SPOTLIGHT PROGRAMS
LIVE COMEDY: MARIA BAMFORD
Thursday, March 21, 7:30 PM, Kimball Theatre
All Seats $35 - PURCHASE TICKETS
Featuring an opening set from comedian Donna Lewis.
ABOUT MARIA BAMFORD
Maria Bamford is revered for her deeply personal and experimental comedy about mental illness. She’s the author of the New York Times bestselling memoir Sure, I’ll Join Your Cult and is the star of three hour-long standup specials (Weakness is the Brand, Old Baby and Maria Bamford: the special, special, special!) and the surreal, semi-autobiographical Netflix comedy series Lady Dynamite, about a comedian who suffers a nervous breakdown. Maria was the first female comic to have two half-hour Comedy Central Presents specials and starred alongside Patton Oswalt, Zach Galifianakis and Brian Posehn in The Comedians of Comedy. She also created and starred in the cult hit web series The Maria Bamford Show, in which she plays all the characters.
Maria is often recognized for her prolific voiceover work, including characters on Big Mouth and its spinoff Human Resources, HouseBroken, Teenage Euthanasia, Santa, Inc., Bob’s Burgers, Bojack Horseman, Summer Camp Island, Adventure Time, Talking Tom and Friends, Legend of Korra, Puss in Boots, CatDog and PBS’s Emmy-winning series Word Girl. She played DeBrie Bardeaux on Netflix’s Arrested Development and recurred on the ABC hit series Fresh off the Boat. Other TV guest roles include Life & Beth, Portlandia, Kenan, Mr. Mayor, and large recurring roles on Hulu’s Everything’s Gonna Be Okay, and Showtime’s Flatbush Misdeameanors. Maria was also Emmy-nominated for her guest appearance on the Netflix children’s series Ask the StoryBots.
Maria’s late-night appearances include The Late Show with Stephen Colbert,Late Night with Seth Meyers, CONAN, The Late Late Show with JamesCorden and The Tonight Show. Her interview series What’s Your Ailment? deals with the various mental struggles of celebrities and is available on the Topic streaming service. Her Audible Original You Are (A Comedy) Special is a semi-mock instructional book for both standup and life.
A CONVERSATION WITH DAVEED DIGGS
Saturday, March 23, 5:00 PM, Kimball Theatre
All Seats $35 - PURCHASE TICKETS
ABOUT THE PROGRAM
This program will feature award-winning actor/musician Daveed Diggs in conversation about his career, from his breakout role as Thomas Jefferson and the Marquis de Lafayette in the original Broadway run of Hamilton, to his current projects in film, TV, theater, and music. The discussion will be moderated by theater producer Caitlin Clements.
ABOUT DAVEED DIGGS
Tony and Grammy Award-winning actor, rapper and producer Daveed Diggs is widely known for originating the dual roles of Thomas Jefferson and Marquis de Lafayette in the Broadway sensation, Hamilton.
Diggs starred in Season 2 of his hit TNT series Snowpiercer opposite Jennifer Connelly. He also lent his voice to the live-action film adaptation of Disney’s The Little Mermaid, in which he played Sebastian. The film also stars Halle Bailey, Melissa McCarthy, Awkwafina, Javier Bardem and Jacob Tremblay. Diggs also lent his voice to Disney Pixar’s Soul, where he starred opposite Jamie Foxx and Tina Fey.
Among his many other credits are starring opposite Ethan Hawke in SHOWTIME’S The Good Lord Bird, starring opposite Melissa McCarthy in the independent feature The Starling, and starring opposite Jake Gyllenhaal in the Netflix thriller Velvet Buzzsaw. Diggs has also done extensive voiceover work for films and shows including the Apple TV+ animated musical sitcom, Central Park.
Diggs has lent his voice to Fox’s Bob’s Burgers, Apple’s Edendale and Netflix’s Bojack Horseman. Other television credits include ABC’s Emmy-nominated series Blackish, Netflix’s hit comedy Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, HBO’s Tour De Pharmacy, NBC’s Law & Order SVU, and Netflix’s The Get Down, created by visionary director Baz Luhrmann. Diggs also executive produced ABC’s The Mayor and a variety of digital shorts for ESPN.
