Down From The Mountaintop: One-Man Play Portrays Life Of African-American Novelist, Activist James Baldwin, February 6

Chestertown, MD, January 17, 2005 — Washington College's Sophie Kerr Committee and Office of Diversity Affairs are pleased to present a performance of James Baldwin: Down From the Mountaintop, Sunday, February 6, at 4 p.m. in the College's Tawes Theatre. The event is free and open to the public. This solo play is written, produced and performed by Tony Award nominee Calvin Levels and depicts the rich and impassioned life of acclaimed African-American novelist, playwright, essayist, and civil rights activist James Baldwin (1929-1987). Baldwin's childhood in Harlem, his early experiences in the ministry, his publishing career, friendships and rivalries with contemporaries Marlon Brando, Lorraine Hansberry, Truman Capote, Norman Mailer, and Langston Hughes, and his association with Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. are among the topics addressed in this play.

Calvin Levels has performed Down From the Mountaintop at The Actors Studio Sunset Millennium Theatre in West Hollywood, CA, and The Village Theatre at Leimert Park, CA, and on a number of college campuses, including Northwestern University, University of Michigan, and University of Massachusetts. In addition, he has appeared in a one-act performance of Open Admissions at The Ensemble Studio Theatre, David Mamet's The Shawl at Lincoln Center Theatre, and the full length Open Admissions at the Music Box Theatre on Broadway, for which he received The Theatre World Award for Outstanding New Talent. He also has received nominations for The Tony Award, New York Drama Desk Award and New York Outer Critics Circle Award for “Best Actor in a Play.” Mr. Levels' credits also include numerous films and television productions.

For more information about the James Baldwin play, please contact Nina Wilson in the Office of Diversity Affairs at 410-810-7457.

For information about upcoming events at Washington College, visit the College's online calendar at http://calendar.washcoll.edu.

Racism And Reconciliation In America Topic Of Play A Killing In Choctaw, January 27

Chestertown, MD, January 17, 2005 — Washington College's William James Forum, Goldstein Program in Public Affairs, and Office of Diversity Affairs present a free performance of A Killing in Choctaw, an autobiographical, one-man play written and performed by African-American activist and comedian Carl Ray, Thursday, January 27, at 7 p.m. in the College's Tawes Theatre. The public is encouraged to attend.

A Killing in Choctaw is a two-act play written and performed by Carl Ray, examining the scars he carried from witnessing his father's brutal 1962 murder in segregated Choctaw County, Alabama—the racist retaliation for the then 18-year-old Ray's having responded to a white man's questioning by saying “yes” and “no” instead of “yes, sir” and “no, sir,” the once customary responses in the segregated South. In the play, Ray takes the audience through his personal agony of being humiliated in a Jim Crow court and locked in a hotel room and harassed by eight members of the Klan the night before George Wallace stood in the door of the University of Alabama to keep black students out.

He gives the audience a peek into the struggles of being a polio victim attending grade school, the guilt that he carried for his father's death, how his father's killer became his imaginary enemy and friend, the nurturing environment at the Tuskegee Institute, and his changes in careers from engineer to taxi driver to stand-up comedian. Finally, Ray leads us through the tragedy of injustice to witness the freeing and transforming power of forgiveness.

Carl Ray is a 1967 graduate of Tuskegee Institute with a degree in electrical engineering. After graduation, he traveled to California to begin a career in the aerospace industry, but after 13 years decided to pursue his dream to perform stand-up comedy. Ray started a Youth Opportunity Program in East Palo Alto, CA, in 1968, and began recruiting youth to attend Historically Black Colleges and Universities in 1970. Ray continues to recruit and has chaperoned more than 2,000 students on HBCU tours. In 1988, Ray and his wife founded the Courtland Esteem School, a private school in San Jose, CA, where they continue to educate and mentor African-American students in grades one through six.

To learn more about Carl Ray, please visit www.carlraye.com.

For information about upcoming events at Washington College, visit the College's online calendar at http://calendar.washcoll.edu.

