Phoenix Theatre Ensemble Presents MARY OF MAGDALA Staged Reading 4/12

Phoenix Theatre Ensemble, a resident theatre ensemble now in its 6th season, announces that Armando Nascimento Rosa's "Mary of Magdala, a Gnositic Fable," will receive a staged reading on Monday, April 12 at 8:00 pm at The Wild Project, 195 East 3rd Street (Avenue B), NY, NY. The reading will be followed by a talk back with the playwright and cast members.

Armando Nascimento Rosa is the author of fourteen books of plays and essays on drama (including translated works in several languages), and a recipient of several prestigious theatre awards. Rosa teaches playwriting and theory of the theatre at Escola Superior de Teatro e Cinema (College of Dramatic Arts and Cinema) in Lisbon, Portugal.

Since the Middle Ages, there has been a special cult devoted to Mary Magdalene in Provence, that believes Mary retreated to the mountains of St. Baume where she lived a life of meditation for thirty years. "Mary of Magdala" written prior to the The DaVinci Code, was inspired by this same dissident Christian legend that was used by Dan Brown. Set in Marseille in 54 A.D. Mary Magdalene assisted by a young Christian woman Epiphany and a Roman soldier run an underground railroad providing sanctuary from Roman persecution. A young stranger, Godfried, arrives pursued by Nero's police and Mary agrees to hide the young man. Mary arranges for an ingenious escape for the young man right under the nose of Ongarus, Nero's henchman. Part fable, part comedy and part drama, Mary of Magdala gives voice to a controversial and isolated female figure of early Christianity.

The reading is directed by John Giampietro with Elise Stone as Mary. Others in the cast include Brian Costello, Kelli Holsopple, Kathy Menino, Josh Tyson, Joe Menino and Craig Smith.

Tickets are pay what you can and can be reserved by calling 212-352-3101 or visit
www.PhoenixTheatreEnsemble.org.

An ever evolving ensemble, Phoenix Theatre Ensemble is committed to the ideals and principles of an artist-directed theatre that supports artists and art first and foremost. We provide an artistic home that honors the diversity of experience of its individual members. Our Passion: plays new and old that tell great stories revealing humanity and the human condition in all its myriad forms