Page 14 - Southern Exposure - February '24

Page 14, Southern Exposure

theatre haPPeningS

A Ripped-From-The-Headlines World Premiere:

The Cancellation Of Lauren Fein By Christopher Demos-Brown

Opens Feb. 2 At Palm Beach Dramaworks (PBD)

We’ve all read the stories in recent years: a celebrity a community turns against you, as Miller did in The Palm Beach Dramaworks is a professional, nonprofit
or professor or politician is called out and brought down Crucible,” said Demos-Brown, who pays tribute to Miller theatre company founded in 2000 and located in the heart
for words or deeds considered offensive. Cancel culture. in various ways during the play. “It’s a very similar of downtown West Palm Beach. Each season, the award-
Some view it as a method of holding people to account, of dynamic; there’s this new code being imposed on people, winning company produces five mainstage shows and offers
righting a wrong. Others believe it’s suppression of free and how do they react to it?” a wide variety of programs for students at the theatre and in
speech, a public shaming. Margaret M. Ledford directs this world premiere schools. Committed to fostering the future of theatre, PBD
Sometimes it’s both. And sometimes – perhaps, often production, which features Niki Fridh as Lauren Fein, has become a hub for playwrights in Florida and around the
– a seemingly minor stumble can lead to a fall from grace Diana Garle (PBD debut) as Paula Moreno and, in country to nurture their work through initiatives including
when an accusation takes on a convoluted life of its own. alphabetical order, Odera Adimorah (PBD debut), Kaelyn The Dramaworkshop and the Perlberg Festival of New
It is that murky, how-did-we-get-here allegation of Ambert-Gonzalez (PBD debut), Malcolm Callender (PBD Plays. PBD is a member of Theatre Communications Group,
wrongdoing that playwright Christopher Demos-Brown debut), Lindsey Corey, Bruce Linser, Barbara Sloan, Karen Florida Professional Theatres Association, the Cultural
explores in The Cancellation of Lauren Fein, his world Stephens, and Stephen Trovillion. Scenic design is by Anne Council of Palm Beach County and the National New Play
premiere play for Palm Beach Dramaworks. Demos-Brown Mundell, video design is by Adam J. Thompson, costume Network (NNPN). See www.palmbeachdramaworks.com.
is not just an acclaimed playwright, but a prominent civil design is by Brian O’Keefe, lighting design is by Kirk Evening performances are Wednesday and Thursday
trial attorney in Miami, and the play is informed by his Bookman, and sound design is by Roger Arnold. Nicole at 7:30 p.m. and Friday and Saturday at 8 p.m. Matinee
personal experiences representing professors who have Perry (PBD debut) is the intimacy choreographer. performances are Wednesday, Thursday, Saturday, and
been caught in the net of cancel culture. The Cancellation Christopher Demos-Brown’s writing honors include Sunday at 2 p.m. Post-performance discussions follow
of Lauren Fein opens on Feb. 2 (8 p.m.) and runs through the Laurents/Hatcher Award, a Steinberg Citation and weekday matinees. Tickets for all performances are $89,
Feb. 16, with specially priced previews on Jan. 31 and several Carbonell Awards. He is the author of numerous except for opening night ($104) and previews ($69).
Feb. 1 (7:30 p.m.). plays including When the Sun Shone Brighter, Fear Student tickets are available for $15 with valid K-12 or
The brilliant Lauren Fein and her wife, Paola Moreno, Up Harsh, Stripped, Captiva and American Son, which university/college identification, and anyone under 40
are professors at a prestigious American university. They had a successful run on Broadway in 2018. It starred pays $40 (no additional fees) with a photo identification
live with Dylan, their 16-year-old African American Kerry Washington and has been translated into multiple card. Tickets for educators are half price with proper
foster son whom they’ve cared for since he was a baby. languages. Demos-Brown wrote and coproduced a Netflix identification (other restrictions apply). Group rates for 10
In other words, they appear to be the poster family for original movie based on the play that received an Emmy or more and subscription packages are available. Tickets
“diversity, equity, and inclusion.” But when Professor nomination for best TV movie (currently running on can be purchased through the box office, in person or by
Fein’s actions run afoul of the university’s DEI policies, Netflix). He is also a practicing lawyer and a founding phone at (561) 514-4042, Ext. 2, and online 24 hours a
her groundbreaking research, her career, and her family member of Zoetic Stage in Miami, where he lives with his day at www.palmbeachdramaworks.org.
are all put in jeopardy. wife, Stephanie, and their daughters, Kate and Jilly. He is The Don and Ann Brown Theatre is located in the heart
The Cancellation of Lauren Fein is in some ways an grateful to Sue Ellen, Bill and the whole PBD organization of downtown West Palm Beach, at 201 Clematis St. For
homage to playwright Arthur Miller, particularly the for their courage in and commitment to producing The ticket information contact the box office at (561) 514-4042,
play The Crucible. Demos-Brown makes that explicit in Cancellation of Lauren Fein. or visit www.palmbeachdramaworks.org.
the play’s script, quoting the character of Miller’s John
Proctor prior to the start of the text: “Now the little crazy
children are jangling the keys of the kingdom, and common
vengeance writes the law!”
“Early in the process of writing the play, I knew I
wanted to incorporate the idea of what happens when

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