Infinithˆ©ˆ¢tre production Feb. 2009

World Premiˆ®re of BLESSED ARE THEY Explores the Question "Where Is God?"

MONTRˆâAL, January 2009 - Infinithˆ©ˆ¢tre tops off their season of "love, hope and faith" with Bruce M. Smith's world premiˆ®re, BLESSED ARE THEY, a challenging look at the role of religion in today's fast-paced society. The company ventures out of the Plateau to present the play in the site-specific St. James United Church from February 19^th to March 8^th, (with previews on February 17^th and 18^th).

A minister, his beliefs riddled with doubt and uncertainty, is confronted by a charismatic new member of the congregation whose life has been saved by his renewed faith in Christ. Set in a small rural community in contemporary Quˆ©bec, the two figures, one based upon Apostle Paul, the other on Apostle Peter, struggle to define true faith.

Impressed with Smith's writing for television, (his script for Prairie Giant: the Tommy Douglas Story was nominated for a Gemini award) Artistic Director, Guy Sprung, asked him to write a play for Infinite. Self-described as a deist rather than religious, Smith has studied the Bible with Korean missionaries, the Book of Mormon with a Mormon elder and engaged in dialogues with Jehovah's Witnesses. What he has come to realize is that "no two people experience faith in the same way yet it has a role in everybody's life." Thus the play's universal theme was born. Smith uses a weekly Alcoholics Anonymous meeting in a United Church basement as the rich backdrop to develop characters, with various backgrounds and needs, in discussion about faith in their daily lives.

The play went through two public readings in Infinithˆ©ˆ¢tre's The Pipeline series, before making it into the 2008-09 season, a process that many of Infinite's productions undergo as part of their mandate to discover and develop new Quˆ©bec works. BLESSED ARE THEY passes no judgments but instead gives audiences the opportunity to eavesdrop on a dialogue within a particular denomination with the goal of generating further debate. The play invites people to step out of their own sectarian experience and participate in an exploration of faith.

Directed by Guy Sprung, the play stars Andreas Apergis, Emily Bamforth, Eric Davis, Joanna Noyes, Juno Mills-Cockell, Igor Ovadis and Vlasta Vrana with set and costume design by Elli Bunton, lighting by Sarah Yaffe and stage management by Kathryn Cleveland, assisted by Danielle-Ariel Caddell-Malenfant.

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Dates & Times Feb. 17 ’Äì Mar. 5

Previews Feb. 17 & 18 8:00 PM

Opening Feb. 19 8:00 PM

Tues. through Sat. 8:00 PM

Sunday Matinees 2:00 PM

Mondays DARK

Closing Mar. 5 8:00 PM

Tickets:

General Admission $20.00

Students and Seniors $15.00

Group Rates (6+) $10.00

Venue:

St. James United Church

463 St. Catherine Street West

Box Office:

514-987 ’Äì 1774 ext. 104

box-office@infinitheatre.com

Web Site:

www.infinitheatre.com