For Immediate Release: March 1, 2006
Media Contact: Amanda DiGiandomenico, BCKSEET Productions, 215.370.2813

Join BCKSEET Productions as they delve further into the creative process with the workshop of their world premiere play ALPHA FEMALE. This production presents classic Greek heroines as they fight for family, for love, for justice, for the right to be heard and to take action. In ALPHA FEMALE, an all-female cast shows how these struggles are as prevalent to modern audiences as they were to ancient cultures. The workshop performances will be held at the Red Room at Society Hill Playhouse on Friday, March 10 and Saturday, March 11. Doors open at 7pm with a special musical presentation by Gillian Grassie, the workshop starts at 8pm, and the evening concludes with a talkback featuring the director, cast and composer. Tickets cost $10.00 and include admission, one free drink and a compilation album from BCKSEET’s recent fundraiser.

ALPHA FEMALE is a piece based upon Sophocles’ Antigone and Euripides’ Medea, Hecuba and Trojan Women. Incorporating scenes from each of the original texts, BCKSEET’s production shows the struggles of Hecuba, Antigone and Medea and their relationships with their family, government and Gods. These three particular characters also serve to represent the stages of female maturity: the daughter (Antigonê), the mother (Medea) and the grandmother (Hecuba). This ancient world of Sophocles and Euripides is then woven together by a chorus of hauntingly familiar news stories. The juxtaposition of current events and Greek legend that is present in ALPHA FEMALE demonstrates how our own generations’ values concerning family, government and religion are indeed similar to the ideals of our ancestors.

The version of ALPHA FEMALE that will be presented in the workshop is the result of a restructuring of the original script. The presentation of Sophocles’ and Euripides’ scenes will now progress in an order that ties the four pieces together by telling the stories of the three characters from their points of view. The current phase of the project will also incorporate basic staging and the implementation of original music composed by harpist Gillian Grassie. Grassie’s music, which has been composed specifically for ALPHA FEMALE, serves as a soundtrack to these tragic tales of woe.

The all-female cast, which will portray all roles both male and female, consists of Cynthia Raff (Hecuba), Kate Brennan (Antigone) and Nicole Venson (Medea). More information on Grassie’s work can be found at gilliangrassie.com. The evening will conclude with a talkback led by director Greg DeCandia and featuring the cast and composer.

For the past five years, BCKSEET Productions has launched shows in Boston (where it was founded at Emerson University), New York City and Guatemala. This year marks its second season in Philadelphia. Previous Philadelphia shows include last year’s Closer, Pvt. Wars. and Angels in America Part I. In the fall of 2005, BCKSEET Productions participated in the Philly Fringe/LiveArts Festival with their workshop of the world premiere play Hung on a Blonde Ponytail and in the Philadelphia Theatre Alliance’s Free Night of Theatre with their initial reading of Alpha Female.

BCKSEET Productions is a fresh theatre company whose mission is “to produce art with the talents of multidisciplinary artists who educate, entertain and enlighten society with the ideals of classical, contemporary and original cutting edge works of art.” Their next project will be a staging of Manuel Puig’s heart-wrenching masterpiece Kiss of the Spiderwoman. In addition to producing plays, BCKSEET also has demonstrated a strong commitment to the community by hosting benefits and donating part of past shows’ proceeds to such organizations as ActionAIDS. Subsequently, in celebration of Edwin Forrest Day (March 9), all proceeds for the Friday night presentation of ALPHA FEMALE will benefit the Lillian Booth Actors' Home of the Actors' Fund of America.

The ALPHA FEMALE workshop will be held on Friday, March 10th and Saturday, March 11th at the Red Room at Society Hill Playhouse at 507 S 8th Street in Philadelphia. Doors open at 7pm, and the performance starts at 8pm. Tickets cost $10.00 and include admission, one free drink and a compilation album from BCKSEET’s recent fundraiser. Tickets are available at the Society Hill Playhouse or by calling 215-923-0210.

Go to News Releases»