Wendy Graf Calls On Her 'Day Job' To Pen BEHIND THE GATES

Behind the Gates, set to premiere May 15 - July 3 at the Lee Strasberg Creative Center in West Hollywood, is Graf's gripping mystery in which a troubled American teenager vanishes while on a school trip to Israel. Her parents fly to Jerusalem in a desperate attempt to search for their daughter. There, they find themselves lost in an alien city of conflicting cultures and politics.

A multiple award-winning playwright by night, Wendy Graf investigates crime scenes and tracks down witnesses by day. A graduate of the Nick Harris Detective Academy and a California state-licensed private investigator, Graf's 15 years of experience came in handy when she created the character of Ami, an Israeli P.I., in her new play, Behind the Gates.

"In addition to studying techniques like surveillance and fingerprinting, doing investigative work requires extensive legal training," says Graf. "You have to know what you're doing or the evidence could become tainted. I had to complete five years of supervised work before I could take what is an extremely challenging licensing exam."

Graf spends her time photographing crime scenes, interviewing witnesses, finding missing persons, and doing background searches. For this production, she's furnished real bills and reports for use as props. "But don't worry," she laughs. "I've blacked out all the names!"

Performances of Behind the Gates take place on Fridays and Saturdays at 8 pm and Sundays at 2 pm, May 15 through July 3. There will be three low-priced previews on Wednesday, May 12; Thursday, May 13; and Friday, May 14, all at 8 pm. Panel discussions follow the matinee performances on Sunday, May 23 ("The Role of Women in Conservative Religion") and Sunday, June 6 ("The Many Faces of Israel") and are included in the ticket price. General admission is $25.00, except Opening Night (May 15) which is $30 and includes a Gala reception following the performance, and previews which are $12.50. The Marilyn Monroe Theatre at the Lee Strasberg Creative Center is located at 7936 Santa Monica Blvd., West Hollywood, 90046. For reservations and information, call (323) 960- 5772 or go to www.Plays411.com/Gates.