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SETTING THE STAGE...
 Even in the wake of unprecedented tragedies like
hurricane Katrina, America’s lower classes and
inner cities continue to be largely ignored by the
Federal government. In our superpower economy,
driven largely by our investment in Middle-Eastern
oil, the gap between the rich and the poor
continues to widen. But the world’s oil supply will
be peaking sometime in the next 20 years, and
our government offers little more than lip service
toward the development of alternative energy
sources…
ABOUT THE PLAY
 What happens when Curtis Walker, an African
American man living in Detroit’s inner-city,
purchases an oil rig on eBay and taps into one of
America’s largest oil reserves right under his own
back yard? This hilarious vaudevillean take on the
not-too-distant future chronicles Walker’s
discovery, as it precipitates a wild chain reaction
that throws the world into turmoil, proving just
how much America’s petroleum addiction keeps
world events on edge. Will the newly-tapped
resource lead to violence or prosperity? Will the
poor get rich? Will the rich get richer? Will
America’s economy skyrocket? Will the Middle
East move toward unprecedented peace or
unimaginable chaos? Six actors play over 80 roles
in this fast-paced, futuristic satire of class, race
and greed in a country that will go to dangerous lengths to keep the cheap crude flowing.
ON THE WEB & IN THE PRESS:
Thirst for Oil Quenched in Satire,
BLACK GOLD, Premiering in Philly
"... a tour-de-force!"
- M. Majoun, The XPN Morning Show with Michaela Majoun
“... BLACK GOLD's script takes its zigzagging structure directly from Horovitz['s LEBENSRAUM], with about 100 characters - played by an ensemble
of six - who pop up and disappear like targets in a shooting gallery. ... they provide a narrative that eventually pulls
all the script's disparate pieces together. ... [Playwright and director Seth] Rozin ... does a pretty darn good job
of keeping the pace moving and the wheels turning, lubricated, no doubt, by all that sweet crude flowing through his -
also occasionally sweet and crude - tale. ... The cast mostly rises to the challenge of juggling all those roles. ... Delante G. Keys was a standout, and the rest of the cast served as steady anchors for the play's
freewheeling concept. ... The piece has some flaws ... Still, clever interludes ... happen often
enough to redeem the action.
Rozin has crafted a complicated work for insane times, a new-century cautionary fable that ...
leaves us laughing all the way to oblivion.”
"... the play is so chock full
of rewards that watching it becomes a
guilty pleasure. I never knew [playwright and director Seth Rozin] could
be this funny. Very funny and at the same
time dead serious. ... This rambunctious play shows what happens when a
freewheeling social crusading playwright with a sense of
humor runs amok in global issues ... While initially appearing to be a scattershot, crazy free-for-all,
the story pulls together ... where politics meet the absurd. ... Serious fun reveals
serious issues ... As is so often the case in Philadelphia productions, all the
actors are excellent. Craig Allen Edwards [is] heartwarming as
lead character Curtis Walker... Maureen Torsney-Weir and Sean Christopher-Lewis
go through amazing transformations ... Kaci M. Fannin could run for congress, and Delante G.
Keys is remarkable -- what a talent! An extra word on Tim
Moyer, long an InterAct staple, who's as reliable as planetary
orbits. ...
Multitalented Moyer will make a role work and bring it home.
This work is topical although it's built on a bedrock of
concern for humanity. ... BLACK GOLD's horrendous issues are
delivered with a counterintuitive, persistent sense of joy and
hope. ..."
Read the CurtainUp.com Review in its Entirety Here
"Seth Rozin — director, producer and playwright — is a smart man and a serious artist.
