FIRST LIGHT: A Festival of New Short Plays

               Presented by CIRCLE EAST THEATRE CO.
                        www.circleeast.com
                         June 12-29, 2003

                             Chashama
      135 West 42nd Street (between Broadway & Sixth Avenue)
                         www.chashama.org

Program A (Wed-Sat 7 PM, Sun 3 PM)
MERMAIDS ON THE HUDSON by Anastasia Traina
     Directed by Mary F. Monroe with Dyanne Court & Edmund Wilkinson
THIS WILL BE THE DEATH OF HIM by David DeWitt
     Directed by Vernice Miller with Timothy Devlin, Richard Hoehler & Eddie Marrero
THE LONGSHOT by Richard Cottrell
     Directed by Elaine Molinaro with Andrew Finney & Jim Ireland
YOUR CALL IS IMPORTANT by Craig Lucas
     Directed by Marie-Louise Miller with Anne-Marie Cusson
LILY OF THE VALLEY by Lisa L. Humbertson
     Directed by Erma Duricko with Judith Hiller & Janice O'Dell

Program B (Wed-Sat 9 PM, Sun 5 PM)
CLIMATE by Joe Pintauro
     Directed by Jude Schanzer with Jimmy Georgiades, Donna LaStella & Jo Twiss
SOOO SAD by Ty Adams
     Directed by Barbara Bosch with Nancy Ann Chatty & Susanna Frazer
LOVE by Betty Shamieh
     Directed by Janice Goldberg with Piter Fattouche
INFORMED CONSENT by Paul Knox
     Directed by Keith Greer with Novel Idea & Andrienne Williams
VERT-GALANT by Jon Fraser
     Directed by Jon Fraser with Todd Christian Hunter, Piter Fattouche & James Ryan Caldwell
THE FUQUA, SLONE, REISENGLASS APPRAISAL by Lawrence Harvey Schulman
     Directed by Guy Giarrizzo with Duane Noch & Joel Rooks

In FIRST LIGHT: A Festival of New Short Plays works by Craig Lucas ("Your Call Is
Important"), Joe Pintauro ("Climate"), Betty Shamieh ("Love"), and eight other 
established or emerging playwrights are featured.  After viewing Program A of this 
series, I would say that your chances of finding at least one play that speaks to 
you are better than average.  From a wistful meeting of tortured souls ("Mermaids On 
The Hudson") and the death of a loved one ("Your Call Is Important," "This Will 
Be The Death Of Him") to memories revisited ("Lily Of The  Valley") and frenzied 
friendships challenged by money ("The Long Shot"), creativity and expression are 
given free rein.  The result is emotional impact enhanced by some fine performances.   
First Light is an excellent opportunity to sample a variety of some of today's and 
tomorrow's talented playwrights, directors, and actors.

                         - Laurie Lawson -

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