Honors

Talk story about a weekend trip to Washington for the Kennedy Center Honors, a movable feast of parties, testimonials and live entertainment which celebrates the careers of five distinguished Americans in the performing arts. This year they were George Abbott, Lillian Gish, Eugene Ormandy, Benny Goodman, and Gene Kelly. The event adds about half a million dollars to the Center's bank account. There were four main functions: a private State Dept. dinner, where the honors were handed out; a White House reception during which President Reagan introduced each honoree to the assembled guests; a variety show at the Kennedy Center Opera House, which consisted of filmed biographies of the honorees and tributes from their fellow-artists; and after the show a dinner dance for 1500 people in the great hall of the Center. The honors are essentially a private affair. Recipients are suggested by the Center's 81-member Artists Committee, but the final choice is made by a ten-man executive committee chaired by Roger Stevens, the Kennedy Center chairman. Mr. Stevens is the dominant influence in the choice of honorees-especially when it comes to the theatre Writer describes what went on and quotes some of the conversation; tells what Pres. Reagan said about the honorees.

See the rest of the story at newyorker.com