Ralph Cohen and Jim Warren, co-founders of the American Shakespeare Center, are among ten individuals and organizations who received the 2008 Virginia Governor's Award for the Arts. The Awards were presented by Governor Tim Kaine at the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts on September 17th. Here's what the Governor said:

If you’ve visited over time and you’ve seen the tremendous and beautiful renaissance of downtown Staunton, these great historic buildings, a lot of factors made it happen, but one of the factors that was the most critical was the work of Ralph Alan Cohen and Jim Warren in the American Shakespeare Center which is a truly remarkable location, [the re-creation] of the Blackfriars theatre, the indoor theatre where Shakespeare’s works were performed -- top quality theatre delivered by great talent, great outreach to the community, wonderful opportunities for children and for people of all ages, for tourists who are coming to Staunton and Virginia really having a marvelous experience. The Shakespeare theatre, the Blackfriars in Staunton, has just been a great proof for the proposition that art is not only about elevation of the soul, it’s also a spectacular economic development strategy. These guys have just written a book on that and so for their work with the American Shakespeare Center Blackfriars theatre, we’re very proud to honor them with the Governor’s Awards for the Arts.

Please join us in congratulating Ralph and Jim and wishing them twenty years more with the ASC. And check out the video of Ralph and Jim on stage with Governor Kaine...

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