معرفی
Anna Deavere Smith is a Tony and Pulitzer Prize-nominated playwright and actor, currently serving as a Visiting Professor at the University of Oxford's George Eastman Visiting Professorship for Michaelmas Term 2023 while maintaining her primary affiliation with the Tisch School of the Arts at New York University. Her work focuses on bold innovation in documentary theatre, addressing socially contentious themes to provoke interdisciplinary dialogue.
Research Interests: Professor Smith specializes in documentary theatre that bridges personal narratives with societal issues. Her plays like Fires in the Mirror and Twilight: Los Angeles exemplify her commitment to exploring racial tensions, healthcare, and justice through performance. She emphasizes using theatre as a catalyst for understanding complex societal challenges.
- Awards:
- MacArthur 'Genus' Grant (1996)
- Dorothy and Lillian Gish Prize (2012)
- National Endowment for the Humanities Medal (2012)
Advising & Engagement: As Eastman Professor, she leads student-centered playwriting workshops titled 'Causing a Scene or Scene-ing a Cause', where participants dissect controversial topics through scripted performances. These sessions aim to foster empathy across ideological divides.