Martin Luther King Memorial Celebrates Civil Rights Leader's Life Through Art, Performance, January 31

Chestertown, MD, January 17, 2005 — Washington College will host “The Inspiration of Martin Luther King, Jr., Artistically Expressed,” Monday, January 31, in honor of the memory and the legacy of the late Civil Rights leader. The memorial program of art and performance will begin at 6:30 p.m. in the Norman James Theatre, William Smith Hall.

“This year, we have created a memorial to Dr. King that showcases the talents of members of our College and of our surrounding community,” said Nina Wilson, the College's Diversity Advisor. “Dr. King's legacy has inspired so many people in so many ways, including in artistic and creative ways, and that will be our focus.”

This year's program will feature the paintings of local artists John Mason, James Williams and Allen Johnson, Jr.; a musical performance by the Washington College Gospel Choir; a dance performance by alumna Tamika Sudler; and readings from the writings and speeches of Dr. King by Washington College faculty and students. The event is free and all are invited to attend.

For information about other upcoming events for Black History Month at Washington College, visit the College's online calendar at http://calendar.washcoll.edu.

Paul Reed Smith And Band To Play Prince Theatre, February 4

Admission Free for All WC Students with ID

Chestertown, MD, January 14, 2005 — The Prince Theatre Foundation—in cooperation with Washington College's Friends of the Arts, Student Events Board and Office of Alumni Affairs—welcomes the Paul Reed Smith Music band to Chestertown's historic Prince Theatre, Friday, February 4. Show begins at 8 p.m., doors open at 7:30 p.m. The world-renowned guitar maker and founder of PRS Guitars will also receive the “Community First” Award for his generous donation of music education and entertainment to the students of Washington College and the Prince Theatre Cultural Center and Foundation for the Arts.

Admission is free for all Washington College students with ID. There will be a cash bar, but those under 21 are welcomed.

Tickets are $20 per person and benefit the fundraising efforts of the Prince Theatre Cultural Center and Foundation for the Arts. Tickets can be purchased at the Prince Theatre box office, 210 High Street, during business hours, Monday-Friday, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Saturday, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.; by calling the box office at 410-810-2060 during business hours; or through all TICKETMASTERlocations (410-547-SEAT).

Born in Bowie, Maryland, Smith attended Bowie High School and St. Mary's College, where he hand-built his first guitar. In 1975, Smith opened The Guitar Shop on 33 West Street in downtown Annapolis and custom built guitars for area musicians, honing his craft and hoping for a break into the rock music industry.

“The road from my workshop in a historic, haunted Annapolis garret to a state-of-the-art factory was a tough one,” says Smith. “Fact is, I always loved working with my hands. Why else would a high school kid sign up for three or four shop classes at a time? My first guitar was built as a challenge to my college music professor for some credits. I got an ‘A' and decided to pursue my dream of making guitars for a living.”

Now, a quarter of a century later—from lone craftsman to major manufacturer—Smith and his company, PRS Guitars, are recognized for building the world's premier electric guitars. Manufactured on the Eastern Shore in Stevensville, MD, the distinctive style and sound of PRS guitars are known to both musicians and music fans alike, and are seen in the hands of the world's finest players, from Carlos Santana and Dave Matthews to Dave Navarro and Brad Delson of Linkin Park.

In his spare time, Smith enjoys playing and making music with his Paul Reed Smith Music band, which in recent months has traveled abroad to Canada and China, meeting PRS guitar enthusiasts from around the world and working of new material.

The Prince Theatre, located in historic Chestertown on Maryland's Eastern Shore, was built in 1926 as a vaudeville theatre and movie house. The meticulously restored theatre now presents a wide range of musical acts, special events, children's workshops and educational lectures. For more information about concerts and events at the Prince Theatre, visithttp://www.princetheatre.org.

Concert Series Welcomes Chiara String Quartet With Pianist Simone Dinnerstein, February 4

Chestertown, MD, January 12, 2005 — The Washington College Concert Series—now in its 53rd season—welcomes the Chiara String Quartet, joined by pianist Simone Dinnerstein, to the College's Tawes Theatre, Friday, February 4. Concert begins at 8 p.m. Single tickets can be purchased at the door, $15.00 for adults and $5.00 for youth 18 and under. Season tickets are available for $50.00 per person in advance or at the box office on performance nights.

