Emerging Artist Series

BLACK BOX FIRE presents THE EMERGING ARTISTS SERIES

"Every year we produce a series of plays put on by
local, up-and-coming theatre artists. This year's
line-up is amazing and includes eight productions
performed over the course of four weeks beginning May
15, 2008," says Stephanie Yantsis, Black Box Fire's
Co-Founder. "Some shows are comedies. Some are dramas.
Some border on the absurd. Some take a serious look at
issues in the media today. Some were written by
published authors. Some were written by emerging
playwrights here in the city. There's something for
everyone and lots of opportunities to explore
different styles of theatre while supporting our local
arts community."

WHAT: Black Box Fire's Emerging Artists Series
WHERE: Hamilton Theatre Inc. Studio Theatre - 140
MacNab Street North, Hamilton, Ontario
WHEN: May 15 to June 7, 2008 every Thursday, Friday,
at 7pm and Saturdays at 2 and 7pm
TICKETS: $10 evening entrance. Cash Only. Pay at the
door. Make reservations at www.blackboxfire.com
CONCESSIONS: Available between shows and at
intermissions.

WEEK ONE (Thursday May 15 to Saturday, May 17, 2008) ’Äì
DOUBLE BILL: 2 ONE-ACTS

THE CARDBOARD BOX
Written and Directed by Jason Lamb
Starring Dave Disher, Krista Janke, Bryan Gauer and
Michael Herman

The Cardboard Box is the tale of four people (an
average Joe, a theatre/film critic, a fool and a
scientist) stuck in a cardboard box in the middle of
the ocean. They're not quite sure how they got there,
what they'll do, why they'll do it, or how they'll get
out of their predicament.

ALICE: THE TEA PARTY
Written by Warren Graves
Directed by Tim Mauch
Starring Jessica Perkins, Sally Panavas, Geoff Hymers,
Kathleen McGrath, Kim Staffleiner, Nerlind Sheshi and
Cary Ferguson

Alice, a young girl, left with the responsibility of
watching a treat covered table at an afternoon garden
fete falls asleep with a head full of her friends
story-time characters and suddenly finds herself on a
ridiculous ride filled with nonsense and silliness.

WEEK TWO (Thursday May 22 to Saturday, May 24, 2008) ’Äì
SINGLE SHOW: 1 TWO-ACT

THE GOOD BODY
Written by Eve Ensler
Directed by Meg Banks and Laura Pomeroy
Starring Mohini Bhavsar, Carlyn Christian, Graham
Jenner, Sophie Mancini, Alicia Micallef, Amanda
Nesbitt, Alison Nicholson, Michelle Urbano and Allison
Warwick

The author of 'The Vagina Monologues' attempts to come
to peace with her own body. Through monologue, the
play explores the stories of many individuals. Often
humorous, and always poignant, 'The Good Body'
explores the concept of body within our culture,
through our own eyes. (Includes a 15 minute
intermission)

WEEK THREE (Thursday May 29 to Saturday, May 31, 2008)
’Äì TRIPLE BILL: 3 ONE-ACTS

PROMISE YOU WON'T MARRY ME
Written and Directed by Ellen S. Jaffe
Starring Meredith Heyland, Dan Sanderson, Michelle
Lahaise and Eric Delmer Millen

Two characters, named only One and Two, who have had
an on-and-off relationship for several years, meet
again and drive along a country road, finally talking
about their feelings, hopes, and longings - past,
present, and perhaps future.

CHESHIRE CATS
Written and Directed by Anjie Schwartz
Starring Tanya Sitko, Michael Anania, Kayla Deverson
and Jim Molloy

Alice is a failed artist and barely functioning
alcoholic. Her husband James is a successful
businessman who has just closed an important deal.
Their once happy relationship is in the midst of
falling spectacularly apart as each realizes they no
longer know who the other is and wonder if they ever
really knew each other to begin with?

WASP
Written by Steve Martin
Directed by Andrew Hadden
Starring Jason Dick, Lauren MacKinlay, Jessica
Pannetta, Matthew Dyck, Courtney Hamara and Nick Kozij

The title of Steve Martin's one-act piece, WASP, is an
acronym for White Anglo-Saxon Protestant. The play
explores and critiques the values of this particular
North American ethnicity and culture. Set in a 1950's
household it focuses on a family of four: Dad, Mom,
Sister and Brother.

WEEK FOUR (Thursday, June 5 to Saturday, June 7, 2008)
’Äì DOUBLE BILL: 2 ONE-ACTS

LOW LIFES
Written by Brent Purvis.
Directed by Andrew Noble.
Starring Matt Szpirglas, Erik Canaria, Caroline
Concordia, Parker Martin, Aaron Middlemiss, David
Spring and Joe Gull

Benny and Dante, two twenty-something small-time drug
dealers, thought they had it made until they have to
flush their stash. Now Benny and Dante have two days
to come up with $10,000 or else... But they've got a
plan.

TWO ROOMS
Written by Lee Blessing.
Directed by Lauren Repei.
Starring Graham Jenner, Rahkee Sapra, Alex Holbrook
and Jaclyn Scobie

Michael Wells is being held hostage in Beirut,
blindfolded, handcuffed and alone. Half a world away
his wife Lainie has made a prisoner of herself in her
husband's empty study. As months turn into years,
Lainie and Michael find strength in their love, which
allow them to speak and see one another in a
dream-like place.

BLACK BOX FIRE & THE EMERGING ARTISTS SERIES:

Sponsors: CopyDog, Hamilton Theatre Inc., McMaster
Theatre & Film Society, My Dog Joe Coffee House,
Staircase Cafe and Theatre, Tailgate Charlie's, QQs
Teashop, and The Vine

Black Box Fire: Based in Hamilton, Ontario Black Box
Fire is an independent theatre company that was formed
in 2006. Its members believe in the principles of
cooperative development and necessary theatre. The
company treats the development and performance of
theatre as a collaborative, holistic process. It seeks
to develop production methods and performances which
are innovative, challenging and effective.