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Banned, controversial play about the war in Iraq, created by high school students, returns to Vineyard Theatre for three FREE performances July 11-13

VOICES IN CONFLICT

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

FREE PRESENTATION -- THREE PERFORMANCES ONLY -- JULY 11-13 AT 7:00PM
TALK-BACKS TO FOLLOW EACH PERFORMANCE.

VOICES IN CONFLICT -- a controversial new play about the war in Iraq, created by advanced theatre students of Wilton High School, which was banned from performance by school officials -- returns by popular demand for three performances only July 11-13 at 7:00pm at Vineyard Theatre (108 East 15th Street), where the play made its New York premiere earlier this month. Performances are FREE and open to the public. Tickets must be reserved in advance through The Vineyard box office at 212-353-0303 or online at www.vineyardtheatre.org. Bonnie Dickinson directs.

Following each performance will be a Talk-Back, led by Robert Cohen, Professor and Chair for the Department of Teaching and Learning at NYU's Steinhardt School of Education.

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.

"The excitement that we at The Vineyard felt when VOICES IN CONFLICT was performed here was tempered by the fact that so few New Yorkers would get the chance to experience it. So we're thrilled that we'll be able to bring it back," says Douglas Aibel, Artistic Director of Vineyard Theatre. "We think that these students have created a remarkable and courageous work of theatre that deserves to be heard -- and we're delighted that we can offer this special encore engagement to the public free of charge."

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, The Vineyard and Art Meets Commerce presented the New York premiere of this powerful work for one performance only on June 9, 2007 for a standing-room-only crowd. Subsequent single-night presentations at The Public Theater and The Culture Project followed.

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 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 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 Art Meets Commerce, visit www.artmeetscommerce.net.

VOICES IN CONFLICT runs July 11-13 at 7:00pm at Vineyard Theatre (108 East 15th Street). All tickets are FREE and must be reserved in advance through The Vineyard box office (108 East 15th Street, between Union Square East and Irving Plaza). Reserved tickets must be picked up no later than 30 minutes prior to curtain. The box office will open at 4:00pm on performance days. In the event that a performance is sold out, The Vineyard encourages people to sign up on the wait list for any available day-of tickets.

For additional information about Vineyard Theatre's presentation of VOICES IN CONFLICT, please contact The Vineyard box office (Mondays-Thursdays, 1pm-6pm; and Fridays, 1pm-3pm) at 212-353-0303 or visit www.vineyardtheatre.org.

For additional information about VOICES IN CONFLICT, please visit www.voicesinconflict.com.

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