Order of the Golden Sphinx

CAMBRIDGE, MA (February 20th, 2019) – The Hasty Pudding Institute of 1770 announces that six-time Grammy and Latin Grammy award winner MARC ANTHONY will be the 2019 recipient of the Order of the Golden Sphinx award. Mr. Anthony will be honored and presented with the prestigious award at the 7th Annual Order of the Golden Sphinx Gala to be held at the Pierre in New York City on April 15th, 2019.

The Order of the Golden Sphinx, named for a traditional symbol of the Hasty Pudding Institute, is the highest honor bestowed by the Institute and recognizes individuals in the entertainment industry for their extraordinary contributions to the performing arts. The recipient represents the Institute’s mission to support and foster the performing arts within its membership, at Harvard, and the community at large. Previous recipients of the Order of the Golden Sphinx award include Michael Lynton, Chairman of Snap, Inc. and former CEO of Sony Entertainment; David Heyman, producer of Gravity and the Harry Potter film universe; Clive Davis, legendary music producer and Chief Creative Officer of Sony Music; Daryl Roth, ten-time Tony Award-winning Broadway producer; Paris Barclay, two-time Emmy Award-winner and two-term President of the Director’s Guild of America; and Derek McLane, Tony and two-time Emmy-Award winning designer of over 350 productions. 

Announcing this year’s honoree, Hasty Pudding Institute of 1770 Chairman Andrew L. Farkas said: “It is our privilege to present Marc Anthony with the 2019 Order of The Golden Sphinx. Marc’s contributions to the world of the performing arts are renowned. He is an extraordinary talent. He has inspired people, young and old, around the world with his music and his generous spirit. He elevates all of those around him and he celebrates all that is good in this world. On behalf of all of the members of The Hasty Pudding Institute of 1770, those of years past, those of today, and those to come, I congratulate him and look forward to his induction.”

“I am honored to receive the Order of the Golden Sphinx Award this year,” replied Marc Anthony, “Growing up in New York City, I benefited from performing arts programs in our community. The cultivation of new talent around the world is the future of generations everywhere.” 

MARC ANTHONY is one of the most influential artists of his time and a true ambassador of Latin music and culture. He has received countless gold and platinum certifications from the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) and has been credited with over 30 Billboard chart hits and over 4.7 Billion views on YouTube. His latest album, Marc Anthony 3.0, released July 23, 2013, has received an American Music Award; a GRAMMY® Award nomination; five Premios Lo Nuestro; two Premios Juventud; ten Billboard Latin Music Awards; three Billboard Awards; and a special recognition from the Univision television network. 

Anthony has also established a highly credible acting résumé. Besides his music and acting accomplishments, in 2012, the six-time GRAMMY® and Latin GRAMMY® Award winner launched the Maestro Cares Foundation, hosting a series of fundraisers throughout the year to benefit the non-profit organization and build orphanages in Latin America. He also has his own clothing and accessories line for Kohl’s, and he is a minority owner of The Miami Dolphins. His entertainment and sports venture, Magnus Media, is the leading Latin artist and athlete representation company in the nation and focuses on developing new ventures that bridge content creation and commerce.  

On November 16th, Anthony received the prestigious “Person of the Year” honor from the Latin Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences. In September of 2017, Marc Anthony and Magnus created the alliance of artists and athletes, Somos Una Voz, to help provide humanitarian relief to areas affected by natural disasters throughout the southern United States, Mexico, Puerto Rico and other affected areas in the Caribbean.

Most recently, his new tour “Legacy” was included in the Pollstar “Global Top Grossing Concert Tours List of 2019”.

The Hasty Pudding Institute of 1770 named the Tony and two-time Emmy award winner, DEREK McLANE, the 2018 recipient of the Order of the Golden Sphinx award. Mr. McLane was honored and presented with the prestigious award at the annual Order of the Golden Sphinx Gala, held at The Pierre in New York City on April 16th, 2018.

The Order of the Golden Sphinx, named for a traditional symbol of the Hasty Pudding Institute, is the highest honor bestowed by the Institute and recognizes individuals in the entertainment industry for their extraordinary contributions to the performing arts. The recipient represents the Institute’s mission to support and foster the performing arts within its membership, at Harvard, and the community at large. Previous recipients of the Order of the Golden Sphinx award include Michael Lynton, Chairman of Snap, Inc. and former CEO of Sony Entertainment; David Heyman, producer of Gravity and the Harry Potter film universe; Clive Davis, legendary music producer and Chief Creative Officer of Sony Music; Daryl Roth, ten time Tony Award-winning Broadway producer; and two time Emmy award-winner Paris Barclay, who recently completed his second term as President of the Directors Guild of America.

