WASHINGTON – Fifty students from the District's Paul Laurence
Dunbar High School today participated in a forum hosted by the
National Endowment for the Humanities at the Old Post Office
Pavilion to learn about their school's namesake.
Arena Stage actors Peter Callender and Margo Hall, who are playing
African American writers Paul Laurence Dunbar (1872-1906) and his
wife Alice Ruth Moore (1875-1935) in the Arena Stage's well-reviewed
current production, Oak and Ivy, performed their roles,
read some of Dunbar's poetry, and discussed their deep interests in
their characters and the relevance of the play's themes for today's
audiences. The Arena Stage's artistic associate, Steve Samuels,
also discussed the historical context of Oak and Ivy and why the
Arena Stage chose to stage the play.
The event commemorates Black History Month. Dunbar was the first
African American poet to receive national critical acclaim.
"This forum is a way for the National Endowment for the Humanities
to reach local audiences with the kind of quality cultural
programming that we support with our funding throughout the
nation," said William R. Ferris, chairman of the NEH. "The
humanities are about understanding the complexities of our history
and culture, and it is an honor to have some of Washington's finest
acting talent here to foster that understanding."
Oak and Ivy runs at the Arena Stage's Kreeger Theater through
April 4.
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