Pearl Cleage
Keynote Speaker: Playwright, Novelist, Advocate for Women and African American Issues
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Pearl Cleage Biography
Pearl Cleage is an Atlanta-based writer, distinguished as the Artist in Residence at the Tony Award-winning Alliance Theatre. She is celebrated for her extensive work in theatre, literature, and advocacy, particularly in topics concerning the African American community, love, sex, and female empowerment. Cleage's new play, "Angry, Raucous, and Shamelessly Gorgeous," premiered during the theatre’s 50th anniversary season in 2019 and is poised for further productions across the country, including at the Arena Stage in Washington, DC. Among her numerous plays, "Flyin’ West" remains notable as the most produced new play in the country since 1994, frequently staged due to its enduring popularity. Other significant works include "The Nacirema Society Requests the Honor of Your Presence at a Celebration of Their First One Hundred Years," originally commissioned by the Alabama Shakespeare Festival and co-produced with the Alliance in Montgomery and Atlanta. Her play for young audiences, "Sit-In," explores the sit-in movement and will accompany a national exhibition by Scholastic Books at the High Museum. Cleage's "Blues for An Alabama Sky" has seen annual productions since its premiere in 1995 and was included in the 20th anniversary season of the Alliance in 2015.
Her literary works also resonate through her novels and essays. Cleage’s first novel, "What Looks Like Crazy On An Ordinary Day," was a New York Times bestseller and an Oprah Book Club selection. Other bestselling novels include "Seen It All and Done the Rest" and "Just Wanna Testify," while her memoir, "Things I Should Have Told My Daughter: Lies, Lessons and Love Affairs," offers a profound look into her personal experiences. Cleage also co-authored "We Speak Your Names" with her husband, Zaron W. Burnett, Jr., as a tribute during Oprah Winfrey’s Legends Weekend. Her essays, particularly the collection "Mad at Miles: A Black Woman’s Guide to Truth," have also been adapted for the stage, contributing to discussions on domestic violence and empowerment.
Cleage’s contributions have garnered multiple accolades, including the Governor’s Award for the Arts in 2018 and an Honorary Doctorate in Fine Arts from Spelman College in 2010. Her advocacy extends into her public speaking, where she addresses life lessons for women, the significance of memoir, and the importance of diversity in American theatre. Her role as a founder and CEO at The Lighthouse Academy further underscores her commitment to education and empowerment through the arts. As she continues to influence through her multifaceted career, Cleage remains a vital voice for women and the broader community, blending creativity with critical societal insights.
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Pearl Cleage Speaking Topics
A firm believer that “the personal life deeply lived always expands into truths beyond itself,” Cleage’s 2014 memoir, Things I Should Have Told My Daughter: Lies Lessons and Love Affairs, revisits her journals from the 1970’s and 1980’s as a way of passing on the lessons she learned on her journey from naïve wife and young mother to full time professional writer and freewoman. Frank and funny, it’s an invitation to cross generational dialogue.
Examining the dangers of voting based solely on race or gender identification, Cleage suggests that for the American democracy to continue to thrive, women must not be confined to a set of issues determined by their biology or excluded from the wider debate that often informs those issues.
As a widely produced playwright, Cleage examines the unspoken cultural assumptions that continue to shape the choices made by producers and artistic directors as they go in search of “cultural diversity,” and explains why those choices stifle the growth of the American theatre.
An unexpected commissioning from Oprah Winfrey found Cleage writing the poem that defined Winfrey’s 2005 Legends Weekend honoring African American women. She shares the process that produced the piece and her memories of that extraordinary weekend, taking listeners behind the scenes of the poem that became the centerpiece of the event.
Cleage examines her own life and determines that she’s done “everything right but the money.” Equal parts affirmation of her own life choices and cautionary tale for independent women, it is a frank and funny examination of the joys and challenges facing American female baby boomers.
Pearl Cleage Videos
How do I book Pearl Cleage to speak at my event?
