News Release — January 14, 2008

Playwright David Mamet to Speak at The University of Texas at Austin

EVENT: Playwright, writer and film director David Mamet, whose papers are at the Ransom Center, discusses his career and work with Austin Chronicle Arts Editor Robert Faires as part of the 2008 Harry Middleton Lecture Series.

WHEN: Monday, Feb. 4, at 6:30 p.m. Doors open one hour prior to event.

WHERE: Hogg Auditorium on The University of Texas at Austin campus.

BACKGROUND: In April 2007, the Harry Ransom Center acquired the papers of David Mamet, author of more than 50 plays and 25 screenplays.

The more than 100 boxes of material cover Mamet's entire career and contain manuscripts, journals, office and production files, correspondence and multiple drafts of each of Mamet's works, including the acclaimed plays "American Buffalo" (1975) and "Glengarry Glen Ross" (1992) and screenplays "The Untouchables" (1988), "The Spanish Prisoner" (1997) and "Wag the Dog" (1997). Mamet has earned a Pulitzer Prize, Oscar nominations and a Tony Award.

The materials will be accessible once organized and archived.

In support of the archive, Mamet will contribute to the intellectual life of The University of Texas at Austin by joining the university community in a series of short residencies for four years, this being the first one. During this visit, Mamet will meet with students in the James A Michener Center for Writers and the departments of Radio-Television-Film, Theatre and Dance and English.

High-resolution press images of Mamet and materials from the archive are available.

Tickets are required for this event. Tickets are free and available to the public at the front desk of the LBJ Library (2313 Red River St,) and at The University of Texas at Austin Student Union ticket office (Union building, Room 4.300). Tickets will be available for pick-up starting Tuesday, Jan. 22.

The LBJ Foundation will provide free shuttles between the LBJ Library parking lot (2313 Red River St.) and Hogg Auditorium. Shuttles will begin running at 5:15 p.m. and will continue until 6:15 p.m. to ensure guests arrive before the lecture begins. Shuttles will resume immediately following the lecture and run until 9 p.m.

This event is co-presented by the Harry Ransom Center, LBJ Foundation and the LBJ Library and Museum.

The Harry Middleton Lecture Series was established by Mrs. Lyndon B. Johnson in 1994 to honor the career and contributions of Harry Middleton, director of the LBJ Library & Museum from 1972-2002. Mrs. Johnson's desire was to make renowned speakers available to students and the public free of charge. Past Middleton Lectures have featured former Presidents Ford and Carter, Nobel-prize winning physicist Steven Weinberg, journalist Brian Williams, Bill Moyers and actor Michael York.