In 2018, Diggs co-wrote, produced and starred in the critically acclaimed Lionsgate feature, Blindspotting, which Peter DeBruge at Variety called, “the most exciting cinematic take on contemporary race relations since Do The Right Thing nearly 30 years ago.” In addition to receiving an Independent Spirit Award nomination for his performance, Eric Kohn of IndieWire deemed Diggs as “an instant movie star.” Following the film’s success, Starz ordered a television series spinoff starring Jasmine Cephas Jones. Diggs served as co-executive producer and writer of the series.
Diggs is a member of the West Coast-based experimental hip-hop trio, “clipping.” He has toured nationally and internationally, both as a solo artist and with “clipping,” playing venues such as the Sonar Festival in Barcelona; Off Festival in Krakow; ATP Iceland in Keflavic; and Brooklyn's AfroPunk Fest. One of the hip-hop trio’s songs, "The Deep," was turned into a book from Simon & Schuster and was named one of NPR’s best books of 2019. The group was also nominated for a Hugo Award for their sophomore album, Splendor & Misery.
A CONVERSATION WITH CORD JEFFERSON
Saturday, March 23, 8:00 PM, Kimball Theatre
All Seats $35 - PURCHASE TICKETS
ABOUT THE PROGRAM
This program will feature award-winning writer/director Cord Jefferson in conversation about his career and his latest work, American Fiction, nominated for 5 Academy Awards including Best Picture and Best Adapted Screenplay. The discussion will be moderated by Milan Chakraborty (W&M ‘00), Head of Film for Marginal Media Works.
ABOUT CORD JEFFERSON
Cord Jefferson (W&M ‘04) is an Academy Award nominated and Emmy award-winning writer and director who has worked on some of the most complex and popular series of the past decade and has earned praise for being one of the most multifaceted and versatile storytellers.
Jefferson made his feature writing and directorial debut with American Fiction starring Jeffrey Wright which has garnered 5 Academy Award nominations including Best Picture and Best Adapted Screenplay for Jefferson. In total, the film has received 74 wins, 14 honors and 128 nominations this season. The film made its world debut at the 2023 Toronto International Film Festival where it received critical acclaim and won the festival’s top prize, the People’s Choice Award. MGM’s Orion Pictures released the film in December 2023.
He won a Critics Choice Award winner for Best Adapted Screenplay and received nominations for Best Screenplay at the BAFTA Awards, Outstanding Directorial Achievement in a First-Time Theatrical Feature Film at the DGA Awards, the Darryl F. Zanuck Award for Outstanding Producer of Theatrical Motion Pictures at the PGA Awards and 5 nominations at the Film Independent Spirit Awards including Best Picture and Best Screenplay.
It has been announced that Jefferson will write and executive produce Amazon Prime Video’s limited series adaption of John Katzenbach’s novel “Just Cause” alongside acclaimed writer John Wells, starring Scarlett Johansson in her first major television role.
Jefferson’s recent credits are a powerhouse of critically acclaimed television series that include the groundbreaking limited series Watchmen, for which he won an Emmy award for Outstanding Writing For A Limited Series alongside Damon Lindelof, for their episode “This Extraordinary Being.” Other credits include the philosophical comedy The Good Place, and drama series tour-de-force Succession. Among the accolades that Jefferson has earned for his work on these series are two Writers Guild Awards and an NAACP Image Award for writing The Good Place’s “Tinker, Tailor, Demon, Spy” episode. Jefferson was also the winner of the AFI, and has been nominated for the DGA, PGA and SAG awards.
Jefferson’s other credits include the HBO Max series Station Eleven; Netflix’s Master of None, where he wrote the episode “New York, I Love You”; Comedy Central’s The Nightly Show with Larry Wilmore; and the Starz comedy series Survivor’s Remorse.
Prior to making his way into television, Jefferson was a journalist, most notably serving as the West Coast editor for Gawker. During his tenure in journalism, Jefferson also wrote for such outlets as The New York Times, National Geographic, NPR, USA Today, MSNBC, Bookforum, and The Daily Beast, among others.
