Hudson Valley Shakespeare (HVS) has been named the inaugural recipient of the Ziegfeld Club’s Needlepoint Bob Grant, a $10,000 grant intended to support a musical theatre work that addresses the topic of addiction and recovery. The funds will support HVS' upcoming production of Dave Malloy's Octet, which is set to run August 11-September 7.
The Ziegfeld Club is a Broadway charitable organization whose new Needlepoint Bob Grant is dedicated to the memory of Bob DiNapoli, a beloved member of the club community. DiNapoli was known affectionately as "Needlepoint Bob" in meeting spaces for members of addiction recovery programs in New York City, because he was never without a needlepoint project.
The grant is supported by DiNapoli's daughter, Julia DiNapoli, and will be awarded annually for the next five years. Funding may be directed to development, production, or performance of the selected work.
“Bob was a passionate advocate for addiction recovery and a fervent lover of the arts," Ziegfeld Club President Laurie Sanderson said in a statement. "His dedication to both these causes inspired the creation of this grant, which aims to harness the power of musical theatre to foster open dialogue, understanding, and support for individuals and communities in recovery and aligns with the Ziegfeld Club’s mission to support artists in marginalized and needy communities."
“I am so happy to be honoring my dad who loved NYC, the theatre, recovery, and all of my friends," Julia DiNapoli said in a statement. "Especially my friend Emily Lansbury, board chair of the Ziegfeld Club, who has inspired the creation of the Needlepoint Bob Grant. I am grateful to be a partner in this endeavor.”
“We’re profoundly appreciative that Emily Lansbury thought to connect Hudson Valley Shakespeare and the Ziegfeld Club in support of our production of Octet, and we look forward to honoring Bob’s legacy through our work at HVS,” added HVS Artistic Director Davis McCallum. “This grant serves as an opportunity to further our mission of celebrating shared humanity through storytelling, and we are excited to produce a work that explores the intersection of art and recovery that grounded Bob’s commitment to his community.”
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