Federation of Alliances Françaises USA’s most prestigious award, was created in 1991 to recognize M. Daniel Charbonnier of San Francisco, a past President of the Federation of AF USA, who exemplified all of the best qualities of this organization.
The recipient need not be a member of an Alliance Française. A committee established by the Board of Directors of the Federation nominates the candidate for the Prix Charbonnier. In its early years, from 1991-1995, the prize was called le Prix de la Fédération. Since 1995, it’s been called le Prix Charbonnier, in honor of Daniel Charbonnier.
The Federation of Alliances Françaises USA is pleased to award Carolyn Cook for her contribution to the promotion of French language and culture through art and her understanding of the importance of international cultural exchange.
Carolyn Cook is the founder and producing artistic director of Atlanta-based Théâtre du Rêve (Theater of the Dream), a professional theater company that brings French language and Francophone culture to life on the American stage. She holds a bachelor of arts in French from Randolph-Macon Woman’s College (now Randolph College), and studied literature and linguistics at the Sorbonne. Since founding Théâtre du Rêve in 1996, Cook has served in multiple capacities, including acting, directing, playwriting, and leading the company as artistic director from 1996 to 2006 and again from 2016 to the present. She has written and produced three plays based in French and Francophone history: “Il Etait Une Fois” tells the story of female writers whose work was banned by Louis XIV; “Code Noir” follows the career of General Alex Dumas, French Revolutionary hero and father of novelist Alexandre Dumas; and “Je ne suis pas Evangeline” explores Le Grand Dérangement, the expulsion and genocide of French Acadians in the 1700s. With more than thirty years’ experience as a professional actor, director, producer, teacher, and coach, Cook has worked extensively in Atlanta theater, including twenty seasons with the former Georgia Shakespeare, and has performed on tour in the US, UK, and France. She has been honored as a Chevalier dans l’Ordre des Palmes académiques, a national order bestowed by the French Republic for service to education.
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