Our experienced booking agents have successfully helped clients around the world secure speakers like Pearl Cleage for speaking engagements, personal appearances, product endorsements, or corporate entertainment since 2002. Click the Check Schedule button above and complete the form on this page to check availability for Pearl Cleage, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536 to discuss your upcoming event. One of our experienced agents will be happy to help you get speaking fee information and check availability for Pearl Cleage or any other speaker of your choice.
How much does it cost to book Pearl Cleage for a speaking engagement?
Speaking fees for Pearl Cleage, or any other speakers and celebrities, are determined based on a number of factors and may change without notice. The estimated fee for a virtual event is Below $10,000. For the most current speaking fee to hire Pearl Cleage, click the Check Schedule button above and complete the form on this page, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536 to speak directly with an experienced booking agent.
What topics does Pearl Cleage speak about?
Pearl Cleage is a keynote speaker and industry expert who speaks on a wide range of topics such as Black Heritage, Women, Diversity & Inclusion, Authors, Performing Arts, Social Activism, Music, College, Political, World Affairs, Inspirational, Government, Journalism, Literary, Poetry, Leadership and Culture.
Who is the agent for Pearl Cleage?
AAE Speakers Bureau has successfully secured keynote speakers like Pearl Cleage for clients worldwide since 2002. As a full-service speaker booking agency, we have access to virtually any speaker or celebrity in the world. Our agents are happy and able to submit an offer to the speaker or celebrity of your choice, letting you benefit from our reputation and long-standing relationships in the industry. Please click the Check Schedule button above and complete the form on this page including the details of your event, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536, and one of our agents will assist you to book Pearl Cleage for your next private or corporate function.
What is a full-service speaker booking agency?
AAE Speakers Bureau is a full-service speaker booking agency, meaning we can completely manage the speaker’s or celebrity’s engagement with your organization from the time of booking your speaker through the event’s completion. We provide all of the services you need to host Pearl Cleage or any other speaker of your choice, including offer negotiation, contractual assistance, accounting and billing, and event speaker travel and logistics services. When you book a speaker with us, we manage the process of hosting a speaker for you as an extension of your team. Our goal is to give our clients peace of mind and a best-in-class service experience when booking a speaker with us.
Why is AAE Speakers Bureau different from other booking agencies?
If you’re looking for the best speaker recommendations, paired with a top-notch customer service experience, you’re in the right place. At AAE Speakers Bureau, we exclusively represent the interests of our clients - professional organizations, companies, universities, and associations. We intentionally do not represent the speakers we feature or book. That is so we can present our clients with the broadest and best performing set of speaker options in the market today, and we can make these recommendations without any obligation to promote a specific speaker over another. This is why when our agents suggest a speaker for your event, you can be assured that they are of the highest quality with a history of proven success with our other clients.
Pearl Cleage is a keynote speaker and industry expert who speaks on a wide range of topics including Black Heritage, Women and Diversity & Inclusion. The estimated speaking fee range to book Pearl Cleage for virtual events is Below $10,000. Please contact us for live event fees. Pearl Cleage can be booked for (private) corporate events, personal appearances, keynote speeches, or other performances. Similar motivational celebrity speakers are Judge Glenda Hatchett, Donna Brazile and Mariane Pearl. Contact All American Speakers for ratings, reviews, videos and information on scheduling Pearl Cleage for an upcoming event.
SPEAKING TOPICS
Pearl Cleage Speaking Topics
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Things I Should Have Told My Daughter: The Power of Memoir
A firm believer that “the personal life deeply lived always expands into truths beyond itself,” Cleage’s 2014 memoir, Things I Should Have Told My Daughter: Lies Lessons and Love Affairs, revisits her journals from the 1970’s and 1980’s as a way of passing on the lessons she learned on her journey from naïve wife and young mother to full time professional writer and freewoman. Frank and funny, it’s an invitation to cross generational dialogue.
