“Body of Water” by one of America’s premier playwrights, Lee Blessing, is the third play of the 2007-08 season at Act II Playhouse. The run begins with previews on January 22 and continues until February 17.

Director Gene Roland Frank Ph.D., who is also Associate Artistic Director at Act II, said, “We selected Lee Blessing’s, A Body of Water, because we were drawn to the main premise of the play: What happens if a man and a woman wake up in the same bed with no knowledge of who they are, how they got there, or why they are there? Add to this situation, the appearance of a mysterious young woman who may or may not be the couple’s daughter and the possibilities for conflicts escalate. At the center of the turmoil is a total lack of memory for both the man and the woman. Not short term or long term memory, but a complete void of all discernible reference points. The couple’s only salvation is the personal information provided by the mysterious young woman; and, at times, even her motives are suspect.”

The play stars Buck Shirner as Moss, Cynthia Raff as Avis and Emma O’Donnell as Wren.

Prior to the previews, there will be a dress rehearsal on Sunday, January 29 at 5 PM open to the community and benefiting Inter-Faith Housing Alliance which is a non-profit, 501(c)(3) organization established in May 1982 as a response to the emergency needs of homeless and low-income families in Montgomery County, PA.. In 1995, Hope Gardens, an eight apartment transitional housing complex was built in Ambler.

Opening night is January 25, followed by a reception nearby at Agavé Grille in Ambler. Tickets are on sale at the box office, 56 East Butler Avenue, Ambler, PA, online at www.act2.org, or by calling 215-654-0200.

Tickets are priced at $30-to-$40 depending on the performances ($25 for the three preview nights). Group discounts are available for parties as small as 10 people. For more information about group sales and season tickets, call the Act II Playhouse Box Office at 215-654-0200.

PRESS CREDENTIALS FOR OPENING NIGHT PERFORMANCES SHOULD ALWAYS BE REQUESTED DIRECTLY THROUGH THE BOX OFFICE - 215-654-0200.

WHO’S WHO (Cast & Director)

BUCK SCHIRNER (Moss) – A Body of Water is Buck’s first show at Act II Playhouse. He has worked at several theaters in the Philadelphia area: A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum (Arden Theatre); Skin in Flames and In the Heart of America at InterAct Theatre; Equus (Mum Puppettheatre); Side Man and The Laramie Project (Philadelphia Theatre Company); The Drawer Boy (Montgomery Theater Company), Indian Ink (Wilma Theater); Taming of the Shrew (Lantern Theater Company); King Lear (Philadelphia Shakespeare Festival). He will next be appearing in Spring 2008 at Philadelphia Shakespeare Festival in Romeo & Juliet and Pericles. Buck also narrates audio books for the Brilliance Audio label.

CYNTHIA RAFF (Avis) is back at Act II for the second year in a row, having played Miss Kittle in last season’s Scotland Road. She has acted and directed in the Philadelphia area for 30 years. Before that, she lived in Indiana, where she earned a Ph.D. in English/Drama from Purdue University. A retired English teacher in the Hatboro-Horsham School District, Cynthia has performed at the Wilma Theatre, Walnut Street Theatre, Prince Music Theatre, LPAC, Flashpoint Theatre Company and Hedgerow, among others.

EMMA O’DONNELL (Wren) returns to Act II Playhouse after her Act II debut last season in Scotland Road. Off-Broadway credit: The Hairy Ape. Regional credits include: Forrest: A Riot of Dreams (Walnut Street Theatre), The Winslow Boy (Mountain Playhouse), Noises Off (Playhouse on the Green), Great Expectations (The Children’s Theater Company, MN), The Firebugs (Guthrie Theatre) and 37 Postcards (Florida Studio Theater). Emma is a long-time member of Michael Howard’s Master Class in New York City.

GENE ROLAND FRANK, Ph.D. (Director) brings more than 25 years of experience in all aspects of theatre to his role as Associate Artistic Director at Act II Playhouse. He holds a Doctorate in Educational Theatre from New York University as well as a M.F.A. in Directing from the University of Connecticut. Gene is currently an Adjunct Professor of Theatre at Arcadia University and has taught in universities and schools in Connecticut, Virginia, Indiana, Pennsylvania and New Jersey, as well as in England. He is the founder and President of Prop Shop, Inc. and Entertainment Technologies, two companies that supply production support, supplies and equipment to the entertainment industry.