SAG-AFTRA NY - Winter 2017

Page 1

Winter 2017

N.Y.

NEILSON BARNARD/GETTY IMAGES X2

SAG-AFTRA Foundation Opens Robin Williams Center Ken Howard Boardroom Dedication > p2 Letter from NY President Mike Hodge > p3 Broadcast Spotlight: Cheri Preston > p5 “I Am a New York Actor” Anna Chlumsky > p6 SAG-AFTRA President Gabrielle Carteris, front center, and National Executive Director David White, second from left, join national officers and national and local board members at the opening of the SAG-AFTRA Foundation’s new Robin Williams Center for Entertainment and Media on Oct. 5.

By Liz Zazzi

O

n Oct. 5, the Robin Williams Center for Entertainment and Media opened its doors on West 54th Street. This SAG-AFTRA Foundation state-of-theart screening room and educational space will be available to more than 160,000 members of SAG-AFTRA over the next 20 years. It will serve as the new home for Conversations as well as The Business programs. Journalist Lisa Birnbach moderated a panel that included some of the late actor’s closest friends and collaborators. Billy Crystal and Whoopi Goldberg were joined on the stage of the center’s intimate hightech screening room by director Barry Levinson and actors Hank Azaria and Bonnie Hunt. After viewing clips from one of several Conversations Williams had participated in over the years as a SAG-AFTRA member, the group shared remembrances that were

Singers > p8 Dancers > p9 Perspective: Cecilia Friederichs > p10

both funny and moving. Williams’ gift for entertaining as well as his unfailing generosity was affirmed by Staff Spotlight: everyone. Hunt recalled her early improv days, when Lela Bangaree-Motie > p11 she was an oncology nurse by day, and Williams offered: “‘If you want me to call some patients, I can.’ And this was just the two of us. Nobody knew about it. It wasn’t for any purpose except the healing power of humor.” After the tears and the laughter, invited guests attended an after-party at 54 Below, just across the street from the Foundation’s Robin Williams Center for Entertainment and Media, the first facility that his family allowed to carry his name. As part of opening week, the center hosted a fascinating interview with Jeffrey Toobin, left, interviews journalist Tom Brokaw. continues on page 2 >>>


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