-
Voting for the Girl: Citizenship as a Women’s Issue
Examining the dangers of voting based solely on race or gender identification, Cleage suggests that for the American democracy to continue to thrive, women must not be confined to a set of issues determined by their biology or excluded from the wider debate that often informs those issues.
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In Search of August Wilson: American Theatre & the Challenge of Diversity
As a widely produced playwright, Cleage examines the unspoken cultural assumptions that continue to shape the choices made by producers and artistic directors as they go in search of “cultural diversity,” and explains why those choices stifle the growth of the American theatre.
-
We Speak Your Names: A Celebration
An unexpected commissioning from Oprah Winfrey found Cleage writing the poem that defined Winfrey’s 2005 Legends Weekend honoring African American women. She shares the process that produced the piece and her memories of that extraordinary weekend, taking listeners behind the scenes of the poem that became the centerpiece of the event.
-
Everything But the Money: Lessons for Free Women
Cleage examines her own life and determines that she’s done “everything right but the money.” Equal parts affirmation of her own life choices and cautionary tale for independent women, it is a frank and funny examination of the joys and challenges facing American female baby boomers.
VIDEO
Pearl Cleage Videos
BOOKS
FAQS
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How do I book Pearl Cleage to speak at my event?
Our experienced booking agents have successfully helped clients around the world secure speakers like Pearl Cleage for speaking engagements, personal appearances, product endorsements, or corporate entertainment since 2002. Click the Check Schedule button above and complete the form on this page to check availability for Pearl Cleage, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536 to discuss your upcoming event. One of our experienced agents will be happy to help you get speaking fee information and check availability for Pearl Cleage or any other speaker of your choice. -
How much does it cost to book Pearl Cleage for a speaking engagement?
Speaking fees for Pearl Cleage, or any other speakers and celebrities, are determined based on a number of factors and may change without notice. The estimated fee for a virtual event is Below $10,000. For the most current speaking fee to hire Pearl Cleage, click the Check Schedule button above and complete the form on this page, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536 to speak directly with an experienced booking agent. -
What topics does Pearl Cleage speak about?
Pearl Cleage is a keynote speaker and industry expert who speaks on a wide range of topics such as Black Heritage, Women, Diversity & Inclusion, Authors, Performing Arts, Social Activism, Music, College, Political, World Affairs, Inspirational, Government, Journalism, Literary, Poetry, Leadership and Culture. -
Who is the agent for Pearl Cleage?
AAE Speakers Bureau has successfully secured keynote speakers like Pearl Cleage for clients worldwide since 2002. As a full-service speaker booking agency, we have access to virtually any speaker or celebrity in the world. Our agents are happy and able to submit an offer to the speaker or celebrity of your choice, letting you benefit from our reputation and long-standing relationships in the industry. Please click the Check Schedule button above and complete the form on this page including the details of your event, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536, and one of our agents will assist you to book Pearl Cleage for your next private or corporate function. -
What is a full-service speaker booking agency?
AAE Speakers Bureau is a full-service speaker booking agency, meaning we can completely manage the speaker’s or celebrity’s engagement with your organization from the time of booking your speaker through the event’s completion. We provide all of the services you need to host Pearl Cleage or any other speaker of your choice, including offer negotiation, contractual assistance, accounting and billing, and event speaker travel and logistics services. When you book a speaker with us, we manage the process of hosting a speaker for you as an extension of your team. Our goal is to give our clients peace of mind and a best-in-class service experience when booking a speaker with us. -
Why is AAE Speakers Bureau different from other booking agencies?
If you’re looking for the best speaker recommendations, paired with a top-notch customer service experience, you’re in the right place. At AAE Speakers Bureau, we exclusively represent the interests of our clients - professional organizations, companies, universities, and associations. We intentionally do not represent the speakers we feature or book. That is so we can present our clients with the broadest and best performing set of speaker options in the market today, and we can make these recommendations without any obligation to promote a specific speaker over another. This is why when our agents suggest a speaker for your event, you can be assured that they are of the highest quality with a history of proven success with our other clients.
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