Play by Penn State Theatre Professor to be Read at National Constitution Center in Honor of September 11th
September 4, 2007
To commemorate the sixth anniversary of 9/11, the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia will present a reading of Penn State theatre professor Charles Dumas’ play, 9/11 - A Day in the Life of a People, on Tuesday, Sept. 11, 2007, at noon at the center. A discussion will take place following the reading. This event is free, but reservations are recommended at 215.409.6700.
9/11 - A Day in the Life of a People, written and composed by Dumas, who is currently serving as visiting director for acting in media in Temple University’s School of Communications and Theatre, tells the story of 9/11 from the perspective of twelve ordinary people, compiled from actual narratives and fictionalized accounts. The play takes place just before, during and a year after the attack on the World Trade Center. The reading in Philadelphia will feature Penn State theatre alumni Herb Newsome, Nedra Galegos and Ephraim Lopez.
9/11 - A Day in the Life of a People was first presented at the American School in South Africa on the first anniversary of the 9/11 attacks. The production was sponsored by the U.S. Consulate General of Capetown for the diplomatic community in South Africa. The American premiere took place at Penn State in 2003. It has been performed on the anniversary of the attacks each subsequent year, and a second act is being added later this year.
The play is produced by Loaves and Fish Theatre Company, a Pennsylvania not-for-profit theatre, which is celebrating its 20th anniversary this year. Dumas is the company’s artistic director. Loaves and Fish’s work has been seen at the New York Fringe Festival, the National Black Theatre Festival, Temple Law School, Yale Law School, Grahamstown International Festival in South Africa and the 1987 Bi-Centennial of the Constitution in Philadelphia.
The National Constitution Center, located at 525 Arch Street on Philadelphia’s Independence Mall, is an independent, nonpartisan, nonprofit organization dedicated to increasing public understanding of the U.S. Constitution and the ideas and values it represents. For more information, call 215.409.6700 or visit www.constitutioncenter.org.
Contact: Amy Milgrub Marshall, alm157@psu.edu or 814.863.2104