Announcing this year’s honoree, Hasty Pudding Institute of 1770 Chairman Andrew L. Farkas said: “In continuing the tradition of honoring those who have excelled in the field of the performing arts, the Hasty Pudding Institute of 1770 is proud to honor an individual whose extraordinary contributions to the arts have been largely ‘behind the scenes.’ Derek McLane has spent his career designing and creating the scenes and sets themselves for many extraordinary productions. Whether you’ve encountered Derek’s work on a Broadway stage or at this year’s Oscars, you’re sure to have seen it. And so we are privileged to present the Hasty Pudding Institute of 1770’s highest honor, The Order of The Golden Sphinx, to Derek McLane, a man who creates the striking visuals and impressions that stay with us long after a show ends.”

“My work as a set designer actually began in Harvard’s dining halls when I was an undergrad, and so it is with tremendous gratitude that I accept the Order of the Golden Sphinx award,” replied Derek McLane, “In addition to my fond memories of the Hasty Pudding, I have long admired their passionate commitment to performing arts education—and drag shows! It is a privilege to be included amongst such esteemed honorees.”

DEREK McLANE, Tony and two-time Emmy award-winning scenic and production designer, has designed more than 350 productions for Broadway, Off-Broadway, the West End, live television, opera houses and regionally across the United States and around the world.

Derek received a Tony Award for his design of 33 Variations on Broadway. Other Broadway credits include the upcoming Moulin Rouge, Children of a Lesser God, The Parisian Woman, The Price, Beautiful: The Carole King Musical, Fully Committed, Noises Off, Gigi, Anything Goes, Ragtime, How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying, The Heiress, Nice Work If You Can Get It, Follies, Bengal Tiger at the Baghdad Zoo, Million Dollar Quartet, Ragtime, The Pajama Game, and I Am My Own Wife.  Off-Broadway credits include Jerry Springer: The Opera, If I Forget, Love Love Love, The Night of the Iguana, Sweet Charity, Buried Child, The Two Gentlemen of Verona, The Spoils, Into the Woods, Ruined, Macbeth, and Hurlyburly.

He has served as production designer for “The Oscars” for six consecutive years, including the 90th Anniversary awards in 2018, earning four consecutive Emmy nominations and winning in 2014. Other television credits include the live NBC musicals “The Sound of Music,” “Peter Pan,” “The Wiz”, and “Hairspray,” for which he has received three Emmy nominations, winning for “Hairspray.”

Derek has also received three Obie, a Drama Desk, three Lucille Lortel, and two Art Directors Guild awards. He is on the board of directors at The New Group and Fiasco Theater and has been a mentor for TDF’s Open Doors program for the past 16 years.

The Order of the Golden Sphinx Gala unfolds as a dinner with special performances by the Hasty Pudding Theatricals’ and Harvard Krokodiloes’ undergraduates and alumni, produced by Amanda Lipitz Productions and written and composed by Nell Benjamin (Mean Girls, Legally Blonde: The Musical) and Larry O’Keefe (Legally Blonde: The Musical, Heathers: The Musical), both alumni of the Pudding.

The Hasty Pudding Institute of 1770 named acclaimed producer and President of the Directors Guild of America, PARIS BARCLAY, as the 2017 recipient of the Order of the Golden Sphinx award. Mr. Barclay was honored and presented with the prestigious award at the annual Order of the Golden Sphinx Gala, held at the Diamond Horseshoe at the Paramount Hotel in New York City on April 3rd, 2017.

“We are especially excited to honor Paris Barclay this year,” said Andrew Farkas, Chairman and Grand Sphinx of the Hasty Pudding Institute of 1770. “Paris is the first recipient of the Order of the Golden Sphinx to have been a member of the Hasty Pudding Institute as an undergraduate. As a former singer with the Harvard Krokodiloes, a composer of two Hasty Pudding Theatricals shows, and now an Emmy award-winning director, Paris embodies a lifelong dedication to the arts and what it means to be a Pudding member.”

“I’m thrilled to be recognized with this honor, and it’s particularly exciting to be the first alumnus who’s had first hand experience with all the Institute has to offer,” said Paris Barclay, “I hope everyone is well-prepared for a suitably pretentious speech from me, surrounded by rampant impropriety.”

