The stars were out for Sunday night’s Harman Center for the Arts Annual Gala, where Sir Ian McKellen was awarded the William Shakespeare Award for Classical Theater for his longtime career as a Shakespearean actor.
“My God, this is heavy,” remarked the 70-year-old Englishman — who’s bunking with British Ambassador Sir Nigel Sheinwald at the ambassador’s residence while he’s in town — when handed his statue.
(Corrected paragraph:) “I’m glad I took British Airways, and not Virgin. They never would have let this thing on,” said the actor, who will present his one-man show, “A Knight in Harman Hall,” during a benefit performance Thursday evening in Harman Hall.
Describing the “special relationship” between his homeland and his host country, the two-time Oscar nominee was effusive in his praise for American theaters, such as the Harman Center’s Shakespeare Theatre Company, whose contributions to Shakespearean performances have been “overwhelming,” Mr. McKellen said.
Although the dashing Mr. McKellen has portrayed some of Shakespeare’s iconic leading men such as Hamlet and Macbeth, he’s known to a wider audience for his film work in “Gods and Monsters,” “The Lord of the Rings” and the cinematic version of “The DaVinci Code,” based on the international bestseller by Dan Brown, which starred Tom Hanks.
So at the event’s pre-reception, we had to ask him if he had read Mr. Brown’s most recent book, “The Lost Symbol,” which is set in Washington.
“No, they didn’t send it to me. Has Tom [Hanks] signed on to do this one?”
To borrow a line from Hamlet, “that is the question,” Sir Ian.
During his remarks to the black-tie crowd, Mr. McKellen recalled that his first exposure to Shakespeare “was as a member of an audience, not as an actor” while he was a child attending a school rendition of “A Midsummer Night’s Dream.”
The Bard’s popular comedy, in fact, was the theme of the gala which also featured performers such as mezzo-soprano Ashleigh Semkiw demonstrating how “A Dream” has been interpreted across a wide variety of artistic mediums.
A clip of the 1935 film version — with a teenage Mickey Rooney playing the winsome fairy, Puck — was also screened. Then, much to the surprise of the crowd, Mr. Rooney, now 89, appeared onstage and recited Puck’s famous soliloquy without missing a beat.
Mr. Rooney also was given a token of appreciation from the Harmon Center. He used his acceptance speech to thank American service men and women, who represent “the best of our country.”
Meanwhile, at the event’s after party, Mr. McKellen (sans his trophy) was seen ambling through the National Building Museum, which had been transformed into a midsummer night’s forest with tall trees, butterflies, and human “Pucks” greeting guests.
Also spotted at the event: British ambassador Sheinwald and his wife Dr. Julia Dunne; Afghan Ambassador Said Jawad, Ward 2 D.C. Councilman Jack Evans and Rep. Jane Harman, California Democrat and her husband Sidney.
Too cool for school
While Sir Ian mingled easily with fans on Sunday, access to recent best-supporting actress Oscar-nominee and D.C. native Taraji P. Henson, was to put it plainly, a little more restricted, thanks to her “personal security detail.”
Miss Henson, who played Brad Pitt’s adoptive mother Queenie in 2008’s “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button,” is also known for her work in “Hustle and Flow” and “Four Brothers,” both from 2005.
When we inquired whether we could ask the 30-something actress and Howard University — who returned home to participate in her alma mater’s homecoming weekend with a luncheon and Bloomingdale’s fashion show at the J.W. Marriott — we were told by her Secret Service-style security guard that Miss Henson was “exhausted” and would not be doing any interviews. Period.
One Howard alumna even told us she was prevented from asking for Miss Henson’s autograph.
Exhausted?
Really?
That didn’t seem to be the case from our vantage point. Miss Henson was all smiles during the lunch and was seen blowing kisses to the models on the catwalk.
We guess that’s what they call good acting.
No luck catching her on the way out, either, as she slipped out before the program ended.
Shades of Gray
D.C. headliner Chuck Brown — aka “Godfather of go-go” — is no stranger to the ways of city politics So we weren’t surprised when he initially dodged our question about who he’d like to see win the D.C. mayor’s race next year.
“Well that’s kind of hard to answer,” he said when we ran into him last weekend.” You have a few people who are qualified…there’s no particular one person.”
Yet when we pushed further — specifically asking about D.C. Council Chairman Vincent Gray — Mr. Brown couldn’t contain his glee.
“Yeah! We love him!” Mr. Brown exclaimed while smiling from ear-to ear.
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