HIGHLIGHT PROGRAMS
THE TASTE OF THINGS
Blue Talon Bistro Prix Fixe Dinner & Film Screening
Monday, March 18, 5:00 PM Dinner at Blue Talon Bistro,
7:00 PM Film at Kimball Theatre
Dinner & Film $75 - SOLD OUT
Film Only $12 - PURCHASE TICKETS
This program features a screening of the French film The Taste of Things, preceded by a prix fixe dinner at Blue Talon Bistro featuring the film’s signature dish. Tickets for the film only are also available.
ABOUT THE FILM
In late-19th century France, renowned gourmet Dodin Bouffant (Benoît Magimel) draws guests from far and wide for sumptuous meals prepared by his personal chef Eugénie (Juliette Binoche). They share a long history of gastronomy and love but Eugénie refuses to marry Dodin, so the food lover decides to do something he has never done before: cook for her.
ABOUT THE DINNER
The Blue Talon Prix Fixe dinner offers a three course menu, including Pot au Feu, the film’s signature dish. The ticket price includes meal taxes and gratuity. The menu is available here.
The Passion of Joan of Arc
Tuesday, March 19, 7:00 PM, Kimball Theatre
All Seats $16 - PURCHASE TICKETS
This program features a restored screening of the silent film The Passion of Joan of Arc with original live score from an ensemble led by composer George Sarah.
ABOUT THE FILM
Often cited as one of the greatest and most important films of all time, this 1928 silent film pioneered the use of close-up shots. Combining electronic music with a local string quartet and choir, composer/keyboardist George Sarah has crafted a brilliant score.
ABOUT GEORGE SARAH
George Sarah is a film/TV composer, recording artist, and multi-instrumentalist. Born in Seoul, South Korea, he moved to Los Angeles at the age of five. He has garnered critical acclaim for his unique brand of compositions bridging the normally discrete worlds of Electronic, Neo-Classical, and Industrial. With 11 full length albums, 7 EP's, and 50 plus compilations, he was a frequent musical guest on Buffy The Vampire Slayer. Recent film scores include Her Name Was Jo streaming on Paramount Plus and the surreal thriller Ice Cage on Amazon Prime. His songs have been featured on dozens of shows including CSI, HBO Documentaries, Chris Rock's Everybody Hates Chris, and has numerous episodes for the Discovery channel.
He has collaborated with members of the Los Angeles Master Chorale, David J (Bauhaus/Love and Rockets), Alain Whyte (Morrissey), James Fearney (The Pogues), Robert Williams (Captain Beefheart), Anthony Head (Ted Lasso), Joss Wedon (Buffy The Vampire Slayer, Avengers), and for the 2008 Beijing Olympics he collaborated with experiential design group Poetic Kinetics and the Beijing Modern Dance Company.
Citizen Sleuth with Director Chris Kasick
Wednesday, March 20, 7:00 PM, Kimball Theatre
All Seats $16 - PURCHASE TICKETS
This program features a screening of Citizen Sleuth, followed by a conversation with Director Chris Kasick.
ABOUT THE FILM
Emily Nestor conducts an amateur murder investigation on her true crime podcast Mile Marker 181 that blurs the line between fact and entertainment. Told in real time over several years, this documentary chronicles the true crime genre's ethics through Emily’s pursuits.
ABOUT CHRIS KASICK
Chris Kasick is a producer and director. His feature documentary Citizen Sleuth premiered at SXSW 2023, Sheffield DocFest 2023, and IDFA 2023. Recent producing credits include a global Apple TV documentary series coming in late 2023 and The Inventor: Out for Blood in Silicon Valley for HBO. Chris is a long time collaborator with Errol Morris, working on Fog of War and First Person. He previously directed the dark comedy Uncle Nick, which is currently streaming on Amazon Prime. Chris isoriginally from Ohio and lived in the Mid-Ohio Valley where Citizen Sleuth takes place.
We Grown Now - Pre-release screening
With Producer Joe Pirro
Friday, March 22, 7:30 PM, Kimball Theatre
All Seats $16 - PURCHASE TICKETS
This program features a pre-release screening of We Grown Now, followed by a conversation with Producer Joe Pirro.
ABOUT THE FILM
In 1992 Chicago, as best friends Malik and Eric traverse the city, looking to escape the mundaneness of school and the hardships of growing up in public housing, their unbreakable bond is challenged when tragedy shakes their community just as they are learning to fly.
