Baylor Honors College and Department of Theatre Arts Welcome Wall Street Journal Drama Critic for Lecture

March 2, 2012
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Wall Street Journal drama critic and author Terry Teachout. (Photo courtesy of Ken Howard)

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Wall Street Journal drama critic and author Terry Teachout will give two presentations at Baylor University Monday, March 5, and Tuesday, March 6 -- one about the future of American culture and the other about the legacy of jazz great Louis Armstrong.

Teachout, a biographer, playwright, arts blogger and chief culture critic of Commentary Magazine, was a professional bassist before becoming a full-time writer.

The Honors College and the Department of Theatre Arts at Baylor are hosting the events, which are free and open to the public.

Teachout will present "Does American Culture Have a Future?" at 4 p.m. Monday in Mabee Theater in Hooper-Schaefer Fine Arts Center, 60 Baylor Ave.; and "Why Louis Armstrong Still Matters" at 4 p.m. Tuesday in Alexander Reading Room in Alexander Residence Hall, 1413 S. Seventh St.

Teachout's book "Pops: A Life of Louis Armstrong" is his first book about music, but "I've been listening to jazz ever since my mother told me to come see Satchmo singing "Hello, Dolly!" on "The Ed Sullivan Show" in 1964," Teachout said.

The book is "the definitive biography of Louis Armstrong," said Thomas Hibbs, Ph.D., Honors College Dean and Distinguished Professor of Ethics and Culture at Baylor University.

"Terry Teachout is a true Renaissance man, someone whose knowledge embraces all the arts," Hibbs said. "He writes with learning, insight, and wit about low and high culture alike. It is both an honor and a delight to welcome him to Baylor."

Other books by Teachout include "All in the Dances: A Brief Life of George Balanchine" and "A Terry Teachout Reader." In addition to his work as an author, Teachout wrote the libretto for Paul Moravec's "The Letter," which was premiered by the Santa Fe Opera in July of 2009.

Teachout contributed notes on recordings by Louis Armstrong, Gene Krupa, and Oscar Peterson for Jazz: The Smithsonian Anthology. He also wrote liner notes for Diana Krall's "All for You" album, Maria Schneider's "Coming About," Karrin Allyson's "Daydream," Marian McPartland's "Just Friends," Luciana Souza's "Neruda," and Roger Kellaway's "Live at the Jazz Standard."

About Baylor University

Baylor University is a private Christian university and a nationally ranked research institution, characterized as having "high research activity" by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching. The university provides a vibrant campus community for approximately 15,000 students by blending interdisciplinary research with an international reputation for educational excellence and a faculty commitment to teaching and scholarship. Chartered in 1845 by the Republic of Texas through the efforts of Baptist pioneers, Baylor is the oldest continually operating university in Texas. Located in Waco, Baylor welcomes students from all 50 states and more than 80 countries to study a broad range of degrees among its 11 nationally recognized academic divisions.

For more information visit the Baylor Honors College or call 254-710-7689.
Contact: Terry Goodrich, Assistant Director of Media Communications, (254) 710-3321