'Honor & Glory of Whaling' at La MaMa Dec.28-Jan.6

La MaMa e.t.c., in association with The Forty Hour Club, is proud to present the World Premiere of The Honor and Glory of Whaling, written by La MaMa resident playwright Michael Gorman. Performances will run from December 28, 2007 to January 6, 2008 in a limited engagement at La MaMa's Annex Theater in NYC. The play is co-directed by David Bennett and Michael Gorman, staged by Obie-Winner George Ferencz, with an original score by flutist Tonya "Tbird Luv" Ridgely. Playwright Israel Horovitz will take part in the opening night panel discussion on Friday December 28. Post-show Q&A's will follow select performances featuring members from the recovery, addiction, theater and law enforcement communities.

La MaMa e.t.c. is located at 74A East 4th Street between 2nd Avenue & Bowery in NYC. Performances run Thursdays-Saturdays at 7:30PM and Sundays at 2:30PM & 7:30PM. Tickets are $20 for adults and $15 for seniors and students with valid ID and can be purchased by calling 212-475-7710 or visiting www.lamama.org.

"The Honor and Glory of Whaling is the second play in a trilogy of plays that deal with the issue of addiction and recovery in the commercial fishing industry, inspired by the death of the playwright's oldest brother, a commercial fisherman, to a heroin overdose. The Honor and Glory of Whaling is an epic tale that follows the fate of legendary New England fishing captain Robby Foerster and his boat 'The Northern Star.' In a community sorely in need of something to be proud of, stories of his reckless courage are a source of pride. After a fatal first encounter with heroin, the 'Great White Whale' of the modern fishing community, Robby falls deeply into addiction. The Honor and Glory of Whaling explores the role of myth and storytelling as both sustaining and destructive forces in a Northeast coastal fishing community, engaging the audience in a dramatic critical debate as to what extent tragedy, held to be inherent in the fishing community, might be avoidable," explain press notes.

The play will be preceded by a 20-minute documentary film which captures the experience of producing and performing Michael Gorman's first play of the trilogy, UltraLight, dubbed "A beautiful, moving play about his brother" by The Boston Phoenix. Audience members are invited to participate post-show in an ongoing documentary with their own stories and comments.

The Forty Hour Club's mission is to create a social and political forum around art with the integration of community commitment and discussion.

The cast includes David Bennett, David Branch, Ruth Coughlin, J.P. Guimont, Al Joyce, Michael Kimball and Anita Menotti. The design team consists of Obie-Winner Tim Schellenbaum (Sound Design), Carla Bosnjak (Lighting Design), Sarah Boyden (Costume Design) and Marguerite White (Set Design & Installation). Additional musicians include Evan Fraser and Pete List.

Appropriate for ages 14 and up. Capacity is 299 seats. Group sales: 212-254-6468. Trains: F, V to 2nd Ave. or 6 to Bleecker St.

Photo of Al Joyce by Sarah Snow

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