Staged Reading Of THESIS Held 6/16 At Meymandi Theatre

Burning Coal Theatre Company announces a staged reading of Thesis, a new play by Tom Bryant of Bristol, Tennessee. Thesis will be read on Tuesday, June 16 at 7:00 pm at Meymandi Theatre at the Murphey School, located at 224 Polk St. in Raleigh.

The public is invited to witness this exciting new play and participate in an informal discussion following the performance. Admission is free with a suggested donation of $5. No reservations are necessary. For further information, please contact Burning Coal at (919) 834-4001.

According to Bryant, Thesis is the story of Craig Matthews, "a Ph.D. candidate who believes that academic stardom is worth any sacrifice. When he finally meets his idol, Dr. V.L. Williams, Craig learns that some sacrifices are too great."

Jay O'Berski of Durham directs a cast of local actors, including Venson Matthews, Shawn Smith, Page Purgar, Lakeisha Coffey, Vinny Rey, Jane Hallstrom, Tony Perucchi, Monica Byrne, and Mary Guthrie.

Burning Coal Theatre Company is one of Raleigh's professional theatre companies. Burning Coal is an incorporated, non-profit [501 (c) (3)] organization. Burning Coal's mission is to produce literate, visceral, affecting theatre that is experienced, not simply seen. Burning Coal produces explosive reexaminations of overlooked classic and modern plays, as well as new plays, whose themes and issues are of immediate concern to our audience, using the best local, national and International Artists available. We work toward a theatre of high-energy performances and minimalist production values. The emphasis is on literate works that are felt and experienced viscerally, unlike more traditional linear plays, at which audiences are most often asked to observe without participating. Race and gender non-specific casting is an integral component of our perspective, as well as an international viewpoint.