For Immediate Release: May 16, 2006
Media Contact: Bud Martin, Theatre Catalyst, 215.563.4330

Many pleasantries are exchanged at college reunions, and most promises of reconnecting go unfulfilled, but when Michael Friel and Frank "Bud" Martin saw each other at a DeSales University reunion in 2005, a long dormant friendship was rekindled, a playwright and director were reconnected, and the professional premiere of Michael's play The Children of Fatima was born.

As roommates at DeSales (then Allentown College), Michael was constantly writing late into the night, while the fastidious Martin was just trying to get a little sleep. "Buddy was disciplined and studious; I was sloppy and lazy in my studies. We quickly became known as the odd couple," says Friel, who is a college teacher, a produced playwright, and a professional actor in the Philadelphia area. His Oscar Madison ways caught up with him at the end of his sophomore year. "Allentown College had some hard-nosed rule that your grade point average had to be a positive number," remarks Friel, "so I was invited not to return for what would have been my junior year." Frank Martin went on to graduate with honors and to win the English prize. The two men saw each other shortly before graduation in 1972. And then, they lost contact for over thirty years.

Fast forward to spring 2006, and Friel's play, which explores the ups and downs of youthful friendships and spiritual awakenings, is being directed by Martin, a director whose career path took him into the business world for a few decades after directorial success in the 1970s and early 1980s. The production is set for a July to August run at 2nd Stage at the Adrienne.

Set in the East Falls section of Philadelphia circa 1959, The Children of Fatima explores the memories of a Catholic schoolboy in the time of the Cold War - balancing the demands of family, friends and God with the new excitement of puberty. Jerry (Keith Conallen) is the diligent good son to warring parents. His father's love of the drink and his mother's piety make for an explosive mix. Jerry and his friends, the sweet but sharp-tongued Bernadette and the ebullient and earthy Tony are the captive audience at St. Bridgid's Catholic School, the dominion of rigid Sr. Regina Coeli (Barrymore award winner Maureen Torsney-Weir) who teaches her charges the infallible lessons of the Baltimore Catechism.

Jerry becomes fixated on the secret Letter of Fatima, which supposedly foretells the end of the world. Written by one of the Portuguese children who allegedly saw the Virgin Mary in 1917, the mysterious letter was to be opened in 1960 by the Vatican and was rumored to contain a profusely vivid description of a nuclear holocaust in the near future. The overly scrupulous Jerry is frightened into an obsession with mortality and salvation. Besieged on all sides by duties to his mother, his friends, and his church, Jerry embarks on the journey to an authentic spiritual life, one that he can call his own.

The appeal of this heartfelt and touching memory play is not limited to those who lived the Catholic experience. As Martin says, "Anyone who has grown up with people or institutions trying to use fear and guilt to control them, or whose childhood truths were questioned later in life can relate to this play. Anyone who has felt they've had a revelation or an awakening, or been searching for meaning after having their belief system shattered, will feel the play resonate." The Children of Fatima received staged readings at Philadelphia Theatre Company and at the Abingdon in NYC. A successful, favorably reviewed student production at Rider University in 2003 paved the way for this professional premiere.

Director Martin is not only reconnecting with an old friend, he is also reconnecting to the world of the theatre that nurtured him in his early professional years. His foray into the world of corporate finance in the early 80s has rewarded him with the ability to finance his dreams and he is currently a semifinalist for the Ernst & Young "Entrepreneur of the Year" award. "I was a good enough actor to convince someone I was an investment banker" says Martin. "And after several years of doing transactions, I wanted to build something. I have been lucky enough to have conceived and built three successful healthcare companies. And starting and building companies is very much like producing and directing plays. You have to have an idea that will impact people, you have to cast it right, you need to keep people focused on your vision and give an ensemble performance." Even so, the lure of directing a show again, a skill he honed while directing over 30 productions between 1972 and 1982, was too strong to resist, and The Children of Fatima was too exciting a piece to ignore.

The Philadelphia premiere of The Children of Fatima, by Michael Friel runs from July 12 to August 6 at 2nd Stage at the Adrienne, 2030 Sansom Street, Philadelphia. Tickets from $10-$20, Student, Senior and Group discounts available. For tickets go online to www.thechildrenoffatima.com or call 215-563-4330.

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