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Mason Street Warehouse brings critically acclaimed '8' The Play to West Michigan
Posted: Sept. 2, 2012 at 1:28 p.m.
SAUGATUCK – The Saugatuck Center for the Arts' Mason Street Warehouse brings the critically acclaimed "8" The Play to West Michigan on Sunday, Sept. 9 at 4 p.m.
"8" The Play is Academy Award winner Dustin Lance Black's newest work, demystifying the debate around marriage equality by chronicling the landmark California trial of Perry v. Schwarzenegger. "This is a fantastic opportunity to expand our theater season," says SCA executive director Kristin Armstrong. "We know West Michigan audiences are interested in professional theater year-round, and we are thrilled to take advantage of exciting possibilities like this."
Using the actual court transcripts from the landmark federal trial of California's Prop. 8 and first-hand interviews, "8" shows both sides of the debate in a moving 90-minute play. A performance of "8" this past spring in Los Angeles with a star-studded cast generated national buzz and media attention. "8" has been performed in Michigan in east-side theaters; MSW's performance will be West Michigan's first opportunity to experience the play.
"We are honored to bring this very important piece to the SCA," shares artistic director Kurt Stamm, who will direct "8." "We’ve wanted to do staged readings for years, and this is an ideal opportunity. The quality of this play is so high and the content so timely that we wanted to bring it to the West Michigan community."
Stamm will bring together a 21-member cast of local and national theater professionals to perform the play, including WGVU's Shelley Irwin and various Mason Street Warehouse alumni who will return to Saugatuck for the one-time-only performance.
A talkback with the cast, director, and experts will be held following the performance. All proceeds from the evening will be donated to the American Federation for Equal Rights.
Tickets for the staged reading are $35 each and may be purchased at www.sc4a.org or by calling 269-857-2399.
About the Saugatuck Center for the Arts
Celebrating its 10th anniversary, the Saugatuck Center for the Arts serves as a economic, arts and cultural and economic catalyst in West Michigan and beyond, and is home to Mason Street Warehouse, a professional Equity theater.
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