EgoPo Classic Theater Presents CENSORED

EgoPo Classic Theater presents CENSORED, two powerful plays, both banned by the South African government, to shine a light on two very different experiences of apartheid: Athol Fugard's "Master Harold"...and the Boys and Matsemela Manaka's Egoli, co-produced by Theatre in the X. On March 22 and 23, EgoPo will open these plays to run in rotating repertory. Master Harold previews March 21 and opens Friday, March 22. Egoli previews March 20 and opens March 23. The shows run three weeks, closing April 7. Single show tickets range $25-$35 with discounts available when both are purchased together. Performances are at the Latvian Society Theater at 7th & Spring Garden. For more information, go to EgoPo.org, or call 267-273-1414.

Theater of South Africa

EgoPo's unique themed seasons continue with this year's Theater of South Africa, celebrating great dramatic works from the country's rich theatrical tradition. By telling these stories, EgoPo honors the profound moment in world history when apartheid came to an end, and hopes to provide new perspectives on racism and social justice in our own country, while highlighting a diverse community of Philadelphia artists.

"Master Harold" ...and the Boys

Athol Fugard's Master Harold changed the face of 20th century global politics and helped lead the charge to end apartheid, South Africa's brutal system of racial segregation and oppression. In this heartbreaking story of a young white man and the two Black men who raised him, we see how a society built on inequality can infect even our most intimate relationships. Banned in South Africa, this famed classic play was developed here in Philadelphia before opening on Broadway in 1982.

EgoPo Artistic Director Lane Savadove (Lydie Breeze Trilogy, The Seagull, The Women) will direct the piece that Frank Rich of the New York Times called "lyrical in design, shattering in impact." EgoPo is excited to welcome Juspin Jones and Damien J. Wallace in their EgoPo debuts, with Aidan McDonald returning after performing as Body in Company last fall.

Egoli, co-produced by Theatre in the X

A pivotal player in the grassroots black theatre movement and the anti-apartheid uprisings in 1970s South Africa, Matsemela Manaka unearths the stories of South Africa's oft-forgotten miners. Hamilton and John forge a complex bond as they struggle under racial inequality and poverty.

EgoPo partners with Theatre in the X to produce this bittersweet ode to the humans on whose backs a country was built. Theatre in the X seeks to remove the barriers to theater, providing the people of West Philadelphia and the African American community at large the opportunity to see professional quality theater for no cost, and creating opportunities for artists of color. A special preview of Egoli will be free to Theatre in the X patrons with an invitation code.

Director Katrina Shobe will lead the production of this play that "grips the audience by the scruff of the neck" (The Daily Sun, Johannesburg). Egoli stars Theatre in the X co-founders and EgoPo veterans Carlo Campbell (Anna, Machinal, The Hairy Ape) and Walter DeShields (The Hairy Ape: PTown).

Artistic Team

The artistic team for EgoPo's CENSORED repertory includes Set Design by Dirk Durossette, Costume Design by Tiffany Bacon, Lighting Design by Amanda Jensen, Sound Design by A.J. Klein, Prop Design by Michelle Soto, and Stage Management by Melody Wong (The Women) and Eleanor Safer (Lydie Breeze Trilogy).

CENSORED Repertory

The CENSORED repertory will be staged at the Latvian Society Theater. Previews begin March 19, with Press Openings on Friday, March 22 and Saturday March 23; the shows will run three weeks, closing on April 7.

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