THE MAN IN ROOM 306 Talkback Held With Edwards, Katz, Faison 2/2

59E59 Theaters (Elysabeth Kleinhans, Artistic Director; Peter Tear, Executive Producer) welcomes Luna Stage (Montclair, NJ) to 59E59 Theaters with the New York City premiere of THE MAN IN ROOM 306, written by and starring Craig Alan Edwards and directed by Cheryl Katz. THE MAN IN ROOM 306 began on Friday, January 15 for a limited engagement through Sunday, February 14. The performance schedule is Tuesday - Wednesday at 7:15 PM, Thursday - Friday at 8:15 PM, Saturday at 2:15 PM and 8:15 PM; and Sunday at 3:15 PM. Tickets are $35 ($24.50 for 59E59 Members). Tickets are available by calling Ticket Central at 212-279-4200 or online at www.ticketcentral.com. For more information visit www.59E59.org.

Following the show on Tuesday, February 2, 2010, audience members will be invited to participate in a talkback about THE MAN IN ROOM 306 within the context of the life and legacy of Dr. King. Panelist include: writer/performer Craig Alan Edwards, director Cheryl Katz, actor Frankie Faison and publisher of the Amsterdam News Elinor Tatum.

Experience the private journey of a public man during an extraordinary time. THE MAN IN ROOM 306 is an intimate, human portrait Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. set in Memphis on April 3, 1968, the evening before his tragic assassination on the balcony of the Lorraine Motel. Dr. King struggles with himself, his future and the very soul of a non-violent movement shadowed by the rise of Black Power with stunning depth and complexity. Before this night is over, he will change...and so will the country.

THE MAN IN ROOM 306 has been called: "A stunning one-man tour de force. Mr. Edwards does not disappoint. The Man in Room 306 is a stirring work of theater." NY Times (Luna Stage). "Room 306" is clearly an act of love and a reminder of how much of Dr. King's business remains unfinished and movingly audacious. It's a pleasure to spend some time with him. NY Times (59E59); "Engaging and brilliant. The Man in Room 306 is truly a mesmerizing theatrical event." Amsterdam News; "The Man in Room 306 is gripping, thanks to Edwards' dynamic performance" NY Post.

THE MAN IN ROOM 306 stars Craig Alan Edwards as Dr. King. The design team includes Charlie Corcoran (sets), Jill Nagle (lighting) and Andy Cohen (sound). The Production Stage Manager is Paul Whelihan.

Craig Alan Edwards (actor/playwright) a native of Philadelphia and a graduate of Boston University. He is playwright and performer of The Man in Room 306, a fictional account of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.'s last night in Memphis, April 3, 1968 (Playhouse On The Square; Adirondack Theatre Festival; Watermark Theatre; Emerson Stage: Majestic Theatre; Luna Stage Company; university theatres). Regional credits: Merchant Of Venice; King Lear (with Earl Hyman); Taming Of The Shrew; Dinner With Friends; Fences; Les Blanc; A Taste of Honey; Much Ado About Nothing; Twelfth Night; Hamlet; Romeo & Juliet; Tracers; My Three Angels; The Arch Bishop's Ceiling; and others. New York theater: Waiting For My Man; Box; A Last Dance for Sybil (with Ruby Dee and Ossie Davis); Love's Labor's Lost; Oroonoko; workshop projects with New York Theatre Workshop. Television: FRINGE (Fox); Law & Order; Law & Order: SVU; Law & Order: Criminal Intent; Law & Order: Trial By Jury; All My Children; As the World Turns; Luther's Choice (TV Movie). Film: Sweet & Lowdown (dir Woody Allen); Lip Service (dir William H. Macy); The Opposite Sex; Jails, Hospitals & Hip-Hop.

Cheryl Katz (director/dramaturg) has been the director of play development for Luna Stage in Montclair, New Jersey for the past six seasons. She has developed and directed over thirty new plays in the New York area and has collaborated with Craig Alan Edwards as director and dramaturge of The Man in Room 306 since its inception. She has worked as a producer, administrator and special projects manager for LaMama E.T.C., Under One Roof, Electronic Arts Intermix, Arts International and The School of Hard Knocks, and has worked in script development for The Young Playwrights Festival, The O'Neill Theatre Conference and The Playwrights Theatre of New Jersey. She served for two years on the panel for The New Festival at Kean University and is a graduate of New York University's Tisch School of the Arts.