The first prize winners in the 2002 Fischoff National Chamber Music Competition, the Chiara String Quartet is one of the nation's most sought-after young ensembles. In the words of critic Tim Smith of The Baltimore Sun, “...the award-winning foursome clearly has what it takes to make a lasting mark in the chamber music world.” These Julliard-trained musicians bring commitment, ardor and passion to traditional quartet repertoire, and—with an eye toward the next generation of music—perform commissioned pieces from today's talented, working composers, as well. The Quartet will be joined by the accomplished young American pianist Simone Dinnerstein, a commanding performer of solo and chamber music repertoire. A graduate of the Julliard School where she studied under Peter Serkin, Dinnerstein is noted for her warm and varied tone and her compelling interpretations of traditional works.

For ticket information and a 2004-2005 season brochure, call 800-422-1782, ext. 7839. Individual tax-deductible patron memberships begin at $75.00. Contributing patron memberships begin at $150.00, supporting at $250.00 and sustaining at $500.00. All membership packages include two tickets, and all donations over the price of the tickets are tax-deductible.

Season tickets and memberships can be purchased by check or money order through the mail from the Washington College Concert Series, 300 Washington Avenue, Chestertown, MD 21620-1197.

Statement From President Tipson On The Recent Tsunami Tragedy In Southeast Asia

I know I speak for the entire Washington College community in expressing shock at the enormous loss of life and livelihood that has resulted from the disastrous earthquake and tsunamis that struck Southeast Asia on Dech3ber 26. Our hearts go out to the families around the world who have lost loved ones, and our particular compassion extends to Washington College students, alumni, and friends whose lives have been forever affected by this tragedy.

In recent decades, Washington College has had a robust community of international students, many from the Southeast Asian nations of India, Sri Lanka and Thailand. In 1998, alumni Chandev Abhayaratne '94 and Radesh Daluwatte '96 worked with Professor Tahir Shad to establish a Sri Lankan Alumni Chapter to support our many graduates from that nation, and a number of other alumni, colleagues and friends either work or travel in the Southeast Asian region. Our thoughts and prayers are with thh3 during this crisis.

During the past week we have received many calls asking about the safety or whereabouts of mh3bers of the Washington College community who might have been affected by the tsunami. Although we are unable to answer many of these questions, we are eager to share concerns and news with the rest of the College community and to hear from our friends abroad who are dealing with the aftereffects of the disaster. We have established this web page in order to help our friends from abroad communicate with us and to enable our students and alumni at home to reach out to their classmates. We invite alumni, parents and friends of Washington College to participate in this exchange with any news or questions they may have.

We have also received inquiries from those seeking to donate funds to victims of the tsunami. We encourage you to visit the link provided below which has a list of charitable organizations providing disaster relief and assistance.

Those of us who are here in Chestertown are ever mindful that we also live in the world's community. We offer our thoughts and our prayers for all those who are suffering and our sincere hope that all nations will draw closer in the efforts of recovery.

Sincerely,

Baird Tipson
President

1/5/05

All W.C Alums, friends and close family in Sri Lanka are safe.

Kind regards,
Radesh Daluwatte
Colombo, Sri Lanka

1/5/05

We are all ok. Bangladesh was hardly affected...so not much casualty there. By the grace of God we are all unharmed.

Fermi Nasir
Dhaka, Bangladesh

1/5/05

I have good news regarding Praveen Abhayaratne. Praveen was in New York when the tsunami hit. He and his family are safe. He will be heading home to Sri Lanka for about a month.

Jim Wright
Washington College

1/5/05

News from the ASI students (42 total) from South Asia is that all of thh3 are safe. (These are the Muslim college students from Pakistan, India and Bangladesh who participated in the State Department-sponsored summer program on dh3ocracy at Washington College.) One student from this summer, Thameh3, lives in Chennai (Madras), India, which was hit by one of the tsunamis, and he is very busy with the relief efforts there. Two students from Bangladesh-Priyo and Muni-work at a hospital in Pattaya, Thailand. They were in the ocean on the day when the tsunamis struck on the west coast, but their area was not affected. Their hospital has received many disaster victims from the southwest of Thailand, including Phuket.

