Kennedy Center President, Noted Arts Shaper And Rescuer, Wins Peabody

Michael Kaiser - president of the Kennedy Center, international arts management/rescue guru and compelling advocate for preserving artistic quality even in the face of financial meltdown - is the 2009 recipient of the George Peabody Medal for Outstanding Contributions to Music in America. The award, presented by the Peabody Institute, will be given to Kaiser during the conservatory's graduation ceremony on May 21.

He joins a starry roster of recipients, that since 1980, has included the likes of Leonard Bernstein, Quincy Jones and Eubie Blake. Kaiser is described in the citation as "an impresario for the 21st century," the heir to the legacy of Sol Hurok and other past masters of arts presentation.

Kaiser's own legacy includes a remarkable boost to the national profile of the Kennedy Center, which he joined in 2001 after earning plaudits for restoring the structural health of the American Ballet Theater, Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater and London's Royal Opera House. Among his recent projects is a large-scale program run by the Kennedy Center to provide free consultation on a variety of issues to arts groups that have been struggling through the current recession.

Although the award ceremony is private, Kaiser will make a public appearance at 3 p.m. May 21 at the Baltimore Museum of Art, 10 Art Museum Dive. interviewed by Tom Hall, to address "Culture in Crisis and the Impact on the Baltimore Region's Art Community." There's a May 18 deadline to reserve free tickets through missiontix.com.

Movies and musicals

An intriguing subset of the entertainment world includes films that have a counterpart in musical theater, such as a song-filled version of Gone With the Wind that debuted last year in London (and went with the wind shortly thereafter). Coincidentally, two musicals that share the titles of classic '50s movies are on area stages now.

Johnny Guitar, a curious 1954 Western starring Joan Crawford and Mercedes McCambridge that enjoys cult status, was turned into an award-winning off-Broadway musical in 2004. The show, with book by Nicholas van Hoogstraten, lyrics by Joel Higgins, and music by Higgins and Martin Silvestri, is on the boards through June 7 at the Fells Point Corner Theatre, 251 S. Ann St. For tickets, go to fpct.org.