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Frostic Reading Series presents playwright Charles Smith

Oct. 5, 2005

KALAMAZOO--Playwright Charles Smith is the next author in the Gwen Frostic Reading Series at Western Michigan University, with a Thursday, Oct. 13, reading beginning at 8 p.m. in the Little Theatre. All readings in the series are free and open to the public.

Smith was born and raised on the Southside of Chicago. His plays explore issues surrounding the perceptions of race and politics from an African-American point-of-view. His work has been produced off-Broadway and at regional theatres around the country including The Acting Company's 22-city tour of his play "Pudd'nhead Wilson."

Other theaters that have produced his work include Victory Gardens, Indiana Repertory Theatre, People's Light & Theatre Company, the Goodman Theatre and many others. His work has also been produced for the HBO New Writers Project, the International Children's Theater Festival in Seattle, and the North Carolina Black Arts Festival.

A graduate of the Iowa Playwrights Workshop, Smith is head of the professional playwriting program at Ohio University, where he is the Presidential Research Scholar in the Arts and Humanities.

Future readings in the Gwen Frostic Reading Series

Oct. 20, poet Michael Ryan
Nov. 10, novelist Josip Novakovich
Dec. 1, poet Jonathan Johnson

All readings are Thursdays at 8 p.m. in the Little Theatre, which is located at the corner of Oakland Drive and Oliver Street on Western Michigan University's East Campus. There is free off-street parking behind the theatre.

For more information about the Gwen Frostic Reading Series, contact Dr. Arnie Johnston, chair of the Department of English, at arnie.johnston@wmich.edu. To be added to the mailing list for reading series announcements, write to Becky Beech at rebecca.beech@wmich.edu and include your complete name and postal address.

Media contact: Thom Myers, (269) 387-8400, thom.myers@wmich.edu

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