "By annually commissioning artists to create the signature image of the Festival, we have been able to explore new work across multiple art forms. In the same way that the Humana Festival is a platform for our playwrights, we hope to support visual artists by encouraging them to explore new ideas, inspirations and exposing them to national and international audiences. Wayne Brezinka represents new ideas and inspiration. We are extremely pleased to have had him create the image that will represent the Humana Festival of New American Plays to audiences around the world. His unique style and creativity dynamically captures the energy and spirit of the Humana Festival."

Each year Actors Theatre of Louisville commissions an artist whose work captures the spirit of the Humana Festival and reflects the energy, impact and humanity of the stage. Their creation is used in all publicity materials relating to the festival, including flyers, invitations, advertisements and programs. Brezinka's illustration, unveiled today, imaginatively reflects the core values of the Humana Festival, putting the playwright at the center of the new play production process. His illustration - a writer surrounded by a montage of flowers and natural imagery - is a visually rich marriage of collage and mixed media with layers and textures that give the image three-dimensional depth.

Brezinka joins a prestigious list of artists including Wiktor Sadowski, Brian Cronin, Istvan Orosz, Chip Kidd, Tomer Hanuka, Julien Pacaud, Richard Wilkinson and Josh Cochran, who have been commissioned by Actors Theatre throughout the Humana Festival's history. Former illustrator Tomer Hanuka was so inspired by Actors Theatre's commissioning process that he incorporated it into the curriculum as an on-going annual project for his class at NYU. During previous Festivals students from Hanuka's class have had their own Humana Festival poster illustrations displayed in Actors Theatre's lobby spaces. As an illustrator and designer, Berzinka is fast building a reputation for his quirky approach to assemblage that uniquely combines vintage and found ephemera, collage and mixed mediums to create unique images and works of art. He has previously been commissioned by The New York Times, Neiman Marcus, The Johnny Cash family, The Washington Post, the Chicago Tribune and Country Music Hall of Fame. Commenting on Brezinka's work, John Carter Cash (Son of Johnny and June Carter) said, "Wayne is at the top of his game right now, and I believe will stay so for many years to come".

Now in its 36th year, the Humana Festival of New American Plays is the most prestigious new play festival in the country and affords new and established playwrights the unique opportunity to have their work fully realized and premiered in front of almost 40,000 theatre goers and professionals from around the country and abroad as part of the month long celebration of new work. To date the Humana Festival has launched more than 500 new works into the American theatre canon and earned Actors Theatre a reputation for being a vital force in the development of new plays.

The full lineup for the 36th Humana Festival of New American Plays will be announced on November 13, 2011.

For more information on the Humana Festival of New American Plays visit ActorsTheatre.org.

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