Arizona Citizens for the Arts presented the annual Governor's Arts Awards celebration during a virtual ceremony this week where TheaterWorks’ Artistic Director, Chris Hamby, received the Governor’s Arts Award in the Central Arizona Artist category. The virtual event celebrated the many facets that support and contribute to the arts and culture sector in Arizona.
The Governor’s Arts Award Artist Category recognizes a living Arizona artist of significant merit, leadership or reputation whose creations or contributions enrich the state and the field of the arts. With a career spanning two decades, Chris Hamby has made an indelible mark on the Arizona arts sector. Chris not only has a unique vision and creativity but also harnesses an intense collaborative spirit, a passion for the nurturing of young people and expanding access to arts opportunities within the community. “Chris is a theater visionary with incredible talent, devotion and passion that creates magic on and off the stage,” says TheaterWorks Board Chair, Tom Doyle.
Chris has worked with many valley theater companies including North Valley Playhouse, Greasepaint, East Valley Children’s Theatre, Phoenix Theatre Company, Desert Foothills Theater, Mesa Encore Theatre and TheaterWorks. In 1999, he co-founded the Vagabond Youth Theatre and received permission to adapt Maurice Sendak’s Where the Wild Things Are into a stage musical for the company. He served as an education intern with the world famous, Seattle Children’s Theatre in 2003 and went on to participate in the Mermaid Theatre of Nova Scotia’s ANIMOTION: Puppetry Intensive Training Program in addition to completing the American Express Leadership Academy’s Nonprofit Leadership Management program in 2015. Chris’s accolades include recognition by azcentral’s Who’s Next as an outstanding young arts influencer in Arizona in 2017 and has received numerous AriZoni Awards for Theatre Excellence.
Celebrating his 10th Anniversary with TheaterWorks, Chris Hamby has made significant contributions to the organization including the creation of the PuppetWorks program, the revitalization of the YouthWorks program, the creation of the Broadway Senior program and, most recently, the creation of the immersive theater experience, Curiouser & Curiouser to name a few. “The impact that Chris has made on the lives of so many is indisputable. He is a magnetic leader and a remarkable artist. And, his work is just beginning. I am proud to work alongside Chris and support his vision,” says Managing Director, Cate Hinkle.
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