Duke Ellington School of the Arts Theatre Department Presents: "Journey: From There to Here", Celebrating Richard Wesley, Playwright/Screenwriter

The Duke Ellington School of the Arts will pay tribute to playwright Richard Wesley. "Journey: From There to Here" is a retrospective of Wesley's work, conceived and directed by Ellington Theater instructor, Vera J. Katz. "The goal of "Journey…" is to chart the development of a playwright from stage to screen," states Ms. Katz. "Richard Wesley has straddled both mediums." Ellington Theater students will perform theatrical scenes accompanied by television and film clips from Wesley's numerous works.

(PRWEB) January 23, 2005 -- Richard Wesley represented the voice of African-American life in the late 20th century through his work as playwright and screenwriter. His most famous works include, "The Talented Tenth", "Uptown Saturday Night", and "Let's Do It Again". Over the span of his career, Mr. Wesley has penned scripts for various television movies, "Mandela and Deklerk", "Deacons For Defense"; feature film, "Native Son", the adaptation of Richard Wright's famous novel; and a movie musical directed by Sidney Poitier, "Fast Forward". Mr. Wesley is currently Chair of the Dramatic Writing Program at NYU's TISCH School.

For more than 30 years, Vera Katz served as directing concentration coordinator at Howard University. She joined the Ellington staff as an acting teacher in 1999. Ms. Katz has directed over 100 productions and trained such notables as, Lynn Whitfield, Debbie Allen, and Phylicia Rashad--the first African American woman to receive a Tony Award for Best Actress.

Duke Ellington School of the Arts
Founded in 1974, Duke Ellington School of the Arts is the only college preparatory public arts high school serving the nation's capital. It is also the only public school independently managed through a unique public-private partnership with George Washington University, the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, the D.C. Public Schools, and the Ellington Fund. Ellington offers pre-professional training in dance, theater, instrumental and vocal music, museum studies, literary and visual media, as well as a full academic curriculum.

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