Forum Theatre to Present 9 CIRCLES, 2/7-3/2

Forum Theatre presents the area premiere of 9 Circles, from playwright Bill Cain and directed by Jennifer L. Nelson, February 7 - March 2, 2013.

Tickets are $25 for all performances ($20 for seniors, groups, and Round House subscribers; $15 for students and patrons under 30). To purchase, visit http://www.forum-theatre.org/buy-tickets or call the Round House box office at 240-644-1100.

In spring 2006, Private Reeves receives an honorable discharge from the army, returns home to Texas, and wakes up in a prison cell. On trial for brutal war crimes committed in Iraq, Reeves will not (or cannot) explain his motives. And everyone, from his lawyer to his pastor to the public, latches on to a different story. Mirroring Dante's Inferno, this fierce psychological drama ventures into the darkest corners of both the war and the mind - in hopes of light on the other side.

Cast includes Julian Elijah Martinez* (Romeo and Juliet, Chesapeake Shakespeare Theatre; Locomotion, The Kennedy Center), Katy Carkuff (Marat/Sade, Forum Theatre; The Taming of the Shrew, Folger Theatre), Jonathan Feuer (A Little House Christmas, Adventure Theatre; Afterplay & a little trick, Quotidian Theatre), and Scott McCormick (The Illusion, Forum Theatre; Amadeus, Round House Theatre)

"People need to not leave [this show] sentimental or sad," says 9 Circles director, Jennifer L. Nelson, "but leave [with the question] what are we doing to these young people?...When we ask people to do these horrible deeds in the name of justice and peace, who is guilty? Are we all?"

"Bill Cain is one of the best at writing charged, thrilling dialogue around big questions and 9 Circles displays that talent in a big way," says Forum's Artistic Director, Michael Dove. "Even just reading his scripts causes me to lose my breath. It was a play that after just one reading I thought 'THIS is a play I have to see on stage!' That, coupled with the fact that I think Jennifer Nelson is such a great fit for Forum--she's one of my favorite directors--makes me very excited about this show."

Creative team includes scenic designer Klyph Stanford, costume designer Frank Labovitz, lighting designer Dan Covey, sound designer Thomas Sowers**, stage manager Christine Alexander, and assistant stage manager Justin Silverman.

Performances are Wednesday-Saturday at 8:00 PM and Sundays at 2:00 PM with an additional show Monday, February 25, 2013 at 7:30 PM.

Open Forum discussions will follow the performances on Thursday, February 14, Thursday, February 21, and Saturday, February 23 at 2pm. There will be two Pay-What-You-Can Previews on Thursday, February 7 & Friday, February 28 at 8:00pm.

* AEA
** Forum Ensemble Member

More Articles by This Author...