Public to Present 'In Darfur;' Farrow Set for Talkback

The Public Theater will produce a developmental production of Winter Miller's In Darfur, described as "a powerful and timely work that explores the current humanitarian crisis in Darfur, Sudan." 

This developmental production will enable The Public to respond quickly and draw public attention to the urgent situation in Darfur.  It will also provide creative support to the playwright by giving her the opportunity to collaborate with a director, actors, and a design team in further development of the play. A work-in-progress, In Darfur will not be open to reviews.  Tickets will cost $15, to increase public accessibility. Twenty percent of the price of every $15 ticket will be donated to organizations working on behalf of Darfur.

"In Darfur is the provocative account of three intertwined lives at a camp for internally displaced persons in Darfur. The story follows an aid worker's mission to save and protect lives, a journalist's pursuit to deliver a "Page One" story and a Darfuri woman's quest for safety. It is a searing story of urgency and international significance," state press materials.

With this production, The Public will bring audiences and artists together to raise awareness of the situation in Darfur and encourage activism.  To further this mission, The Public will curate "Conversations on Darfur," a series of post-show discussions with aid workers, activists, and journalists including Ann Curry, Mia Farrow, and others.  This program that will offer audiences an opportunity to learn more about the situation in Darfur and the extraordinary work being done by individuals and organizations to end the genocide.  Additionally, The Public will partner with The Save Darfur Coalition and the The Genocide Intervention Network (GI-Net) to create opportunities in the theater lobby for audience members to take immediate action on behalf of Darfur after seeing the play. 

Artistic Director Oskar Eustis said "Winter's play is an urgent and passionate response to a crisis that is unfolding at this moment.  This young artist has written a public play in all senses of the word; The Public is here for just such work."

In Darfur was featured this past fall in New Work Now!, The Public's nationally recognized festival of free play readings that showcases a new generation of playwrights.  

Miller is a research assistant for New York Times Columnist Nicholas D. Kristof.  She won the Guthrie Theater and PlayLabs "Two Headed Challenge" with her proposal to write a play about Darfur with  Kristof as her advisor.  Miller accompanied Kristof and an NBC News crew with Ann Curry to Darfur in March 2006. In the desert, in villages and refugee camps, she heard the stories that would become a part of Untitled Darfur Play.  Her other plays include: Untitled Darfur Play (commissioned by the Guthrie, Geva Hibernatus Oct., 2006, The Public Theater's New Work Now!, Nov., 2006); The Penetration Play (produced by 13Playwrights (13P)); Cake and Ice Cream; Greetings from Vietnam, Wish You Were Here; and a series of short plays, among which are Darfur, Sudan, and Partylines (Ignite Festival, Synapse Productions, Oct., 2006).  She is developing the musical Something's Wrong with Amandine (Theatreworks, 2006).  

Director Joanna Settle began work on Winter Miller's In Darfur at The Playwright Center's Playlabs Festival in Minneapolis and continued at Geva Theaters Hibernatus Interruptus festival, The Public Theater's New Works Now! series, and 3 days of readings on the Guthrie Theater's Thrust stage.   She most recently directed Heather Raffo's Nine Parts of Desire at Manhattan Ensemble Theater, and restaged the production for the Geffen Playhouse, Berkeley Repertory Theatre, Seattle Repertory Theatre and D.C.'s Arena Stage. Settle served as artistic director of Division 13 Productions 1997 - 2005.   

In Darfur will play Tuesday through Friday at 8:00PM, Saturday at 2:00PM and 8:00PM, and Sunday at 3:00PM and 7:00PM. On Thursday, April 26th, there will be a benefit performance at 8:00PM followed by a post-show discussion with Mia Farrow and other special guests.  Tickets will cost $15, to increase public accessibility. Twenty percent of the price of every $15 ticket will be donated to organizations working on behalf of Darfur.  For the benefit performance only, tickets are $50. All tickets are available at The Public Theater box office, 425 Lafayette Street; on-line at www.publictheater.org or by phone at 212-967-7555.   

Photo of Mia Farrow by Craig Brockman