Van Leer to perform at SU

Darryl Van Leer will speak at Southern University on Wednesday, Feb. 13, at 11 a.m. in the Cotillion Ballroom.
Darryl Van Leer Leer’s one-man show, Power on Earth, has earned high praise from critics and audiences alike. Termed “emotionally riveting” by Daily Variety, the show features vivid portrayals of some of history’s most important and influential black figures. Written, directed and performed by Van Leer, the show includes a startlingly accurate portrayal of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., the dramatic courtroom eloquence of Thurgood Marshall and the fiery conviction of Malcolm X, as well as Nat Turner, leader of the largest slave revolt in history, separatist Marcus Garvey, slave turned abolitionist and orator Frederick Douglass and blues greats Robert Johnson and Muddy Waters. His performance then entitled “The Gallows to the Gavel” earned him a nomination for the 1996 NAACP Theatre Award.
“There are certain things in the production that help me become each one of these men. It’s already laid out in my mind and I become the men instantaneously. The characterizations have been developed over the years as I have traveled the college circuit, trying to bring my message of social upliftment to campuses across the country,” said Leer.
To date, he has performed Power on Earth for audiences totaling well over 100,000 people. His work was recognized by the National Association of Campus Activities in 1994 as “Best Performance” and he has been recognized as “Performer of the Year” by Campus Activities Today. He maintains an annual performance schedule of more than 60 colleges and universities.