Anna Deavere Smith is an actress, playwright, and author. She is a University Professor at New York University where she is appointed in the Tisch School of the Arts, with an affiliation at the New York University School of Law.

She is currently working on a new project that will address global health care. 

She was a Visiting Professor at the Yale School of Medicine in 2000. She was recently commissioned to do a project for the Stanford University School of Medicine.  She founded and directed the Institute on the Arts and Civic Dialogue, which supports the development of artistic works that deal with social issues. This project was funded in large part by the Ford Foundation. It convened at Harvard University for three summers (1998–2000). The Institute was hosted by Professor Henry Louis Gates and the WEB Du Bois Center, as well as Robert Brustein and the American Repertory Theater. The Institute is now housed at NYU. She was an Ann O’Day Maples Professor of the Arts at Stanford University where she taught from 1990–2000. She was Artist in Residence at MTV Networks from 2001–2004, and was the Ford Foundations first Artist in Residence in 1997.  When granted the prestigious MacArthur Award, her work was described as “a blend of theatrical art, social commentary, journalism, and intimate reverie.” The New York Times in reviewing her Broadway show, “Twilight Los Angeles,” said of her performance, ”[she is] the ultimate impressionist: she does people's souls.”

Her forthcoming book (Vintage Random House) is called “Letters to a Young Artist.” Her recent book, “Talk To Me: Listening Between The Lines,” is based on her observations of time she spent in Washington, D.C. and on the 1996 campaign trail.  Her articles have appeared in The New York Times, The Los Angeles Times, Newsweek, The New Yorker, and other publications.

Looking at controversial events from multiple points of view, Ms. Smith's theater and film work combines the journalistic technique of interviewing her subjects with the art of interpreting their words through her performance. Ms. Smith performed “Twilight: Los Angeles” around the country, and on Broadway.  It was attended by President and Mrs. Clinton and Al Gore when it was in Washington, DC. The play examined the civil unrest following the Rodney King verdict.  It received two Tony nominations, an Obie, a Drama Desk Award, a Special Citation from the New York Drama Critics, and numerous other honors, and was broadcast on PBS as part of the American Playhouse series in April 2000. “Fires in the Mirror” examined racial tension between blacks and Jews that culminated in race riots in Crown Heights Brooklyn in 1991.  It was a runner up for the Pulitzer Prize and was also broadcast on PBS as part of the American Playhouse series.

Ms. Smith has appeared on television on such shows as NBC's “The West Wing”, and CBS's "Presidio Med.”  She was in the movies “The American President”, “The Human Stain” and “Dave”.

CURRICULUM VITAE

Education:
B.A. Beaver College, 1971
M.F.A. American Conservatory Theatre, 1977

Representative Publications:
“Letters to a Young Artist,” Vintage, forthcoming January 2006
“House Arrest/Piano” Vintage 2004
“Talk to Me” Random House, 2000
“Twilight: Los Angeles” Doubleday, 1994
“Fires In the Mirror” Dramatist Play Service, Doubleday, 1993

CLICK HERE to learn about Anna Deavere’s Smith’s new book Letters to a Young Artist.