Tony Award winner Daveed Diggs to visit campus for talk

Daveed Diggs, an actor, writer, producer, author and musician who won Tony and Grammy awards for his portrayal of the dual roles of Thomas Jefferson and Marquis de Lafayette in “Hamilton,” will visit campus Sept. 25 for a talk as the 2024 Heermans-McCalmon Distinguished Guest Artist.

Moderated by Samantha N. Sheppard, chair and professor of performing and media arts in the College of Arts and Sciences, the event is set for 7 p.m. in the Kiplinger Theatre at the Schwartz Center for the Performing Arts, 430 College Ave.

Daveed Diggs

“Daveed Diggs’ remarkable career and contributions on both stage and screen have been a source of inspiration to many, and his presence at PMA will greatly enrich our academic community,” Sheppard said. “He is an exceptional performer, educator and creative producer with a rich and storied career that will captivate audiences.”

Along with the Tony and Grammy awards, Diggs received both Emmy and Screen Actors Guild (SAG) nominations for the “Hamilton” movie, which was filmed onstage at the Richard Rodgers Theatre.

Diggs also co-wrote, produced and starred in the film “Blindspotting,” for which he received an Independent Spirit Award nomination. He then co-wrote and executive-produced a television series spinoff of the film, which received Gotham Award and Indie Spirit Award nominations.

Diggs also starred in the Pixar film “Soul,” a live-action adaptation of “The Little Mermaid,” the Lionsgate film “Wonder,” the Netflix thriller “Velvet Buzzsaw” and Netflix’s “The Starling.” Television credits include the “Extrapolations” anthology series for Apple, the TNT series “Snowpiercer” and the ABC series “Blackish,” among many roles. Diggs also executive produced ABC’s “The Mayor” and a variety of digital shorts for ESPN.

Diggs recently returned to the stage in the Public Theater’s production of “White Noise,” directed by Oskar Eustis. And he is a member of the West Coast-based experimental hip-hop trio “clipping’’ and has toured nationally and internationally, both as a solo artist and with the group.

Diggs’ visit to campus will also include a master class with students, Sheppard said.

Named for American journalist and writer Forbes Heerman and Professor of Drama George McCalmon, the Heermans-McCalmon Distinguished Guest Artist Lecture honors the work of a prominent actor, dramatist or director.

While this event is fully reserved, audience members are encouraged to come to the Schwartz Center on the day of show for a waiting list line. Usually, not all reservations for free tickets are redeemed. The PMA box office will form a waitlist line 15-20 minutes before the show’s start time.

Kathy Hovis is a writer for the College of Arts and Sciences.

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Kaitlyn Serrao