Kitchen Theatre Company to Conclude 25th Anniversary Season with Anne Garcia-Romero's PALOMA

Closing out Kitchen Theatre Company's successful 25th Anniversary Season is the regional premiere of a play about faith, love, and identity-PALOMA by Anne García-Romero. PALOMA runs from May 1 to May 22, with previews on May 1, 3, and 4 and Press Opening on May 5.

Ibrahim Ahmed and Paloma Flores are NYU grad students studying 11th Century Islamic writer Ibn Hazm's The Ring of the Dove, a book on literary art and the practice of love. Ibrahim is a devout Muslim and Paloma was raised Catholic, but their study group encounter reveals a shared curiosity about Ibn Hazm's text and ignites a powerful attraction to each other. Facing parental, societal and religious obstacles, Ibrahim and Paloma steep themselves in the world of Islamic Spain. Together, they embark on a journey to Granada to "walk the streets" in a place they believe Muslims, Christians and Jews once co-existed in peace. It is not an easy path for these lovers, and when tragedy strikes, their love and their families' beliefs are tested. Paloma is an intricate and complex journey through time that examines the challenges of this inter-faith relationship. Three actors play six characters.

"The issues in this play are among the most polarizing we face as a society," says artistic director Rachel Lampert. "Knee-jerk assumptions that are widely accepted about 'the other' are undermined by Romero's thoughtful development of the characters we meet in Paloma. I am so pleased we are ending our 25th Anniversary Season with this production."

Paloma is directed by KTC veteran Margarett Perry (Sunset Baby, The House, Seminar, Heroes among many others), long-time collaborator Lisa Boquist (Dancing Lessons, Buyer & Cellar, The Mountaintop, Swimming in the Shallows among many others) designs the costumes and KTC Production/Design Fellow Nate Goebel will create the sound design. New to Kitchen Theatre Company are set designer Gary Smoot and lighting designer Erik Hershkowitz.

Making their Kitchen Theatre Company debuts are AEA actors Fajer Kaisi (Ibrahim Almed), Alexandra Lemus (Paloma Flores) and Jacob Heimer (Jared Rabinowitz). This powerhouse team joins us from NYC.

In conjunction with the performances of Paloma, Kitchen Theatre Company will present a number of ancillary events. Post-show talkbacks are scheduled for Sunday, May 1, Tuesday, May 3, and Wednesday, May 4 (preview performances), and Friday, May 13 (facilitated by Lee Rayburn of WHCU). Monday, May 2 is a Meet the Artist Event with the playwright, director, and a panel of experts on Islamic Spain and interfaith relationships (limited seating-call 607-272-0570 to reserve a spot). Tuesday, May 3 is Pay What You Can Night. On Wednesday, May 11 at 6:30 PM, there will be a pre-show talk by Ross Brann, the Milton R. Konvitz Professor of Judeo-Islamic Studies and the Chair of Near-Eastern Studies at Cornell University. He will be speaking on "Ibn Hazm and Arabic Love Poetry in Islamic Spain." Please check our website for more details and events:www.kitchentheatre.org.

Paloma is produced with support from lead sponsor, Production Underwriter C.S.P. Management. Additional support comes from production sponsors Barry Chester and Elissa Cogan and media sponsor WITH 90.1. Opening Night food is provided by ZaZa's Cucina. Wine, beer, and cocktails are available for sale in the Kitchen Theatre Company lobby before and after every performance.

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