PARIS BARCLAY, one of television’s most successful and honored directors, is the President of the Directors Guild of America. Throughout his illustrious career in television, Paris has directed 150 episodes of television, including episodes of NYPD BLUE, ER, THE WEST WING, LOST, THE GOOD WIFE, CSI, NCIS: LOS ANGELES, HOUSE, GLEE, SMASH, EXTANT, SONS OF ANARCHY, MANHATTAN, SCANDAL, and EMPIRE. He won two Emmy Awards for his direction of NYPD BLUE and has received six additional Emmy nominations for producing and directing, including three for directing episodes of GLEE. Paris has garnered ten Directors Guild nominations, and also became the first Director in the history of the Guild to receive a comedy and drama nomination in the same year, two years in a row (2008 & 2009). In addition, he has received three NAACP Image Awards, for producing, co-creating, and directing CITY OF ANGELS; and for directing COLD CASE & SMASH – and eight other nominations. In 2014, the NAACP inducted Paris into the NAACP Hall of Fame. He’s also received honors such as four prestigious Peabody Awards, two Humanitas Prizes, a nomination from the Writers Guild for his co-writing with Dustin Lance Black the telefilm PEDRO, and countless other recognitions.

During his time at Harvard College, Paris wrote 12 musicals and plays, including the scores for two Hasty Pudding Shows. He also was an active member and musical director of the esteemed a cappella singing group, the Harvard Krokodiloes. Paris graduated from Harvard in 1979.

Paris got his start in advertising working as creative executive and then segued into directing music videos for some of music’s biggest stars, such as: Janet Jackson, Bob Dylan, and LL Cool J. In addition to his service to the DGA, Paris has been recognized for his service and contributions to many charitable organizations, including Liberty Hill, the Human Rights Campaign, the African-Amercian Film Critics Association, GLAAD, and Project Angel Food. Paris has said: “What’s the point of any success if you don’t give back?”

The Order of the Golden Sphinx Gala unfolds as a dinner with special performances by the Hasty Pudding Theatricals’ and Harvard Krokodiloes’ undergraduates and alumni, produced by Amanda Lipitz Productions and written and composed by Nell Benjamin (Legally Blonde: The Musical, The Explorers Club) and Larry O’Keefe (Legally Blonde: The Musical, Heathers: The Musical), both alumni of the Pudding.

CAMBRIDGE, MA (January 12, 2016) – The Hasty Pudding Institute of 1770 named acclaimed Broadway, Off-Broadway and film producer Daryl Roth the 2016 recipient of the Order of the Golden Sphinx award. Ms. Roth was be honored and presented with the prestigious award at the annual Order of the Golden Sphinx Gala, held at the Diamond Horseshoe at the Paramount Hotel in New York City on April 11, 2016.

The proud recipient of eight Tony Awards, her over 90 award winning Broadway productions include:  Caroline, or Change; Curtains; A Delicate Balance; The Goat, or Who Is Sylvia? (2002 Tony Award); It Shoulda Been You; Kinky Boots (2013 Tony Award); The Normal Heart (2011 Tony Award); One Man, Two Guvnors; A Raisin in the Sun (2014 Tony Award); Sylvia; The Tale of the Allergist’s Wife; War Horse (2011 Tony Award); Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?; The Year of Magical Thinking; and You Can’t Take It With You.   Off Broadway credits include: Absolute Brightness; Buyer and Cellar; Closer Than Ever; The Divine Sister; Nora Ephron and Delia Ephron’s Love, Loss, and What I Wore; Stars of David; The Temperamentals; and Wiesenthal.  Film projects include the upcoming James Lapine film Custody starring Viola Davis; Albert Nobbs starring Glenn Close; and My Dog: An Unconditional Love Story, a documentary exploring the relationships of well-known New Yorkers and their dogs.

An evening with a legend

On April 13, 2015 the Graduate Board of the Hasty Pudding Institute hosted their third annual Order of the Golden Sphinx Gala at The Plaza Hotel in New York City. The Order of the Golden Sphinx, named for a traditional symbol of The Hasty Pudding Institute, is the highest honor bestowed by the Institute and recognizes individuals in the entertainment industry for their extraordinary contributions to the performing arts. The recipient represents the Institute’s mission to support and foster the performing arts within its membership, at Harvard, and the community at large. Previous recipients of the Order of the Golden Sphinx award include Michael Lynton, CEO of Sony Entertainment Inc., and David Heyman, founder of Heyday Films and producer of “Gravity.”

