[NEohioPAL]VIP RECEPTION WITH PING CHONG, MICHAEL ROHD AND THE CAST OF BLIND NESS

[ELISABETH MADDEN]

VIP RECEPTION WITH PING CHONG, MICHAEL ROHD AND THE CAST OF BLIND NESS

Kent, Ohio =96 Kent State University=92s School of Theatre & Dance invites=
=20
you to the world premiere of BLIND NESS: The Irresistible Light of=20
Encounter, conceived and directed by Ping Chong and Michael Rohd.  A=20
VIP reception with Ping Chong, Michael Rohd and the cast and crew of=20
BLIND NESS will follow the performance on Friday, April 23, 2004. This=20
world premiere is brought to Kent State University by the Roe Green=20
Visiting Director Series.  On Friday, April 23, the performance of=20
BLIND NESS will begin at 8 PM in the E. Turner Stump Theatre of the=20
Music & Speech Center on the main campus of Kent State University.  The=20
VIP reception will immediately follow the performance and includes=20
specialty hors d=92oeuvres and beverages.  Tickets are $75 per individual=
=20
and $125 per couple.  Tickets can be purchased by calling Elisabeth=20
Madden at 330-672-0103. =20

Considered a multi-disciplinary theatre work, BLIND NESS: The=20
Irresistible Light of Encounter can be categorized as a prismatic=20
exploration of the reverberations of colonialism in Africa.  The=20
production is based on a premise inspired by Joseph Conrad's Heart of=20
Darkness (the same book on which the 70=92s blockbuster movie Apocalypse=20
Now was based); Arthur Conan Doyle's Crime of the Congo; and Adam=20
Hochschild's King Leopold's Ghost in addition to other historical texts=20
and archival materials.=20

This work has been referred to as a =93poetic documentary=94 by Ping Chong,=
=20
and will be =93like nothing audiences have ever seen.=94  The unique=20
feature of BLIND NESS is it incorporates live performers with shadow=20
puppetry, projected images and text, unique sounds, and dance.=20

=93This is adventurous theatre about racism, money and conscience,=94 said=
=20
Co-Writer and Director Michael Rohd.  =93It=92s basically the story of=20
history=92s first CEO (Leopold - a Belgium King) as he battles history=92s=
=20
first mass media human rights campaign.=94

After its development and premiere at Kent State University, BLIND NESS=20
will be presented in June 2004 at La MaMa Theatre in New York City and=20
will then tour.
=09
Performances of BLIND NESS are April 16, 17, 20, 21, 22, 23, and 24 at=20
8 PM, April 24 at 2 PM and April 25 at 2:30 PM.  Tickets for BLIND NESS=20
can be ordered by calling 330-672-2497.   Adults - $25; Seniors, Alumni=20
& KSU Faculty & Staff - $20; Students with a valid ID or under 18 - $7.=20
Discount tickets are available for groups of ten or more.  The School=20
of Theatre & Dance Box Office is located in the Music & Speech Center=20
and is open 12 p.m. =96 5 p.m. Mondays =96 Fridays, 3 p.m. =96 7 p.m. on=20
Saturday during the run of the show.  School of Theatre & Dance=20
performances are Tuesday =96 Saturday at 8 p.m. and Sunday at 2:30 p.m. =20
The Box Office accepts Visa, MasterCard, Discover and personal checks.=20

BLIND NESS: The Irresistible Light of Encounter is presented by The Roe=20
Green Visiting Director Series.


-------------------------------
Elisabeth Madden
Managing Director
Porthouse Theatre
KSU's School of Theatre & Dance
emadden at kent.edu
330-672-0103