National Constitution Center Hosts Reading of TROILUS AND CRESSIDA, 3/22

The National Constitution Center and the Philadelphia Artists' Collective will present a free reading of William Shakespeare's Troilus and Cressida, Shakespeare's poignant account of the Trojan War, on Monday, March 22, 2010 at 6:30 p.m. The event is held in conjunction with the Center's Ancient Rome & America exhibition. Admission is free, but reservations are recommended and can be made by calling 215.409.6700.

The performance will feature actors from the Philadelphia region, including Krista Apple, Ross Beschler, Damon Bonetti, Mark Cairns, Brian Cowden, Jared Michael Delaney, Dan Hodge, John Jezior, Evan Jonigkeit, Amie Kelly, Steve Khuel, Brian McCann, Charlotte Northeast, Buck Schirner and Luigi Sottile. Following the reading, Dr. Daniel Berman, Professor of Greek and Roman Classics at Temple University, will discuss classical expression and influence, including how art forms over time have contributed to our knowledge of the ancient cultures of Greece and Rome.

Dr. Daniel Berman is an Associate Professor at Temple University. He earned his B.A. from the University of Michigan and his Ph.D. from Yale University, both in Classics. His research interests include archaic and classical Greek poetry and myth, mythography, topography, and ancient geography. His current research focuses on how Greek mythic texts represent physical space, especially the urban environment of Greek Thebes. Dr. Berman teaches courses in Greek and Latin language and literature, classical myth, and ancient civilization and culture. He also maintains a teaching interest in Roman archaeology and topography.

The reading of Troilus and Cressida at the National Constitution Center is directed by Adam Immerwahr, Producing Associate at McCarter Theatre and a Resident Director at Passage Theatre in Trenton, New Jersey. Off Broadway, he has directed for the annual Summer Play Festival at Theatre Row and The Public Theatre, as well as regional productions at Ensemble Studio Theatre, Passage Theatre, the Hangar Theatre, and the McCarter Theatre Youth Ink! Festival. Immerwahr has also assisted Emily Mann, Tina Landau, and Michael Unger, and was a recipient of the 2008 Drama League Directing Fellowship.

The Philadelphia Artists' Collective, founded in 2008 by Damon Bonetti and Dan Hodge, strives to bring rarely performed texts to the public through reading and production. The Collective most recently staged, in conjunction with Drexel University, a reading of Henrik Ibsen's An Enemy of the People. Upcoming readings include a selection from the Spanish Golden Age (title soon to be announced, Fringe 2010) and an inaugural production, The Duchess of Malfi, at Broad Street Ministry (September 23 - October 5, 2010).

Through August 1, 2010, the National Constitution Center is hosting the world debut of Ancient Rome & America - a multi-million dollar, artifact-rich exhibition showcasing the cultural, political, and social connections between the lost world of ancient Rome and modern America. The 8,000 square foot exhibition, featuring a never-before-seen collection of artifacts, was created by the Center in partnership with Contemporanea Progetti of Florence, Italy, in collaboration with the Ministero per i Beni e Le Attività Culturali, Rome, Italy.

Admission to Ancient Rome & America is $20 for adults, $18 for seniors ages 65 and up, and $12 for children ages 4-12. Active military personnel and children ages 3 and under are free. Group rates are also available. Admission to the Center's main exhibition, The Story of We the People, including the award-winning theater production "Freedom Rising," is included. iPod audio tours cost an additional $5. For ticket information, call 215.409.6700 or visit www.constitutioncenter.org.

CBS 3 and The CW Philly are the official media partners of Ancient Rome & America. CBS 3 (KYW-TV) and The CW Philly 57 (WPSG-TV) are part of CBS Television Stations, a division of CBS Corporation.

The National Constitution Center, located at 525 Arch St. on Philadelphia's Independence Mall, is an independent, nonpartisan, nonprofit organization dedicated to increasing public understanding of the U.S. Constitution and the ideas and values it.

represents. The Center serves as a museum, an education center, and a forum for debate on constitutional issues. The museum dramatically tells the story of the Constitution from Revolutionary times to the present through more than 100 interactive, multimedia exhibits, film, photographs, text, sculpture and artifacts, and features a powerful, award-winning theatrical performance, "Freedom Rising." The Center also houses the Annenberg Center for Education and Outreach, which serves as the hub for national constitutional education.

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