PR2017 Oct 12

Theatre Tuscaloosa 9500 Old Greensboro Road #135 • Tuscaloosa, Alabama 35405 • PHONE 205.391.2277 • FAX 205.391.2329 • theatretusc.com

October 12, 2017

Contacts:

Adam Miller, Managing Director

205.391.2925/amiller@sheltonstate.edu

Harley Sabbagh, Media Contact

205.391.2277/hsabbagh@sheltonstate.edu

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

THEATRE TUSCALOOSA KICKS OFF SECONDSTAGE SEASON

TUSCALOOSA, AL – Theatre Tuscaloosa will present its SecondStage production CQ/CX November 1-5 at The Dinah Washington Cultural Arts Center (620 Greensboro Avenue).

CQ/CX examines the nature of the truth. Jay is an up-and-coming reporter at The New York Times who has dreams of becoming a famous journalist. But, in a flash, they come crashing down when he becomes the center of a plagiarism scandal. A revealing and complex story about the collateral damage of unchecked ambition and compounded lies, this play was inspired by true events in which truth becomes slippery, and racial tensions reach a boiling point.

Theatre Tuscaloosa’s SecondStage program is designed to be a safe place where artists can try new things, take risks, and explore their ideas. It gives new directors, performers, and technicians a place to use their voices.

“SecondStage really allows for the freedom to choose shows that are a little harder to swallow, and that’s exactly what this play is,” said director Kiera Gillock. “It deals with the integrity of journalism, racial tensions in the modern world, and how instant communication has pushed our use of technology past our understanding of its ramifications. The characters are fascinating and real. They’re not all likeable, and they’re not all bad, and the cast has done some truly amazing things bringing them to life.”

The cast includes Hannah Byrd, Jerry Grantham, Scott Frazier, Jonathan Holle, Will Nevin, Brodrick S. Ryans, and George Thagard.

Brodrick Ryans, who plays the central character, Jay Bennett, said, “How much does the media actually play into our everyday lives? Is ‘Fake News’ a real thing or just something we fabricate? I absolutely think that CQ/CX makes you think about these questions and allows for some of these crucial discussions to begin.”

CQ/CX will be presented at the Dinah Washington Cultural Arts Center November 1-5, 2017. Performances will be at 2:00 p.m. on Wednesday, November 1 and Sunday, November 5; 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, November 2; and at 8:30 p.m. on Friday, November 3. Seating is general admission, and tickets are $8.00 each. The venue accommodates only seventy-five seats, so advanced purchase is encouraged. Tickets and more information are available at www.theatretusc.com or at 205.391.2277.

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Theatre Tuscaloosa is a 501c3 not-for-profit community theatre located on the Martin Campus of Shelton State Community College. Theatre Tuscaloosa has been enriching the greater Tuscaloosa community since 1971 through quality theatrical productions and educational outreach.