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Artists in Residency at Flying E

Release Date: Jan 18, 2010 Author: Cathy Weiss

WICKENBURG, AZ -

The American Place Theatre, a 48 year old off-Broadway theatre company from New York City, is calling the Flying E Guest Ranch home for the next two weeks. Part of the new artist residency project funded by the Wellik Foundation and the Arizona Community Foundation; this company of 20 actors, directors and master teaching artists will spend their time in Wickenburg completing their new body of work entitled 9 American Classics “The Living Library.”

APT produces a series of works for student and adult engagement known as “Literature to Life” where actors perform staged adaptations of significant American literary works to encourage reading, writing and critical thinking. Webb Center audiences experienced one of their works this past November; The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kid.

While in residence at the “Flying E” APT will be finishing their new series of classics. In contrast to the hour-long performances in the original series, these American titles will be offered in an abbreviated version to better compliment the time schedules allowed in schools.

“This new work began more than one year ago, guided by the brilliance of their artistic director and the co-founder of APT, Wynn Handman,” stated Cathy Weiss of the Webb Center and curator of the Flying E Project. “APT was selected for this residency because of the strength and power of their work, their dedication to their craft and commitment to education and literacy,” Weiss continued, “this work is important and we wanted to play a role in its success.”

Monday and Tuesday of next week the actors and teaching artists will take these books into classrooms at Wickenburg High School and Vulture Peak Middle School as their preview audience. The Wickenburg students will have an opportunity to give feed back and shape the pieces before they tour the United States.

The Webb Center will host a public performance of the new classics on Thursday, January 28 at 7:30 PM. Limited seating is available; please contact the Webb Center Box Office for tickets.

The public is welcome to attend open rehearsals to watch the company develop this work. Check the Webb Center website for rehearsal times and the list of book titles included in the project, www.delewebbcenter.org. Take a closer look at American Place Theatre www.americanplacetheatre.org.

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