FUSION Playwriting Winner Eric Eberwein's THE RETURN ENGAGEMENT Plays 6/7-10

FUSION Theatre Company, New Mexico's professional theatre company, has announced that playwright Eric Eberwein is one of the seven winners of FUSION's seventh annual short works festival, "The Seven". Huntington Beach resident Eberwein's work, "The Return Engagement", was chosen from a submission pool of 748 scripts from 43 states and nine countries. FUSION will produce the world-premiere of Mr. Eberwein's play June 7th-10th at The Cell Theatre in Albuquerque, NM. "The Seven" is the theatrical tentpole event of the Savor Albuquerque Arts Festival.

Eric Eberwein's award-winning plays include the vacation misadventure comedy Great Western Wanderlust (Las Vegas Little Theatre New Works Competition) and the cult/hippie saga The Diaries of David Kind (Theatre Publicus Jury Prize for Dramatic Literature). His work has been produced at Santa Cruz Actors Theatre, Las Vegas Little Theatre, the Coastal Empire New Plays Festival (GA), WNEP Theater (Chicago), the Hunger Artists Theatre Company and STAGEStheatre. He directs the 35-member Orange County Playwrights Alliance.

"The Seven" is a playwriting competition that stages seven fully produced world premieres each year.

Both a Jury Prize and an Audience Choice Award are given, with the Jury winner receiving transport to and lodging at the festival. Other winners are: "Masha: Conditions in the Holy Land" by Andrew R. Heinze, New York, NY; "Ceasefire" by Ken Kaissar, Yardley, PA; "Guess What?" by Paul Lewis, Bainbridge Island, WA: "Daryl Hannah" by Crish Barth, Orinda, CA; "The Last Night at Manuela's" by Buffy Aakash, Seattle, WA; "Happy" by Amy Cuomo, Villa Rica, GA.

"The Seven" features a professional ensemble cast as well as seven different directors, including:
Jacqueline Reid, Laurie Thomas, Jen Grigg, Robb Sisneros, Gregory Wagrowski, Aaron Worley and
Staci Robbins.

FUSION is currently concluding its eleventh year of production and is funded in part by the City of
Albuquerque, the McCune Foundation, The Shubert Foundation, the American Theatre Wing, Actors' Equity Association, Bernalillo County, the Scott Family Foundation, and New Mexico Arts.

The Cell Theatre is located at 700 1st St. NW, in the Downtown Albuquerque Arts and Cultural District just south of Lomas. Performances will be held Thursday and Friday at 8:00 pm, Saturday at 2:00 and 8:00 pm and Sunday at 2:00 and 6:00 pm. This event plays to full capacity and reservations are highly recommended. Tickets may be purchased online at FUSIONabq.org or by phone at: 505.766.9412.