'Conjur Woman' with Sheila Dabney Debuts at LaMaMa Jan.31

In honor of Black History Month, La MaMa ETC. is proud to present Beatrice Manley's Conjur Woman, a dramatic folk opera chillingly sung by Obie-Winner Sheila Dabney and directed by George Ferencz, a resident director at La MaMa. Original music for Conjur Woman is composed by La MaMa Founder and Artistic Director Ellen Stewart along with Sheila Dabney, Harry Mann, Jasper McGruder and Yukio Tsuji, and is played on a cornucopia of instruments including a harmonica, washboard, jug, acoustic guitar, bass and percussion. Performances take place January 31 to February 10, 2008 in a limited engagement at La MaMa's Annex Theater in NYC.

"In Conjur Woman, Beatrice Manley's deeply haunting and poetic one-woman folk opera, a conjur woman uses spells and potions to turn her lover into a tree so that he cannot be sold into slavery. Tragically, even the conjur woman's powers cannot stop the tree from being chopped down and made into logs. Conjur Woman is a compelling piece that moves in and out of memory, panic, agony and clarity, leaving us profoundly moved. The title Conjur Woman is an homage to Billie Holiday," explain press notes.

The design team includes Obie-Winner/La MaMa resident set designer Jun Maeda, who has created a unique bass instrument for the show, and light designer Jeff Tapper.

La MaMa e.t.c. is located at 74A East 4th Street between 2nd Avenue & Bowery in NYC. Performances run Thursdays-Saturdays at 7:30pm and Sundays at 3pm and 7:30pm. Tickets are $25 for adults and $20 for seniors and students and can be purchased by calling 212-475-7710 Group sales: 212-254-6468 or visiting www.lamama.org.

Photo of Sheila Dabney by Jerry Vezzuso