This year the honoree was legendary music producer Clive Davis, the current Chief Creative Officer of Sony Music Entertainment. Music has always been an integral part of the Hasty Pudding traditions, from the musical comedies produced by the Hasty Pudding Theatricals, to the vocal performances of the Harvard Krokodiloes, so it was time the Pudding turned to the music industry to select their next Order of the Golden Sphinx recipient. Clive Davis’s tremendous achievements in discovering and fostering new musical talent made him a logical choice. Recipient of five GRAMMYS, a member of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a non-performer, he has been closely involved with a large list of landmark artists throughout his career – Janis Joplin, Bruce Springsteen, Blood, Sweat & Tears, Chicago, Aerosmith, Billy Joel, Earth, Wind & Fire, Patti Smith, Barry Manilow, Santana, Dionne Warwick, Aretha Franklin, Whitney Houston, Alicia Keys, and Jennifer Hudson – the list goes on and is impressive.

The evening started off with a bang with once again the Pudding’s own Mo Rocca ‘91 (CBS Sunday Morning, “My Grandmother’s Ravioli”) leading the now traditional opening number “MY Lucky Night” with updated lyrics for Clive Davis, featuring the HPT cast, the Kroks and a handful of HPI alumni.

As usual the evening was emcee’d by the Hasty Pudding’s Grand Sphinx, Andrew Farkas.

The Harvard Krokodiloes performed a short selection of songs, with their rendition of “Sing, Sing, Sing” and its high-flying choreography winning over the audience.

On a more serious note, Andrew Farkas presented a summary of the Pudding’s philanthropic work this year, illustrated by a short video showcasing all our partners such as BAM, The Arthur Miller Foundation and the Institute of Play, the West End House Boys & Girls Club, the A.R.T., the Black List and our newest partner, Ghetto Film School.

It was then time to bring Clive Davis on stage, induct him into the Hasty Pudding and present him with his Golden Sphinx. At the end of a very thoughtful thank you speech, Clive decided to surprise and honor our guests with a sneak-peek presentation of a new young artist he’s launching, Avery Wilson. Just as Clive introduced Whitney Houston and Alicia Keys to select audiences before their big breaks, when they were 19, Avery is himself 19 and possesses a wonderful voice which wowed and captivated all present and won him a standing ovation. This exclusive presentation made everyone present feel like they were witnessing something very special, that would be remembered for years to come.

The evening concluded with a fantastic closing number, “Clive Davis’s State of Mind” a mash up of Barry Manilow’s “Mandy” with Alicia Key and Jay-Z’s “Empire State of Mind”, written and arranged by Larry O’Keefe ‘91 and Nell Benjamin ‘93.

The gala helped raise $1.4m for the organization which goes towards the Club’s operating expenses (such as the rent of the Clubhouse) and towards our philanthropic grants and fellowships. It was a wonderful evening, and, to quote actor Victor Garber, “one of the best executed events (he) ever attended”. We are eternally grateful to Clive Davis for generously lending his time, friendship and expertise to the Pudding.

The Hasty Pudding Institute of 1770 announces acclaimed Producer David Heyman as the 2014 recipient of the Order of the Golden Sphinx award. Mr. Heyman will be honored and presented with the prestigious award at the annual Order of the Golden Sphinx Gala to be held at the Allen Room at Jazz at Lincoln Center’s Frederick P. Rose Hall in New York City on March 10, 2014.

The Order of the Golden Sphinx, named for a traditional symbol of The Hasty Pudding Institute, is the highest honor bestowed by the Institute and recognizes individuals in the entertainment industry for their extraordinary contributions to the performing arts. The recipient represents the Institute’s mission to support and foster the performing arts within its membership, at Harvard, and the community at large. Michael Lynton, CEO of Sony Entertainment Inc., received the 2013 Order of the Golden Sphinx award.

“I can think of no better recipient of this year’s Order of the Golden Sphinx than David Heyman,” said Andrew Farkas, Grand Sphinx of the Hasty Pudding Institute of 1770. “David’s tremendous achievement in film and contributions to the arts embody the passion of those individuals upon whom we proudly bestow our highest honor.”

“I can think of few higher honours than receiving the Order of the Golden Sphinx. The order celebrates freedom of expression, and creative originality, and as a producer I have been fortunate enough to work with a number of talented people blessed with fearless creative freedom. They are qualities to be cherished and encouraged, and it is has been a privilege to work among them,” said David Heyman.

