Purchase College to Host Esteemed Author Edwidge Danticat
Purchase College-SUNY will present A Reading with Edwidge Danticat on Tuesday, March 17, at 4:30 p.m. The program, which is free and open to the public, will take place at Purchase College in the Humanities Theatre, Humanities Building (735 Anderson Hill Road, Purchase, NY). Danticat, one of the world’s most beloved authors, was named Purchase College’s 2019-20 Roy and Shirley Durst Distinguished Chair in Literature.
On March 17, Danticat will be reading from her latest collection, Everything Inside. The much-lauded author recently received a host of new honors. She was awarded the prestigious 2020 Vilcek Prize in Literature—given to immigrants who have made outstanding contributions in contemporary literature—for her work that explores the Haitian diaspora and other personal narratives. In addition, she was named a member of the venerable American Academy of Arts and Letters and became the first two-time winner of the prestigious Story Prize for short fiction.
Born in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, Edwidge Danticat is a leading global writer whose books include: Breath, Eyes, Memory, an Oprah Book Club selection, and Krik? Krak!, a finalist for the National Book Award. Her memoir, Brother, I’m Dying, was a finalist for the National Book Award and winner of the National Book Critics Circle Award for Autobiography, while her other honors include a MacArthur Fellowship and the 2017 Neustadt International Prize for Literature.
As a small public college, Purchase is proud to introduce students to the level of expertise provided by the Durst Distinguished Lectures. The roster of current and past Durst Lecturers have won an impressive array of the highest level of literary honors, including National Book Awards, MacArthur Foundation Grants, Pulitzer Prizes, Guggenheim Foundation Fellowships, and Man Booker Prizes for Fiction.
This season of Durst lectures will conclude with Christopher Feliciano Arnold on April 20. For more information, please visit: https://www.purchase.edu/academics/school-of-humanities/lectures/durst-distinguished-lectures/ or call 914.251.6550.
The Durst Distinguished Lecture Series and the Roy and Shirley Durst Distinguished Chair in Literature are funded by the Roy and Shirley Durst Distinguished Chair in Literature Endowment. The mission of the Durst programs is to infuse the experience and intellect of leading writers into the Purchase community, while providing diverse opportunities for these writers to interact with students and influence campus life.
About Purchase College-SUNY
Purchase College, part of the State University of New York (SUNY) network of 64 universities and colleges, was founded in 1967 by Governor Nelson Rockefeller. His aspirations for Purchase were to combine on one campus conservatory training in the visual and performing arts with programs in the liberal arts and sciences. Today, Purchase College-SUNY is a community of students, faculty, and friends where open-minded engagement with the creative process leads to a lifetime of intellectual growth and professional opportunity. For more information about the College, visit www.purchase.edu
About The Purchase PAC
Experience. Something. Real. The Performing Arts Center, Purchase College The Performing Arts Center, Purchase College (The Purchase PAC) is a four-theatre complex on the campus of Purchase College, SUNY, located 30 miles north of New York City in Westchester County, NY. The Purchase PAC is the hub of a creative community that brings together internationally acclaimed artists and rising stars, academic leaders and students of all ages, and community groups and individuals who recognize the power of the performing arts to spark creativity and connection. Professional Presenting Season The Purchase PAC presents a broad range of world-class performances by professional artists, offering music, dance, theatre, family programming, comedy, and film. Music events range from classical to jazz to pop and feature the leading artists of our time as well as emerging stars. As the major regional presenter of dance, programs have included only area appearances of several important traditional, contemporary, and folkloric companies. Theatre presentations reflect a deep commitment to presenting innovative ensembles, with a special focus on theatre for young audiences. The Purchase PAC’s ongoing initiatives also encompass artist partnerships, residency activities, and commissions. We support revitalizing efforts in the community to make the arts more accessible to broad and diverse audiences. Education & Engagement Through our Education and Engagement programs, The Purchase PAC creates opportunities for local K -12 students and multi-generational learners to participate in the artistic process. Purchase College The Purchase PAC is an integral part of the Purchase College community, hosting performances for the Conservatories of Music, Dance, and Theatre Arts. Purchase College students can take advantage of master classes, on-site training, internships, job opportunities, and ticket discounts. Facility Rentals An active facility rental business focuses on providing space and support to high-quality musical recordings, technical rehearsals, and community events.