We celebrate Richard Cook as he is honored by an official proclamation by Mayor Melvin Carter, announcing Thursday, September 6th, 2018, to be Richard Cook Day in the City of Saint Paul!
The announcement coincides with the opening of an exhibition at the Landmark Center celebrating Cook’s 43 year legacy of leading Park Square Theatre. Learn More Here.
Read the official proclamation:
WHEREAS, as a result of Richard Cook’s vision, dynamic leadership and faith in the value of the arts to develop a community, Park Square Theatre has provided a vibrant home for artists and audiences since 1975; and
WHEREAS, during those 43 years, Richard has served Park Square Theatre as an artist, Development Director, Artistic Director and Chief Strategist; and
WHEREAS, under Richard’s leadership, Park Square Theatre has grown to become the East Metro’s premier regional theatre, with two performing spaces and an award winning education program which inspires more than 30,000 middle and high school students from every corner of the state annually; and
WHEREAS, Richard has designed and built theatre spaces in the Park Square Court Building, the Jemne Building and the Historic Hamm Building, including the 2014 construction of the Andy Boss Thrust Stage; and
WHEREAS, Richard has produced 350 plays that have engaged more than 1.3 million audience members, and as a volunteer has led Saint Paul Cultural STAR Board, and helped develop the Saint Paul Conservatory for Performing Artists; and
WHEREAS, Richard has commissioned and brought to Saint Paul important world premier plays from Minnesota artists including William Randall Beard, Christina Ham, Jeffery Hatcher, Joseph Goodrich, Thomasina Petrus, Matt Sciple and Lee Blessing and Austene Van; and
WHEREAS, Richard has given every Saint Paul citizen the chance to have a place at the theatrical table by continually making Park Square’s stages a platform for diverse artists and all of this community’s stories, and by continually striving to maintain affordable ticket prices through 99 cent ticket prices and other means; and
WHEREAS, Richard is retiring in September, 2018 after a long and successful career, leaving – through Park Square Theatre – a dynamic legacy of civic, cultural and educational enrichment;
Now, Therefore, I, Melvin Carter, Mayor of the City of Saint Paul, do hereby proclaim Thursday, September 6, 2018, to be:
Richard Cook Day
In Witness Whereof I have hereunto set my hand and caused the Seal of the City of Saint Paul to be affixed this Twenty-Sixth Day of April in the Year Two Thousand Eighteen
Melvin Carter, Mayor