Calvin Levels Performs Solo Show 'James Baldwin' Dec.7-9

Tony Award nominee Calvin Levels will perform his acclaimed solo play, James Baldwin: Down from the Mountaintop, in commemoration of the 20th anniversary celebration of the life and legacy of the esteemed novelist, essayist, playwright and human rights activist James Baldwin, on December 7 and 8 at 8PM and December 9 at 3PM at The Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture (515 Malcolm X Boulevard at 135th Street) in Harlem.

The December 9 performance will benefit the Pacifica Radio Archives and will be followed by a VIP reception at 5PM and a panel discussion at 7PM moderated by Amy Goodman of Democracy Now. Panelists include Dr. Cornel West, Amiri Baraka, Sol Stein, Ekwueme Michael Thewell and Baldwin family members. The Schomburg Center is the same historical location where Baldwin educated himself as a youth growing up in Harlem. The performances will be filmed live before the Schomburg audience.

James Baldwin: Down from the Mountaintop is presented by Staged Dreams.

"Written and performed by Calvin Levels, James Baldwin: Down from the Mountaintop depicts the rich and impassioned life of the esteemed American writer recognized for his novels on sexual and personal identity, along with his works of nonfiction, plays and essays on human rights. Baldwin, intent on providing an insecure actor with the insight necessary to portray him convincingly, returns from the ethereal realm and embodies the actor. He recounts various topics about his life, which include his youth growing up in Harlem as a prodigious reader and child minister, his early intimate relationships, and his association with mentors and friends Beauford Delaney and Richard Wright," explain press notes… He reflects on leaving America and moving to Paris; publishing various works such as, "Go Tell It on the Mountain" and "Giovannis Room," and on his friendships and rivalries with Marlon Brando, Lorraine Hansberry, Truman Capote, Norman Mailer and Langston Hughes; his sour relationship with the Actors Studio; his association with Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Medgar Evers, Malcolm X and the civil rights movement up through his death at his home in St. Paul de Vence, France.

Calvin Levels has performed James Baldwin: Down from the Mountaintop at over fifty venues across America and has garnered rave reviews from general audiences and critics alike. Levels has appeared in numerous film, television and theatrical productions. He is the winner of a number of nominations, including the Tony Award, New York Drama Desk Award and New York Outer Critics Circle Award for Best Actor in a Play. He also received The Theatre World Award for Outstanding New Talent. The National James Baldwin Literary Society recently honored Mr. Levels in recognition of his contribution to the legacy of James Baldwin.

James Baldwin: Down from the Mountaintop runs December 7 & 8 at 8PM; and December 9 at 3PM followed by panel discussion and reception as a benefit for the Pacifica Radio Archives. Tickets on December 7-8 are $20-$40. On December 9, tickets to the play only are $30-60, with packages ranging from $85 to $115 for the play, panel and reception. For tickets, call Telecharge at 212-239-6200 (inside the NY metro area) or 800-432-7250 (outside the NY metro area), or visit Telecharge.com.

For additional information, please visit JamesBaldwinPlay.com or call 212-662-5605.

Calvin Levels (photo by Clayton Cages)