Photo Flash: First Look at Theodara Skipitares' Musical Puppet Theatre PROMETHIUS WITHIN

Playwright/director Theodora Skipitares uses 25 larger than life puppets to reveal, celebrate, and explore the theatrical, philosophical, and moral relationship between the exiled Greek god Prometheus and the future implications of stem cell research in her musical puppet theater work, "PROMETHEUS Within." With an original score by Sxip Shirey, sung by members of Trevor Wilson and Vocal Ensemble, "PROMETHEUS Within" is premiering as part of La Mama's 50th anniversary celebration, April 13-29.

Theodora Skipitares has been creating large-scale theatre works with puppets for more than 25 years, making her La MaMa debut with "Underground" in 1992. Ms. Skipitares recently presented "Trilogy" about which The New York Times wrote: "With abundant ingenuity, Theodora Skipitares makes the Trojan War, a central saga of Greek tragedy, a puppet spectacular." Other credits include "The Age of Invention", "Defenders of The Code," "Under the Knife," and "A Harlots Progress." Her works have been produced throughout the U.S., Europe and Asia. She has received numerous grants and awards, including Guggenheim and Rockefeller Fellowships, six NEA grants, and a UNIMA Citation for Excellence in Puppetry. In 2005, Ms. Skipitares' adaptation of Euripides' "Iphigenia" won two New York Innovative Theatre Awards. In 2000, she received the American Theatre Wing Design Award for "A Harlot's Progress" and in 2004, she won the Helen Merrill Distinguished Playwriting Award. In 2000, Ms. Skipitares was a Fulbright Fellow in India, where she returns frequently to create new theater work.

Performance times: April 13-29: Fri. 13 at 7:30, Sat. 14 at 7:30, Sun. 15 at 2:30. Thu. 19 at 7:30, Fri. 20 at 7:30, Sat. 21 at 7:30, Sun. 22 at 2:30 Thu. 26 at 7:30, Fri. 27 at 7:30, Sat. 28 at 7:30, Sun. 29 at 2:30 Tickets are $18 for Adults and $13 for Students/Seniors and are available at www.lamama.org or by calling 212-475-7710. The Ellen Stewart Theater at La MaMa is located at 66 East 4th Street, New York, NY.

Photo Credit: Richard Termine.