Celebrating Brooke Adams and Tony Shalhoub

Updated July 15.

On Tuesday, July 7, under a stormy sky, the Ag Hall was ablaze with light and energy, as Circuit Arts held its third annual Martha’s Vineyard Arts Icon Awards. Brooke Adams and Tony Shalhoub – actors and long-time seasonal residents of the Island – were celebrated during an evening that included sumptuous hours d’oeuvres and a delicious multi-course meal by Quitsa Kitchen.

Brian Ditchfield, executive director of Circuit Arts, welcomed the crowd with a brief history of the organization, which he joined 17 years ago, 8 years after it began. At the time he joined there was a mailing list of 250 people “and I knew everybody on the mailing list.” It has since expanded to offer year-round programming – live performances, screenings, workshops, and camps – to thousands of Vineyarders and visitors.

The evening was in part a fundraiser for Circuit Arts, the MV Playhouse, and their attendant programs. These include the Martha’s Vineyard Children’s Theater Camp, which this year merged with the Playhouse’s Summer Starz. Said Chris Roberts, director of the program, “As someone who had kids who went to both, I was very excited to make them into one louder, faster, funnier camp.”

Also louder, faster, and funnier was auctioneer John Terrio, whose exhortations kept the paddles waving for an experience-based auction. The highest bidder of the evening paid $11,000 for Carly Simon to write a song for them.

But the highlight of the evening was the presentation of the Arts Icon Award. Author and producer Tamara Weiss, a friend of the couple, began to introduce them and then stepped back, asking them to introduce each other. Adams began with an hilarious off-the-cuff description of their courtship, quipping: “When I met Tony I didn’t want to get married, I just wanted to have an affair with another leading man as I usually did.”

Shalhoub’s wit was just as quick as hers, but he pivoted quickly to a gentler and heartfelt tone. “All of my friends in the world are here in this room tonight.” 

Adams and Shalhoub have a long history with Circuit Arts, but even more so with the Playhouse and its artists, which began with the late playwright/director Robert Brustein inviting them to do a reading there. They stayed invested in the Playhouse – literally so during the massive fundraising efforts for the building’s renovation. “We donated a bathroom,” recalls Adams. “I think we got a toilet.” (Note: There is a stall in the women’s bathroom with their names on it.)

Artists the two have worked with over the years were also there in full force, including actress Amy Brenneman who has known Shalhoub since she was an undergrad at Harvard and he was a company member of the ART, the resident theatre there. Scott Barrow, who has worked with Adams and has a long history with both organizations, said “I’m about thrilled that the success of Circuit Arts can embrace one of my favorite institutions, that being the Vineyard Playhouse.”

Brooke Hardman-Ditchfield, the new Playhouse artistic director, closed the evening with heartfelt thank yous to the many people whose efforts over the years contributed to the organization’s success now. These include MJ Bruder Munafo, who recently retired from running the Playhouse. But it also included the attendees themselves. “Circuit Arts is… connection,” she said.  “It’s shared experience, it’s belonging, it’s that feeling of… knowing that you’re part of something larger than yourself. That doesn’t happen by accident.”

Editor’s note: Corrected to say that Ditchfield joined the organization17 years, and the orgnization has been around for 25 years.