By Michelle Hines, University Relations
UNCG’s new Center for Creative Writing in the Arts will host the celebrated poet, playwright and actress Ana Istarú April 11.
“An Evening with Ana Istarú” will spotlight the Costa Rica native, including readings of Istarú’s work in both Spanish and English. The event will begin at 7 p.m. in the Virginia Dare Room, the Alumni House, and is free and open to the public.
According to Dr. Mark Smith-Soto, the center’s director, Istarú’s visit is something of a literary coup for the center and the university. Istarú ranks among Central America’s most highly regarded writers. She first attracted international attention in 1984, when her poetry collection “Fever Season” won the prestigious EDUCA prize for poetry.
Istarú, whose acting talent has three times won her the Costa Rican equivalent of the Oscar, has also earned a place among the best Costa Rican playwrights. Two of her works, “Baby Boom in Paradise” and “Men in Marinade,” won prizes in international competitions. Istarú’s most recent stage piece, “La loca” or “The Mad Woman,” earned her the 2005 Aquileo Echeverria National Award for Drama, the Costa Rican equivalent of the Pulitzer Prize.
