John Benjamin Hickey, Sarah Jessica Parker and Matthew Broderick.Photo: Carl Timpone
Sarah Jessica ParkerandMatthew Broderickare celebratingNeil Simon’s storied career.
The couple — who are currently starring in a revival of Simon’sPlaza SuiteonBroadway— were on hand Monday night in Washington, D.C., as the late playwright’s papers and manuscripts were added to theLibrary of Congress.
In a set of photos shared exclusively with PEOPLE, Parker, 57, and Broderick, 60, pose with Elaine Joyce Simon (Simon’s widow, who donated the papers) andPlaza SuitedirectorJohn Benjamin Hickey, whomoderated a discussionduring the event that included Parker, Broderick and Joyce Simon.
“Neil Simon’s work has left an undeniable mark on American culture and theater,” Librarian of CongressCarla Haydensays in a release shared with PEOPLE. “The donation of Simon’s papers to our nation’s library is a treasured addition to our holdings that enhances our performing arts collection as one of the best in the world.”
“It also ensures Simon’s legacy is preserved for generations to come,” Hayden adds.
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Sarah Jessica Parker and Matthew Broderick.Carl Timpone
According to the release, other items in the donated collection include “dozens of notebooks” featuring Simon’s handwritten notes, aTony Award,his Pulitzer Prize and more.
Joyce Simon, 76, says in the release that “There was only ever one answer to the question, ‘What do I do with all of Neil’s stuff?’ "
“I am delighted that his brilliant work, his prized possessions and his personal artifacts will live alongside so many of the world’s treasures in the Library of Congress,” she adds.
Matthew Broderick, Elaine Joyce Simon and Sarah Jessica Parker.Carl Timpone
Simon was 91when he died in August 2018, after a battle with pneumonia.
The playwright’s first work to arrive on Broadway,Come Blow Your Horn, premiered in 1961. He followed it up with a string of plays includingBarefoot in the Park,The Odd Couple,They’re Playing Our Song,Brighton Beach Memoirs,Jake’s Women,Laughter on the 23rdFloor, andLost in Yonkers.
Simon, who was born in the Bronx, New York, to a salesman and his wife, also wrote screenplays, sometimes based on his plays, such asBarefoot in the Park,The Odd Couple,SweetCharityandThe Sunshine Boys.
“I’m grateful but not overwhelmed,” Simonsaid after winninga Tony Award in 1985. “I put more emphasis upon longevity than awards. We don’t know if Shakespeare ever won one. Did they say, ‘Best Play 1594:Taming of the Shrew’? "
“You don’t go around being funny gratuitously,” he added. “It’s a private thing — like being loving.”
source: people.com
