Two young theatre designers have won awards from The Princess Grace Foundation, created to honor the memory of Princess Grace of Monaco, who also had a substantial Hollywood career as Grace Kelly. The Foundation, which is dedicated to supporting young people beginning careers in the arts, presented its 2001 awards at a black-tie gala at Manhattan’s Waldorf-Astoria Hotel
The Pierre Cardin Theatre Award was presented to costume designer Jacqueline Firkins, whose credits include Heaven Can Wait (Westport Country Playhouse), A Cup of Coffee (Yale Repertory Theatre), The Moon of the Caribbees (The Flea Theatre), Much Ado About Nothing, and A Midsummer Night’s Dream (New Jersey Shakespeare Festival), and Life is a Dream, Hamlet, and Twelfth Night (Yale School of Drama). She currently works at the Portland Stage Company, where her designs have included Wit, Gaslight, and A Christmas Carol.
The Fabergè Theatre Award went to scenic designer Paul Eric Pape, a third-year graduate student at the University of California at San Diego. His recent credits include the first annual La Jolla Playhouse Page to Stage program, plus productions of bash: latterday plays, Medea, and Miss Julie. He has also designed for the Ash Lawn/Highland Opera Festival in Charlottesville, VA, the Nebraska Shakespeare Festival, and Opera Omaha. His designs were seen at the Prague Quadrennial International Design Exhibit in Prague in 1999, and at the Kennedy Center in Washington, DC.
Other Princess Grace Awards were presented for playwriting, direction, dance, and filmmaking. This is the 17th year for the awards.