TheatreWorks' Giovanna Sardelli Inducted into UNLV Hall of Fame

Today, TheatreWorks Silicon Valley's Artistic Associate and Director of New Works Giovanna Sardelli will be inducted into University of Nevada, Las Vegas' (UNLV) Hall of Fame. Established by UNLV's College of Fine Arts, the Hall of Fame honors distinguished individuals and organizations that have made a profound impact on the arts in Las Vegas and around the world. A Las Vegas native and UNLV alumna, Sardelli will be awarded Alumni of the Year alongside mixed media artist Sush Machida.

Also honored at tonight's ceremony will be actress and Hollywood legend Ann-Margret, distinguished writer and cultural critic Dave Hickey, comedic magician Mac King, and comedian Scott "Carrot Top" Thompson. Also being recognized with the Koep Dean's Medal are Justin Favela, alumnus and mixed media and installation artist, and Candy Schneider, vice president of education and outreach for The Smith Center. Trumpeter and vocalist Brian Newman will receive the Las Vegas Newcomer Award.

An in-demand director with credits at leading theatres across the country, Giovanna Sardelli is Tony Award-winning TheatreWorks Silicon Valley's Artistic Associate and Director of New Works. As Director of New Works, Sardelli produces TheatreWorks' hit annual festival of new works, providing an advance look at tomorrow's theatre hits. This month, TheatreWorks will stream New Works Festival Online, offering digital audiences an extraordinary opportunity to view new plays and selections from new musicals. New Works Festival Online runs April 23 - May 15, 2021 with performances streaming live. Streaming access is available at pay what you can pricing ($10 minimum for a festival pass) at theatreworks.org.

Among the musical highlights for New Works Festival Online: a sneak peek at the hit indie folk-rock musical Lizard Boy (April 24), being revisited with updated material before it launches TheatreWorks' 51st season this fall, and an innovative, digital theatre/rap piece called Currency (April 24) inspired by the themes from The Merchant of Venice by the acclaimed group Bay Area Theatre Cypher. Plays include two works which examine the impact and ramifications of the Muslim travel ban-As Soon As Impossible (May 1), a comedy exploring friendship in the time of war, and A Distinct Society (May 8), a drama celebrating the human spirit during crises that divide. pas de deux (lost my shoe), a semi-autobiographical dance theatre piece about memory, grief, forgiveness, and freedom, closes the festival on May 15. For more information the public may visit theatreworks.org.

Giovanna Sardelli's many directing credits at TheatreWorks include the March 2020 Northern California Premiere of They Promised Her the Moon, as well as Pulitzer Prize finalist Rajiv Joseph's Archduke (2019), FINKS (2018), The Velocity of Autumn and Crimes of the Heart (2016), Joseph's The Lake Effect (2015), Somewhere by Matthew Lopez (2013), and the World Premiere of Joseph's The North Pool (2011). She is an award-winning director who has worked on numerous plays by Rajiv Joseph including the world premiere of Archduke (Mark Taper Forum) and Guards at the Taj (Geffen Playhouse; 2016 Ovation Award for Best Production of a Play) and the World Premiere of the Obie Award winning play Describe The Night (Alley Theatre, Atlantic Theater Company in NYC). She has directed world premieres of plays by Theresa Rebeck, Lynn Rosen, Joe Gilford, Jeff Augustine, Lauren Yee, Zayd Dohrn, Melissa Ross, Lila Rose Kaplan, Matthew Lopez, and Zoe Kazan among others. Sardelli is set to direct TheatreWorks' upcoming productions of It's A Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play and the World Premiere of Nan and the Lower Body in its 51st season.

TheatreWorks Silicon Valley is the recipient of the 2019 Regional Theatre Tony Award. Led by Artistic Director Tim Bond and Executive Director Phil Santora, the Palo Alto-based theatre company serves more than 100,000 patrons per year and has captured a national reputation for artistic innovation and integrity, often presenting Bay Area theatregoers with their first look at acclaimed musicals, comedies, and dramas, directed by award-winning local and guest directors, and performed by professional actors cast locally and from across the country. The company's 51st season has been postponed in accordance with global efforts to prevent the spread of COVID-19 (Coronavirus), with TheatreWorks currently scheduled to resume in-person performances in October 2021.

University of Nevada, Las Vegas' College of Arts Hall of Fame was founded in 2003 to honor past and present residents of Southern Nevada who have made a significant impact in the areas of visual arts, performing arts, and/or architecture. Past inductees include Tony Curtis; Phyllis McGuire; Robert Goulet; The Killers; Wayne Newton; Liberace; Clint Holmes; architects Tony Marnell, John Klai, Tom Schoeman, and William Snyder; Penn & Teller; Lance Burton; and Siegfried & Roy, among others.

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