YELLOWMAN, Readings, Film Festival Event & More Set for Performance Network This Month

Though it is the shortest month of the year, it is a busy one at Performance Network. For starters, the second slot in the 2014­2015 season, the powerful yet heartwarming "Yellowman," will close February 15 after rave reviews from critics and patrons alike. On February 17, the free class demonstration that was originally scheduled for February 2, will take place at 7:30pm. The Wednesday Night Concert Series, now known as the Open Table Series, will have two readings on February 11 and 25, and then on February 18, the Arts Alliance will present a Creative Connections event at the Network from 5pm to 7pm featuring the Ann Arbor Film Festival.

For more information on the productions and events at the Network or to donate, go to www.pntheatre.org, or call the box office at 734­663­0681.

After several rave reviews and countless patron praises, "Yellowman," by Dael Orlandersmith and directed by Lynch Travis, will close its run on February 15. Co­produced by Detroit sports and entertainment executive, Tom Wilson, and a 2002 Pulitzer Prize finalist, "Yellowman" is a two­person multi­character drama about an African­American woman who dreams of life beyond the confines of her small town South Carolina upbringing and the light­skinned African­American man whose fate is tragically intertwined with hers. Starring Casaundra Freeman as Alma and Jonathan West as Eugene, the pair grow from childhood friends to blossoming lovers surrounded by a backdrop of racial and family tension that threatens to destroy their lives. Tickets are still available and may be purchased online at www.pntheatre.org or by calling the box office at 734­663­0681.

Due to inclement weather in Ann Arbor, the free class demonstration that was to be held on February 2 was rescheduled to February 17 at 7:30pm. The demo will allow potential students to meet the instructors and get a tastes of what the spring term classes will be like. Classes begin the week of March 2 and run for eight weeks. More information can be found online at www.pntheatre.org/classes or by calling the box office at 734­663­0681.

As things are ever evolving at the Network, programs get evaluated and changed based on their value and the Network's mission to keep art alive. One such program is the Wednesday Night Concert Series. What started out as an opportunity for patrons to hear concert readings of favorite plays and newer works has evolved into a series where scripts of all kinds, whether classic or new, can be presented and read in an intimate setting and where feedback from the audience can be used as a launching point to further the work. On February 11, there will be a reading of "Gidion's Knot" by Johnna Adams, and on the 25th, it will be "The Most Dangerous Highway In The World" by Kevin Artigue. Each reading is free to the public and there will be a talkback after each performance. March and April dates have been announced and include new works by local playwrights Annie Martin and award­winner Joseph Zettelmaier. More information can be found online at www.pntheatre.org/open­table­series or by calling the box office at 734­663­0681.

The Network will host the next Arts Alliance Creative Connections event with the Ann Arbor Film Festival on February 18 from 5pm to 7pm. AAFF will lead attendees in a discussion and screening of a few independent and experimental films in preparation for the film festival running March 24­29 this year. Catch up with old friends and meet new members of the creative sector in Washtenaw County. Light refreshments will be provided by People's Food Co­op. This event is free to attend, but registration is required through the Arts Alliance at https://creativeconnectionsaaff.eventbrite.com.

For information on productions and events at the Network or to donate, go to www.pntheatre.org or call the box office at 734­663­0681. Performance Network Theatre is located at 120 E. Huron St, Ann Arbor, MI, 48104.

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