Bernadette Peters Honored at 2019 Princess Grace Awards Gala

On Monday, November 25, the Princess Grace Foundation-USA (PGF-USA) celebrated the 2019 Princess Grace Awards Gala at The Plaza Hotel in New York City.

Held in the presence of His Serene Highness Prince Albert II of Monaco, the Awards Gala was an evening of elegance and entertainment emceed by Tony and Grammy Award-winning performer and 2016 Princess Grace Statue Award Recipient, Leslie Odom, Jr.

The Gala honored three-time Tony-recipient and Golden Globe Award-winning actress Bernadette Peters and film director, Chinonye Chukwu, winner of the 2019 Sundance Film Festival Grand Jury Prize Award for her film Clemency, and this year’s Princess Grace Award winners in theater, dance and film. The evening was also a special celebration of the 90th birthday of Hollywood’s most iconic movie star and beloved Princess Grace (Kelly) of Monaco and featured a special tribute video honoring her as a film and fashion icon and philanthropist.

Bernadette Peters was honored with the distinguished Prince Rainier III Award for her outstanding artistry and exemplary give-back, which was presented to her by Peters’ Hello, Dolly! co-star, Victor Garber and HSH Prince Albert II of Monaco. Peters was surprised with a special musical medley in her honor led by Tony Award-winner Gavin Creel featuring HSH Prince Albert II of Monaco, Jazmin Grace Grimaldi, Ian Mellencamp, and more singing “Hello, Dolly!”, followed by Liz Callaway singing “Children Will Listen” with dance performance by Marcella Lewis & Tamisha Guy, Julia Murney singing “Broadway Baby,” and Broadway Boys singing “There’s No Business Like Show Business.”

Clemency actor Aldis Hodge presented Chinonye Chukwu with the 2019 Princess Grace Statue Award for her continuing excellence in her chosen discipline since receiving a Princess Grace Award in 2009. Additionally, the Gala awarded 25 emerging artists in theater, dance, and film with Princess Grace Awards presented to them by some of the Foundation’s most illustrious Award winners including filmmaker Jon M. Chu (2011 Princess Grace Statue Award Recipient), New York City Ballet Principal Dancer Tiler Peck (2013 Princess Grace Statue Award Recipient), and Emmy and Tony Award-winning Costume Designer Paul Tazewell (2004 Princess Grace Statue Award Recipient). The 2019 Princess Grace Awards Gala continues the legacy of Princess Grace (Kelly) of Monaco, who helped emerging artists pursue their artistic goals during her lifetime. In total, the Foundation awards over $1 million to artists in theater, dance, and film annually.

During the gala, guests enjoyed a spirited live auction and pledge drive led by Robbie Gordy (Associate Vice President & Auctioneer, Christie’s New York), which featured an Abercrombie & Kent 6-night luxury holiday to Botswana & Zambia, a limited edition photographic print of “Kingdom” by David Yarrow, and a custom designed jewely by Robert Procop Exceptional Jewels and Brooke Shields.

Additional VIP guests and Princess Grace Foundation-USA supporters in attendance include Ron Chernow (Author, Alexander Hamilton), H.E. Maguy Maccario Doyle (Ambassador of Monaco to the United States and Canada), John Gore (Chairman & CEO, John Gore Organization), Amy & Brian France, Rod & Karen Gancas (Crown Sponsors), Karen Hillenburg, Hon. John F. Lehman (PGF-USA Chairman), D. Christopher Le Vine (PGF-USA Board of Trustees), Isabelle Picco (Permanent Representative of Monaco to the United Nations), Gloria Swansong (aka Daniel Tyler Matthews), 2014 Princess Grace Award Winner / Costume Designer), Alex Soldier (Prince Rainier III Award Designer), Brisa Trinchero (CEO, Princess Grace Foundation-USA), Jon B. Turk, MD (PGF-USA Board of Trustees), Lynn Wyatt (PGF-USA Board of Trustees), and more.

Some notable Princess Grace Award recipients in Film include: Emmy winner Cary Fukunaga, who will direct the next James Bond film, and directed Netflix’s Maniac, HBO’s “True Detective”, and Jane Eyre; Greg Mottola director of Superbad, “Arrested Development”, and Amazon’s The Dangerous Book for Boys; Stephen Hillenburg, creator of SpongeBob SquarePants. Theater recipients include: Tony Award winner for Best Direction of a Play, Anna D. Shapiro; Pulitzer and Tony Award winning playwright Tony Kushner; Golden Globe Award winner Oscar Isaac; and Tony Award winning actor Leslie Odom Jr. Dance/Choreography recipients include: Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater Artistic Director Robert Battle; American Ballet Theatre’s Gillian Murphy and Isabella Boylston and New York City Ballet’s Tiler Peck; as well as choreographers Camille A. Brown and Kyle Abraham.

For more information about the Princess Grace Awards program, please visit www.pgfusa.org.