In The Blood Comes To Ira Brind School of Theater Arts 9/1-11

In The Blood, Suzan-Lori Parks harrowing drama about homelessness and hypocrisy, will be presented by the Ira Brind School of Theater Arts at the University of the Arts as part of the Philadelphia Live Arts Festival and Philly Fringe. Performances run September 1 - 4 and 8 - 11 in the Caplan Studio Theater, located on the 16th floor at 211 S. Broad St., Philadelphia.

Hailed by The New York Times as an "extraordinary new play" and nominated for the 2000 Pulitzer Prize, In The Blood is a modern-day riff on Hawthorne's The Scarlet Letter that tells the story of Hester, a homeless mother of five, and her struggle to survive amidst illiteracy, poverty, prostitution, corruption and degrading social circumstances. Determined and passionate, Hester reaches out for aid, only to find herself exploited by the hypocrites who ought to be her helpers. Unexpected flashes of tenderness, lyricism and wit illuminate this dark and disturbing drama by one of America's leading contemporary playwrights.

In The Blood is directed by William Buddendorf, a UArts alumnus and faculty member and a Philadelphia native. Buddendorf also directed the acclaimed production of Michael John LaChiusa's See What I Wanna See presented by the Brind School in the Philly Fringe two years ago.

The cast of six are all students in the Brind School's BFA conservatory programs in Acting and Musical Theater, with the leading role of Hester performed by Curtisha Starks, a third-year Acting major from Dallas, Texas. Scenic design, lighting design, costume design, dramaturgy and stage management are provided by Brind School students.

Performance Schedule
Thu, Sept. 1 at 8 p.m.
Fri, Sept. 2 at 8 p.m.
Sat, Sept. 3 at 2p.m.
Sat, Sept. 3 at 8 p.m.
Sun, Sept. 4 at 2 p.m.
Thu, Sept. 8 at 8 p.m.
Fri, Sept. 9 at 8 p.m.
Sat, Sept. 10 at 2 p.m.
Sat, Sept. 10 at 8 p.m.
Sun, Sept. 11 at 2 p.m.
Sun, Sept. 11 at 7 p.m.

The Ira Brind School of Theater Arts at the University of the Arts has been providing conservatory training to aspiring theater professionals for over 25 years. Its alumni can be found on Broadway, leading regional theaters, film and television.

About The University of the Arts
The University of the Arts is the nation's first and only university dedicated to the visual, performing and communication arts. Its 2,400 students are enrolled in undergraduate and graduate programs on its campus in the heart of Philadelphia's Avenue of the Arts. The institution's roots as a leader in educating creative individuals date back to 1868.

http://www.uarts.edu/academics/cpa/brindschool.html

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