BWW Previews: BLACKER by Russ Weatherford at Urban Stages, 8/26 to 9/3

Russ Weatherford's new play, Blacker begins an exclusive two-week engagement on Wednesday August 26th through Thursday, September 3rd at Urban Stages, 259 West 30th Street in New York City. Directed by David Austin, the show is produced by Sandi Durell. The cast of Blacker includes Eric Rudy, David Gautschy, Paul Hinkes, Dean Regan, Shana Farr, Dino Petrera, David Austin, and Mari Lynn Henry.

Blacker explores Oscar Wilde's little known brush with the Dreyfus Affair and the troubling collusion of Wilde in the persecution of Jewish army officer Dreyfus after his own disgrace and imprisonment. The play introduces Carlos Blacker, a wealthy rare book dealer who, dating back to the 1800s, was one of Wilde's closet friends and confidants. Blacker was able to juggle his marriage to a strong willed social climbing wife and close friendship with the tempestuous genius Oscar Wilde. Blacker finds his loyalty to Wilde deeply tested. The friendship is pushed to the breaking point when the publicly persecuted Wilde, living under an assumed name in a ramshackle hotel in Paris, decides to traffic in innuendo about Dreyfus, to the horror of his friend.

Playwright Russ Weatherford was commissioned by The National Association of Attorneys General for a national educational program, The Return of the White Knight. His new book, The Reality of Make-Believe, is currently being edited and The Actor's Coach, a 30-Day motivational CD series is scheduled to be released later this year. He is also currently writing a trilogy of plays on Cole Porter, On Gossamer Wings, The Duchess of Peru, and The Rumor that Would be King. Other projects include: DirectorVision: Screenwriter to Director Software Program™: The Ultimate Film School, Reverse Syndication™, The International University of Storytelling, The Reality of Makebelieve™: The Screenwriting Process and The Weatherford Technique.

His plays, Perchance to Dream and A Shadow Called Home, were staged in New York City. Weatherford is the former president of The Weatherford Group, a production company based in Hollywood, California. The company produced and released more than 100 episodes of the soap opera Secrets and received a Telly Award for dramatic excellence. Weatherford's background includes having served as Senior Vice-President of Variety Productions in Dallas, Texas, where he was the co-writer and director of Lila McGuire, a major motion picture thriller, starring Ruth Warrick (Citizen Kane). He also served as the director of Bob Hope's Last Campus Tour Concert Series for the same company. Weatherford's extensive experience includes directing productions for film, television and theatre. His Off Broadway directing credits include the New York productions of Eleanor and Alice ( New York ) , Hedda Gabler and Taken in Marriage both at the Harold Clurman Theatre on Theatre Row. He created and served as the Artistic Director for The Actor's Circle in NYC. Weatherford holds a Bachelor's Degree in Journalism and a Master's Degree in Theatre and Speech from the University of South Carolina. He has traveled across the country as an instructor and lecturer on the Art of Storytelling, Script Analysis for the Actor, The Ultimate Script Writing Process, and The Road to MakeBelieve™.

Blacker is an equity approved showcase. The play will be a total of 10 performances from Wednesday August 26 to Thursday September 3 at Urban Stages, 259 West 30th Street, with an opening on Wednesday August 26 at 8pm. Performances are as follows: Wednesday to Friday August 26, 27, 28 at 8pm; Saturday August 29 at 2pm & 8pm; Monday and Tuesday August 31 & September 1 at 8pm; Wednesday September 2 at 2pm & 8pm, and Thursday September 3 at 8pm. The running time of Blacker is 135 minutes, including one intermission. For more information, visit the show's website at www.blacker-the-play.com. Tickets are $18 and can be obtained by calling 212.868.4444 or by visiting www.smarttix.com.

Photo: Courtesy of Russ Weatherford