Frankie Faison started his acting career in 1974 in the New York Shakespeare Festival production of King Lear, with James Earl Jones in the title role. Faison's next role came in TV, in the small series Hot Hero Sandwich in 1979. Faison did make it to the big screen in 1980, when he appeared in Permanent Vacation as "Man in Lobby". A string of small roles followed, until 1986 when he played the part of Lt. Fisk in Manhunter. Also that year, he appeared in the Stephen King film Maximum Overdrive. In 1988, he starred alongside Eddie Murphy and James Earl Jones in Coming to America, when he played the landlord. In 1989, he had a minor role in the Spike Lee film Do the Right Thing. Another major role was Barney in the thriller The Silence of the Lambs. He would later reprise the role in both the sequel (Hannibal) and the prequel (Red Dragon), affording him the distinction of being the only actor apart from star Anthony Hopkins to appear in all three films in the trilogy. During the 1990-1991 season, he starred in the Fox situation comedy, True Colors, with Stephanie Faracy and Nancy Walker, about an interracial couple. He was replaced by Cleavon Little for the second season of the program. In 1991, Faison again appeared alongside Hopkins in the film Freejack, which also starred Mick Jagger and Maximum Overdrive co-star Emilio Estevez. In 1998, he was a regular on the science-fiction TV show Prey. Faison had a starring role as the Baltimore City Police Commissioner Ervin Burrell on the HBO drama The Wire. Faison is the only actor to appear in all of the first four Hannibal Lecter films. He played Lt. Fisk in Manhunter, and Barney in The Silence of the Lambs, Hannibal, and Red Dragon. Faison appeared in Tyler Perry's Meet The Browns, a movie about a single mom who takes her family to Georgia for the funeral of her father-a man she never met. There, her clan is introduced to the crass, fun-loving Brown family. Faison played the role oF Brown and Vera's brother, L.B. Brown. In 2009, he was also among the ensemble cast of John Krasinski's adaptation of Brief Interviews With Hideous Men playing the son of a toilet attendant who caustically recounts his father's experiences in one of the titular monologues.Faison played Richard Evans on One Life to Live, the father of established characters: Greg Evans, Shaun Evans and Destiny Evans. He started the role on September 10th of 2009.

Elinor Tatum is the Publisher and Editor in Chief of the New York Amsterdam News, the oldest and largest black newspaper in the City of New York, and one of the oldest ethnic papers in the Country. Ms. Tatum was appointed to her position by her father Wilbert Tatum in 1997, and became one of the youngest publishers in the history of the Afro-American Press. As editor and publisher Ms. Tatum oversees a staff of twenty-five full time employees. Under her watch, the newspaper was modernized, and changes have included: a new layout for the paper, and refocusing content to emphasize more current issues facing Harlem and the wider African American community in New York and the Nation. Under her leadership, The Amsterdam News has also gone online and is seen nationally as part of the Black Press USA Network. Elinor Tatum also produces and co-hosts a weekly segment of Al Sharpton's Weekly Radio Show "Keep'in It Real"-- inviting members of the Black Press to discuss national issues facing the African American community. She has guest hosted the WWRL Radio morning and afternoon drive programs. Ms. Tatum has appeared on The O'Reilly Factor, 20/20, New York 1, CUNY TV, The Today Show, and NBC Nightly News. Ms. Tatum born and raised in New York City. She studied Government at St. Lawrence University in Canton, New York where she graduated in 1993. She continued her education at Stockholm University in Stockholm, Sweden. While abroad, she studied International relations and the Swedish model of government. In 1994, Ms. Tatum returned to New York to join her father at the New York Amsterdam News. She accepted a position as Assistant to the Publisher, her work included reporting for the paper. While reporting, she filed stories on topics ranging from the Million Man March, to Boxing, to a student strike at the City University of New York. In 1996, Ms. Tatum was promoted to Associate Publisher and Chief Operating Officer of the newspaper. That fall, she entered New York University working toward her Master's Degree in Journalism and Mass Communication, while continuing to work full time at the Amsterdam News. In December 1997, she completed the course work for her Master's Degree and was promoted to Publisher and Editor-in-Chief. In addition to her career in journalism, Ms. Tatum is also an active member of the greater New York community. She is currently, a member of the Board of Trustees of her college alma mater, St. Lawrence University. In addition she sits on the Board of the New York Urban League, The Neighborhood Defender Service of Harlem,The Creative Vision Foundation , The Chinatown YMCA, and until recently served on the Board of Inner City Broadcasting, The South Street Seaport Museumand The New York Press Association . She is also the former Secretary of the National Newspaper Publishers Association. She also sits on Community Board 3 in Manhattan. Ms. Tatum has been received numerous honors for her work including: inclusion in Who's Who of American Women (the Millennium Edition and subsequent editions), a Doctor Of Humane Letters Honorus Causae from Metropolitan College (New York City), Manhattan Borough Presidents' Women's History Month Award, Public Advocates Award, Women Who Make A Difference, Outstanding Business Empowerment from the New York Chapter of Black Business and Professional Women, Award, Standing On their Shoulders Award from the National Action Network, and the Good Scout Award.

For more information please visit: www.TheManinRoom306.com

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