Horse Trade Theater Group's THE FIRE THIS TIME FESTIVAL Closes 2/7

Amid the diffusion of the term "post black black," in American society and art, seven up-and-coming playwrights of African descent including Deborah Asiimwe, Radha Blank, Kelley Girod, Katori Hall, Derek Lee McPhatter, Germono Toussaint, and Pia Wilson have come together to answer these questions. The Fire This Time Festival showcases new short plays as a special Black History Month offering at the Horse Trade Theater. The Festival explores the diverse possibilities of contemporary American drama and challenging new directions for 21st century black theatre. The festival will play through February 7, 2010.

By the Banks of the Nile
By Deborah Asiimwe
Achiro and Adriko live by the banks of river Nile as husband and wife. The existence of their union is denied by the Church because they are not "properly" wed. Adriko must do anything to have a "proper" church wedding even if it means stealing mosquito nets intended for the community, to make a wedding dress for his wife.

Reverb
By Radha Blank
A daughter seeks redemption.... somewhere between a melody and her mothers fading memory.

Poetics of the Creative Process
By Kelley Girod
When a professor's beautiful young mentee mistakes a shadow of a tree limb for his arm reaching out to touch her, a dangerous game manipulating words and images is set in motion.

The Beyonce Effect
By Katori Hall
In opposite corners of the world, three brown women, one Indian, one Ghanaian, and one American struggle with their quest for lighter skin and European features in a world where "if you white you right and if you black, get back."

Citizen Jane
By Derek Lee McPhatter
Welcome to the Future. Welcome to the Super-Network. The Universe's most talented Archival-Architect brings our favorite super-hero, Citizen Jane, to vivid life tonight! Don't worry if she seems fed-up or tired of saving the world. She had better give us another Happy Ending or else!

The Anointed
By Germono Toussaint
An internationally known pastor is preparing to finally be truthful with the world about the life he has been hiding.

A Goddess Once
By Pia Wilson
Nadia thinks she's negotiating Cat's termination. Cat thinks they're negotiating an argument from many lifetimes ago -- an argument between a goddess and a woman over an ancient mariner.

Tickets ($15) are available by calling Smarttix at 212-868-4444 or online at www.horseTRADE.info

HORSE TRADE THEATER GROUP is a self-sustaining theater development group; with a focus on new work, it has produced a massive quantity of stimulating downtown theater. Horse Trade's Resident Artist Program offers a home to a select group of Independent Theater artists, pooling together a great deal of talent and energy. It is also the home of FRIGID New York - the first and only festival of its kind in New York City.

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