[Congressional Record Volume 152, Number 91 (Thursday, July 13, 2006)]
[Senate]
[Page S7508]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                      IN HONOR OF ISRAEL HOROVITZ

 Mr. KERRY. Mr. President, I would like to take a moment to 
celebrate the life and work of a special individual. At the end of this 
year, Mr. Israel Horovitz will retire as artistic director of the 
Gloucester Stage Company, and as he prepares to do so I am proud to 
join with his colleagues, family, and fans in celebrating more than 25 
years of sustained artistic contributions to Massachusetts and the 
country.
  Modern American theater has much to celebrate as a result of Israel's 
leadership at Gloucester Stage. Born in Wakefield, MA, he returned to 
his home State to found the Gloucester Stage Company after holding such 
prestigious posts as the Royal Shakespeare Company's Playwright-in-
Residence. Since the inception of Gloucester Stage in 1979, the theatre 
has premiered the works of esteemed playwrights such as Terrence 
McNally, Wendy Wasserstein, and in the years since has brought real 
meaning to Horovitz's vision of a theatre that serves as a ``safe 
harbor for new writing.'' In the course of bringing the works of new, 
undiscovered playwrights to life, Gloucester Stage has hosted over 35 
world premieres of plays, many of which went on to successful runs on 
Broadway and beyond.
  In addition to celebrating Israel as the artistic director, we must 
also celebrate his writings. Horovitz is the author of more than 50 
plays and he stands as one of the most internationally acclaimed 
American playwrights of our time. He was presented with the prestigious 
Elliot Norton Prize celebrating his work with the theatre. And his 
plays and screenplays have earned him many of the industry's most 
prestigious awards, such as the OBIE, which he earned twice, the Prix 
du Jury of the Cannes Film Festival, the Prix du Plaisir du Theatre, an 
Award in Literature of the American Academy of Arts and Letters, and 
the Lifetime Achievement Award from B'Nai Brith, among many others. On 
March 29, the Commonwealth of Massachusetts honored Horovitz with a 
Governor's Leadership Award and under his leadership Gloucester Stage 
has received numerous Best of Boston awards as well as the New England 
Theatre Conference Award.
  I am proud to represent a State where Israel's artistry has 
blossomed, inspired young and old minds alike, entertained generations, 
and lifted lives. He is one of our true cultural treasures, and he has 
honored the best traditions of the theater by asking difficult 
questions and using them to illuminate and celebrate the human 
condition. I wish Israel and Gillian the very best as they look back on 
so many achievements and contributions to modern American culture, and 
I wish them the very best as they begin this new chapter in 
life.

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