TATJANA IN COLOR
Previews Begin October 25

"To restrict the artist is a crime. It is to murder germinating life." -- Egon Schiele

The Culture Project presents the New York Premiere of Julia Jordan’s Tatjana in Color, the third of four plays by Jordan to premiere this season. Will Pomerantz directs this controversial drama about art and budding sexuality, which received the prestigious Francesca Primus Prize and was published in Women Playwrights, The Best Plays of 1997. Previews begin October 25th with an opening scheduled for October 30th. This open-ended run is produced under an Equity Off-Broadway contract.

In 1912, Austrian Expressionist painter Egon Schiele was accused of raping twelve year old Tatjana von Mossig, the daughter of a retired naval officer and pillar of the community. Tatjana, a subject of several nude paintings, refused to testify against Egon. Ultimately, prosecutors proved that Tatjana did view Schiele’s erotic paintings and so Egon was convicted only on the charge of corruption of morals. Tatjana in Color is loosely based on this true story as told through the eyes of the twelve year old girl.

Tatjana in Color is one of four plays by Julia Jordan to have its New York Premiere in the 2003-2004 season. The others are St. Scarlet, which premiered in June at The Ontological; Summer of the Swans, which debuted at the Lucille Lortel in July; and the Susan Smith Blackburn Award finalist Boy, which opens at Primary Stages in April 2004. Jordan has received commissions from South Coast Rep, Theaterworks USA, Clear Channel and Manhattan Theater Club. She also served as the librettist on two productions with Larry O’Keefe and Neil Benjamin: The Mice (produced as part of Harold Prince’s Three) and a musical adaptation of Sarah Plain and Tall.

Will Pomerantz’s past productions with The Culture Project include Prater Violet (based on the novel by Christopher Isherwood), Social Note: An Evening With Dorothy Parker, and Dicken’s A Tale of Two Cities. He has also been associated with theatres including Mark Taper Forum, Pittsburgh Public Theatre, Williamstown Theatre Festival and New York Theatre Workshop. His production of The Shape of Things received a Helen Hayes Award and was voted Best Production of 2002 by Washington’s Metro Weekly.

The Culture Project, under the artistic direction of Allan Buchman, has produced numerous acclaimed new works including the Obie-winning And God Created Great Whales, 3 Dark Tales, One Man and The Good Thief. In addition to Tatjana in Color, The Culture Project is currently presenting the Drama Desk, Lucille Lortel and Outer Critics Circle Award-winner The Exonerated.

Tatjana in Color begins performances October 25 with shows scheduled Monday and Wednesday - Friday at 8pm, Saturday at 3pm & 8pm, and Sunday at 7pm. The Culture Project is located at 45 Bleecker Street (accessible from the F,B,D,V,4,5,6 trains at Broadway/Lafayette.) Tickets are $35. For reservations call Ticket Master at 212-307-4100.