Actor Calvin Levels to bring Baldwin play to campus Feb. 18
Tony Award nominee Calvin Levels will present his acclaimed solo play James Baldwin - Down From the Mountaintop at 7 p.m. Friday, Feb. 18, in Janet Kinghorn Bernhard Theater.
Admission is free and open to the public. Sponsors of the performance are the Black Faculty Staff Group, Intercultural Studies, the Office of Religious and Spiritual Life, Ujima, the departments of English and Theater, and the Office of Student Diversity Programs.
The play depicts the life of esteemed novelist, playwright, essayist, and human rights activist James Baldwin, revealing the complex psyche and courageous spirit of this American literary giant. The play has received rave reviews from educators, Baldwin scholars, students and critics, including Princeton University professor Dr. Cornel West, who says "Calvin Levels is marvelous in his role as James Baldwin in this powerful play. Please do not miss it!"Herb Boyd of New YorkAmsterdam News calls it " a tour de force."
James Baldwin - Down From the Mountaintophas been performed at theaters, colleges, universities, and conferences throughout the United States, inspiring new audiences to read his work and those familiar with Baldwin to continue their journey with him.
Lisa Grady-Willis, lecturer in the Department of Theater, said, "In this time of monumental change and in light of renewed divisions surfacing in our country, Baldwin's voice and keen insight is even more relevant concerning issues of love, self-freedom, artistic expression, diversity, inclusion and social progress. His work and legacy are a beacon of light to help guide audiences of all ages, genders, and races to higher ground."
Calvin Levels (James Baldwin) began his love affair with the theatre at the age of five at the renowned Karamu Theater in Cleveland, Ohio. He moved to Los Angeles to pursue a professional acting career and studied with Lee Strasberg. Levels' film credits include Ragtime directed by Milos Forman; the CBS five-hour mini-series The Atlanta Child Murders, in which he portrayed the central character Wayne Williams; Johnny Suede (co-starring Brad Pitt); and Adventures in Baby-sitting, starring Elizabeth Shue. His television credits include several regular roles on network series, as well as many guest starring roles.
Levels is a member of the Actors Studio and has worked with many theaters across the country. His New York appearances have included Open Admissions, the one-act at the Ensemble Studio Theatre; David Mamet's The Shawl at Lincoln Center Theatre and Open Admissions as a full length at the Music Box Theatre on Broadway. His honors include the New York Theater World Award for Outstanding New Talent, along with nominations for the Tony Award, the New York Drama Desk Award, and the Outer Critic Circle Award for "Best Actor in a Play."
