For Immediate Release: April 17, 2006
Media Contact: Keith Powell, Contemporary Stage Company, 302.658.7897 x3855

Delaware native Sean Patrick Thomas, star of the hit films Save The Last Dance and Barbershop, will headline the first play of Contemporary Stage Company's season entirely devoted to South African playwright Athol Fugard. Thomas will appear in "The Island", conceived by Fugard with John Kani and Winston Ntshona, alongside CSC Producing Artistic Director Keith Powell. The season will conclude with the East Coast Premiere of Fugard's newest play "Exits And Entrances".

"Athol Fugard is one of my all-time favorite playwrights," says Powell. "It is an absolute honor that he would grant us the rights to 'Exits And Entrances' ahead of many other more established theater companies. In my mind, the best way to return this compliment is to devote our entire season to him. I see 'The Island' as sort of a companion piece." Both plays explore the theme of how the theater can change lives.

In addition to the mainstage productions, CSC will present a reading series of Fugard's most popular works: "'Master Harold'… And The Boys" and "Valley Song". These readings will have an intimate wine and cheese reception, and will be offered free to subscribers.

A season entirely dedicated to one playwright is a departure for Contemporary Stage, which normally chooses a collection of plays from different writers. "Look, I have one rule for CSC: get people passionate about going to the theater," says Powell, "Luckily, I'm afforded the opportunity to play outside of the rules; and if one playwright can keep my audience passionate all summer long, I'm going to devote my entire season to him."

Kent Paul (CSC's "Collected Stories" with Lynn Redgrave, and "Restoring The Sun" with Richard Easton) will direct both "The Island" and "Exits And Entrances". His design team will also undertake both productions, with certain elements of the designs echoed in each play. Michael Schweikardt will design the sets, Matthew McCarthy will design lights, David Rigler will design costumes, Roger Rees will compose original score, Nick Rye will design sound, and Ha-Chi Yu will choreograph. Powell says audiences should see both plays to get the full design experience.

The brainchild of Mr. Powell, the 26-year-old black actor/producer, Contemporary Stage Company is a multicultural summer theater company located in The Baby Grand Theater at The Grand Opera House in downtown Wilmington, Delaware. CSC's mission is to produce and promote plays representing the full spectrum of many cultures, often colorblind casting where appropriate. Contemporary Stage Company's hit production of "The Fourposter" starring Keith David and Jasmine Guy, and directed by Powell, will be restaged for Florida's Coconut Grove Playhouse in Januaray 2007. In it's inaugural season, Lynn Redgrave appeared in the Barrymore Award-winning production of "Collected Stories."

"The Island" will run from June 8th through June 25rd, with the reading of "'Master Harold'… And The Boys" on June 21st. "Exits and Entrances" will run from July 6th - 23rd with the reading of "Valley Song" on July 19th. Both productions will perform Thursdays at 7pm, Fridays and Saturdays at 8pm, and Sundays at 2pm. Both readings will perform at 7pm.

Season subscriptions and single tickets are on sale now, and can be purchased by calling 1-800-37-GRAND. Subscription prices are: $40 for first week performances, $50 for second week performances, and $60 for third week of performances. The readings are free to subscribers and $5 for single tickets. Subscribers get first priority seating for every show. $7 student rush tickets will be available the day of the performances. Single ticket prices range from $20-$35.

ABOUT THE ISLAND
Performed the world over, "The Island" is Fugard's powerful tale about two political prisoners who put on a play that will give hope and inspiration to their fellow inmates. But can their friendship survive the rehearsals? Surprisingly funny and spiritually uplifting, this Tony Award-winning play will make you believe in the power and passion of the human soul.

ABOUT EXITS AND ENTRANCES
East Coast Premiere. Fugard's poignant tale tells the true story of a life-changing friendship between an idealistic young playwright and a celebrated older actor. As one begins to find his artistic and political voice, the other is forced to confront the shadow of being forgotten. Filled with warmth, humor, and wit, "Exits And Entrances" introduces us to two of Fugard's most original and unforgettable characters.

