An award-winning poet and biographer will kick off the spring programs of William & Mary’s Patrick Hayes Writers Series on Wednesday evening.
Quincy Troupe will present a free public reading of his work, which includes 10 books of poetry, three children’s books and six works of nonfiction.
Troupe is the College’s “Class of 1939 Artist in Residence,” a distinction given once every four years to a creator in the field of English, theater, music or the fine arts. Sponsored by the Class of 1939, Troupe is teaching an advanced poetry workshop called “The Architecture of Language.”
The class, like much of Troupe’s work, involves the relationship between words and music. He is known for his collaboration on “Miles: The Autobiography,” which won an American Book Award for its portrayal of the life of the jazz great Miles Davis.
Troupe’s memoir, “Miles and Me,” is being made into a feature film. The path to the silver screen will not be new for the author, who co-authored with Chris Gardner for “The Pursuit of Happyness” — the basis for the 2006 movie starring Will Smith.
At Wednesday’s talk, Troupe will read an excerpt from the Davis autobiography, as well as poetry from recent books.
Nancy Schoenberger, director of creative writing at W&M, said guests should turn out for a lively performance by a dynamic reader.
A question-and-answer session will follow the reading, which starts at 8 p.m. in the Tucker Hall theater. Troupe will sign books at a reception afterward.
The Patrick Hayes Writers Series has been a regular feature at W&M for about 30 years. It welcomes five or six prominent writers to campus each year, chosen by a committee. Schoenberger said they also try to include a few W&M graduates and new emerging talents in the group.
The series continues at 7 p.m. March 20, when alumna Elizabeth Winder ’03 — a poet and biographer — joins former writer-in-residence Catherine Bowman in a program focusing on the poet Sylvia Plath.
Claudia Emerson, who received the 2006 Pulitzer Prize in Poetry for her book “Late Wife: Poems” will finish the series with a reading 7 p.m. April 10.
For more information on Wednesday’s event and the Patrick Hayes Writers Series, contact Nancy Schoenberger at [email protected].
