The Hasty Pudding Theatricals, the oldest theatrical organization in the United States, announces Chris Pratt as the recipient of its 2015 Man of the Year Award.
The Pudding is excited to honor a performer who became a bona fide Hollywood heavyweight in the past year, going from lovable supporting roles to headlining two of the highest grossing blockbusters of the year. Pratt joins his Parks & Recreation co-star Amy Poehler, who was recently announced as the Hasty Pudding’s 2015 Woman of the Year.
The Man and Woman of the Year Awards are presented annually to performers who have made lasting and impressive contributions to the world of entertainment. The Man of the Year award was established in 1963. Its past recipients include, among others, Clint Eastwood, Tom Cruise, Robert de Niro, Harrison Ford, Sir Anthony Hopkins, Bruce Willis, Justin Timberlake, James Franco, and most recently, Neil Patrick Harris.
The Hasty Pudding Institute of 1770’s philanthropic mission is to provide educational and developmental support in all aspects of the performing arts for the underprivileged, to encourage satire and comedy, and to cultivate young talent around the world. The Institute is comprised of The Hasty Pudding Club (the oldest social club in the United States), The Hasty Pudding Theatricals (the third oldest theater group in the world, after the Comedie Francaise and the Oberammergau Passion Players) and the Harvard Krokodiloes (the foremost collegiate a cappella group in the United States). Over the last two centuries, it has grown into a premiere performing arts organization, a patron of the arts and comedy, and an advocate for satire and discourse as tools for change worldwide.
The Man of the Year festivities, presented by The Related Companies, will take place on Friday, February 6, 2015. The Hasty Pudding Theatricals will host a celebratory roast for the actor and present him with his Pudding Pot at Farkas Hall, the Hasty Pudding’s historic home in the heart of Harvard Square since 1888. A press conference will be held at 8:30 p.m., following the roast. Afterward, the Pudding will stage the opening night performance of its 167th production, ¡Oops!… Madrid It Again!
“We vehemently deny that the members of the Hasty Pudding Theatricals are obsessed with Parks & Recreation,” said Jason Hellerstein ‘15, President of the Hasty Pudding Theatricals. "There is absolutely no basis to the rumors of ritualistic weekly viewings of the show at the Hasty Pudding Clubhouse… Joking aside, Chris Pratt’s recent achievements as an actor are outstanding and we could not be more thrilled to host him and celebrate his talent as only the Pudding can."
Best known for his role as Andy Dwyer on Parks & Recreation, Chris Pratt is fast becoming one of Hollywood’s most sought-after leading men. Pratt will next star in Universal’s Jurassic World (4th installment of the Jurassic Park film franchise from executive producer, Steven Spielberg) in June 2015. Most recently, Chris top lined as Star-Lord in Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy, which was one of the top 3 grossing films of 2014 with over $600 million at the global box office. Pratt also lent his vocal talents to lead character, Emmett in the enormously successful animated feature, The Lego Movie, which made over $400 million worldwide.
To purchase tickets to the Hasty Pudding Theatricals’ 167th production, ¡Oops!… Madrid It Again! contact the HPT Box Office at 617.495.5205, or order online at the Pudding’s website, www.hastypudding.org. It will be performed at Harvard University’s historic Farkas Hall, located at 12 Holyoke Street, starting February 6th. The show continues in Cambridge until March 8th. The company then travels to New York to perform at The Kaye Playhouse at Hunter College on March 13th and 14th (call 212.772.4448 for tickets), followed by performances on March 18-20 at Hamilton City Hall in Bermuda.
