"Lord John Marbury" Speaker at Williams College Commencement, Marlee Matlin at Southern Connecticut State

The Green Pay Press Gazette reports that Marlee Matlin gave a speech at the Weidner Center for the Performing Arts in Wisconsin.

From the Connecticut Post:
"Southern Connecticut State University in New Haven will have an Oscar-winning actress, Marlee Matlin, address graduates. Southern's graduation is 10:15 a.m. May 26 at the Connecticut Tennis Center.

Matlin, who has a recurring role on the television show, "The West Wing," lost her hearing when she was 18 months old. She received an Academy Award for Best Actress for her role in the movie, "Children of a Lesser God," at age 21. She is the youngest person to win the title."

From The Transcript:
"Williams College has announced that actor and Williamstown Theatre Festival director Roger Rees will be the college's baccalaureate speaker on Saturday, June 3.

Rees is to be awarded an honorary doctor of fine arts degree at the college's commencement on Sunday, June 4.

A Welsh native and an American citizen, Rees is also a teacher and playwright. He began his career as a scenery painter, having studied painting and lithography at the Slade School of Art, University College, London.

He has been a member of the Royal Shakespeare Company since 1967 and gained international attention in the title role of the company's eight-hour production of "The Life and Adventures of Nicholas Nickleby," which earned him Tony and Oliver awards and an Emmy nomination.

Rees also created the leading roles in Tom Stoppard's "The Real Thing" and in his own thriller, "Double Double," written with Rick Elice. Among his numerous London credits are "Hamlet," "Love's Labour's Lost," "Cymbeline" and "Much Ado About Nothing."

Other memorable acting credits include Terrence McNally's "A Man of No Importance," "Indiscretions" (Tony nomination), John Robin Baitz's "The End of the Day" (Obie award), "The Misanthrope" and "Uncle Vanya."

On television, Rees had recurring roles on "The West Wing" as Lord John Marbury and on "Cheers" as Robin Colcord.

He has appeared in more than 50 films including "The Ebony Tower" starring opposite Lawrence Olivier, Mel Brooks' "Robin Hood: Men in Tights," "A Midsummer Night's Dream" and Bob Fosse's "Star 80."

Rees was associate artistic director for the Bristol Old Vic Theatre. In 2004, he was named artistic director of the Williamstown Theatre Festival. He began his association with Williamstown in 1997, when he directed Baitz's "The Film Society."

He has taught at Columbia University, Florida State University and the University of Cal-ifornia at Los Angeles."