Anna Quindlen, Pulitzer-Prize winning journalist (pictured above), will give the commencement address at Washington University this year. The 156th commencement ceremony is May 19 in Brookings Quadrangle. A versatile writer and social critic, Quindlen at one time had books on The New York Times’ fiction, nonfiction and self-help best seller lists—the first author to do so!
Congratulations to native St. Louisan and playwright Jack Ciapciak (Priory ’11), who has received the 2017 Goldberg Playwriting Prize from NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts. The son of Mary and Bob Ciapciak of Ladue, Jack is a script coordinator for CBS’ Blue Bloods. He won the award for his play Naming the Dog, about a millennial couple during the days after Michael Brown’s death who ignore the events just miles from their doorstep and instead obsess about what to call their new pet.
Happy Birthday, SLU! Our Jesuit university celebrates its 200th birthday this fall, starting with a Mass under the Arch on Saturday, Sept. 23. The university was founded in 1818 by Bishop Louis William DuBourg, in a small home on the Arch grounds. The event falls during SLU’s annual homecoming, but is open to the public and part of a planned 15-month celebration.
If you didn’t get to Broadway for Hamilton, your wait soon will be over. The mega-hit is coming to the Fabulous Fox Theatre April 3 to 22 as part of next year’s U.S. Bank Broadway Series! Also in the lineup for 2018: The Bodyguard, On Your Feet!, The King and I, School of Rock, The Color Purple, The Book of Mormon and Phantom of the Opera. Our beloved Muny also has announced its 2017 summer season, starting June 12: Jesus Christ Superstar, The Little Mermaid, A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, All Shook Up, The Unsinkable Molly Brown, A Chorus Line and Newsies.
