BIOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION

Anna Deavere Smith was born September 18, 1950 in Baltimore, Maryland, the daughter of a coffee merchant and an elementary school teacher. She attended Beaver College and received an MFA from the American Conservatory Theatre in 1976.

In addition to being a playwright, Smith is a gifted performer and has appeared in numerous New York productions as well as films such as Philadelphia, Dave, and The American President. Twilight: Los Angeles the film of her play by the same name and directed by Marc Levin (Director of Slam) was shown at the 2000 Sundance Film Festival.

She has taught at Carnegie-Mellon, NYU, USC, Yale, and Stanford. See "On race, riots and national recognition", an article written during her time at Stanford. In December of 1996, the Ford Foundation named Smith as its first Artist-In-Residence; the following is a link to a report entitled "Theatre in Search of the American Character" which contains Smith's views on the role of the arts in civic discourse. She was also named one of the MacArthur Foundation Fellows in 1996; the MacArthur Foundation Fellows Award is better known as the Genius Award. In 1998 Smith founded the Institute on the Arts & Civic Dialogue to explore the role of the artist in society. The IACD ceased operations in August, 2000. Smith lives in San Francisco.

PLAYS

"On the Road: A Search for an American Character"-1982

First produced in New York at Cleare Space; produced in 1983 by Berkeley Repertory Company.

"Aye, Aye, Aye, I'm Integrated"-1984

First produced at American Place Theatre in New York.

"On Black Identity and Black Theatre"-1990

First produced in New Brunswick, New Jersey at Crossroads Theatre.

"From the Inside Looking In"-1990

First produced in San Francisco at the Eureka Theatre.

"Fires in the Mirror: Crown Heights, Brooklyn, and Other Identities"-1992

First produced at the Joseph Papp Public Theatre; produced in London in 1993 at the Royal Court Theatre. See also Performance Review of Crown Heights.

"Twilight: Los Angeles, 1992"-1993

First produced at The Mark Taper Forum in Los Angeles; produced at the Joseph Papp Public Theatre and the Cort Theatre in 1994.

"House Arrest First Edition"-1997

First produced at the Arena Stage; directed by Mark Rucker.

The Public Theater Production

"Piano"-2000

Debuted at the Institute on the Arts & Civic Dialogue under the direction of Rebecca Taichman.

AWARDS

"Fires in the Mirror"

Drama-Logue Award, Obie Award, Drama Desk Award, Pulitzer Prize Nomination, 1992

"Twilight"

Antoinette Perry Award, Obie Award, Drama Desk Award, Outer Critics Circle Award, 1993

CRITICAL/BIOGRAPHICAL RESOURCES

For full citations of the books listed, follow links to the Resources Page.

Books marked with book covers or a are linked to Amazon.com records.

Contemporary African American Female Playwrights

Contemporary Authors v.133

Contemporary Black Biography v.6

Contemporary Literary Criticism v.86

Contemporary Dramatists

Contemporary Plays by Women of Color

Contemporary Theatre, Film and Television v.14

The Female Dramatist

1001 Things Everyone Should Know about African American History

Women Playwrights of Diversity

SELECTED ARTICLES ABOUT THE AUTHOR