Tonight's
Nightline will feature a performance by actor and performance artist Anna Deavere Smith based on the recent Presidential debates. Smith appears as Nancy McNally on
West Wing but is perhaps best known for her solo performances, including
Twilight: Los Angeles and
Fires in Brooklyn, based on the riots in LA and Crown Heights, Brooklyn, respectively.
Smith's method of working often involves interviewing scores of people relating to a given social incident or controversy, developing distinct characters based on them, and then weaving together a performance in which she portrays an extraordinary range of perspectives and identities. Smith also teaches at NYU, where she holds a joint position in the School of Law and Tisch's Dept. of Performance Studies.
Tonight's performance should be interesting: tune in after Jon Stewart.