The Cultch to Present Up-in-the-air Theatre's INSIDE THE SEED, 10/2-12

The Cultch presents the world premiere of Up-in-the-air Theatre's Inside the Seed, a re-imagining of Oedipus Rex as a modern-day tragedy. Inside the Seed is set in a giant bio-genetics corporation that aspires to grow the perfect seed-The Golden Grain, and to thusly feed the world and end starvation. Deeply relevant, with a hard edge of comedy- Inside the Seed is passionately and unabashedly political with the tension, pace and the energy of a thriller. Inside the Seed is directed by Richard Wolfe and designed by Florence Barrett (costumes), Jerguš Opršal (Set, Lights, Projections) and Jordan Lloyd Watkins (sound). The large, fully professional, multi-cultural cast, includes: Mia K Ingimundson, Carl Kennedy, Tamara McCarthy, Adele Noronha, Alison Raine, Patrick Sabongui, Dallas Sauer and Tetsuro Shigematsu. Inside the Seed runs October 2-12, 2013 at the The Cultch.

Foster Bryant is a great scientist who makes a startling discovery when he genetically modifies a new kind of rice. Now Foster has the key to saving an overpopulated world on the brink of catastrophe. Or does he? In a reimagining of the Greek morality tale Oedipus Rex, the action is shifted to a giant present-day bio-tech firm where far more than the fate of ancient Athens is on the line. Foster must plunge down the rabbit hole in a desperate bid to uncover the truth that lies inside the seed...

In a shocking turn of events, key elements of the production, three years in the making, now identically mirror controversial real-life science. Media outlets have recently announced that genetically modified "Golden Rice," an almost identical product to the "Golden Grains" of the play, is close to being approved for human consumption by the World Food Organization. As farmers riot in the Philippines destroying test crops, a new debate emerges, driving the story into the public consciousness.

Playwright Jason Rothery's produced, full-length work includes: the space between us (Tziporah Productions), (re)birth: ee cummings in song(Soulpepper), Wedgie (Upintheair), Something to do With Death, POLITIkO (Ghost River), The Drop, Re:Generation (THEATREboom). Jason was the Artistic Director of Ghost River Theatre (Calgary), where he mounted dozens of productions and tours including NiX, presented as part of the 2010 Cultural Olympiad. He was the resident dramaturge for Playwrights Theatre Centre, the co-founder and Festival Director of the Calgary International Fringe Festival, and co-creator of The Walking Fish Festival.

Richard Wolfe's directed works include Terminus by Mark O'Rowe, Bashir Lazhar by Evélyne de la Chenelière, after the quake by Haruki Murakami (with Craig Hall), Stupidity (La Estupidez) by Rafael Spregelburd, Blue / Orange by Joe Penhall and Thom Pain (based on nothing) by Will Eno. He's also dramaturged or directed many new Canadian plays including Omniscience by Tim Carlson. Richard has received four Jessie nominations for Outstanding Director and one for Significant Artistic Achievement, while the shows he's directed have received over 40 nominations for excellence in Vancouver professional theatre. He is currently the AD of Pi Theatre.

Inside the Seed by Jason Rothery, directed by Richard Wolfe | Venue: The Cultch, 1895 Venables St., Vancouver | Map: http://goo.gl/maps/EeEn1 | | Box Office: tickets.thecultch.com or 604.251.1363 |Run: October 2-12, 2013-8pm| Opening: October 2-8pm, with 2pm matinees on October 6 & 12. (Dark on Sundays/Mondays)

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