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Technical Theatre Legend Joseph B. Forbes to Receive Award

The Sixth Annual Backstage Legends and Masters Award event will pay tribute to the founder of Scenic Art Studios on April 24.

This year, Purchase College’s Broadway Technical Theatre History Project will present the Backstage Legends and Masters Award to Joseph B. Forbes, one of the most prolific and influential scenic artists of all time.

His work is represented in the vast majority of Broadway productions mounted each year. Some of his most recent productions include Waitress, Beautiful, The Humans, and Shuffle Along. Theatre goers don’t have to wait long for his new productions, either. He’s currently working on Hello Dolly and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.

“To say that Joseph Forbes is one of the all time greats is an understatement,” said associate professor Dan Hanessian, who launched the Broadway Technical Theatre History Project in 2011.

“Not only is he a master of scenic painting, he is dedicated to inspiring and influencing the next generation. We’re honored to have Joseph Forbes as a faculty member in our Design/Technology Program where he shares his superb knowledge and teaches scene painting and rendering.”

This free event will take place in the Performing Arts Center at 7 pm on April 24.