Can it be he's also a closet fan of The Beverly Hillbillies? In Rozin's imaginative, accomplished new farce, BLACK GOLD, an underclass family acquires an oil derrick and strikes a whole lot of bubblin' crude, thus upending the status quo. ... and Rozin's script deftly uses a rotating series of narrators to manage the multiple plots. There's
an invigorating energy to the short, punchy vignettes — energy also found in Rozin's lightening-fast direction. Thanks to
imaginative designs by Marka Suber (scenery) and Peter Whinnery (lighting), we can almost always keep track of where
we are. Six actors all play multiple roles. It's not always easy to distinguish them, ... but there's also much good work here, especially by Maureen Torsney-Weir. ...the ambitious BLACK GOLD is a play to see. ..."
Read the Philadelphia City Paper Review in its Entirety Here
"... Drawn straight from today's headlines, BLACK GOLD is a
commentary on the global dependence on oil, and shines a glaring spotlight on our fractured system of government.
This dark comedy, directed by Rozin, moves at break neck speed ... BLACK GOLD
almost takes on the flavor and atmosphere of a vaudeville show -
and I mean that in a good way.
At its core, BLACK GOLD deals with a very serious subject, and
Rozin does a wonderful job of infusing comedy into the script,
with his main foil being the engaging Delanté Keys. Tim Moyer’s
over-the-top presidential parody was also a running joke that kept
the audience in stitches.
On a serious note, Craig Alan Edwards gave a pure representation
of the angst of a Black man who can’t seem to get ahead, no
matter how hard he tries. Kaci M Fannin, was an anchor for this
provocative production ... In fact, the entire ensemble is to be commended.
... Seth Rozin’s engrossing and entertaining BLACK GOLD illustrates how something that is literally in your own backyard can
affect the world at large."
Read the Philadelphia Tribune Review in its Entirety Here
"Playwright Seth Rozin takes dead aim at
America’s addiction to petrol in his fast, theatrical and pointed satire BLACK GOLD,
... Making use of a number of vaudeville techniques, ... the play - which jumps between continents and characters in the blink of an eye - is epic in scope. ... With six actors each portraying dozens of characters, Rozin (who also directs the
production) draws on his considerable theater experience (including his awardwinning
direction of Israel Horovitz’s similarly constructed LEBENSRAUM) to
efficiently orchestrate the comings and goings ...
Utilizing the frenetic action to depict America’s energy policies as chaotic and out
of control, the production is smartly conceived and enormously fluid. While the cast is adept at lightning-fast transformations (newcomer Delanté G.
Keys is sensational), ... As an outrageous satire, GOLD is successful in its depiction of America as a
desperate addict willing to go to any lengths to get its fix. On the surface the plot
might seem implausible ...
but considering current events, perhaps the scenario isn’t so far-fetched. ..."
Read the Philadelphia Weekly Review in its Entirety Here
 "InterAct Theatre Company has always been more than just one of the shining lights on the Philly theatre scene ... no production has ever been dull and haranguing on the one hand or smug and snarky on the other, but always gripping in the purest theatrical sense, with much work as comedic as it is socially aware. [BLACK GOLD] typifies this to a T. ... Touted as a hilarious satire, it is that but much more as well. ... [Playwright] Rozin is in fact an expert juggler, keeping every plot entanglement aloft with ease and then speeding things up as the play moves to its very moving denouement. Also, there are plenty of subtle turns mixed with broad gestures geared for maximum hilarity. Indeed, the loudest laughter is generated by Persident Strunk (Tim Moyer), a clueless and heartless southerner with a penchant for mangling English ... Though set in the near future, parallels with the world today abound. Maureen Torsney-Weir rounds out the cast, all of whom play multiple roles to stunning effect (with kudos to Mr. Edwards as Curtis Walker), thanks to a bitingly funny, involved and involving and oh-so-human story that is set in motion by Mr. Rozin's compelling direction. .. An Inspired and inspiring gem, BLACK GOLD is indeed loaded with laughs and due to its complex narrative bears repeated viewing so as to absorb every nuance (I'm going again.) However, I was especially impressed by its dramatic dimension, which I did not expect and is what
stays with you long after leaving the theater. ..."
