WORLD PREMIERE April 23 - May 14, 2006 Julianne Argyros Stage BLUE DOOR by Tanya Barfield directed by Leah C. Gardiner Deutsche Bank Private Wealth Management, Honorary Producers Approximately one hour and 20 minutes without intermission

Lewis (Reg E. Cathey, left) cannot deny his ancestry, as his forefathers, including great Simon (Larry Gilliard Jr.) visit in the night, armed with stories of the past. Photo by Henry DiRocco.

The grand tradition of oral history comes alive onstage, in a groundbreaking production sparked by abundant humor and woven through with original songs. A mathematics professor, sleepless during a night of personal and professional crisis, is visted by his ancestors. As four generations—from slavery through Black Power to the halls of academia—probe and challenge with their disturbing stories, he begins to understand what it means to be black, then and now. Winner of the 2003 Helen Merrill Award for Emerging Playwrights, Tanya Barfield was named by Ms. Magazine “One of the 21 Young Women to Watch for in the 21st Century.”

Playwright:
Tanya Barfield's plays include Dent, The Quick, The Houdini Act, 121º West and Pecan Tan. She has workshopped her plays at the Sundance Theatre Lab, New York Stage & Film, New York Theatre Workshop and Seattle Repertory’s Women’s Playwright Festival. Short plays produced: Medallion, Foul Play, Of Girl & Wolf and Wanting North (published in Best 10-Minute Plays of 2003). She wrote the book for the Theatreworks/USA musical, Civil War: The First Black Regiment. She was a recipient of the 2003 Helen Merrill Award for Emerging Playwrights, 2005 Honorable Mention for the Kesselring Prize for Drama, and she has twice been a Finalist for the Princess Grace Award. She has been commissioned by Playwrights Horizons and the Mark Taper Forum in addition to South Coast Repertory.

Recommendation and Resources:
One hundred and fifty years of stories—not found in history books—are brought to life through inventive staging that will intrigue all audiences. Mature theatre-goers; some disturbing situations.

ocregister.com — Race, identity behind 'Blue Door.' In a new play, nocturnal visits by ancestral ghosts cause a successful man to reassess himself.

Adobe Acrobat is required to print the program and Playgoer's Guide. To download Acrobat click here.