January 30, 2007
Professional actress will highlight ASU’s first Theatre Festival
Augusta, GA – Freda Scott Giles, associate professor of theatre and specialist in African-American theatre in the Department of Theatre and Film Studies at the University of Georgia (UGA), will highlight Augusta State University's three-day Theatre Festival, which will be held Thursday, Feb. 8, through Saturday, Feb. 10.
Dr. Giles, a professional actress with several play scripts to her credit, will present Some Thoughts on Theatre in the 21st Century at 5 p.m. on Saturday at ASU’s Jaguar Student Activities Center Coffeehouse. A member of the Actors Equity Association, the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists, and the Screen Actors Guild, Dr. Giles has performed numerous roles off-Broadway as well as in film, television, and radio. She has written a number of articles on African-American theatre and drama, particularly relating to the Harlem Renaissance period.
She has presented papers at the National Education Theatre Conference, the Third World Theatre Conference, and the African-American Arts Development Forum, among others. Before joining the faculty at UGA, she taught at the State University of New York at Albany, City College, and the City University of New York.
Dr. Giles earned a bachelor's degree from the State University of New York at Albany, a master's degree from Columbia University, and a doctoral degree from the City University of New York.
The Theatre Festival, which will begin with A Festival of Plays on Feb. 8 at 8 p.m. in the Maxwell Theatre, showcases the talents of Augusta State students as well as members of the community. There will be several short plays each night, and talkback sessions will follow each performance, and Dr. Giles will provide commentary.
General admission tickets for the theatre performances are $5 each night. ASU faculty, staff, and students are admitted free with the valid ASU ID. Dr. Giles' presentation is free. For more information about the festival, contact Shelly Ford, coordinator of the Theatre Festival and Assistant Professor in ASU’s Department of Communications and Professional Writing at 706-729-2416.
January 2007 | February 2007