"InterAct Theatre Company certainly came into its 20th anniversary season with all guns
blazing. ... InterAct is
onto another smash with BLACK GOLD, a sharply satirical send up ... with
plenty of poignant and thought-provoking moments ... much to laugh about and even more to think about ... wild and intelligent play ... the talented cast of BLACK GOLD bring to life
dozens of characters with such clarity and distinction that the audience is never in doubt as to
whom or what they are watching. Craig Alan Edwards, Delante G. Keys and Kaci M. Fannin
bring enormous heart and sensitivity ... an emotional
anchor on the play ... Sean Christopher Lewis, Maureen Torsney-Weir and Tim Moyer are also powerful forces on
the stage. Lewis is hysterical ... Torsney-Weir is simply
hilarious in every role she plays, bringing gusto and spunk to each one... Moyer,
who is also excellent ... so gleefully silly and energetic
that it manages to rise above clichéd President jokes into an entirely new echelon of humor. ... Fast-paced and irreverent, post-modern and ironic, there is so much at work here that it is impossible to be bored. ... both the piece and direction remain focused, never slipping into self indulgence or
overkill – though absurd, it is never irrelevant or pointless in its humor, and its somber
ending ensures that the message is lost on no one. ... BLACK GOLD ensures its audience strikes it rich."
Read the StageMagazineOnline.com Review in its Entirety Here
"InterAct Theatre Company is known for its socially conscious productions, which usually are
deeply serious. So this new comedy by the group’s founder-director, Seth Rozin, comes as a
surprise.
... With its presentational style and its mockery of governmental and business leaders, BLACK GOLD shares much in common with the work of Bertolt Brecht. But Rozin is less polemical and more playful. Perhaps Larry Gelbart (he who wrote Oh, God, Tootsie, and the TV series “M-A-S-H”)
is closer.
So when I say BLACK GOLD is more than "a hilarious satire," that's a compliment. Rozin uses
comedy to make serious points. ... Rozin skewers politicians, real estate promoters, baseball players and executives, credit card
companies - almost every group you could think of ... My favorite moment occurred when the president’s staff comes up with a new alternative fuel.
It is a disposable commodity that will burn easily and is in plentiful supply: books.
... Action flows rapidly from Detroit to D.C. to the Holy Land and Saudi Arabia.
Rozin stages it with fluidity, throwing out barbs in many directions ..."
Read the BroadStreetReview.com Review in its Entirety Here
ABOUT THE PLAYWRIGHT & DIRECTOR
is the recipient of two playwriting fellowships from the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts as well as a new play commission from the National Foundation for Jewish Culture. His plays include MEN OF STONE (produced by Theater Catalyst in 2001, nominated for a Barrymore Award for Outstanding New Play, published by Playscripts, Inc.), MISSING LINK (produced by InterAct Theatre Company in 2002, nominated for a Barrymore Award for Outstanding New Play), REINVENTING EDEN (showcased by the National New Play Network in 2005, produced by InterAct in 2006), THE SPACE BETWEEN US (readings at Abingdon Theatre in New York and InterAct), and BLACK GOLD (showcased by the National New Play Network in 2006, additional production scheduled at Phoenix Theatre in Indianapolis in 2008). He has also written the book and lyrics for a new musical entitled GONE WITH THE WIND: THE TRUE-LIFE STORY OF JOSEPH PUJOL, about the rise and fall of the world’s greatest farter. Seth is the founder and Producing Artistic Director of InterAct Theatre Company in Philadelphia, where he has directed over 40 productions, including Israel Horovitz's LEBENSRAUM (winner of Barrymore Awards for Outstanding Direction of a Play, Outstanding Overall Production of a Play, and Outstanding Ensemble), and Jason Sherman's IT'S ALL TRUE (nominated for Outstanding Direction and Outstanding Production). He has twice been named "Best Director" by the Philadelphia Inquirer (for the world premiere of Thomas Gibbons' 6221 in 1993 and for LEBENSRAUM in 1999). Seth has also directed for the Fountain Theatre in Los Angeles, Blue Heron Theatre and the 45th Street Theatre in New York, as well as Act II Playhouse, Venture Theatre, Philadelphia Theatre Company, Philadelphia Young Playwrights, and the University of Pennsylvania. He served as Chair of the National New Play Network from 2002-2006.
