Don Nigro Double Bill Set for the Players' Ring This January

The Players' Ring presents two one-act plays inspired by two literary masters January 1 -17 at the Players' Ring, 105 Marcy Street, Portsmouth NH. Showtimes are 8 pm on Friday & Saturdays and 7 pm on Sundays, except January 17, which will be a 3 pm matinee. Tickets are $15 with discounts for students, seniors and Players' Ring Members. Call 603-436-8123 or visit playersring.org to reserve your tickets.

EMOTION MEMORY visits the real-life relationship between Anton Chekhov and Lydia Mizinova, or Lyka, his inspiration for the character of Nina in The Seagull. Both comedic and tragic, it explores unrequited love, the nature of creation, the consequences of being a muse, and a passionate confrontation between Anton Chekhov and Konstantin Stanislavsky.

RAVISHED is a powerful and disturbing modern retelling of William Shakespeare's The Rape of Lucrece.

Tarquin and Coll, Lucrece's lover, are employees of a private company that is under contract with the government in a murky foreign war. Tarquin shows up on Lucrece's doorstep and says he has promised his friend Coll to come and see her when he returns home. The truth of what happens between Tarquin and Lucrece is not so clear and leads Coll to question: How much can you trust your friend? How much can you trust your lover? How much can you trust your own memory?

Joi Smith of Back Alley Productions directs both of Nigro's short plays and three talented performers will take on six roles. G. Matthew Gaskell will portray Chekhov and Coll, Christopher Savage plays Stanislavski and Tarquin, and Tara Conway as both Lyka and Lucrece.

Since 1992, the mission of The Players' Ring has been to promote the efforts of local artists through the production of original works, while providing an affordable theatre space to local production companies. "The Ring" provides an environment where artists can thrive, grow, take risks and make daring choices.

Pictured: Christopher Savage, Tara Conway and G. Matthew Gaskell. Photo by Mat Kingsbury/2046 Productions.