The Award-Winning Astoria Performing Arts Center (APAC) is pleased to announce the world premiere production of Cheryl L. Davis’s (2014 AUDELCO Playwriting Award winner for Maid’s Door), CAREFULLY TAUGHT, directed by Pat Golden (Assistant Director on Emily Mann’s Broadway production of A Streetcar Named Desire by Tennessee Williams). CAREFULLY TAUGHT will play a limited engagement at Good Shepherd United Methodist Church, 30-44 Crescent St (@30th Rd), in Astoria, Queens.
Performances begin Thursday, November 5 and continue through Saturday, November21. Opening Night is Saturday, November 7 (8 p.m.).
On Monday, September 21st, APAC was honored with three New York Innovative Theatre Awards. The evening started off on a high note, with Mel House winning the first award of the night for Outstanding Actress in a Featured Role for her work as Kate in In The Bones. Not to be outdone, the ceremony progressed with Emily Koch winning Outstanding Actress in a Leading Role for Chloe in In The Bones. The evening was capped off with a win for Merrily We Roll Along for Outstanding Production of a Musical–presented to Dev Bondarin, Artistic Director, and Heather Shields, Interim Executive Director,by Alice Ripley!
CAREFULLY TAUGHT is a modern day drama that centers on the friendship of two schoolteachers–one black and one white. Their bond is shaken when one loses her job, and questions of loyalty and unspoken prejudice rise to the surface. This provocative tale challenges us to examine our perceptions of race in contemporary culture.
Cheryl L. Davis’s CAREFULLY TAUGHT has been workshopped and had readings at Stamford Center for the Arts, Premiere Stages, New Professional Theatre, the Six Figures “Artists of Tomorrow” festival, and The Lark. In light of recent current events, Davis was prompted to look at the play with fresh eyes. Astoria Performing Arts Center presented a reading of the play at the Queens Council on the Arts as part of the Midwinter Reading Series during the 2014-15 season. It will now receive its world premiere at APAC in the fall of 2015.
The production stars Esther Chen (US premiere of Behind The Mask) as Cie/Cindy, Latoya Edwards (Ryan Scott Oliver’s We Foxes) as Alice/Charlotte, Sheila Joon* (Short Life of Trouble (2015 NY Innovative Theatre Nominee for Best Ensemble), Hudson Shakespeare Company) as Claire/Valerie, and Bristol Dan Pomeroy (“The Americans,” The Sun Shines East) as Michael/ Representative/Reverend.
The production features scenic design by Christopher and Justin Swader (The Tempest (Classical Theater of Harlem), 210 Amlent Avenue (NYMF), costume design by Jessa-Raye Court (A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Boomerang), Boys Will Be Boys (NYMF)) and lighting design by Joyce Liao (B’way: The Soul of Shaolin Off-B’way: Breakfast with Mugabe, The Brightness of Heaven). Jason Subotnick (APAC’s In The Bones, 2015 NY IT Award Nominee for Best Original Music for Doubles Crossed: The Ballad of Rodrigo) is the sound designer and Kristine Schlachter* (APAC’s Allegro and A Hard Wall at High Speed) is the stage manager.
Visit www.APACNY.org for additional info.
*Appearing Courtesy of Actors’ Equity Association.