Press Releases

January 21, 2002
Winter One-Acts Continue with "InterAct: Two by Four" and 9-11 Stories

Contact:
Darren Johnson (PR@southampton.liu.edu)
(631) 287 8313
Fax: (631) 283 4081

It's a sign of our times. This year, the usually jovial one-act plays that make up the annual winter theater series at Southampton College have a different, more somber ending as two plays deal specifically with the 9-11 tragedy.

"This was a subject we felt we had to stage, as a testament to the people who perished," said Southampton Players leader Michael Disher, who directs "Hell" and "Impact," which both are set on that heartrending day. "And this is just the beginning. The World Trade Center tragedy will be relived through other arts besides stage - books, paitings and film - in the months and years to come. It must, as part of our national healing process."

The Southampton Players present their sixth-annual "InterAct" series of locally written plays that feature over 60 different roles, subtitled "Two by Four," on January 25-26 and February 8-9. Sandwiched in between, "Mere Mortals," a collection of pointed David Ives' one-acts, will be staged February 1-2. All shows are at 7 p.m. in the Avram Theater. Tickets are $8 general admission. For further information, contact the Southampton Players box office at 631-287-8480.

This is the third-straight year that the plays in "InterAct" are all home-brewed, most of them coming out of Southampton College's esteemed MFA in Writing workshops with famed cartoonist and humor writer Jules Feiffer, award-winning playwright Robert Reeves, and Time magazine essayist Roger Rosenblatt. "InterAct" provides the only local, adult-written original theater on Eastern Long Island.

"Our winter shows are becoming increasingly popular," said Disher, who is sharing the responsibilities for this production with three other directors (Paul Conroy, John Gannon and Josh Perl), each handling two plays (thus the subtitle, "Two by Four"). " 'InterAct' really is the cure for winter doldrums. We have sex, drugs and rock 'n' roll all for under the price of a movie."

"Hell" features four people in the afterlife (played by Chelsea King, Carol Sherman, Gregory Shields and Bradford Conway) who, as punishment, have to relive the planes crashing into the towers over and over again. "Impact," with a cast of 12, draws testimony from people at the scene of the tragedy in the moments following the attack. "It's real-life theater," Disher added.

The other six plays in "InterAct" follow in the more mirthful tradition of the series. "Modern Bride," featuring Mary Hevi, Jackie Townsend, Felix Montas and Kymme Napoli, "is about three women and a copy machine," Disher said. "Sacred Gravy," featuring Toni Munna and Michael Horn, "is about a woman and her dead husband." "Writing for Stage," not coincidentally, follows the travails of a small theater troupe in getting a play to stage.

Playwrights this year include Janine Sones, Esther Mott, Noreen McAllister-Bifulco, Sarah Sullivan, Ed Barrett, Kathleen Lynch, Ralph Terry and Gregory Rabbitt.