ARTS SCENE

THE PRITZKER PRIZE for architecture was awarded Monday to two masters of modernism, Gordon Bunshaft of the United States and Oscar Niemeyer of Brazil. Bunshaft's buildings include the Lever House in New York, the Hirshhorn Museum in Washington, and the Johnson Library in Austin, Texas. Niemeyer's best-known works are the capitol buildings in Bras'ilia. This marks the first time the $100,000 prize has been shared since it was established in 1979 by the Pritzker family of Chicago. VILLAGE VOICE OBIE AWARDS FOR OFF BROADWAY and Off Off Broadway excellence were given Monday to 24 people, including Richard Foreman, for sustained achievement as a playwright. Sharing the award for best new play were Caryl Churchill for ``Serious Money'' and Maria Irene Fornes for ``Abingdon Square.'' George Bartenieff and Roberts Blossom won Obies for sustained excellence in performance. Obies in the director category went to Anne Bogart for ``No Plays No Poetry...;'' Peter Brook for ``The Mahabharata;'' and Julie Taymor for ``Juan Darien.'' THE GOLDEN PALM AWARD, honoring the best entry at the Cannes Film Festival, went to the Danish movie ``Pelle the Conquerer.'' The award was handed to Billie August, who wrote and directed the film, a story of the hardships endured by a father and son working as cattlemen in Denmark. The prize for best actor went to Forest Whitaker, an American, for his portrayal of jazz great Charlie Parker in the American film ``Bird,'' directed by Clint Eastwood. Three performers shared the best-actress award: Barbara Hershey of the US, Linda Mvusi of South Africa, and 13-year-old Jodhi May of Britain. The three appeared in the British film ``A World Apart,'' which also won the Special Jury Grand Prize, given to the runner-up for the Golden Palm. LOWER PRICES ARE AHEAD at the Champlain Shakespeare Festival in Burlington, Vt. To celebrate its 30th anniversary and to make live theater more accessible to the public, the festival is lowering the admission charge to $8.50 for all seats. Last year the top price was $12.50. Planners hope that increased attendance will offset lowered prices.