Kees deMooy Washington College

1/6/05

Thankfully, my family and friends were not directly affected by this disaster. My brothers Ruan & Praveen (both WC alumni) are well and currently in Sri Lanka. We are all working directly and from afar, to help with reconstruction in our country.

Chandev Abhayaratne
London, Ontario
Canada

1/6/05

Thank you so much for your e-mail and concern. I am truly touched by it. My family and I are doing fine. We were very fortunate. Former alumni Reshani Dangalle and her family are also doing well. She doesn't have an e-mail address so I thought you might be trying to find out if she is alright. Alumnus Marisha Bandaratillaka and his family are also fine. Thanks so much again.

Sanjeevani Wijenaike Silva

1/8/05

Thanking you all for your concern, for our safety. I must say that I did have a firt had experiance and I am very fortunate to have survived the Tsunami Wave while holidaying South of Sri Lanka. My family is all well and My brother Romesh (Nam '00) who is based in Denver Colarado and I are involved in gathering some aid for for distribution in the affected areas.

Sanjeeva (Ravi) Jayatileke
Colombo, Sri Lanka

1/8/05

I thank all at WC for their concerns. I am truly lucky to have escaped unhurt after facing this disaster my self, which has brought so much destruction and grief to our country and our neighboring countries. Even as I send this mail, I am involved through my company in helping and supporting people in the affected areas and I would give my fullest support in doing any long term project as a mh3ber of WC Alumni. Attached below some of the photos of my ordeal with the Tsunami Waves on the 26th Morning of December 2004 in Bentota, Sri Lanka.

Let's help rebuild our nation!

Regards,
Sanjeeva (Ravi) Jayatileke
Colombo, Sri Lanka

1/12/05

Some good news: Chaminda Molligoda '96 and Ruan Abhayratne '94 are doing fine as well.

Sanjeevani Wijenaike Silva

1/17/05

Thanks to everyone who has expressed concern over everything that has happened! Everyone I know in Madras, India that was hit, is fine. My mum is working directly with an NGO in the field helping to rebuild a fishing village that was destroyed. Please contact me if you would like more information about this effort.

Ambika Vishwanath '05

1/21/05

Thanks for all your continued support and concern. Appreciate every bit of it. All family and friends are doing great and are knee deep involved in relief operations.

Romesh "Nam" Jayatileke

New Tools For Teaching: Washington College Given Marine "ROV" For Underwater Archaeology Program

Chestertown, MD, January 3, 2005 — Jacques Cousteau, step aside! Washington College has a new addition to its high-tech tool chest of sidescan sonar, magnetometers and seabed scanners for its undergraduate programs in archaeology and environmental studies. The College has received its first marine Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV)—a Titan SII ROV—donated by Morris “Chic” Ransone, president of Annapolis-based International Industries, Inc. The ROV will allow professors and students to image and record data on underwater sites for archaeological and environmental studies research projects.

“This donation provides another important tool in our growing array of underwater survey equipment,” said John Seidel, Ph.D., associate professor of anthropology and environmental studies at Washington College and an expert on marine archaeology. “Our staff and students will put it to good use during the coming spring, in conjunction with a course on marine archaeology and an on-going survey of the Chester River. We will also use it to ‘ground truth' underwater finds made with other instruments without having to put a diver in the water.”

An ROV is essentially a watertight housing for a video camera that can dive below the surface of the water and transmit pictures back to a boat via a cable connection. An operator can maneuver the vehicle in any direction through a joystick control. Valued at $7,000, the ROV is a gift of International Industries, Inc., an Annapolis-based firm that markets hydrographic and oceanographic equipment for science and industry.

“I have been working in underwater investigations since 1958 and am very interested in Dr. Seidel's work in furthering students' interest in this field,” said Chic Ransone, president of International Industries, Inc., who has more than 40 years experience in marine operations, instrumentation, surveying and underwater exploration. “As a graduate of a small, private college myself, I know very well how an excellent teacher, with the right equipment, can instill in students a lifetime enthusiasm for underwater exploration.”

“This ROV is a simple but versatile unit, with the kind of attributes that beginners and professionals can use,” Seidel added. “I think our students will get a real thrill when they learn to operate something they probably have only seen on the Discovery or National Geographic channels.”

For more information about Washington College's archaeology program, visit http://archaeology.washcoll.edu.