9th Annual Master Playwright Festival Set For 1/22-2/8

At a media conference this morning, the Manitoba Theatre Centre and 11 partners from the arts community launched the 9th annual Master Playwright Festival. Theatre-goers will have the opportunity to experience the unforgettable plays and films of American playwright Arthur Miller from January 22 to February 8.

MillerFest features many of Arthur Miller's classic works, including Death of a Salesman, An Enemy of the People, The Price, A View from the Bridge and The Crucible, which will also be shown as a film at The Cinematheque. Resurrection Blues, a comedic and tragic satire of precarious morals in our media-saturated age, is one of three fundraising readings for The Actors' Fund of Canada. Playing for Time, originally written as a television screenplay, will be presented as a staged radio play featuring live music. The festival will also feature a free Miller Unbound Lecture and Film Series, free kick-off and closing events and the chance to play Miller Pursuit, a Miller trivia contest that will reward lucky festival-goers with great prizes.

An influential and prolific writer, Arthur Miller was a novelist, playwright and screenwriter who enjoyed a long and successful career until his death in 2005. In addition to numerous stage plays, Miller has written screenplays for films such as The Misfits and The Crucible, and the novel Focus.

For only $69, MillerPasses give festival-goers the complete festival experience! A pass allows one admission to each MillerFest production, at a savings of up to $112. To buy a MillerPass, please call the MTC Box Office at 942-6537. Individual tickets can be purchased from participating companies. Free MillerFest programs are available at the MTC Box Office, Winnipeg Public Libraries and McNally Robinson Booksellers.

For details on festival productions, free events and the Miller Pursuit contest, visit www.masterplaywrightfest.com.

On behalf of the participating companies, we thank Festival Sponsor Manitoba Blue Cross, as well as Canadian Heritage, Winnipeg Free Press, The Fairmont Winnipeg, Industry Images, Uptown and King's Head Pub for their support of MillerFest.