David McGinnis Directs THE SHADOW BOX To Open 2012-13 ACT 1 Season

David McGinnis makes his ACT 1 directorial debut with the upcoming production of Michael Cristofer's Pultizer Prize-winning play The Shadow Box, running October 12-27 at Nashville's Darkhorse Theater.

McGinnis has worked with many Nashville-area theater companies in addition to ACT 1, including Street Theatre Company, Circle Players, Actors Bridge and Murfreesboro's Out Front on Main. He returns to ACT 1 "with a dynamic play" and with "a stellar cast of new actors, as well as some of ACT 1's favorites."

Starring in The Shadow Box are Christi Dortch (who was last onstage for ACT 1 in Company, directed by BroadwayWorld.com's Jeffrey Ellis), Macon Kimbrough, Benjamin Papa, Pat Rulon (last seen as Maria Callas in Master Class last season), Matthew Smith, Wes Richardson, Joyce Jeffries, Memory Strong (Dr. Horrible's Sing-along Blog) and Jennifer Bennett (one of the stars of last season's The Memorandum).

Before each performance, Local singer/songwriter Heidi Burson will perform live acoustical music from her latest CD.

From a press release comes this synopsis of The Shadow Box: On the grounds of a large hospital, three patients, Joe, Brian, and Felicity are sharing vacation cabins with their respective families. As they have reached the end of their treatments, they have agreed to be part of a psychological study living within the hospital grounds and having interviews with a psychiatrist. In this classic modern play, the characters come to terms with their situations. As the audience, we witness hard conversations, emotional fractures, and experience moments of sincere humor. No one will live forever, and the play challenges us to face that reality. In the end, the play inspires us to embrace the opportunities that  exist in each precious 'moment' of life.

After being away from his loved ones for months, Joe (Matthew Smith) waits in his cabin for the arrival of Maggie and Steve (Jennifer Bennett and Wes Richardson). Brian (Macon Kimbrough) and his lover Mark (Benjamin Papa) receive an unexpected knock on their cabin door from Beverly (Christi Dortch) who is Brian's former wife. Agnes (Memory Strong) is taking care of her mother Felicity (Pat Rulon). Throughout the play, the psychiatrist (Joyce Jeffries) interviews each character.

The Shadow Box runs October 12-27, with performance days and times as follows: 7:30 p.m. on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays with matinees at 2:30 p.m. on Sundays. ACT 1 productions are performed at Darkhorse Theater, 4610 Charlotte Avenue. For ticket information, please visit the ACT 1 website at www.Act1online.com or go to www.TicketsNashville.com. All individual tickets are $12. When accompanied by a paying adult, secondary school students get in free on Thursdays and Sundays. The Shadow Box contains strong language and may not be appropriate for elementary age children.

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