Aurora Theatre, Lisa Cremin of the Metropolitan Atlanta Arts Fund and Atlanta Chamber Players founder Paula Peace are among 12 organizations and individuals honored by Gov. Nathan Deal this week for contributing to Georgia’s cultural life.
The Governor’s Awards, now in their fifth year, “recognize significant contributions to Georgia’s civic and cultural vitality.” They are presented in partnership with the Georgia Council for the Arts and Georgia Humanities.
Aurora Theatre, in Lawrenceville, is celebrating its 21st season under the leadership of co-founding artistic directors Anthony Rodriguez and Ann-Carol Pence. The company produces nine shows on two stages, a mix of musicals, dramas, comedies and contemporary work. Now running are the contemporary comedies Singles in Agriculture and Women in Jeopardy. The company’s In the Heights and Memphis, both co-produced with downtown Atlanta’s Theatrical Outfit, have set box-office records and won numerous Suzi Bass nominations and/or awards, Atlanta’s version of the Tony awards.
Cremin, a star in the metro arts community, is a numbers-cruncher, and much more. Her colleagues at MAAF describe her as a master of relationship management, a catalyst, a connector, a collaborator, a director, a producer, actor, choreographer, promoter,” They also said, and it’s been proven, that “Atlanta’s arts community thrives because it has a sustained and vital ecosystem — and Lisa Cremin has been a major driving force behind it.”
Peace, a pianist, is the founding artistic director of the Atlanta Chamber Players, a job she held for nearly 39 years before retiring in 2014. “Because of Paula’s pioneering artistic leadership of almost 40 years,” Atlanta Chamber Players vice president Jim Throckmorton says, “Georgia can celebrate its first nationally recognized chamber music ensemble.”
The other recipients, in alphabetical order:
- Beach Institute, Savannah. An African-American cultural center that dates to 1867 and was created to educate newly freed slaves.
- Bowdon Area Historical Society.
- Lee Harper, Atlanta. An Atlanta dancer and choreographer for more than 35 years. She created Lee Harper & Dancers, which focuses on contempory work and performs at events throughout the metro area, and the Lee Harper Studios, which is dedicated to dance education.
- Alvin D. Jackson, M.D., Savannah.
- Macon Arts Alliance, Macon.
- Museum School of Avondale Estates.
- Steve Quesinberry. Teaches physical education, world history and coaches soccer at Newnan High School.
- Betty Foy Sanders, Statesboro. A painter who established and curates the Betty Foy Sanders Georgia Artists Collection at Georgia Southern University’s Center for Art & Theatre. It features the work of Georgia artists.
- Larry Walker, Atlanta. A visual artist and retired educator. He specializes in painting, drawing and mixed media/collage.
