Renowned actress Jane Alexander found herself in the role of a lifetime when President Bill Clinton appointed her head of the ever-embattled National Endowment for the Arts. Ms. Alexander is charming, honest, and convincingly passionate on why we need art, and why the government should support the arts.
Freedom of Expression: What Does it Mean in Today’s World?
Ms. Alexander looks at the complications of First Amendment Rights in the media, in public places and on the internet. Drawing on her years in Washington D.C. and her many controversial roles on stage, television and in the movies, Ms. Alexander offers an insightful and witty perspective on the issue of freedom of expression.
The Creative Mind
Focusing her keen intellect and expertise on the importance of arts education for today’s schools, Ms. Alexander explains the importance of fine arts in academic achievement.
Campaigning for the Arts
Jane Alexander is no stranger to the spotlight. As an actress, she won a Tony Award for her role in The Great White Hope and an Emmy Award for Playing with Time. But it was her role as head of the National Endowment for the Arts that put her into the hottest spotlight. Nominated by President Clinton in 1993, Ms. Alexander's tenure began when the NEA was under financial and ideological attack by Congress. Throughout her appointment, Ms. Alexander fought off obdurate Congressional efforts to eliminate the NEA entirely; it is largely because of Ms. Alexander that the NEA exists today. In her book, Command Performance: An Actress In The Theatre of Politics, Ms. Alexander describes her work at the NEA.
Ms. Alexander’s recent roles include Robert Benton's film Feast of Love opposite Morgan Freeman, released in theaters in September 2007. Ms. Alexander also played the protagonist, Dr. May Foster, in the HBO drama series Tell Me You Love Me.
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