Janice Daugharty Festival set for April 29, 2004

Valdosta State University and the Georgia Humanities Council invite the community to attend the Janice Daugharty Festival scheduled for April 29, 2004, on the VSU campus. The Festival is part of the Georgia Humanities Council grant project ?Regional Identity: A Reading, Writing, and Regional Issues Project Using the Works of Janice Daugharty.? The location will be Powell Hall Auditorium and the Biology/Chemistry Building.

Janice Daugharty Daugharty, VSU's Writer-in-Residence, will participate in a reception and book signing for her latest novel Just Doll. The Festival highlights include two evening theater performances of Daugharty's works. Copies of Just Doll will be available for purchasing and student regional identity paper presentations and poetry readings will take place throughout the day. Refreshments will be provided. All events are free.

The ?Regional Identity? project is collaboration among Valdosta State University's Odum Library Archives, South Georgia Regional Library System, three South Georgia Public High Schools, VSU's Department of English, and Georgia Southwestern State University's departments of English, Foreign Language and Drama. The goal is to explore writing and regional identity with a variety of audiences by using the writing of Janice Daugharty. The project reaches three audiences. They include members of the community in Lowndes, Echols, and Lanier counties; high school students; and college students. The project helps community members and students recognize the relevance of their culture, gain a better sense of place, and develop a stronger self-identity by learning more about their region through the works of Daugharty. Through the study of regional novels and short stories, area residents become more enlightened about South Georgia's literary richness and have the opportunity to explore the writer's role as an observer. High school and college students observe and engage in the writing process as they conduct literary and historical research on primary sources, while expanding the critical community for South Georgia writers.

The Complete Festival Schedule includes:

Powell Hall Auditorium
Panel presentations of papers, productions and performances by Valdosta State University, Echols County High School, Lowndes High School, and Valdosta High School Students.

Welcome at 8:00 a.m.
8:15 a.m.? 9:15 a.m. Session A Presentations (Lowndes High School)
9:30 a.m.? 10:30 a.m. Session B Presentations (VSU)
10:45 a.m. ? 11:45 a.m. Session C Presentations (Echols High School)
--Lunch Break--
12:45 p.m. ? 1:45 p.m. Session D Presentations (Valdosta High School)
2:00 p.m.? 3:00 p.m. Session E Valdosta State University Theater Students performance readings of ?Amazing Grace?

Biology/Chemistry Building Atrium
Regional Identity Exhibit featuring papers, posters, performances, and productions written, prepared, and/or recorded by Valdosta State University, Echols County High School, Lowndes High School, and Valdosta High School Students
8:00 a.m. ? 9:00 p.m. Exhibit open

Powell Hall Auditorium
VSU Student Poetry Readings throughout the day beginning at 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. during paper presentation breaks.

Biology/Chemistry Building Atrium
5:00 p.m.- 6:00 p.m. Students with Exhibits for Q&A
5:00 p.m.- 6:00 p.m. Reception for Janice Daugharty?Book signing for her new novel Just Doll available for purchasing

Powell Hall Auditorium
6:30 p.m.- 8:30 p.m. Georgia Southwestern State University Theater Students? presentation of ?Earl in the Yellow Shirt?


Additional Events Scheduled for the Janice Daugharty Writing Project

Annette Howell Turner Arts and Cultural Center Book Signing

In addition, on April 30, The Annette Howell Turner Arts and Cultural Center will
host a wine and cheese reception at 7:00 p.m. with a book signing and a reading by Janice
Daugharty. For more information about this event please call the Arts Center at 247-2787
or Snake Nation Press at 244-0752.

Library Events

As part of the project, VSU's Deborah Davis, Bobbie Warren, and Diane Howard, along with author Janice Daugharty, will be presenting discussions about Daugharty's works throughout the months of May and June at area libraries. Copies of Just Doll will be available for purchase and signing. Refreshments will be available.

Library Presentation Schedule:

May 5, 10:30 a.m.-12:00 p.m. Statenville
May 17, 5:30 p.m.-7:00 p.m., Hahira, Deborah Davis presenting with Janice Daugharty
May 18, 5:30 p.m.-7:00 p.m., Lake Park, Bobbie Warren presenting with Daugharty
May 27, 5:30 p.m.-7:00 p.m., Southside, Diane Howard attending with Daugharty
June 1, 5:30 p.m.- 7:00 p.m., Lakeland, Diane Howard attending with Daugharty
June 3, 5:30 p.m.- 7:00 p.m., South Georgia Regional Library, Warren, Davis, and Howard presenting with Daugharty