NO WORD IN GUYANESE FOR ME Reading Set for Rainbow Theatre Project

Rainbow Theatre Project's next reading, No Word in Guyanese for Me, will tackle one of today's most sensitive issues: the conflict that exists for many between their sexual identity and their faith.

Written by Wendy Graf, No Word in Guyanese for Me will be performed on Monday, October 17 at 7:30pm at Source Theatre.

A one woman show, No Word in Guyanese for Me follows Hanna throughout her struggle to reconcile her beliefs in the faith she holds so dear and her need to be true to herself. As Hanna takes the audience on a journey from her childhood in Guyana through her adolescence in both a pre- and post-9/11 New York City to a disastrous arranged marriage, she discovers that she has a right to be accepted for who she is while still following the covenants of her faith.

"Wendy Graf contacted me two years ago introducing me to her play and I have wanted to find the right time to present it. I can't think of a better time than now with a national election coming up in a few weeks," shares Artistic Director H. Lee Gable. "Wendy shows us that the struggle to balance sexual orientation with religious belief is a universal one whether you are Christian, Jewish, or Muslim."

The reading will be helmed by Julia Hurley, who is making her Rainbow Theatre Project Debut. D.C.-based actress Ashley K. Nicholas will also make her Rainbow Theatre Project Debut as Hanna.

Wendy Graf (Playwright) is a multi-award winning playwright whose plays have been produced throughout the country. Recent plays include: Closely Related Keys; No Word In Guyanese For Me (2012 GLAAD Award Outstanding L.A. Theater); Behind the Gates; Lessons; Leipzig (LA Drama Critics Circle awards and nominations/Writing and Lead Performance; Garland awards Playwriting and Lead Performance; Dorothy Silver finalist); The Book of Esther (San Fernando Valley Artistic Directors nominations including Best Play; A.S.K. Theater Projects Grant Award); Bethany/Bakol (Attic Theater One Act Winner, produced September 2009); The Cross and the Saber; Shanghai Ghetto; L.A. Tales; Zeno's Paradox; and All American Girl (2015 Last Frontier Theater Conference winner).

Julia Hurley (Director) is delighted to make her debut with The Rainbow Theatre Project. She is a director and actress who recently graduated from UVA. Her directing work includes Christopher Durang's 'dentity Crisis and a staged version of Mike Bartlett's radio play Not Talking. Other directing work includes a staged reading of Nina Raine's Tribes, which features the use of sign language, as well as a site- specific production of Caleb and Rita by Jessica Moss for Offstage Theatre's Barhoppers Series. More recently, she has worked as an assistant director and projections designer for the Telluride Playwrights Festival's production of The Hispanic Women's Project. She made her D.C. theater debut in August 2016 as the lead actress in 4615 Theatre Company's production of Aliens With Extraordinary Skills.

ASHLEY K. NICHOLAS (Hanna) is happy to be making her debut with Rainbow Theatre Project. She is a D.C.-based actress who is currently performing in Sister Act (Michelle/Ensemble, u/s Deloris) at Toby's Dinner Theatre. Previous credits in the area include the workshop production of Lost in Wonderland at Pallas Theatre Collective (Caterpillar/Card), Caroline, or Change at Creative Cauldron (Dotty), and the National Tour of Bob Marley's Three Little Birds (Tacoomah), produced by Adventure Theatre MTC. Most recently, Ashley was involved in the 2016 workshop of Set It Off: the Musical (Frankie), produced by Life Success Center. Ashley is a proud graduate of Point Park University's Conservatory of Performing Arts. Ashley would like to thank Julia, Lee, and Rainbow Theatre Project for this opportunity. As always, much love to her family and friends.

No Word in Guyanese for Me will be performed on Monday, October 17 at 7:30pm at Source Theatre. Tickets are general admission and can be purchased for $15. For tickets, visit www.rainbowtheatreproject.org/tickets.html.

The Rainbow Theatre Project is committed to being the premier theatre for the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Queer (LGBTQ) community in the Nation's Capital by presenting plays and musicals that reflect the unique experiences, interests and history of the LGBTQ community.

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