ABOUT JOE PIRRO
Joe Pirro (W&M ’08) is currently Head of Production at Symbolic Exchange, a development and production company founded by producer/screenwriter James Schamus and based in New York City. Joe’s most recent film We Grown Now was co-produced by Participant and premiered at Toronto in 2023 where it won the festival’s Changemaker Award. The film was sold to Sony Pictures Classics for a theatrical release in spring 2024 and is currently nominated for Best Film, Best Cinematography, and Best Editing at this year's Independent Spirit Awards. His other credits include Andrew Ahn’s Driveways, Kitty Green’s The Assistant, and Jean-Stephane Sauvaire’s A Prayer Before Dawn. Joe began his career teaching elementary school in Brooklyn before moving into the film industry. He has also worked at United Talent Agency, Focus Features, and Red Hour Films.
Author Talk: Kiley Reid
Saturday, March 23, 3:00 PM, Williamsburg Regional Library
All Seats $16 - PURCHASE TICKETS
ABOUT KILEY REID
Kiley Reid is the instant New York Times-bestselling author of Such a Fun Age and Come and Get It, a new novel that portrays a residential assistant and her messy entanglement with a professor and three unruly students. Named a Best Book of the Year by Vogue and Elle, and a Most Anticipated Book of the Year Book of the year by TIME and Entertainment Weekly, this tension-filled story about money, indiscretion, and reckless abandon is a “blistering send-up of academia […] interlaced with piercing moral clarity” (Publishers Weekly [starred review]).
Reid’s debut, Such a Fun Age, was hailed for its candid look at the complexities of race and class through the lens of the relationship between a Black babysitter and her white employer. A spotlight for Reid’s talent at social satire, Such a Fun Age shines a bright light on the subtle, yet deeply impactful aspects of race and privilege in America.
An instant hit, acclaimed producer and actress Lena Waithe acquired the film rights to the story over a year before the book’s publication, Such a Fun Age was a finalist for the NAACP Image Award in Outstanding Literary Work by a Debut Author and for the 2020 Booker Prize. It was also a Reese’s Book Club pick, and was named a best book of the year by The Washington Post, Chicago Tribune, NPR, Vogue, Kirkus Reviews, and Library Journal, among many more publications.
Reid earned her MFA from the Iowa Writers’ Workshop and has been described as an exciting new voice in the literary scene. In honest and compelling talks, Reid weaves together insights into her craft with the process of writing about timely, relevant issues like race and class with unflinching honesty.
During her time at the Iowa Writers’ Workshop, Kiley Reid was awarded the prestigious Truman Capote Fellowship and taught undergraduate creative writing workshops focusing on race and class. She has had work featured in The New York Times and TIME, and her short stories have appeared in several notable publications like Playboy, Ploughshares, December, New South, and Lumina. Reid lives in Philadelphia.
Madu - Pre-release screening
With Editor Georgia Dodson
Sunday, March 24, 1:30 PM, Kimball Theatre
All Seats $16 - PURCHASE TICKETS
This program features a pre-release screening of Madu, followed by a conversation with Editor Georgia Dodson.
ABOUT THE FILM
After a video of him dancing became a viral sensation, Anthony Madu gets the opportunity to attend one of the U.K.’s most prestigious ballet schools. Leaving his family and community in Lagos to pursue his dream sends Anthony on an inspiring journey of growth and change.
ABOUT GEORGIA DODSON
Born and raised in Appalachia, Georgia Dodson (W&M '04) has always been a storyteller at heart. She discovered her love of film editing with Matt Lenski's short Meaning of Robots, which premiered at Sundance, screened at MoMA's New Directors/New Films, and shaped her decade-long career in docustyle commercials. Her first feature documentary, Underplayed, edited and co-written with director Stacey Lee, premiered at Toronto International Film Festival in September 2020. In 2022 and 2023 she edited the Disney Original Documentary Madu, directed by Oscar-nominee Matt Ogens and Joel 'Kachi Benson, which opened the Santa Barbara International Film Festival in February and is set to premiere on Disney+ March 29th. Most recently, Georgia was tapped to edit a documentary series for Netflix she's not allowed to talk about. At William & Mary she majored in English and Literary and Cultural Studies (RIP), and was a member of the sketch comedy group 7th grade.