ABOUT ATHOL FUGARD
Athol Fugard is a South African playwright, actor, and director. In 1965 he became director of the Serpent Players in Port Elizabeth; in 1972 he was a founder of Cape Town's Space Experimental Theatre. One of the first white playwrights to collaborate with black actors and workers, Fugard writes of the frustrations of life in contemporary South Africa and of overcoming the psychological barriers created by apartheid. Some of his works, such as "Blood Knot" (1960), the first in his family trilogy, were initially banned in South Africa. Widely acclaimed, his plays include "Boesman and Lena" (1969), "Sizwe Bansi Is Dead" and "The Island" (1972), "A Lesson from Aloes" (1978), the semiautobiographical work "Master Harold...and the Boys" (1982), "The Road to Mecca" (1985), and "Playland" (1993). In his first two postapartheid plays, "Valley Song" (1995) and "The Captain's Tiger" (1998), Fugard addresses rather personal concerns, but in "Sorrows and Rejoicings" (2001) he focuses on the complex racial dynamics of South Africa's new era. Fugard has also written one novel, "Tsotsi" (1980), which was adapted to the screen and won the 2005 Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film.

ABOUT SEAN PATRICK THOMAS
Sean Patrick Thomas acted extensively in regional theater, and landed supporting roles in film and television before earning notice with a featured turn in 1999's "Cruel Intention". He made his film debut with a role in the military drama "Courage Under Fire", and followed up the following year with turns in "Picture Perfect" and "Conspiracy Theory" and "Can't Hardly Wait". Following his TV series debut on the drama "The District", he co-starred opposite Julia Stiles in "Save the Last Dance". He followed that success up with "Halloween: Resurrection" before getting a fresh round of exposure playing Jimmy James, a college student who tries to impress everyone with his knowledge, in the hit comedy "Barbershop" and its sequel "Barbershop 2: Back in Business".

In addition to screen credits, the stage trained Thomas has had a relatively prolific career in theater, working extensively in regional productions including a starring turn in a musical adaptation of "Cooley High" and a featured role in the New York Shakespeare Festival's "Timon of Athens". He was born in Wilmington, Delaware and graduated from Brandywine High School.

ABOUT KEITH POWELL
Founder and Producing Artistic Director Keith Powell attended St. Mark's High School in Wilmington before getting his BFA at New York University's Tisch School of the Arts. Producing credits include New York productions of "Enter Pissarro", "Indra & Agni Collide", "Quality Of Silence", and a workshop of "Kidding Jane" with Ellen McLaughlin and William Charles Mitchell.

He is the resident director for Equalogy, a professional touring company promoting social change, for which he directed two plays by August Schulenberg: "Four Hearts Changing" and "One Night". Other directing credits include "Dutchman", "Quality of Silence", "The Visit", and "Enter Pissarro".

As an actor, his theater credits include "Romeo & Juliet" (The Shakespeare Theatre, Washington, DC), "Lobby Hero" (Portland Stage Company), "Macbeth" (Pittsburgh Public Theater), "As Bees In Honey Drown" (Hangar Theatre, Ithaca, NY), "The Nerd" (Delaware Theatre Company), and "The French" (HB Playwrights Foundation, NYC), among others. He has also appeared on "The Guiding Light", "Law & Order", had a guest lead role on "Law & Order: Criminal Intent", and recently filmed a pilot for NBC starring Alec Baldwin and Tina Fey. He has appeared in numerous national network commercials, including a spokesperson spot for Starburst television and radio.

Recent Delaware honors include Delaware Today's "40 Most Successful Delawareans Under 40", Wilmington's key to the city, and an award donated to The Delaware English Speaking Union Shakespeare Competition. He is a member of Actors Equity Association and The Screen Actors Guild, and splits his time between New York City and New Castle.

ABOUT CONTEMPORARY STAGE COMPANY
Contemporary Stage Company is the area's only summer professional Equity theater company. Boasting a unique mission, CSC is dedicated to building bridges between the many cultures of our community by producing contemporary classics with multicultural casts, or plays that specifically focus on cultural diversity. Under the leadership of Producing Artistic Director Keith Powell, CSC brings plays and artists from around the world to The Baby Grand Theater (at The Grand Opera House) every year.

For more information, contact Keith Powell at keith@contemporarystage.org or 302-658-7897 ext. 3855, or visit us online at www.contemporarystage.org.

Contemporary Stage Company receives generous support from Amtrak, Bank Of America, Buccini/Pollin Group, Delaware Division Of The Arts, The Grand Opera House, and JP Morgan Chase.

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