Renowned Playwright Edward Albee to Speak ?at Roger Williams University

Open-to-the-public presentation will explore power of the arts as a catalyst for change

BRISTOL, RI (03/11/2011)(readMedia)-- Three-time Pulitzer Prize winner and critically acclaimed playwright Edward Albee will visit Roger Williams University on Sunday, April 3, as part of the University's Civil Discourse lecture series.

Best known for his classic 1962 drama, "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?" Albee has defined modern American theatre with four decades of provocative, controversial and brilliant plays. The New Yorker has called him the greatest living playwright.

While he continues to author new works and see many of his plays produced, Albee devotes much of his time these days to championing the power of the arts as a catalyst for change. His visit to RWU builds on the University's Artists and Writers at Risk series and continues its examination of the role of the arts in mobilizing greater change in the world that surrounds us.

"Whether it is literature, the visual arts or any other medium, art has the power to interpret our world, provoke a reaction and ultimately ignite change," says University President Ronald O. Champagne, Ph.D. "Edward Albee is celebrated for pushing boundaries; he compels his audience to think differently, and I know his insights will prove inspiring for each of us at Roger Williams."

The presentation will take place at 7 p.m. in the Campus Recreation Center on the University's Bristol Campus at One Old Ferry Road. Limited tickets to this free event are available to the public – to reserve a ticket, call (401) 254-3210.

About RWU: Roger Williams University is a leading independent, coeducational liberal arts university at which students live and learn to be global citizens. With 41 academic programs and an array of co-curricular activities on its Bristol, R.I., campus, RWU is committed to its mantra of learning to bridge the world. In the last decade, the University has achieved unprecedented academic and financial successes and continues to be recognized by U.S. News & World Report as one of the top ten educational institutions in its class.