B.D. Wong, Tony Award-winning actor and television celebrity will speak at 8 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 23, in Hoyt Auditorium on the University of Rochester's River Campus.
Wong, who plays forensic psychiatrist Dr. George Huang on NBC's Law and Order: SVU is also known for his role as Father Ray Mukada, the Catholic priest in the HBO series Oz and his award-winning performance in his Broadway debut in M. Butterfly.
But Wong is also known as an openly gay Asian-American who travels to colleges, universities, and high schools to discuss racial self-image, race-based rejection, and diversity through his talk: "All the World's A Stage: From Exclusion to Inclusion." He infuses his own story in his discussions, which starts with a life and career confused with racial self-hatred that leads to racial acceptance and growth.
In 2003, Wong released his first book titled Following Foo: The Electronic Adventures of the Chestnut Man, a memoir about he and his partner's path to parenthood—involving a surrogate, an egg from his partner's sister, and identical twins born 13 weeks prematurely.
Admission to Wong's talk is $7 for the general public; $5 for University faculty, staff, and graduate students; and $3 for University undergraduate students. Tickets will be available in advance at the Common Market in Wilson Commons on the University's River Campus and, if still available, at the door.
Awards for his work in diversity range from recognition from the East West Players Organization to the Asian-American Legal Defense and Education Fund to the Chinese Performing Arts Foundation.
Wong's talk is presented by the Campus Activities Board, and the Chinese Students' Association. It is co-sponsored by Apa-Hip, College Diversity Roundtable, Minority Student Advisory Board, Pi Delta Psi, Pride Network, UR Cinema Group, Off Broadway Off Campus, and the International Theatre program.