Actress Anna Deavere Smith to Present Onetime, Livestream Event

Southport, CT - Trinity Spiritual Center will host an exclusive livestream event with celebrated playwright, actor and educator Anna Deavere Smith on Sunday, March 21 at 3:00 PM. Ms. Deavere Smith will address a topic with heightened meaning during COVID: “Reclaiming Grace in the Face of Adversity”.

Currently, Smith appears on ABC’s hit series Black-ish. She is perhaps most recognizable as the hospital administrator on Showtime’s Nurse Jackie and the National Security Advisor on NBC’s The West Wing. Her films include The American President, Rachel Getting Married, and Philadelphia.

Her presentation for Trinity will open with a series of live monologues drawn from her legendary one-woman shows, for which the MacArthur Foundation honored her with a “Genius” Fellowship. A moderated discussion and interactive Q&A session will follow the performance.

The production will draw on her research for her play Let Me Down Easy, and other shows she has written, acted in, and produced, recreating her interviews of people in the US and around the world who have demonstrated grace in the face of dramatic challenges. The event will celebrate the resilience of the human spirit, the power of empathy, the strength of imagination, and hope.

“We live in a winner-take-all society,” says Smith. “And yet, part of our potential as humans is our potential for compassion and our resilience in the face of adversity. That’s the focus of this talk.”

The presentation is open to all. No affiliation with the church required, and while there is no charge for participation in this event, registration is required (details below).

Miss Smith’s list of honors is long and significant. In 2012, Smith as awarded the National Humanities Medal. In 2015, she was named the Jefferson Lecturer, the nation’s highest honor in the humanities. She is also the recipient of the prestigious Dorothy and Lillian Gish Prize, a Guggenheim Fellowship, and most recently, the 2017 Ridenhour Courage Prize and the George Polk Career Award for authentic journalism.

“We are excited to welcome Anna Deavere Smith to the Trinity community and eagerly await her thoughts on how we can all find grace and meaning in our lives at this very difficult time,” Peggy Hodgkins, Rector at Trinity Episcopal Church says. “We welcome our friends everywhere to join us for a very special event.”

Senior Warden John Kreitler adds, “Trinity Spiritual Center is pleased to offer the second in a year-long series of conversations on contemporary issues that deeply impact our community. We hope that these discussions are a balm on the soul for many people.”

WHAT:            Renowned Actor Anna Deavere Smith Livestream Event:
                        “Reclaiming Grace in the Face of Adversity”

WHEN:            Sunday, March 21^st at 3:00 p.m.

COST:             Free

REGISTER:    www.tinyurl.com/trinityevent

QUESTIONS: Call the Church at (203) 255-0454

About Trinity Episcopal Church
Trinity Episcopal Church is located in the historic seaside district of Southport at 651 Pequot Avenue (at Center Street) and welcomes seekers of all denominations. Trinity’s mission is to provide a vibrant 21^st century Episcopal community that inspires spiritual growth, nurtures genuine connections and promotes charitable service.

About Trinity Spiritual Center
Trinity Spiritual Center is a dynamic and growing community of people of all ages and beliefs, engaging in a broad range of learning experiences to inspire and support their own journeys of spiritual growth. It offers programs and practices that inspire and engage the greater community.