Photo Flash: WE ARE PROUD TO PRESENT Opens Tonight At Epic

After a sold out season of summer programming, Epic Theatre Company is back for its seventh full season at its home in Cranston, Rhode Island. The theme of the season is Conviction--stories about the truths that drive us and the dangerous balance between belief and reality. The season begins with the Rhode Island Premiere of Jackie Sibblies Drury's incredible play We Are Proud to Present a Presentation About the Herero of Namibia, Formerly Known as Southwest Africa, From the German Sudwestafrika, Between the Years 1884-1915.

"The first time I read this script, I knew this was the show that had to kick off our seventh season," says Epic Artistic Director Kevin Broccoli, "It perfectly encapsulates everything we want to spend the season talking about--truth, power, race, class, art, history, and on top of all that, it's a play with great event potential. There's always this temptation when the world-at-large is so serious and fraught to back away from plays like this and produce work that's on the lighter side. We felt that it was more important to double down and lean into the politics, the political, and the dangerous. Whether you love or hate what you see at Epic this year, you'll walk away feeling something--and that's our goal."

We Are Proud to Present... is a one-act pot-boiler that takes place at a rehearsal for a presentation a group of actors are putting together about an obscure and tragic moment in history. Soon, the line between the characters and the actors begin to blur as they try to navigate what they're responsible for, what stories they can and can't tell, and how far they can push themselves and the art they're creating before it reaches a breaking point.

In addition to being a member of the six-person ensemble that makes up the cast, Tiffany Fenton makes her Epic directorial debut with this ingenious and innovative piece of theater. Joining her onstage are Epic alums Justin Pimentel (Life Sucks), Melanie Stone (Collective Rage), Ian Hudgins (Wolf Hall), Ibrahima Tylar Jahumpa (Milk Like Sugar), and Court Stafford.

We Are Proud to Present... runs September 7th - 22nd at Theater 82, located at 82 Rolfe Square in Cranston, Rhode Island. Tickets are $20 for General Admission, $15 for Seniors. Students and Military Service Members can receive complimentary tickets as part of Epic's Free Admission program.

Photo Credit: Dave Cantelli