5th Wall Theatre Presents H2O, Now thru 9/27

5th Wall Theatre presents Jane Martin's newest work, H2O, playing at Virginia Rep's Theatre Gym, today, September 4 - 27. H2O stars two of RVA's finest young talents, Liz Earnest (Nice People Dancing to Good Country Music, Closer) and RTCC Award nominee Landon Nagel (Guys and Dolls, Children of a Lesser God, Detroit), with Morrie Piersol (Edmond, The Late Henry Moss, A Bright New Boise) at the helm as director.

After arriving in Los Angeles, an aimless young man catapults to movie stardom and into Hollywood celebrity culture. Banking on his fame, he is soon selected to appear on Broadway in Hamlet, embarking to New York City to seek out his Ophelia and encounters his muse and his match - a young evangelical Christian woman set on getting the role...and saving his life. From the reclusive, madcap world of the mysterious Jane Martin comes this drama/comedy/love story about self-destruction, notoriety, and the dark journey to purity and salvation.

When asked what drew her to this play, Actor Liz Earnest replies, "The first thing that struck me after reading H2O was the delicate balance between the two characters as they confront their biases and flaws, especially as reflected in one another. These discoveries are made doubly interesting and exciting as they unfold through Martin's inventive and highly-active staging devices, which underscore the characters' relationship as it rises and falls. This is the kind of story that begs the audience and actors alike to brace themselves for a high-speed journey through the human condition, to emerge on the other side with a greater sense of what it means to trust - to trust in others, and especially in yourself."

Director Morrie Piersol goes on to say that what fascinates him about H2O is "the way in which Martin has constructed the play, as well as the way she depicts the dangerous and delicate dance of human behavior between the two characters." Artistic Director, Carol Piersol, chimes in, "I was drawn to this play because of my fascination and frustration with the relationship between Jake and Deborah. Jane Martin puts Christian faith and non-belief together on a roller coaster ride that leaves us on the edge of our seats, constantly questioning which character is in the right."

In addition to the complexities of the play itself there is another mystery that has confounded the theatre community for over two decades. Who is Jane Martin? She has produced over ten full-length plays, six one-acts, and numerous shorts. She has been nominated for the Pulitzer Prize and won the American Theatre Critics Association New Play Award twice, yet, she has not made one public appearance. There are no interviews. No pictures. No sightings. She has been called "America's best known unknown playwright."

Performances September 4, 5, 6, 9, 11, 12, 13, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 27 at 8PM and September 14 and 21 at 4PM at Theatre Gym, located in the Virginia Rep Center, 114 W. Broad Street, Richmond, VA. Talkbacks with the cast and special guests will follow select performances. Tickets are $25 (Groups of 10 or more - $18, Students - $10) and can be purchased by visiting www.5thWallTheatre.org. Subscriptions are also on sale now.

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