Photo Flash: First Look at Playwrights Arena's TAR

Playwrights' Arena, Jon Lawrence Rivera, Artistic Director, the first and oldest theater dedicated to discovering, nurturing, and producing original works for the stage written exclusively by Los Angeles playwrights, is presenting the World Premiere of TAR by Tom Jacobson. It is directed by Edgar Landa and starring Noel Arthur, Adrian Gonzalez and Tim Ryan Meinelschmidt.

TAR is set in 1939 Los Angeles, on the night Count Basie is to be one of the first African-American headliners at the Palomar Ballroom. Zenobio Remedios (Latino) and Amen Headley (African American) are stuck at work next door at the Bimini Baths, where they have accepted a delicate after-hours assignment: removing the tar from a drunken white man, recently fished out of the La Brea Tar Pits. But as the two men of color work to remove the stain from the white man's skin, they reveal the blot of hatred in his heart. Amen, an aspiring actor, uses his wit and imagination to tease out the shocking story behind the white man's dive into the La Brea ooze. Deciding what to do with that information leads to a confrontation between Amen and the fearful Zenobio with unexpectedly explosive consequences.

TAR is part of Mr. Jacobson's epic trilogy, THE BALLAD OF BIMINI BATHS. The other two parts are being performed concurrently at two other Los Angeles theaters: PLUNGE at Son of Semele and MEXICAN DAY at Rogue Machine.

The Playwrights' Arena design team for TAR includes: scenic designer Justin Huen, lighting designer Derek Jones, sound designer Howard Ho, and costume designer Mylette Nora. Letitia Chang is the stage manager. The casting director was Raul Clayton Staggs. The production producer is Henry 'Heno' Fernandez.

TAR performs June 9 to July 2 at Atwater Village Theatre, 3269 Casitas Ave., Los Angeles, CA 90039, with two previews on June 7 and 8. Preview tickets are only $5, regular tickets are $25 (online) and $30 (at the door). Regular schedule: Sat 8 PM, Sun 4 PM and Mon 8 PM.

For more information and reservations go to: www.playwrightsarena.orgor call 800-838-3006.

Photo Credit: Playwrights' Arena