Award-Winning Actress, Playwright & Social Commentator; New York University Professor
Anna Deavere Smith Biography
Anna Deavere Smith is an actress, playwright, teacher, and author. She is credited with having created a new form of theater. Smith's work combines the journalistic technique of interviewing her subjects with the art of interpreting their words through performance. She was a pioneer in what is now called “verbatim theater.”
Her play "This Ghost of Slavery" was featured in the Atlantic Magazine, making it one of only two plays published during the magazine’s 166 year history. Previously, she created over fifteen one-person shows based on hundreds of interviews. Plays based in interviews include "Notes from the Field" about the school to prison pipeline; "Let Me Down Easy," about health care; "House Arrest," about the U.S. presidency and the press; and "Twilight: Los Angeles," about the 1992 Los Angeles riots. "Twilight" was named one of the best plays of the last twenty-five years by The New York Times. PBS has broadcast "Fires in the Mirror," "Twilight" and "Let Me Down Easy"; HBO premiered the film version of "Notes from the Field."
President Obama awarded Smith the National Humanities Medal in 2013. She was the 2024 Mellon Lecturer at the National Gallery in Washington. She was selected in 2015 to give the Jefferson Lecture for the National Endowment for the Humanities, at the John F. Kennedy Center.
Additional honors include the MacArthur Award, The Dorothy and Lillian Gish Prize for Achievement in the Arts, the George Polk Career Award in Journalism, the Dean’s Medal from the Stanford University Medical School, Obie Awards, and two Tony nominations. She was runner up for the Pulitzer Prize in Drama.
Smith is also an actress in popular culture, having been a part of such shows as Netflix’s "Inventing Anna," ABC’s "For the People" and "Black-ish." Previously, she appeared in "Nurse Jackie" and "The West Wing." Films include "The American President," "Philadelphia," "Ghosted" and "Rachel Getting Married." Upcoming are her work in "Pendulum," a horror movie produced by Darren Aronofsky, directed by Mark Heyman, and on “The Boroughs” a Netflix series, also in the horror genre.
She has several honorary degrees including those from Oxford, Harvard, Yale, University of Pennsylvania, Spelman, Dartmouth, Prairie View University and Bard College. She served on Biden’s President’s Committee for Arts and Humanities.
In 2023, she was Eastman Professor at Oxford University – Balliol College. Smith is a University Professor at New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts.
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Anna Deavere Smith Speaking Topics
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A SPECIAL NOTE ABOUT PROGRAMS WITH ANNA DEAVERE SMITH
All presentations by Anna Deavere Smith include theatrical performance elements, as she steps away from the podium, transforming herself into characters she has created and selected for each event. These living portraits of both legendary and everyday people illustrate and illuminate the themes of her topics.
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SPECIAL PROGRAMS: AVAILABLE FOR A SPECIAL WORKSHOP ON "THE ART OF LISTENING
If teachers, parents administrators, civic leaders, and politicians fail to listen; if they are over enchanted with their own voices or with some voices and not others, they will miss the opportunity to create community. A community of many strong voices with compelling questions is at the heart of a vibrant classroom, a vigorous citizenry, and a learned society.
Anna Deavere Smith Videos
Anna Deavere Smith on developing emotional capacity as an artist ...
"Maybe now we should say something about art." Anna Deavere Smith talks with with EW's Sarah Rodman on developing an emotional capacity ...
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How do I book Anna Deavere Smith to speak at my event?
Our experienced booking agents have successfully helped clients around the world secure speakers like Anna Deavere Smith for speaking engagements, personal appearances, product endorsements, or corporate entertainment since 2002. Click the Check Availability button above and complete the form on this page to check availability for Anna Deavere Smith, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536 to discuss your upcoming event. One of our experienced agents will be happy to help you get speaking fee information and check availability for Anna Deavere Smith or any other speaker of your choice. -
What are the speaker fees for Anna Deavere Smith
Speaking fees for Anna Deavere Smith, or any other speakers and celebrities, are determined based on a number of factors and may change without notice. The estimated fees to book Anna Deavere Smith are available upon request for live events and available upon request for virtual events. For the most current speaking fee to hire Anna Deavere Smith, click the Check Availability button above and complete the form on this page, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536 to speak directly with an experienced booking agent. -
What topics does Anna Deavere Smith speak about?
Anna Deavere Smith is a keynote speaker and industry expert whose speaking topics include Actor, Author, Business, Celebrity, Civil Rights, College, Creativity, Culture, Disruptive Thinking, Diversity & Inclusion, Economy, Education, Executive Leadership, Faith & Religion, Faith & Religion, Futurism, Government, Healthcare, History, Inspirational, Journalist, Law, Leadership, Military, Music, Philosophy, Political, Professors, Social Activism, Social Justice, Technology, Thought Leadership -
Where does Anna Deavere Smith travel from?
Anna Deavere Smith generally travels from New York, NY, USA, but can be booked for private corporate events, personal appearances, keynote speeches, or other performances. For more details, please contact an AAE Booking agent. -
Who is Anna Deavere Smith’s agent?
AAE Speakers Bureau has successfully booked keynote speakers like Anna Deavere Smith for clients worldwide since 2002. As a full-service speaker booking agency, we have access to virtually any speaker or celebrity in the world. Our agents are happy and able to submit an offer to the speaker or celebrity of your choice, letting you benefit from our reputation and long-standing relationships in the industry. Please click the Check Availability button above and complete the form on this page including the details of your event, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536, and one of our agents will assist you to book Anna Deavere Smith for your next private or corporate function. -
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Anna Deavere Smith is a keynote speaker and industry expert who speaks on a wide range of topics such as A SPECIAL NOTE ABOUT PROGRAMS WITH ANNA DEAVERE SMITH, SPECIAL PROGRAMS: AVAILABLE FOR A SPECIAL WORKSHOP ON "THE ART OF LISTENING, HEALTH CARE: THE HUMAN STORY, RECLAIMING GRACE IN THE FACE OF ADVERSITY and SNAPSHOTS: PORTRAITS OF A WORLD IN TRANSITION. The estimated speaking fee range to book Anna Deavere Smith for your event is available upon request. Anna Deavere Smith generally travels from New York, NY, USA and can be booked for (private) corporate events, personal appearances, keynote speeches, or other performances. Similar motivational celebrity speakers are Hill Harper, John Legend, Andrea Mitchell, Sir Richard Branson and William H. McRaven. Contact All American Speakers for ratings, reviews, videos and information on scheduling Anna Deavere Smith for an upcoming live or virtual event.
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