KANE AND HABIL IN THE PIZZA PARLOR Plays La MaMa, 1/18-27

The legacy of his youthful activism still informs his thinking, but his philosophy has been shaped by his experience as a healer. "I learned that to make sustained political changes," he reflects now, "people need to internalize new beliefs about themselves, beliefs they will project onto the outer world." He explains, "We are both the movie and the projectionist. There is an urgent need to choose a different projection. We cannot do it for someone else, but we can present new archetypes and narratives that will trigger to many that inner revelation." On the angry, backward forces in today's society, he theorizes, "Someone who really learned self love would not do the destructive things they do. They do it because they hate themselves and this perpetuates the legacy of Kane." He wants to promote the legacy of Habil and this theme has not yet been confronted in theater, that he is aware of.

Sheila Dabney (Eve, Ensemble Director) won an Obie for her acting in Maria Irene Fornes' "Sarita" and won a Drama-Logue Award as Titania in the jazz adaptation by Max Roach and George Ferencz of "A Midsummer Night's Dream." She is an accomplished orator, known for her powerful voice and spellbinding acting. She has performed in Julie Taymor's "The Transposed Heads" (Lincoln Center), with Meryl Streep in "Alice at the Palace" by Elizabeth Swados (NYSF) and opposite Laurence Fishbourne in "Sun of the Sleepless" by James Purdy (TNC). She played Athena in Peter Sellers' "Ajax" and Jocasta in La MaMa's "Mythos Oedipus." She has composed music and been the leading actress in plays by Julian Beck, Yasmin Reza, Dario D'Ambrosi, Judith Malina and Pieter Dirk-Uys, among others. She is a member of La MaMa's Great Jones Rep, The Living Theatre and The Loretta Auditorium Company. She is a graduate of the Julliard School of Drama and The Edith Skinner Institute.

Kofi Boakye (Habil) is a lifetime member of The Actors Studio and was nominated for an AUDELCO award for "The Blacks" in 2002. He has appeared in productions of Classical Theatre of Harlem, Lee Strasberg Theatre, La MaMa and INTAR, among others. In episodic TV, he's had principal parts on Fox's "Jonny Zero" and NBC's "Law & Order: SVU" His soaps include "One Life to Live" and "The Guiding Light." His films include leading parts in eight indie films. He is also active in commercials. He's a graduate of the Columbia University Theatre Program.

Doug Chapman (Kane) holds an MFA in acting from American Repertory Theatre/Moscow Art Theatre School. He has appeared in productions of Josh Fox's International WOW Company, The Living Theatre, The Brick, American Repertory Company, Moscow Art Theatre and Empirical Rogue. He has appeared in five films and is also active in commercials. He graduated magna cum laude from Oberlin and attended Interlochen Arts Academy.

Emily Alpren (Lebuda) holds an MFA from American Repertory Theatre and graduated magna cum laude from Amhearst. Her films include Barry Levinson's "What Just Happened?" She is a series regular on the webseries "American MD." She has appeared in Theater Productions of Movement Research, Odyssey Works, American Repertory Theatre and Moscow Art Theatre. She also trained at Atlantic Theater Company Conservatory, Upright Citizens Brigade and The Groundlings.

Herbie Go (Assistant to IT) has appeared in productions of Living Theatre and East River Commedia, International WOW Company, Ma-Yi at The Public Theater, Festival Off d'Avignon (France) and Cultural Center of the Philippines (NYC). He graduated cum laude from University of the Philippines and has appeared in Philippine TV and films.

The chorus will be played by Kirk Brown, Yossera Bouchtia and all the other actors when they are not in the scene. Consultant to the choral work will be Yukio Tsuji, a senior member of the Great Jones Rep who has been La MaMa's in-house composer for over 25 years as well as a composer for Estelle Parsons, Ellen Stewart, Jerome Robins, Julie Taymor, Sir Peter Hall, John Dexter, Andre Serban, Elizabeth Swados and many other major theater directors.

The production runs January 18 to 27, 2013 at La Mama E.T.C. (The Club), 74A East Fourth Street (2 fl.), Fridays and Saturdays at 10:00 PM; Sundays at 5:30 PM. Tickets: $18 gen. adm.; $5 off for Students/Seniors. For tickets got to the La MaMa box office at 74A East Fourth Street, visit www.lamama.org or call (212) 475-7710. Runs 1:45. Critics are invited on or after January 18.

Pictured: Eve restrains her two sons from fighting. L-R: Doug Chapman (Kane), Sheila Dabney (Eve), Kofi Boakye (Habil). Photo by Adele Bossard.

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