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2004-05 Season All photos by Sara Stewart (except Gerre Garrett) THE MEMORY OF WATER by Shelagh Stephenson; directed by Karen O’Hanlon Three sisters joke, bicker and reveal shocking family secrets while sifting through the belongings of their recently deceased mother. This British comedy is a tender yet wickedly funny exploration of the relationships that have molded these women since childhood. With their mother’s ghost (somewhat) at rest, will these fluid memories continue to shape their destinies, or can they now alter the flow? October 1, 2, 3, 8, 9, 10, 15, 16
THE DEATH OF THE BLACK JESUS Philadelphia Premiere by David Barr; directed by Robert Anu No, this isn’t Spike Lee’s answer to Mel Gibson’s The Passion of the Christ. It IS a clever satirical commentary on the state of contemporary African American politics and mainstream culture. When three members of a radical Black Panther-style group make a controversial appearance on a cable talk show, the ratings-seeking host attempts to exploit the naïve trio’s conflicting agendas and colliding ideologies. As personal differences and motives are revealed, fights break out, old scores are settled and painful truths are laid bare. November 19, 20, 21, 26, 27, 28, December 3, 4
THE CAVE DWELLERS Pulitzer Prize Winning Playwright by William Saroyan; directed by Mike Lucek A crumbling theater slated for demolition provides temporary shelter to an eclectic group of poverty-stricken performers (including a bear) seeking refuge from the bitter cold. The poetry of their hope creates a warm bond among these strangers as they negotiate an indifferent world with dignity and grace. In this bittersweet, heartwarming fable, survival has nothing to do with avoiding the wrecking ball. January 21, 22, 23, 28, 29, 30, February 4, 5
SUBURBIA by Eric Bogosian; directed by Andrew Merkel High school friends linger long after graduation in their suffocating suburban convenience store parking lot, monotonously drinking beer and drowning dreams. When their friend returns, now a famous rock star, years of seething angst combined with mindless partying escalates into a life-changing night of terror. Written in the 1980s, this dramatic portrayal of the disenfranchisement of America’s youth screams even louder today. March 4, 5, 6, 11, 12, 13, 18, 19
Philadelphia Premiere Starring Gerre Garrett by Claudia Shear; directed by Jane Marie Glodek In this autobiographical one-woman show peppered with funny and insightful stories, the author recalls her life as a gypsy employee, working 64 different jobs from a nude model to a receptionist in a whorehouse. In this comedic, “…touching striptease of the soul,” (Frank Rich, NY Times), she struggles to remember that who she is doesn’t depend on what she does. April 22, 23, 24, 29, 30, May 1, 6, 7 |
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Allens Lane Art Center
Allens Lane & McCallum St ~ Philadelphia, PA 19119
p: 215.248.0546 ~ f: 215.248.0559