Hasty Pudding Theatricals honors Milo Ventimiglia as 2019 Man of the Year at Farkas Hall on February 8, 2019, in Cambridge, Mass. (Photo by Paul Marotta/ Getty Images for Hasty Pudding Institute of 1770)

The Hasty Pudding Theatricals, the oldest theatrical organization in the United States, recently held the 2019 Man and Woman of the Year Awards. The Hasty Pudding Theatricals’ Man and Woman of the Year Awards are presented annually to performers who have made lasting and impressive contributions to the world of entertainment.

Two-time Emmy-nominated actor MILO VENTIMIGLIA (left) received the current Man of the Year Award at Harvard University in Cambridge, Mass. The Man of the Year award was established in 1967. Past recipients include Clint Eastwood, Tom Hanks, Robert DeNiro, Harrison Ford, Justin Timberlake, Robert Downey Jr., Joseph Gordon-Levitt and, most recently, Paul Rudd, the 52nd Man of the Year.

The Man of the Year festivities started early on Feb. 8, 2019, when Mr. Ventimiglia was given a tour of Farkas Hall and the Hasty Pudding Clubhouse, followed by a private seminar with the members of the Hasty Pudding Theatricals. In the evening, Mr. Ventimiglia was given the Pudding’s traditional roast and was then made to earn his Pudding Pot as part of a big fight with Rocky Balboa, his fictional father in the Rocky and Creed movies.

Some of the tasks that MILO VENTIMIGLIA had to perform included rapping the entire theme song of the Fresh Prince of Bel-Air. To close out the festivities, the Hasty Pudding Theatricals members gave the opening night performance of their 171st production, France France Revolution, the historic first with casting open to all genders.

Eric Cheng and Annabell O’Hagan congratulate Bryce Dallas Howard (C) as Hasty Pudding Theatricals honors Howard as 2019 Woman of The Year at Farkas Hall on January 31, 2019, in Cambridge, Mass. (Photo by Paul Marotta/Getty Images for Hasty Pudding Institute of 1770)

BRYCE DALLAS HOWARD (right, center) received her 2019 Woman of the Year award at the end of January. Established in 1951, the Woman of the Year Award has been given to many notable and talented entertainers including Ella Fitzgerald, Meryl Streep, Whoopi Goldberg, Julia Roberts, Halle Berry, Kerry Washington, Octavia Spencer and, most recently, Mila Kunis, the 68th Woman of the Year.

The Woman of the Year festivities began with a parade through the streets of Cambridge. Following the parade, the Hasty Pudding Theatricals hosted a celebratory roast for BRYCE DALLAS HOWARD at Farkas Hall, the Hasty Pudding’s historic home in the heart of Harvard Square since 1888. At the beginning of the event, Chairman and Grand Sphinx of the Hasty Pudding Institute of 1770 Andrew L. Farkas took the stage and made initial remarks, stating that the Hasty Pudding has “done what every organization should do, which is welcome women into our cast, turning [the Hasty Pudding] completely co-ed.” After an introduction from roast masters Hasty Pudding Theatricals President Grace C. Ramsey and Cast Vice President David J. Lynch, Howard was brought on stage to earn her Pudding Pot.

Hasty Pudding Theatricals took Howard back to school by having her prove her mettle as an actress by fake crying on command for a commercial directed by “Professor Shakespeare.” Among other activities, she also had to face a velociraptor in a basketball dunk-off as part of a fictional Jurassic World sequel, Jurassic Globetrotters.

On receiving her award, BRYCE DALLAS HOWARD said, “I will never forget this as long as I live, and please accept my children into Harvard.”

By Andrea Hammer

Andrea Karen Hammer is the founder, director and owner of Artsphoria Publishing, Media Group & Shop (https://www.artsphoria.org): Artsphoria International Magazine (https://www.artsphoria.com); Artsphoria Movie Reviews & Film Forum (https://www.artsphoria.us); Artsphoria: Arts, Business & Technology Center (https://www.artsphoria.biz); Artsphoria Event Advertising & Reporting (https://www.artsphoria.info); Artsphoria: Food for the Soul (https://artsphoria.live); Artsphoria Animation & Imagination World (https://www.artsphoria.net) and Artsphoria Shop (https://www.artsphoriashop.com). She is a freelance writer who has published articles in international publications.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published.