JAMES SPRUILL, CO-FOUNDER OF NEW AFRICAN COMPANY
AND LONGTIME ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR OF ACTING
AT BOSTON UNIVERSITY RECEIVED
THE 2007 STAGESOURCE THEATRE HERO AWARD
The StageSource Board of Directors presented James Spruill, co-founder of New African Company and longtime Associate Professor of Boston University, the 2007 StageSource Theatre Hero Award at a reception on Monday, June 4, 2007 at the Calderwood Pavilion in Boston. StageSource board chair David Colfer welcomed the over 175 people in attendance and introduced playwright and long-time theatre community member Robert Johnson and actress, director, writher and StageSource board member Jacqui Parker who each spoke of Mr. Spruill's contribution to the theatre community. StageSource Executive Director Jeff Poulos invited attendees to join him in toasting Mr. Spruill as he presented the Theatre Hero Award to Spruill for his outstanding vision, inspiration and service to the theatre community of Greater Boston.
Past Theatre Hero Award recipients have included Jack Welch, former Managing Director of Baker’s Plays (2000), Kate Snodgrass, Artistic Director of Boston Playwrights’ Theatre (2001), Wheelock Family Theatre (2002), Spiro Veloudos, Producing Artistic Director, Lyric Stage Company of Boston (2003), Jacqui Parker, Artistic Director, Our Place Theatre Project (2004), Scott Edmiston, director and long-time StageSource board member (2005), and Susan Gassett, co-founder and Artistic Director of City Stage (2006).
James Spruill
James Arthur Spruill has enjoyed a long and distinguished career as actor, producer, director and teacher. In 1968, Mr. Spruill co-founded the New African Company with Gustave Johnston, formed out of the Theatre Company of Boston, and in 1975, Mr. Spruill joined the faculty at Boston University, serving as Associate Professor of acting. During his tenure in Boston, he has mentored many local African-American theatre artists including Cassandra Cato-Louis, Naheem Garcia, Robert Johnson, Jr., Mwalim (Morgan Peters), Jacqui Parker, Lynda Patton, Lois Roach and Vincent Siders, and many artists who have gone to be leaders in theatre and film including Jason Alexander, Beresford Bennett, Mike Chiklis, Geena Davis, Emily Deschanel, Ginnifer Goodwin, Russell Hornsby, MIchelle Hurd, Juanita Jennings, Yunjin Kim (“Lost”), Jerry Levine (director of “Monk”), Wang Luoyong (first Chinese actor to appear on Broadway in “Miss Siagon”), Tony McLean, Rosie O'Donnell, Linda Park (“Star Trek Enterprise”), Clifton Powell, Kim Raver, Donn Swaybe, Ashley Williams, Alfre Woodard, and Luo Yan (“Pavilion of Women”).
In 1971 for Emerson College, Mr. Spruill directed the first published play by an African American, “The Escape, or a Leap for Freedom”, and directed the play again in 1979 at Boston University. In 1995, he received a Best of Boston award for directing “The Colored Museum” at the Boston Center for the Arts. Mr. Spruill has directed for the Steinberg New Plays Festival at Brown University, performed in Conversations in Black and White (a radio version of Turf by Robbie McCauley) for National Public Radio, and conducted a seminar on the History of African American Theatre for Resonances: Africa in the Americas, a Humanities Symposium at Middlesex Community College. Mr. Spruill has also taught at Goddard College, Boston College, Boston State College, and Emerson College, and has been a guest lecturer at Columbia University and University of Connecticut.
He has been anointed with several awards recognizing his achievements, including the Eliot Norton Award (Special Honors) in 1991, the Vernon Blackman Drama Award, and the Ohio State Radio Drama Award. In 1997, Mr. Spruill was nominated for a Commonwealth Award, and he has also served as a member of the theatre panel of the Massachusetts Council on the Arts and Humanities. In addition, he has received the distinguished faculty award from Boston University’s School of Theatre alumni and in 2004 received an award from the Boston chapter of Black Business and Professional Women’s Association.
In addition to his stage work, Mr. Spruill has appeared on television as host of “Say Brother” (1970-73), “Park Street Under”, “A Likely Story”, and several ABC after school specials. His film work includes “Squeeze” and “Turntable” directed by his son Robert Patton-Spruill, and “Headspace” directed by Andrew van den Houten, and he has provided voiceover work for WGBH and performed in and directed radio drama for “The Spider’s Web”. In 2004, Mr. Spruill performed his one-man show about Frederick Douglass at the Democratic National Convention. Mr. Spruill received a Bachelor of Arts degree from Goddard College and a Master of Fine of Arts degree from Boston University.
Selection
Twenty-two different nominees were put forth by over 40 individuals from the Greater Boston theatre community for the 2007 Theatre Hero Award. The recipient is determined by the StageSource Board of Directors, currently comprised of 28 leaders of the theatre community representing theatre artists, audiences and producing organizations. The award is presented each year to “an exceptional member of the Greater Boston theatre community who has demonstrated a history of service and commitment to the community through leadership, support, inspiration, innovation and promotion of the art of theatre throughout the region.”
“Of the many StageSource programs and services offered to the theatre community, the Theater Hero Award stands out for me; it give us the chance to recognize one of our own and thank them for their dedication and service,” notes StageSource Board chair David Colfer. “In the case of Jim Spruill, it is especially rewarding not only because of his outstanding contributions, but to the legacy he created by inspiring so many current artists in the Boston theater working today.”