1st Throws Play Reading Series Presents All Dressed Up 4/26 at Gerald W. Lynch

The Gerald W. Lynch Theater at John Jay College presents the second staged reading in the First Throws Play Reading Series, Cesi Davidson's All Dressed Up, directed by Mary Hodges and featuring Lorna Haughton and Sadrina Renee, with stage directions read by Florence Kildare, on Monday, April 26, 2010 at 7pm at the Gerald W. Lynch Theater at John Jay College, 899 Tenth Avenue, NYC. Admission is FREE and reservations are not required.

This one act play is the story of two young African American sisters, Fredericka (Fredie) and Jane (Janie), who find themselves living in poverty after the death of their mother. They have no remaining family. They own a few valuables passed down through the slavery of their ancestors: a pearl necklace, a Freedom Box and a quilt. Fredie and Janie take turns looking for jobs sharing one set of "dress up" clothes and the pearl necklace. Hand clapping games, call and response chants and retelling of oral history passed down through their mother helps them maintain their optimism through daily hand to mouth struggles.

When Jefferson, the landlord's son, steals the remains of the money left by their deceased mother Fredie attempts to sell the pearls. Her visit to the jeweler reveals that the pearl necklace is faux. The visit to the jeweler however, triggers their mother's emergency plans for her daughters. The jeweler, Mr. Kravitz, contacts Ms. Nicole, a neighbor and secret guardian. The real pearls are safely stored in a vault. The story ends as Fredie and Janie prepare to move to a new home with new jobs and a renewed perspective on the real treasures left by their mother, wisdom and perseverance.

Cesi Davidson (Playwright) holds a Ph.D. in speech language and hearing sciences. She has been supported in her writing process through participation in the Frank Silvera's Writer's Workshop and Woodie King Jr.'s New Federal Theatre workshops. Cesi has received mentoring from established playwrights including Cassandra Medley, P.J. Gibson and Laurence Holder. Cesi is a member of the Harlem Arts Alliance and the Dramatist Guild. The first completed drama was Bus Talk, presented by the New Federal Theatre in March 2009. Recently, Below the Waist was included as part of the salon program of theJewish Women's Theatre American Jewish University in Los Angeles,California. Artistic New Productions (AND) recently produced Silent Re-acquaintance as the opening play in the Briefs program of the Eclectic Evening of Shorts. Director Mary Hodges of EUnice Productions has staged her work in various venues including Nicu Spoon Theatre, the National Black Theatre and the Dramatists Guild. Cesi is a 2010 finalist in the Downtown Urban Theatre Festival with her play Chakalaka. The production is supported in part by a grant from the Foundation for Contemporary Arts. Additional dramatic works include Adagio, Garden Party, Juicy, Soap, Cream & Incense, Bringing Tiny Home, Embraceable You, Duck Sauce, Scat, End Pieces, Fashionable Shoes, Con Cuidado, The Crest of Watercress, Damselfly, Richard the Baker The Magic Cake Maker, Faceless, All Dressed Up, and Baby Doll.

First Throws is John Jay's second playwright salon, presenting new theatrical works and readings in a casual setting. First Throws presents new works that examine issues of justice with an artistic perspective. The first piece presented in the series was Jeanne Sakata's Dawn's Light: The Journey of Gordon Hirabayashi, directed by Lisa Rothe and featuring Joel de la Fuente.

Since opening its doors in 1988, the Gerald W. Lynch Theater has been an invaluable cultural resource for John Jay College and the largerNew York City community. Under the new direction of Executive Director Shannon R. Mayers, the Theater is dedicated to the creation and presentation of performing arts programming of all disciplines with a special focus on how the artistic imagination can shed light on the many perceptions of justice in our society. The Theater has hosted prestigious events for Lincoln Center Festival, Great Performances, Julliard, Alvin Ailey and numerous television specials for HBO and Comedy Central.

About John Jay College of Criminal Justice: An international leader in educating for justice, John Jay College of Criminal Justice of The City University of New York offers a rich liberal arts and professional studies curriculum to upwards of 14,000 undergraduate and graduate students from more than 135 nations. In teaching, scholarship and research, the College approaches justice as an applied art and science in service to society and as an ongoing conversation about fundamental human desires for fairness, equality and the rule of law. For more information, visitwww.jjay.cuny.edu.

For more information, visit www.jjay.cuny.edu/theater.php.

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