Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award-winning playwright Wendy Wasserstein will highlight next week's 22nd annual Senior Symposium, a four-day event of speeches, performances and presentations relating to the theme, "A Time to Speak, A Time to Act."
Wasserstein is the author of 1989's Pulitzer Prize winner for drama, "The Heidi Chronicles." She also wrote "The Sisters Rosenweig," "Uncommon Women" and other works.
Wasserstein's Symposium keynote address will include a dramatic reading of some of her work, according to the event's co-chairs -- vice-president of the senior executive committee Shannon Danzy '00 and Andy Thompson '00.
She will also reflect on her work in its relation to the Symposium's theme, "A Time to Speak, A Time to Act," the co-chairs said.
Thompson and Danzy said this year's theme encompasses a broader range of issues than tackled in previous years.
The Symposium will address a variety of topics the co-chairs and their committee of about 10 fellow seniors see as relevant to the Class of 2000 and also to the community as a whole, Thompson said.
This year's event will be the most extensive Symposium ever, according to Danzy, who said also that her committee intentionally chose the broad theme in an effort to appeal to a larger audience than in years past.
Danzy and Thompson said the overall purpose of this year's Symposium is to raise awareness on many current issues and to encourage people to speak out and act on what they see as important topics.
The Symposium will feature, in addition to Wasserstein's keynote address, events such as "Out Loud: Reflections of Queer Life at Dartmouth," a compilation of creative works presentations by Dartmouth community members; and "Shades of Minnesota," a slideshow on diversity by notable photographer Wing Young Huie.
Also, there will be a panel of journalists including New York Times reporter and editor, Chris Wren '57, and National Education Correspondent Jacques Steinberg '88 for the Times speaking on "Media Revolutions: A Reflection on Society."
On a more college-related topic, producers Jonathan Flicker and Dennis Gossett, Jr. will present "Followers," their film on the effects of hazing and race relations in a present-day Greek system. A question and answer session to follow the screening.
Panels and speeches on drug abuse, the Information Age, racism and the environment, among others, will also be featured.
The Symposium begins Thursday, April 6, with a speech by Indiana Supreme Court Justice Frank Sullivan, Jr. '72 on "At Risk Youth and the American Courts," and concludes Sunday, April 9 with a speech by Australian social activist Dr. Helen Caldicott titled "The Future of Our Century: Safe or Unsafe?"
The Symposium is an annual spring event which originated with the graduating class of 1978 as an "academic gift" to the College community. Funding for the event is provided by several campus organizations.
