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The Clarence Derwent Award
Susan Pourfar, Finn Wittrock Receive Equity’s Clarence Derwent Award
New York, NY, May 9, 2012—The Clarence Derwent Award for most promising female and male performers on the New York metropolitan scene, has gone to Susan Pourfar (Tribes) and Finn Wittrock (DEATH OF A SALESMAN). The announcement was made by Arne Gundersen, President of the Actors’ Equity Foundation, which administers the Award.
Susan Pourfar recently appeared at The Public Theater in Lisa Kron’s IN THE WAKE. Other New York credits include WHEN THE RAIN STOPS FALLING (Lincoln Center Theatre), THE SINGING FOREST and THE POOR ITCH (Public Theater), and multiple productions with the Atlantic Theatre Company. She has appeared in regional theatres around the country, including Yale Rep, Long Wharf, Denver Center, and three seasons at the Williamstown Theatre Festival.
Finn Wittrock made his Broadway debut as Happy Loman in the Broadway production of DEATH OF A SALESMAN, directed by Mike Nichols. Off-Broadway he has appeared with the Signature Theatre Company and Classic Stage Company and he is a member of the Mechanical Theatre Group in Los Angeles. TV credits include Harry’s Law, Criminal Minds, CSI: Miami, ER and the daytime drama, All My Children. He is a graduate of the Juilliard drama program.
The award will be presented at Equity’s Eastern Regional Board meeting at 3 p.m. on Tuesday, June 12, 2012 at the Equity offices, 165 West 46th Street.
The Derwent Award is the oldest award on Broadway, established in 1945 by Clarence Derwent, distinguished actor and president (1946-1952) of Actors’ Equity. Past recipients include Nina Arianda, Annette Bening, Kristin Chenoweth, Morgan Freeman, Allison Janney, Frances Sternhagen, Christopher Walken, Fritz Weaver, and, in 2011, Tracee Chimo and Santino Fontana.
The Judges’ Panel includes Joe Dziemianowicz, Daily News; Adam Feldman, Time Out NY; Susan Haskins, Theater Talk; Harry Haun, Playbill and David Rosenberg, Back Stage.
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 Award pages:
Bayfield
Callaway
Derwent
Eisenberg
Jordan
LeNoire
Quinn
Robeson
Seff
Sturtevant
Arizona Theatre Service
ACCA
Diversity on Broadway
Spirit of Diversity
Unknown to anyone but his sister and lawyer, Clarence Derwent had stipulated in his will that two five hundred dollar prizes were to be given out annually to the best individual supporting performances on Broadway. He had originally planned to have the awards given out only after his death, but, he reflected, “The amount of fun one can have from one’s money when underground is strictly limited…” So the Derwent Awards began in 1945.
To read more about Clarence Derwent click here...
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