Live: Playwright and actress Anna Deavere Smith at Syracuse University

Playwright, actor and professor Anna Deavere Smith uses her singular brand of theatre to explore issues of community, character and diversity in America. Newsweek declared her the most exciting individual in American theatre. Smith is perhaps best known as the author and performer of one-woman, multi-character plays that deal with social issues in America. The prestigious MacArthur Foundation awarded Smith the Genius Fellowship for creating a new form of theatre — a blend of theatrical art, social commentary, journalism and intimate reverie. In 2012, Smith won the Dorothy and Lillian Gish Prize, one of the largest and most prestigious awards in the arts, which recognizes trailblazers who have redefined their art and pushed the boundaries of excellence in their field.

Follow updates from Smith's University Lectures talk at 5:00 p.m. Tuesday in Hendricks Chapel, or join the conversation on Twitter by adding #SmithSU to your tweets.