Press Contact: Sam Rudy, 212-221-8466
Banned, controversial play about the war in Iraq, written by high school students, to be presented at Vineyard Theatre, Saturday, June 9 at 5:00PM

VOICES IN CONFLICT
Created by students at Wilton High School in Wilton, Connecticut Directed by Bonnie Dickinson

FREE READING -- ONE PERFORMANCE ONLY -- SATURDAY, JUNE 9 AT 5:00PM

Art Meets Commerce and Vineyard Theatre present a free reading of VOICES IN CONFLICT -- a controversial new play about the war in Iraq, written by advanced theatre students of Wilton High School, which was banned from performance by school officials -- for one performance only on Saturday, June 9 at 5pm at Vineyard Theatre (108 East 15th Street).

VOICES IN CONFLICT will be directed by Bonnie Dickinson, a drama teacher at Wilton High School for the past thirteen years.

Created by Ms. Dickinson's class of advanced theater students at Wilton High School in Wilton, Connecticut, VOICES IN CONFLICT is based on the actual words of American soldiers serving in Iraq and Iraqi civilians, as they have appeared in blogs, books, documentaries, interviews and letters. As the concerns, anguish, pride and perception of these soldiers are articulated, VOICES IN CONFLICT explores the human dimension of war.

In March of 2007, the documentary-style play made headlines, including a feature in The New York Times, when the school's principal deemed the material too controversial and cancelled the pending production. Banned from being staged, the production has since garnered international attention and support from the theater community around the world. In a show of support for the students of Wilton High School, Art Meets Commerce and The Vineyard will present the first New York reading of this powerful work on Saturday, June 9.

This New York premiere of VOICES IN CONFLICT follows the first public performances of the play on June 6 and 8 at the Fairfield Community Theatre in Connecticut. Subsequently, VOICES IN CONFLICT will be performed in New York at The Culture Project (55 Mercer Street) on June 10 and The Public Theater (425 Lafayette Street) on June 15. For a full schedule, visit www.voicesinconflict.com.

The student creators and company of VOICES IN CONFLICT are Sarah Anderson, Nick Basile, Erin Clancy, Afton Fleming, Devon Fontaine, Seth Koproski, Chris Kozlowski, Natalie Kropf, Nick Lanza, Cameron Scott Nadler, Jimmy Presson, Allie Rizzo, Tara Ross, Dagan Rossini, Taylor Telyan, and Mike Ward.

VOICES IN CONFLICT and the Advanced Theatre Students of Wilton High School recently received the Music Theatre International Courage in Theater Award, the first such award in the 54-year history of Music Theater International.

Vineyard Theatre recently concluded its 25th Anniversary season with the Off-Broadway premiere of Steven Tomlinson's AMERICAN FIESTA. The Vineyard's 2006-2007 season began with Anne Washburn's THE INTERNATIONALIST, followed by the return of its Lab Production Series with Nicky Silver's THE AGONY AND THE AGONY, directed by Terry Kinney; HISTORY OF THE WORD, a co-production with Queens Theatre in the Park; and an acclaimed revival of J.M. Barrie's MARY ROSE directed by Tina Landau.

Vineyard Theatre won its first Tony Awards with AVENUE Q, winner of three 2004 Tony Awards, including Best Musical. Other productions of note at The Vineyard include two Pulitzer Prize-winners, Edward Albee's THREE TALL WOMEN and Paula Vogel's HOW I LEARNED TO DRIVE; Craig Lucas' THE DYING GAUL, Becky Mode's FULLY COMMITTED, AFTER ASHLEY by Gina Gionfriddo and WHERE DO WE LIVE by Christopher Shinn; as well as premieres of new works by Nicky Silver, Kirsten Childs, Polly Pen, Cornelius Eady and Doug Wright. The Vineyard's recent hit musical [TITLE OF SHOW] received three OBIE awards for its creators, Jeff Bowen and Hunter Bell, and its director, Michael Berresse, in 2006.

Douglas Aibel is the Artistic Director of Vineyard Theatre; Jennifer Garvey-Blackwell is Executive Director.

Art Meets Commerce is a full-service new media solutions firm specializing in the arts and entertainment field. Its principals are Chip Meyrelles, Jim Glaub and Ken Greiner. Mr. Meyrelles and Mr. Greiner, who also produce theater on and Off-Broadway, including Martin McDonagh's THE LIEUTENANT OF INISHMORE (5 Tony nominations, including Best Play); Tracy Letts' BUG (Lortel Award, Best Play, two Obie Awards); Austin Pendleton's ORSON'S SHADOW (Drama League nomination, Best Play); Greg Kotis' EAT THE TASTE; Arje Shaw's MAGIC HANDS FREDDY; and TIMOTHY HASKELL'S NIGHTMARE: NEW YORK'S MOST HORRIFYING HAUNTED HOUSE. For more information about Arts Meets Commerce, visit www.artmeetscommerce.net.

VOICES IN CONFLICT runs Saturday, June 9 at 5:00PM at Vineyard Theatre (108 East 15th Street). All tickets are free at The Vineyard. Space is extremely limited. Tickets will be distributed on a first-come/first-serve basis at The Vineyard box office (108 East 15th Street), beginning one hour prior to show time. For additional information about The Vineyard Theatre's presentation of VOICES IN CONFLICT, please contact Rachel E. Ayers at 212-353-3366 extension 237 or visit www.vineyardtheatre.org.

For information about subsequent performances of VOICES IN CONFLICT, please visit www.voicesinconflict.com.