David Heyman is the producer of all the film adaptations of J.K Rowling’s hugely successful Harry Potter books. In 1997, he read Rowling’s first unpublished manuscript and thought it might have some film potential; little did he know that this instinct would change his life. His most recent production is the critical and box office hit Gravity, directed by Alfonso Cuaron and starring Sandra Bullock and George Clooney. Other producing credits include We’re the Millers, Yes Man, I Am Legend, The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas, and Is Anybody There? In the past year he has ventured into TV, producing David Hare’s intelligence thrillers, The Worricker Trilogy, and psychological ghost story The Thirteenth Tale. Educated in England and the United States, Heyman began his career as a production runner on Milos Forman’s Ragtime and David Lean’s A Passage to India. In 1986, he moved to Los Angeles to become a creative executive at Warner Bros., where he worked on such films as Gorillas in the Mist and GoodFellas. In 1996 he set up Heyday Films, with the intention of building on his unique relationships in the U.S. and Europe to produce international films and television programs. Heyman won ShoWest’s Producer of the Year Award in 2003, becoming the first British producer to have ever received that honor. In 2011 CineEurope trade fair, he was named the Producer of the Decade.

The Order of the Golden Sphinx gala enfolds as a dinner with special performances by Hasty Pudding Theatricals and Harvard Krokodiloes undergraduates and alumni, produced by Amanda Lipitz Productions and written and composed by Nell Benjamin (Legally Blonde: The Musical, The Explorers Club) and Larry O’Keefe (Legally Blonde: The Musical, Heathers: The Musical), both alumni of the Pudding.

CAMBRIDGE, Mass., Dec. 12, 2012 /PRNewswire/ — The Hasty Pudding Institute of 1770, the oldest collegiate club in the United States, announced today it will honor Michael Lynton, CEO, Sony Entertainment, Inc., with the first Order of the Golden Sphinx award at a gala ceremony at the Mandarin Oriental in New York on March 4, 2013.  Graduate Chairman and Grand Sphinx, Andrew Farkas will host the event. To date, co-chairs include: Richard Plepler, Leon and Debra Black, William Lauder, Barry and Mimi Sternlicht, Andrea Olshan, Jamie Dinan and Elizabeth Miller and Bob Pittman and Veronique Choa.

The Order of the Golden Sphinx- a traditional symbol of the Hasty Pudding Institute –is the highest honor bestowed by the Institute and recognizes individuals in the entertainment industry for their extraordinary contributions to the performing arts.  The recipient represents the Institute’s mission to support and foster the performing arts within its membership, at Harvard and the community at large. This award also marks the first time the Hasty Pudding Institute has celebrated an industry leader.  The Hasty Pudding Theatricals is best known for the Man and Woman of the Year Award honoring actors and actresses, most recently Claire Danes and Jason Segel.

“There is no one more deserving of the first Order of the Golden Sphinx than Michael Lynton,” said Andrew Farkas, Graduate Chairman, Hasty Pudding Institute.  “Throughout his career he has demonstrated a deep appreciation and dedication to enhancing the arts through both personal commitment and arts education support.”

Lynton, who holds a Bachelor of Arts in history and literature from Harvard College and a Masters of Business Administration from Harvard Business School and currently serves on the Harvard Board of Overseers, embraces the Institute’s mission and its valuable contributions to the arts on a local and global stage.  Professionally, in positions at Disney, Pearson plc, Time Warner, AOL and Sony, Lynton has turned that passion into a successful career at various points managing all aspects of the business of books, music, film and television. For nearly a decade, he has served as the Chairman and CEO of movie and television studio Sony Pictures Entertainment and was recently promoted to CEO of Sony Entertainment Inc., adding Sony’s music publishing and releasing arms to his oversight of entertainment for the company. Under Lynton’s leadership of Sony Pictures Entertainment, the division has been a champion for the arts and education broadly through programs in conjunction with philanthropic organizations, governmental groups and academic institutions. Specifically, Sony Pictures has supported efforts to supplement the arts curriculum in California public schools.  One notable program is, Arts for All, the Los Angeles County Regional Blueprint for Arts Education. This initiative is designed to insure that 1.6 million public school students in Los Angeles County receive a high-quality K-12 education, of which the arts are an intrinsic part of the core curriculum. Sony Pictures helped to establish and continues to support The Culver City High School Academy of Visual and Performing Arts Sony Pictures Media Arts Program and The Front Center Theater Collaborative. Outside of Sony, Lynton is active in additional civic and corporate board positions including Los Angeles County Museum of Art, the Rand Corporation, Modern Times Group and the Broadcasting Board of Governors.