Beck Center Presents David Mamet’s RACE, 10/21-11/12

Beck Center for the Arts presents the regional premiere of David Mamet's Race in the Studio Theater, October 21 through November 20, 2011. Show times are 8:00 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays and 3:00 p.m. Sundays. There is no performance on Saturday, November 12.

This riveting new drama by Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award-winning playwright David Mamet tells the story of three attorneys, two black and one white, who must defend a wealthy, white executive charged with raping a black woman. The Associated Press said "the questions Race poses and the answers its characters supply add up to an intriguing study of perception - from both black and white viewpoints. Which means there are no neat, easy conclusions to be drawn...not only on race but on the divide between men and women as well."

The talented cast includes Equity actors Justin Emeka and Tom Woodward as Henry Brown and Jack Lawson, the black and white legal team forced to represent the indignant defendant, Charles Strickland portrayed by Brian Pedaci, with Aungelique Scott as the inexperienced young legal assistant, Susan, in Mamet's controversial new work.

"I am thrilled to direct another provocative play in Beck's Studio Theater." says Director Sarah May who returns to the Beck Center after directing last season's highly acclaimed production of Wings. "I know I've done my job well as a director when the audience leaves the theater deep in discussion about the show they've just seen," remarked May. "David Mamet's newest play is fast, funny and smart. It challenges all our thoughts about how far we've come on the topic of race. This is a play folks will be talking about long after curtain call."

To facilitate this post-show discussion, the Beck Center will host two talk-back sessions following the performances on Friday, October 28 and Sunday, November 6. The audience is invited to join the director, cast members and area experts to discuss the thought-provoking issues raised by Race. The October 28 session, moderated by Cool Cleveland's Thomas Mulready, will feature a panel including former Cuyahoga County Commissioner, attorney and actor Peter Lawson Jones, and Cool Cleveland columnist and Executive Director at Neighborhood Solutions, Mansfield Frazier. Ideastream producer and announcer, Dee Perry of Cleveland's NPR station, WCPN 90.3FM, will moderate the November 6 talk-back with a panel soon to be announced.

Tickets are $28 for adults, $25 for seniors (65 and older) and $17 for students (with valid ID). An additional $3 service fee per ticket is applied at the time of purchase. Preview night on Thursday, October 20, is $10 with general admission seating. Seating is limited in the Studio Theater and Preview Night is expected to sell out. Group discounts are available for parties of 13 or more.

For tickets, call the Beck Center box office at 216.521.2540, ext. 10, or purchase seats online at www.beckcenter.org. Beck Center is located at 17801 Detroit Avenue in Lakewood, just ten minutes west of downtown Cleveland. Free onsite parking is available.

Beck Center's production of RACE is presented by special arrangement with Samuel French Inc. and is sponsored by Cox Communications, Ohio Arts Council and Cuyahoga Arts and Culture.

Beck Center for the Arts is a not-for-profit 501(c)3 organization that offers professional Theater Productions, arts education programming in dance, music, theater, visual arts, early childhood, and creative arts therapies for special needs students, and gallery exhibits featuring regional artists.

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