Geva's Play Reading Season to Open with THE SCAVENGER'S DAUGHTER, 9/8

Geva's vibrant new play reading series for 2014-2015 begins on September 8 at 7pm with The Scavenger's Daughter by Gary Earl Ross.

When John Pickett is diagnosed with Alzheimer's, his children Alan, Brian, and Connie find themselves in a virtual war with their stepmother Ruthie. At every turn she thwarts their efforts to secure John's care and the family's finances and finally resorts to a shocking act of violence. Investigating a crime scene that suggests murder-suicide, Detective Maxine Travis works her way through family secrets to understand why Ruthie Pickett pointed a gun at her husband and pulled the trigger.

This reading is part of the "New York State Roving Reading Series," a new initiative by the Dramatists Guild. Writers are usually spread out without a lot of opportunity to network and engage, and although the Dramatists Guild has representatives in each region of the country, there are still writers (and even theatres) that are unaware of the Guild and what it does to promote new work for the American Theatre. For this series, members of the Guild from around New York State were invited to submit a play and from that pool of work, theatres could choose one play that they would present in a reading.

Playwright Gary Earl Ross, a retired University at Buffalo professor, is the author of several books and plays, including Blackbird Rising and Matter of Intent, winner of the Edgar Award for Drama from Mystery Writers of America.

The cast of The Scavenger's Daughter includes Kate Washington (Ruth), David Shakes (John), Reuben Tapp (Alan), Jason Cottrell (Brian) and Erin Kate (Maxine). David Henderson, Artistic Director of Method Machine and a Dramatists Guild member, directs. The New York State Roving Reading Series is produced by Donna Hoke, Regional Representative for the Dramatists Guild.

Prior to the reading there will be a reception in the Geva Café where representatives from the Dramatists Guild will answer questions and talk about the Guild's role in creating work for the American Theatre.

The reading will take place at 7:00pm in the Fielding Nextstage. Tickets are free and reservations are recommended. Due to anticipated demand, all unclaimed tickets will be released at 6:45pm on the day of performance. Patron discretion is advised: plays deal with adult subject matter. To reserve tickets phone the Box Office: (585) 232-Geva (4382) or reserve online at www.gevatheatre.org.

Leadership support for Geva's New Play Reading Series is provided by The Mary S. Mulligan Charitable Trust, New York State Council on the Arts with the support of Governor Andrew M. Cuomo and the New York State Legislature, with additional support from The Dramatists Guild Fund, Inc.