Graham Dancer Colonomos' Play To Premiere At Fringe, 8/8

In her new play, THE THIRD FROM THE LEFT, former Martha Graham dancer, Jean  Colonomos, dramatizes the struggles five women face to find the emotional strength and physical endurance to master one of Graham's highly challenging works.  Directed by Jon Lawrence Rivera and produced by Diane Levine, THE THIRD FROM THE LEFT will have its American premiere at the New York International Fringe Festival with five performances between August 8-17 at the CSV Cultural and Educational Center – Flamboyan, 107 Suffolk Street (between Rivington and Delancey Streets).  Performance dates and times to be announced. A production of The Present Company in association with Playwrights' Arena. Tickets are $15. For Information/Tickets visit www.FringeNYC.org or call 866-468-7619.

From 1964-1968 Ms. Colonomos performed with The Martha Graham Dance Company.  THE THIRD FROM THE LEFT is a fictionalized dramatization of Ms. Colonomos' experiences in the 1964 revival of Martha Graham's masterpiece, "Primitive Mysteries." It is about how these dancers cope with the back-breaking choreography, their friendships and the genius, Martha Graham.  "In 1964 we were performing in 'The King and I' at the New York State Theatre while reconstructing 'Primitive Mysteries,' " says Ms. Colonomos.  "It was a difficult period and this play is a tribute to Martha Graham and to the passionate commitment dancers make to their art and what they endure to fulfill their dreams."

Jean Colonomos' plays have been presented in New York, Los Angeles and regionally in such venues as St. Peter's Church at Citicorp, The Actors and Directors Theatre, The Nat Horne,  Playwrights' Arena,  The Santa Fe Playhouse, The University of  Southern Oregon, Georgia State University, among others.  THE THIRD FROM THE LEFT received excellent reviews at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in 2006.  For her play, "Treasure Hunt," she received a Drama-Logue award; "Palm Fever" received the Los Angeles Playwriting Award and "Penumbra" received a workshop production at the South Carolina Playwrights' Festival.  Ms. Colonomos and director, Jon Lawrence Rivera received Citations from the City of Los Angeles for their production of "Black Dawn," about war trauma blindness among female victim survivors of the Cambodian Holocaust.  As a poet, Ms. Colonomos is published online at poetry.com, under The National Library of Poets.

Regarded as one of the foremost pioneers of modern dance, Martha Graham is widely considered one of the greatest artists of the 20th century.  Graham invented a new movement vocabulary and used it to reveal the breadth of human experience, both the light and the dark.

Jon Lawrence Rivera most recently directed "Hero" by Luis Alfaro (Studio/Stage), "Hillary Agonistes" by Nick Salamone (2007 NY International Fringe Festival Award for Outstanding Direction), "Havana Bourgeois" by Carlos Lacamara (starring Tony Plana at the Hayworth Theater), "Dogeaters" by Jessica Hagedorn (Center Theatre Group's Kirk Douglas Theatre;  Maddy Award, Best Director), "The Skin of our Teeth" by Thornton Wilder (Actors Co-op), the Sondheim/Lapine musical "Into The Woods" (Actors Co-op), and many others.  He is the recipient of two 2005 Ovation Award nominations for directing the musical "Songs for a New World" by Jason Robert Brown at Ventura's Rubicon Theatre (Santa Barbara Independent Award, best director).  He is the founding artistic director of Playwrights' Arena and his productions have garnered over 80 local and international awards.

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