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Four St. Lawrence students recently participated in a conference honoring playwright August Wilson, giving a presentation that arose from the class August Wilson and the Blues, taught by Associate Professor of Performance and Communication Arts Andrea Nouryeh and Visiting Instructor of Music Timothy Mangin.

Matia Ayers '08, Canton, NY; Dan Biseglia '08, Boxford, MA; Christopher Farden '07, Sterling, NY; and Christopher Leon '09, Jamaica, NY; participated in a panel titled "Exploring Whiteness: How Undergraduate Students Encounter August Wilson," with a performance that included a set of photographic images about life at St. Lawrence and responses to questions about African-American identity, whiteness and encountering African-American culture. Their presentation also included performances of original writings, poetry, dance and a monologue from Wilson's play Fences.

The conference was entitled Tell Your Story: An Interdisciplinary Conference on August Wilson and African American Theatre, Art and Culture. It was held March 9-11 at the Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center University of Maryland, College Park, and was sponsored by the David C. Driskell Center for the Study of the Visual Arts and Culture of African Americans and the African Diaspora, with Howard University, the University of Virginia, the Association for Theater in Higher Education, the American Theatre and Drama Society and the Black Theatre Network.

A highlight of the conference was a performance by actor Charles Dutton, who originated roles in Wilson's Ma Rainey's Black Bottom and The Piano Lesson; he recently has had a recurring role in the TV series "House, M.D."

More information: Arts at St. Lawrence

Posted: April 26, 2007