The Arts Council has selected Tony Taccone ’72 as the recipient of the 2012 Alumni Award. Taccone is artistic director of Berkeley Repertory Theatre, where he has staged more than 35 shows – including world premieres by Culture Clash, Rinde Eckert, David Edgar, Danny Hoch, Geoff Hoyle, Quincy Long, Itamar Moses, and Lemony Snicket.

Taccone took two shows from Berkeley Rep to Broadway: Sarah Jones’ Bridge & Tunnel, which won a Tony Award for its star, and Carrie Fisher’s Wishful Drinking, which set box-office records in Berkeley before enjoying a six-city national tour. He commissioned Tony Kushner’s legendary Angels in America, co-directed its world premiere at the Mark Taper Forum, and has collaborated with Kushner on seven projects including Brundibar and Tiny Kushner.

Two of Taccone’s recent shows transferred to London: Continental Divide played the Barbican in 2004, and Tiny Kushner played the Tricycle Theatre last fall. His many regional credits include Actors Theatre of Louisville, Arena Stage, the Eureka Theatre, the Guthrie Theater, the Huntington Theatre Company, Oregon Shakespeare Festival, The Public Theater, Seattle Repertory Theatre, and Yale Repertory Theatre. Known as a director, he recently turned his hand to playwriting, and two of his scripts are premiering this year: Ghost Light in Ashland and Rita Moreno: Life Without Makeup in Berkeley.

Check back for Taccone’s schedule at the 2012 Arts Festival!