Preview of 'Gidion's Knot' by Backyard Theater Ensemble

THOUGHT-PROVOKING DRAMA TO BE STAGED BY LOCAL THEATER ENSEMBLE

Thomaston, CT – A local theater group based in southern Connecticut will dramatize Gidion’s Knot, a new play by Johnna Adams. The play opens August 21 at the Thomaston Opera House Arts Center and runs for five performances under the direction of ensemble’s Artistic Director Donato J. D’Albis.

The setting of the play is a familiar one, a 5th grade classroom. A parent shows up unexpectedly for a parent/teacher conference demanding to know why her son was suspended, which she believes led to his tragic suicide. The emotionally stressed classroom teacher is put on the defensive as she tries to articulate her reasoning for the suspension, and belief as to where exactly to lay the blame for the boy’s death. The two women struggle as they deal with their emotions. The accusations fly as they begin to try to unravel the knot that is Gidion.

The play deals with a child’s violent fantasy. It questions free expression, whether it is limited by societal needs, or the desire to neatly label and solve problems that have no solutions, neat or otherwise. It is a visceral and provocative theater experience that is raw, honest, disturbing, and yes, funny at times. It is a tale that must be understood emotionally, not just intellectually. This play is sure to lead to a heated debate about the roles of parents and educators, and how the view changes depending on what side of the desk one is sitting. Following each performance there will be a talk back session with the director, actors, and school psychologists.

Backyard Theater Ensemble is an award winning, volunteer, non-profit theater company. The ensemble is composed of young professionals, many of whom are teachers, who dedicate their spare time to pursuing their love of the performing arts. They design, produce, and direct each production purely for the joy of entertaining and inspiring audiences.

The ensemble has been a full-time resident company of the Thomaston Opera House Arts Center since 2012. This will be the company’s ninth performance since its inception in 2011 and it’s seventh at the Opera House. Gidion’s Knot will run August 21-22 & 28-29 with 8 PM performances and August 30 with a 2 PM performance. Tickets can be purchased at Tickets.LandmarkCommunityTheatre.org or through the Thomaston Opera House Box Office at (860) 283-6250.

Contact the Backyard Theater Ensemble at Info@BackyardTheater.org or visit www.BackyardTheater.org for more information.