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| 02-25-2004 | Previous edition: 02-24-2004 |
        
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Printer-friendly version Award-winning actress gives keynote lectureBy Anna HerkampSenior Writer A professor, playwright, lecturer and actress who has appeared in television programs and films including "The West Wing," "The Practice," "The American President" and "Philadelphia" will speak at Purdue Thursday night. Anna Deavere Smith, world-renowned performer and speaker, will present the lecture "Snapshots: Glimpses of America in Change" at 7 p.m. Thursday in Loeb Playhouse. Tickets are $4 for students and $8 for the public. The lecture is the keynote address for Project Respect Week and part of Purdue’s celebration of Black History Month. Elliot Hickman, director of ideas and issues at the Purdue Student Union Board and junior in the School of Agriculture, said that students should look forward to her performance because it explores issues that affect everyone, especially on a campus such as Purdue’s. "It should be a pretty entertaining lecture; she is pretty well-noted for being able to liven up different issues in her speeches. It’s something I wouldn’t miss," he said. Sara Solloway, program director at PSUB, said that with how much America has changed in the last 40 or 50 years, seeing a play on the subject should be interesting and relevant to students. In addition to her television and film appearances, Smith is well known for her two one-woman plays, which examine and demonstrate racial tension in America. "Fires in the Mirror: Brown Heights, Brooklyn And Other Identities" won the Obie Award and was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize. The play depicts the 1991 racial clash between Jews and blacks in a New York community. "Twilight: Los Angeles 1992" also won an Obie Award and was a finalist for a Tony Award. The play highlights the events and concerns surrounding the Rodney King verdict. She is also the author of the book "Talk to Me: Travels in Media & Politics," which chronicles her experiences and the creative process of her latest play, "House Arrest." The play explores the American presidency and its role in American life. Smith has been praised for the depth of research she does for each of her plays, performance roles and writing. Smith extensively interviews many different kinds of people to prepare and understand various lifestyles and cultures, in order to be able to play up to 46 different characters in a single play. She has even learned Korean to play a shop owner caught in the Rodney King riots. She meticulously imitates real-life figures including Al Sharpton and Studs Terkel. For her book, she interviewed a wide array of American figures, from prison inmates to President Clinton. Her artistic and creative abilities, combined with such research methods, allow Smith to present an honest portrayal of real-life racial issues and problems. For her efforts and achievements in performance art, Smith received a fellowship with The MacArthur Foundation, which said she "has created a new form of theatre — a blend of theatrical art, social commentary, journalism and intimate reverie." In addition to her extensive accomplishments as a writer and performer, Smith is also a noted educator. She is a tenured professor at the Tisch School of the Arts at New York University. She has also worked with the New York University School of Law where she teaches the course, "The Art of Listening." In 1998, in association with the Ford Foundation, she founded the Institute on the Arts & Civic Dialogue at Harvard University. The institute’s mission is to actively study the arts and their connection to social concerns. Smith has also taught at Carnegie-Mellon University, University of Southern California, Yale University and Stanford University. ·Tickets for the lecture are available through the Purdue box office and Ticketmaster outlets. Printer-friendly version |
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