Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park to Stage SEVEN SPOTS ON THE SUN, 9/28-10/27

The Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park continues its long tradition of introducing new plays to Tristate audiences with its 68th world premiere production, SEVEN SPOTS ON THE SUN, Sept. 28 through Oct. 27. Martín Zimmerman's fable of revenge and redemption is the first of three premieres in the Thompson Shelterhouse schedule this season.

SEVEN SPOTS ON THE SUN is a spellbinding look at how people mourn and manage loss in the face of unspeakable violence. Zimmerman's play is simultaneously intimate and epic, both true to life and larger than life in its scope. The reality of civil war - set in an unnamed Latin American country but universal to any community where neighbors have become enemies - is coupled with a sense of magical realism that gives the play a parable-like quality. A subject that could be merely harrowing is instead told with enormous hope for what's possible when people put aside their differences and come together to create a shared future while honoring a troubled past.

In the small town of San Isidro, life has a clear division: before the war and after the war. Years of battle have worn down the town's citizens, especially its doctor, Moisés, who has suffered a brutal loss. In nearby Ojona, Luis and M?ónica, once happy newlyweds, also find their world forever altered by the cruelties of a war that pardons no one. When peace comes it is short-lived, threatened by a mysterious plague with no cure in sight. Moisés, who discovers that he possesses a miraculous capacity for healing, ultimately faces a choice between a path of compassion or one of retribution.

The universal nature of the conflicts faced by each of the characters in SEVEN SPOTS ON THE SUN is heightened by the unique use of the story's ensemble. The actors playing the town's other citizens also serve as a type of Greek chorus who help to propel the story forward and connect it to the audience. SEVEN SPOTS ON THE SUN contains strong language and content and is appropriate for adults and older teenage audiences only.

Zimmerman is a multiethnic, bilingual playwright whose work often marries a connection between personal choices and relationships and larger social forces. SEVEN SPOTS ON THE SUN has been developed over several years and already has earned numerous accolades, winning the Sky Cooper New American Play Prize at Marin Theatre Company and a McKnight Advancement Grant at the Playwrights' Center.

SEVEN SPOTS ON THE SUN came to the attention of Playhouse Artistic Director Blake Robison through new Associate Artist KJ Sanchez, and it is the first full-scale production she'll direct here at The Playhouse.

"I'm thrilled for Martín, and I'm excited to be part of this very special production," Sanchez said. "Martín is one of the hottest young playwrights around. There's much buzz about him at theatres around the country, and the fact that we get to do this play first - a play that I think will have a long life in many theatres - is very exciting. I'm so grateful for the opportunity."

Sanchez will lead a cast of Latino actors, all of whom are making their Playhouse debuts with SEVEN SPOTS ON THE SUN. The cast features Sean Carvajal as The Town, Ana Grosse as Belén, Zuleyma Guevara as The Town, Gabi Mayorga as Mónica, Luis Moreno as Eugenio, Jamie Rezanour as The Town, Gerardo Rodriguez as Moisés and Arturo Soria as Luis.

The design team includes Wilson Chin (set designer), Niki Hernandez-Adams (costume designer), Robert J. Aguilar (lighting designer) and Zach Williamson (sound designer), with original music by Marcus Milius and Zach Williamson. Denise Cardarelli is the stage manager.

SEVEN SPOTS ON THE SUN is sponsored by Digi and Mike Schueler. Prices range from $30 to $75, depending on seat location. Prices are subject to change, and patrons are encouraged to buy early for the best seats at the best prices. Teen and student tickets are $25 each. Previews are at 8 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 28; 7 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 29; 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 1; and 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 2. The official opening night is Thursday, Oct. 3, at 8 p.m.

Performances take place at 7:30 p.m. Tuesdays and Wednesdays, 8 p.m. Thursdays and Fridays, 4 p.m. and 8 p.m. Saturdays, and 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. Sundays.

Special performances include free Meet the Artists programs that allow audiences to interact with cast members and others associated with the production after the show. Meet the Artists performances are at 2 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 6; 2 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 13; 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 16; and 8 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 24. The Playhouse is fully accessible. Audio enhancement receivers, large print programs and complete wheelchair access are available.

Tickets to SEVEN SPOTS ON THE SUN are on sale now. For more information, call The Playhouse Box Office at 513-421-3888 (toll-free in Ohio, Kentucky and Indiana at 800-582-3208) or visit www.cincyplay.com. Call 513-345-2248 for Telecommunications Device for the Deaf accessibility.

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