Ian Ruskin is a passionate, politically charged humanitarian who uses his body, voice imagination, heart and finely tuned talents to inspire audiences by bringing alive the beliefs and battles of champions of the "underdog" and the common human being. His fierce commitment to equality for all peoples, justice in government and human dignity illuminates his creation of historical figures down to the finest detail, making the experience of the audience one of having been in the presence of great thinking, great heart and great action.

Ruskin's physical, vocal, mental and emotional creation of "Harry Bridges" is an astounding bringing-to-life of the man's unrelenting commitment to fighting prejudice and discrimination. Through many years of training and creating various characters in classical theatre, television and film roles, Ruskin captures the fire of this dauntless fighter for human rights among workers. The audience not only feels as though they've been in the presence of Harry Bridges, but more importantly, that they have been moved and enlightened by his brave fight for the workers of all nationalities.

Ruskin trained at the world-renowned Royal Academy of the Dramatic Arts in London, after which, he created roles in numerous repertory companies. He felt deep satisfaction in working on such playwrights as Chekhov, Shakespeare, Ibsen and Miller whose "plays could not only move audiences, but could shine a light on their shared humanity." At the Duke's Playhouse in Lancaster he performed the one-man play, "The Man Himself" which he brought to Stages Theatre in Los Angeles, winning much critical praise including "Critic's Choice" in the Los Angeles Times.

In 1994, a project about Harry Bridges was put together to perform live for the worker's unions and to shoot for PBS. When it came to the part of Harry, Ian was chosen for his conviction in the material. Cast and audiences alike were amazed by the fervor and power of Ian's Harry Bridges and uplifted by his messages of peace, healthcare and decent treatment of the common worker.

Ian Ruskin committed himself to inspiring others to stand up in their own lives for dignity and justice by creating his one-person show, "From Wharf Rats to Lord of the Docks," an evening with Harry Bridges, which he has performed over 200 times in America, Canada, Australia and England in theatres, universities, union convention, museums, libraries. This lead to the film version directed by the legendary filmmaker, Haskell Wexler, and was distributed to PBS stations.

Ian is now working on a new one-person piece about another extraordinary man whose impact on the development of America and the democratic world was perhaps more profound than that of any other single person. This man was Thomas Paine, who wrote "Rights of Man," "Common Sense" and "The Age of Reason," all of which challenged and defied traditional thinking and spoke directly to the population. Again, he was a champion of the people. With the support of the 2010 C.O.L.A. grant, another great figure can step out of the forgotten darkness and speak directly to audiences, illuminating their own possibilities for dignity, fair treatment and peace.

—Heidi Helen Davis