WHAT:
Anna Deavere Smith, distinguished actress, playwright, author and New York University professor, will deliver the 2008 Bunche Chair Lecture, presented by the Ralph J. Bunche Center for African American Studies at UCLA. The annual event honors the memory of Bunche, the celebrated diplomat, intellectual, activist and UCLA alumnus.
WHEN:
Tuesday, May 6
- 6 p.m.: Reception
- 7 p.m.: Lecture
WHERE:
Grand Horizon Room at UCLA's Covel Commons, 200 De Neve Dr.
BACKGROUND:
When Smith received a prestigious MacArthur "genius" grant in 1996, her work was described as "a blend of theatrical art, social commentary, journalism and intimate reverie." Her theater and film productions combine the journalistic technique of interviewing subjects with the art of interpreting their words through her performance.
In 1993, Smith's play "Fires in the Mirror" examined racial tensions that exploded into riots between African Americans and Jews in Brooklyn's Crown Heights neighborhood in 1991. The play received numerous awards, was a runner-up for the Pulitzer Prize and was turned into a film for public television. In 1994, Smith performed "Twilight: Los Angeles," an exploration of the 1992 Los Angeles riots, on Broadway and around the country, receiving two Tony nominations, an Obie Award, a Drama Desk Award, a special citation from the New York Drama Critics' Circle and various other honors.
Recently, Smith played National Security Adviser Nancy McNally on the NBC hit "The West Wing." Her latest play, "Let Me Down Easy," examines the resilience and vulnerability of the human body. She is currently a professor of performance studies at New York University's Tisch School of the Arts and is affiliated with the university's law school.
MEDIA CONTACT:
Letisia Marquez, UCLA Office of Media Relations, 310-206-3986.
PARKING:
Parking will be available in the Sunset Village lot near Covel Commons. Call for reservations.
