Julie Andrews, who memorably played Eliza Doolittle, Guinevere, Mary Poppins and Maria von Trapp, adds Kennedy Center honoree to her list of roles this year
British-born Andrews is among five 2001 honorees cited by the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, D.C. The Kennedy Center Honors were announced Sept. 5 and presentations will be Dec. 2 at the Kennedy Center's Opera House, with George W. Bush in attendance.
Andrews, who moved from the West End to Broadway to Hollywood but returned to the stage in her late-career to play Victor/Victoria on Broadway, is in good company. Other Kennedy Center honorees are tenor Luciano Pavarotti, producer-composer Quincy Jones, actor Jack Nicholson and pianist Van Cliburn.
The honorees were chosen for "the unique and extremely valuable contributions they have made to the cultural life of our nation."
— By Kenneth Jones
