Sam Waterston News Archives 2005
Sam Honored by Refugees International!
(Washington DC, October 11) Sam was honored for his 18 year's service to Refugees International at a dinner in the nation's capitol. In his speech, he talked about the importance of understanding the meaning of the term "refugee". You can find out more about the dinner by going to the Refugees International website. While there, you might want to consider making a donation to RI in honor of Sam's birthday Nov. 15!
Sam's Triumphant Travesties
(New Haven, CT)-Long Wharf Theater enjoyed the second highest ticket sales in history for the run of Tom Stoppard's Travesties, which played in May and June of 2005. The play has gone on to win regional awards for direction and for one of the supporting actors. Sam's fans have compiled their own reviews for your enjoyment, which you can read by clicking here.
Sam's Yale Lecture: TV, Sales, and Politics
(New Haven CT, Jan. 28, 2005)-Sam was invited back to his alma mater to give the third annual Elihu Yale lecture, co-sponsored by the Elihu Club and the Yale Dramatic Association. The talk, titled "The Good Side of Television: Public Defender, Advocate, Educator," was billed as a question-and-answer session, but Sam spoke for about half an hour before taking questions. Despite the title of the program, Sam indicated that television was a "sales device", and that programming choices are made based on the need to attract advertisers. He says this has had an enormous effect on people, who take news and cultural events less serioiusly than they did in the past because most programming is interrupted by ads, which he described as "trivial". Cultural acceptance of ads has changed in the past fifty years. Back then, ads were distrusted. "Compared to the past, this is out of balance," he said.
Sam also described the political effect of selling on what the public perceives as truth. He said the Social Security crisis is a "sales pitch" that is not supported by evidence showing that the system remains viable.
"If a thing is really well sold ... really forcefully, or insistently, it must be true," Waterston said sarcastically.
Sam said politics is out of balance, no longer moving towards openness, liberty, or responsibility.
"Thinking about the way the world is changing makes me a little gloomy," he said.
But Sam had good things to say about his series Law and Order. He likes it because it doesn't always provide satisfactory solutions and because it doesn't focus on the character's personal lives. And he feels he has learned a bit about justice during his eleven year tenure on the show.
"If there's anything heroic about the law, it's not that it deals justice but that it struggles to deal justice," he said.
For the complete article, including photo, click here.
James Waterston News
(
New York City, June 30, 2005)- Sophie Lillivek Waterston was born to Line and James Waterston. Although James was busy playing a handsome and energetic Orlando in As You Like It in Central Park, he took time to have his photo taken with his daughter, which was briefly online at Providence Magazine, but is no longer available. Congratulations to James and Line-all the best wishes from your fans!
James has been very busy since As You Like It. He stars in the world premiere of Roger Rosenblatt's Ashley Montana Goes Ashore in the Caicos... Or What Am I Doing Here? at The Flea Theater in Manhattan. The play runs from Oct. 6 until Nov. 19. Click here for more information about the play.
From Jan. 17 to March 15 he will be on the road with a touring company of Oscar Wilde's The Importance of Being Ernest. The troupe will be going to L.A. and wind up in New York City. Click here for more information.