Photo Flash: SOUL SAMURAI

Cooler than Kill Bill, hotter than Shaft! The OBIE Award-winning Ma-Yi Theater Company teams up with the NYIT Award-winning Vampire Cowboys for "SOUL SAMURAI" the story of Dewdrop and her fight through the mean streets of a post-apocalyptic Brooklyn. After avenging her lover's murder in the heart of Coney Island, Dewdrop now must make it back home to the Lower East Side before the shoguns of Kings County find her. In a play that mixes hip-hop culture, blaxploitation, and the martial arts, this production dials it back old school with this seventies-inspired samurai story. This is one slick slice with a sharp sword and a score to settle! "SOUL SAMURAI" is being sponsored by the 2009 New York Comic Con. The five-member cast for "SOUL SAMURAI" will include: Sheldon Best (Boss 2K/Marcus), Jon Hoche (Grandmaster Mack/Pastor), Maureen Sebastian (Dewdrop), Bonnie Sherman (Sally December/Lady Snowflake), and Paco Tolson (Cert). The scenic and lighting design will be by Nick Francone, the costume design by Sarah Laux and Jessica Wegener, the puppet design by David Valentine, and the sound design by Sharath Patel. The production stage manager will be Lyndsey Goode.

The complete performance schedule for "SOUL SAMURAI" (February 14 thru March 15) will be: Wednesdays through Sundays at 8:30 p.m. There will be one additional evening performance on Tuesday, February 17 at 8:30 p.m.; and 4:00 p.m. matinees on Sundays, February 15 and 22, and Saturdays, February 28, March 7 and 14. Tickets will be $25.00. Students and seniors will be $20.00. To reserve tickets, please visit www.here.org or call 212-352-3101.

PHOTOS BY: JIM BALDASSARE