Pandora Productions Presents '8,' 1/3-5

Just 4 weeks after the Supreme Court's landmark decision to hear arguments regarding California's Proposition 8 and the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) Pandora Productions proudly presents "8", an unprecedented account of the Federal District Court trial in Perry v. Schwarzenegger (now known as Perry v. Brown).

The story for "8", by Dustin Lance Black who penned the Academy Award-winning feature film Milk, is all about the case filed by the American Foundation for Equal Rights (AFER) to overturn Proposition 8, which stripped gay and lesbian Californians of the fundamental freedom to marry. Black based his work on actual words of the trial transcripts, first-hand observations of the courtroom drama and interviews with the plaintiffs and their families; it is framed by the trial's historic closing arguments in June 2010 and features the best arguments and testimony from both sides.

"Our first production of the New Year clearly reinforces Pandora's mission of powerful, provocative, theatre," states Michael J. Drury, Pandora Productions Producing Artistic Director. "Not only is "8" topical, it is a reminder to our core constituents that the 'fight' is not over for equality on all levels, least of all marriage equality. And as this issue becomes more and more prominent in the national discourse, the public can expect to see more plays being written about it, with Pandora being the first to produce them for our audiences."

This limited-run production premiers Thursday evening, January 3, at 7:30 p.m., with performances continuing on Friday, January 4, and Saturday, January 5, both at 7:30 p.m. at The Henry Clay Theatre, 604 South Third Street, 3rd Floor, Downtown Louisville; each performance will be followed by a discussion on Marriage Equality. Tickets are now available for $18 online at http://www.PandoraProds.org or by phone at 502.216.5502. A portion of the production's proceeds will go to the American Foundation for Equal Rights.