New York -– Actors’ Equity Association, the national labor union representing more than 51,000 professional actors and stage managers in live theatre, and the Actors’ Equity Foundation, a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization supporting the professional theatre community, jointly announced that they will bestow the Paul Robeson Award for 2024 on The Campfire Project.
The Paul Robeson Award honors individuals and organizations who leverage theatre to go beyond the stage to enact their commitment to the freedom of expression and conscience, their belief in the artist’s responsibility to society and their dedication to the betterment of humankind. It is the only award jointly administered by the union and the foundation, given annually since Robeson himself received the first citation in 1974.
The Campfire Project promotes arts-based wellness in refugee spaces and empowers refugees to step into the spotlight, explore their creativity and refocus on their humanity.
“We are deeply moved by this honor,” said Jessica Hecht and Jenny Gersten, the co-founders of the Campfire Project. “We can finally properly, publicly thank [Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS Executive Director] Tom Viola for launching our mission and name the dozens of artists that have accompanied us around the world to take the work we know and love to the refugee community at large. We share this award with them.”
“The Campfire Project resonates deeply with Paul Robeson’s mission of leveraging theatre beyond the stage to enact freedom of expression and conscience, and a belief in the artist’s responsibility to society and a dedication to the betterment of humankind,” said theatre artist Fareeda Pasha, who nominated the Campfire Project for this award. “Campfire is an active, dynamic force that doesn’t stop with theatre games and therapy groups. Hundreds of diapers, bottled water units, winter coats and other necessary supplies were delivered by the Campfire crew for the residents of the camps; theatre and therapy are a part of servicing practical, deeply human needs. In short, Campfire serves mind, body and soul for people often overlooked and in extremes on all three levels.”
This award will be presented as part of the Actors’ Equity Foundation Awards ceremony on June 24 in New York City.
About the Campfire Project
The Campfire Project, founded in 2017 by Jessica Hecht and Jenny Gertsen, with Maura Tierney and Katie Flahive, promotes arts-based wellness in refugee spaces and empowers refugees to step into the spotlight, explore their creativity and refocus on their humanity. Think of them as a carnival for the body and soul!
Their programming is developed by creative artists and therapists, who are trained in using the arts for wellness and therapeutic support. We engage various arts practices to cultivate participants’ skill sets and capacity to manage their psychosocial needs. The Campfire Project’s overarching goal is to empower refugees and asylum seekers to explore their creativity, refocus on their humanity and foster their resilience.
They have worked in diverse settings including refugee camps and settlements serving displaced communities from across the globe:
Upcoming, July 2024: NYC
- 2023: Palorinya Refugee Settlement, Uganda – Working with refugees from South Sudan
- 2022: Moldova – Working with Ukrainian refugees
- 2017-2019: Ritsona, Greece – Working with refugees from Syria, Turkey, Africa, as well as other locations across the Middle East
https://campfire-project.org/
About the Founders
Jessica Hecht is an acclaimed stage actress and appeared most recently in Summer, 1976 opposite Laura Linney (Tony Nomination). Hecht's Broadway credits include The Price, Fiddler on the Roof, The Assembled Parties, Harvey, After the Fall, The Last Night of Ballyhoo, Brighton Beach Memoirs, Julius Caesar, A View from the Bridge (Tony Nomination). Off-Broadway representative roles include King Lear, Stage Kiss, Three Sisters, The Orchard and Admissions, for which she received an Obie Award.
She received an Emmy Award nomination for her performance in the Netflix series Special. She was seen on television in the limited series Super Pumped and The Loudest Voice and in recurring roles in The Sinner, Dickinson, The Boys and Succession. She is also recognizable to television audiences from Friends and Breaking Bad. She has just completed filming Eleanor The Great opposite June Squibb (Scarlett Johansson’s directorial debut).
Jenny Gersten has worked with Jessica Hecht on The Campfire Project since its inception in 2017. She is the VP & Producer of Musical Theater at New York City Center, responsible for the renowned Encores! series. She also serves as Line Producer for the Beetlejuice national tour and is the Interim Artistic Director of the Williamstown Theatre Festival. She sometimes produces commercially, including Just For Us on Broadway, the award-winning Off Broadway “pie shop” production of Sweeney Todd, and Gavin Creel's Walk on Through. Previously, she was Executive Director at Friends of the High Line and Associate Producer of The Public Theater. At sea, she is the Creative Producer of Virgin Voyages.
PAUL ROBESON (1898-1976) was one of the most significant figures of the twentieth century at the intersection of performance and politics. His most famous roles included Joe onstage and screen for Show Boat and being one of the first Black performers to play Othello. As an activist, he protested injustice in the United States and abroad, including fighting segregation, apartheid and fascism. He received many accolades and was honored as the first recipient of the original Robeson Citation awarded in 1974.
ABOUT THE PAUL ROBESON AWARD On June 1, 1971, the Council of Actors' Equity Association established what is now known as the Paul Robeson Committee and designated Frederick O'Neal as Chair. The committee resolved to present an award to an individual or organization that best leverages theatre to go beyond the stage to enact their commitment to the freedom of expression and conscience, their belief in the artist’s responsibility to society and their dedication to the betterment of humankind. The Robeson is the only award jointly administered by Actors' Equity Association and Actors' Equity Foundation.
ACTORS' EQUITY ASSOCIATION, founded in 1913, is the U.S. labor union that represents more than 51,000 professional actors and stage managers. Equity endeavors to advance the careers of its members by negotiating wages, improving working conditions and providing a wide range of benefits (health and pension included). Member: AFL-CIO, FIA. www.actorsequity.org #EquityWorks
THE ACTORS’ EQUITY FOUNDATION was created in 1962 to aid and assist the members of the acting profession and to promote the theatre arts. It is separate from Actors’ Equity Association and is funded by estate bequests and individual donations.
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June 5, 2024
