'Voices in Conflict' Receives Free Reading at Vineyard, 6/9

Art Meets Commerce and Vineyard Theatre are presenting a free reading of Voices in Conflict, a documentary-style new play about the war in Iraq, written by advanced theatre students of Wilton High School, for one performance only, Saturday, June 9 at 5pm at Vineyard Theatre (108 East 15th Street). Wilton High School drama teacher Bonnie Dickinson directs.

Voices in Conflict made headlines in March of 2007, including a feature in The New York Times, when the school's principal canceled the production, deeming the material too controversial. The show has since garnered international attention and support from the theater community, and the June 9 production will be the first-ever New York reading of the show. The production follows the first public performances of the play, June 6 and 8 at Connecticut's Fairfield Community Theatre, and the show will subsequently run in New York at The Culture Project (55 Mercer Street) on June 10 and The Public Theater (425 Lafayette Street) on June 15.

Press releases state, "Created by Ms. Dickinson's class of advanced theater students at Wilton High School in Wilton, Connecticut, Voices in Conflict is based on the actual words of American soldiers serving in Iraq and Iraqi civilians, as they have appeared in blogs, books, documentaries, interviews and letters. As the concerns, anguish, pride and perception of these soldiers are articulated, Voices in Conflict explores the human dimension of war."

The student creators and company of Voices in Conflict are Sarah Anderson, Nick Basile, Erin Clancy, Afton Fleming, Devon Fontaine,
Seth Koproski, Chris Kozlowski, Natalie Kropf, Nick Lanza, Cameron Scott Nadler, Jimmy Presson, Allie Rizzo, Tara Ross, Dagan Rossini, Taylor Telyan, and Mike Ward. The play and the students were recently honored with the Music Theatre International Courage in Theater Award, the first such award in the 54-year history of Music Theater International.

Voices in Conflict runs Saturday, June 9 at 5:00PM at Vineyard Theatre (108 East 15th Street). All tickets are free at The Vineyard. Space is extremely limited. Tickets will be distributed on a first-come/first-serve basis at The Vineyard box office (108 East 15th Street), beginning one hour prior to show time. For additional information about The Vineyard Theatre's presentation of  Voices in Conflict, call 212-353-3366, extension 237, or visit www.vineyardtheatre.org. For information, visit www.voicesinconflict.com.