News Release

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UNC reading of Terkel's 'Circle'
to feature Oscar nominee Strathairn

CHAPEL HILL - David Strathairn, nominated for a "Best Actor" Oscar for his portrayal of Edward R. Murrow in last year's "Good Night and Good Luck," is coming to the stage at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

The actor, whose career spans more than 25 years and 75 films, will appear in a concert reading of Pulitzer Prize winner Studs Terkel's "Will the Circle Be Unbroken," set for Sept. 7 and 8 at 8 p.m. in Memorial Hall.

The reading, adapted by Derek Goldman from Terkel's 2001 book "Will the Circle Be Unbroken: Reflections on Death, Rebirth, and Hunger for a Faith," will incorporate stories and music - blues, folk, opera and gospel - to illuminate Terkel's poignant interviews about death and dying.
Characters portrayed will include author Kurt Vonnegut, actress Uta Hagen, North Carolina musician Doc Watson and a rich procession of everyday people sharing family stories and memories.

StreetSigns Center for Literature and Performance, based at UNC and Georgetown University in Washington, D.C., will present the readings in collaboration with PlayMakers Repertory Company, the nonprofit professional theater company of UNC's dramatic art department; the Carolina Performing Arts Series; and the dramatic art, communication studies and music departments in the UNC College of Arts and Sciences. Proceeds will benefit the communication studies and dramatic art departments.

"'Will the Circle Be Unbroken' is uplifting, life-affirming and unforgettable, as it addresses the end of life with compassion, love and understanding," said Joseph Megel, who will direct the performances. "Audiences will witness an extraordinarily talented ensemble of actors and singers as they celebrate the work of an American storytelling pioneer."

Goldman and Megel are StreetSigns' co-artistic directors. Also in the "Circle" cast will be PlayMakers member and UNC adjunct dramatic art professor Joan Darling; stage and screen actress Cheryl Lynn Bruce ("The Fugitive," "Separate But Equal"), reprising her roles from the world premiere of "Circle" by Chicago-based Steppenwolf Theatre Company; Broadway actors Keith Randolph Smith ("Piano Lesson," "King Hedley II") and Edmond Genest ("Retreat from Moscow," "The Elephant Man"); actor Ching Valdes-Aran, winner of a Village Voice OBIE Award (for off-Broadway work); veteran theater, TV and film actor Scott Sowers; and PlayMakers member and UNC student Estes Tarver.

Frederick Neumann, who will play Terkel, is another OBIE winner and co-artistic director and founder of the avante garde theatre company Mabou Mines in New York City. Designers will be McKay Coble (set), chair of the dramatic art department and PlayMakers' resident designer; and Elizabeth Droessler (lighting); dramatic art student Grier Coleman (costume). UNC music professor Dr. Terry Rhodes will direct the music. Vocalists will include the UNC Gospel Choir.

Terkel has been described as a writer, actor, human rights activist and sociologist, but he prefers to call himself a "guerrilla journalist with a tape recorder."

He has written at least 15 books based on interviews, including "Working" (1974), the Pulitzer Prize-winning "The Good War" (1985), "Race" (1992), "Coming of Age" (1995) and "American Dreams: Lost and Found" (1999). His latest book is "And They All Sang: Adventures of an Eclectic Disk Jockey" (2005).

Terkel adopted the name "Studs" after the hero in James Farrell's novel "Studs Lonigan." He earned a law degree from the University of Chicago in 1934, then produced radio shows as part of the Federal Writers Project. He has been a radio news commentator and disc jockey, an actor in his own TV sitcom, "Studs' Place," and a jazz columnist for the Chicago Sunday Times.

Strathairn has appeared in films including director John Sayles' "Return of the Secaucus 7," "Passion Fish," "Limbo," "City of Hope" and "Eight Men Out." He has acted on and off Broadway and on TV in the critically acclaimed "The Days and Nights of Molly Dodd," "The Miracle Worker" and "The Sopranos."

Ticket prices for the reading range from $10 to $50. Call (919) 843-3333 for information or tickets. For more information on PlayMakers, visit http://www.playmakersrep.org. For more on StreetSigns, http://www.streetsigns.org.

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Photos: David Strathairn: http://www.unc.edu/news/pics/visiting/David%20Strathairn.jpg
Strathairn as Edward R. Murrow: http://www.unc.edu/news/pics/visiting/GNGL%203.jpg

PlayMakers contact: Pam O'Connor, (919) 621-1230, pamo@nc.rr.com
College of Arts and Sciences contact: Dee Reid, (919) 843-6339, deereid@unc.edu