The Desert Ensemble Theatre Presents the Premiere of PUBLIC DISCOURSE

The Desert Ensemble Theatre company is proud to announce its soft-open to the 2018-2019 with the stage premiere of Public Discourse, a new play by Sam Benson Smith and directed by Shawn Abramowitz.

For the Department of Public Discourse, once each month, David speaks. He speaks for an allotted amount of time to a crowd of his peers in the capital district. His whole life, he has trained in rhetoric and the platform he holds shapes public perception. But over time, his passion has faded. As his doubts grow, a letter from someone in his past reveals that the very nature of his work may be founded in lies. Is he willing to speak the truth, and, in turn, jeopardize his way of life?

The staged reading will come to life at the Pearl McManus Theatre in the Palm Springs Woman's Club, 314 S. Cahuilla Rd., Palm Springs on Saturday, September 15 at 2 PM & 7PM. The suggested ticket donation is $10.

About the director and writer

Shawn Abramowitz is the Executive Director and Board President of DETC. Last season he received critical acclaim for his performance in DETC's production of ELECTION DAY. In 2017 he won two Desert Theatre League Awards for Outstanding Original Writing and Outstanding Direction for his moving play, EXPRESSIONS. He is also a 2016 winner of the DTL for Lead Actor in a One-Act for A NUMBER and a 2014 winner for Supporting Actor in a Drama for his performance in Tony Padilla's FAMILY MEETING. Shawn has worked for many years in Los Angeles and the Coachella Valley as a TV professional. His acting credits include ONE FLEW OVER THE CUCKOO'S NEST and ROMEO AND JULIET at College of the Desert; NOVIO BOY at CSUSB; and A CHRISTMAS CAROL at Riverside Community Players. Other credits with DETC include EVERY CHRISTMAS STORY EVER TOLD, BECOMING AVA, and MR. HORN (DTL nomination).

Sam Benson Smith is the Communications Director and a Board Member-At-Large for DETC. He added in the "Benson" to sound less like a Grammy award-winning singer, and more like a law firm. He will be making his DETC stage debut in the company's March production of Proof. Past acting credits include Dennis in NEVER HAVE I EVER, Boy in HEAD IN THE CLOUDS, and Enamored Audience Member when he saw LES MISERABLES. Sam has had jokes published in Reader's Digest and has performed stand-up comedy in Boston (Discount Therapy), New York (Broadway Comedy Club, Yonkers Comedy Club), and right here in the Valley (Coachella Valley Comedy Club). He has a degree in Broadcast Journalism with a concentration in Creative Writing from Emerson College. He's from New Jersey; just ask him to pronounce "coffee."

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