Adventure Theatre, the longest-running children’s theatre in Washington, D.C., will present Timothy P. Shriver with its annual Spirit of Adventure Award at Kids at Play: Adventure Theatre’s 2010 Gala Auction & Fundraiser on Oct. 1. U.S. Rep. Jesse L. Jackson Jr., D-Ill., will serve as host and master of ceremonies for the event.
The Spirit of Adventure Award honors creative individuals in the District area and the 2010 award pays tribute to Shriver, chairman and CEO of the Special Olympics, for his efforts to promote inclusion and acceptance for all youth in sports and the arts.
Shriver has helped transform Special Olympics into a movement that focuses on respect, acceptance and inclusion for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities around the world. He has also produced or co-produced Hollywood films to inspire change and support for the disadvantaged, including Amistad. A leading educator focusing on the social and emotional factors in learning, Shriver co-founded and chairs the Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning (CASEL).
“We are thrilled to honor Tim Shriver’s national leadership on inclusion and acceptance for all members of society, and with Representative Jesse Jackson, Jr. hosting the event, it will be an incredible evening at Adventure Theatre,” said Peter Carnathan, president of Adventure Theatre’s Board of Directors, in a statement. “Through their work in the arts and in politics, Mr. Shriver and Mr. Jackson have demonstrated a profound understanding of the power of the arts to inspire change and shape public opinion.”
Jackson, who is also a longtime supporter of the arts, began service in the United States House of Representatives in 1995 as a member of the 104th Congress. He was the 91st African American ever elected to Congress and currently sits on the House Appropriations Committee serving as the fourth most senior Democrat on the Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies.
The Kids at Play: 2010 Gala Auction & Fundraiser features a special musical performance by American actress and singer, Judy Kuhn, who has been nominated for three Tony Awards and three Drama Desk Awards for her work on Broadway in the Roundabout’s hit revival of She Loves Me, the American premiers of Chess and Les Miserables and Rags.
Adventure Theatre’s Kids at Play: 2010 Gala Auction & Fundraiser, located in Historic Glen Echo Park, begins with a pre-gala reception at 7 p.m. in the Cuddle Up, followed by a buffet dinner in the Bumper Car Pavilion. The event includes a live auction led by prizewinning journalist Bob Levey. Proceeds from the gala benefit the theater education and artistic programs of Adventure Theatre.
The event takes place from 7-10 p.m. at Adventure Theatre, 7300 Macarthur Blvd., Glen Echo, Md. For more information, visit adventuretheatre.org.