Talking With... Seth RozinClick to read an interview conducted by
Peter Bonilla, InterAct Theatre Company's Literary Manager
ABOUT THE CAST & CREW
(Actor 2) makes his InterAct debut with BLACK GOLD. Delanté is a recent graduate of Arcadia University’s B.F.A. Acting Program. Since graduation, he has appeared in Little Bunny Voodoo’s LATE NIGHT AT THE TIKI BAR at last year’s Fringe Festival, LIVING NEWS at the National Constitution Center, and Curio Theatre Company’s THE NUTCRACKER. He also assistant stage-managed Brat Productions’ THE BALD SOPRANO.
(Actor 3) marks her InterAct debut with BLACK GOLD. Kaci's previous theatre credits include work at Lee Strausberg Theatre (LA), as well as for several New York companies, including Cherry Lane Theatre; Henry Street Settlement; Producer’s Club; The Billie Holiday Theatre, to name a few. Additionally, Kaci has worked for The Kitchen Theatre (Ithaca, NY) and The Fulton Opera House (Lancaster, PA). Kaci's film credits include a featured role in The Associate (Disney), a leading role in the PBS production of My Own Television (MOTV), co-starred in Soulmates, a featured role in God's Forgotten House, and co-starred in Gestation. For television, Kaci appeared on “Hudson Street” (ABC) and had a reoccuring role in ”On Common Ground” (Pilot). Kaci is also an independent filmmaker, currently Associate Producing on the documentary Drama Mamas. She can also be heard as the voice for Veritas’ national radio and television campaign against Type II Diabetes.
(Actor 4) has appeared Off Broadway in THE RIVALS and MERCHANT OF VENICE (Pearl Theatre Company), in KLUB KA (La Mama ETC) and MACBETH (Chashama). His regional credits include the Pennsylvania Shakespeare Festival, Berkshire Theatre Festival, Pittsburgh CLO, Pittsburgh City Theatre, Riverside Theatre, the National Theater, Capital Rep, Saratoga Shakespeare, Shadow Lawn Stage, Iowa Summer Rep, internationally with the Ashtar Theatre of Palestine and more. His solo show I WILL MAKE YOU ORPHANS has toured the US and Canada performing at the Uno Festival of Solo Performance, Available Light 01 Festival, Hyde Park Theatre (Austin, TX), Center for Independent Artists (Minneapolis), Galapagos Art Space (NYC), TIXE Arts Center (NYC), the National Performance Network and more. He is a company member of NJ Rep, Playwright in Residence at InterAct Theatre Company and a founding member of Working Group.
(Actor 5) returns to InterAct where she previoulsy appeared in MISSING LINK, AUNT DAN AND LEMON and DRINK ME. Maureen was also involved with the Showcase of New Plays at InterAct as actor and director. She has been involved extensively as actor and director of new plays with Fairchester Playwrights, the American Folk Theatre, The New York Theatre Workshop, and the Lehman Theatre in the New York area. Working in Philadelphia, Maureen's favorite roles include Dora in EQUUS with MumPuppettheatre and Therese in THE BAKER’S WIFE at the Arden. Working in New York, she was noted for such roles as Grace in FAITH HEALER , and Ouisa in SIX DEGREES OF SEPARATION, among many others. Maureen won the Barrymore Award for Best Supporting Actress in ANGELS IN AMERICA at Villanova University.
(Actor 6) marks his thirteen production at InterAct with BLACK GOLD. Most recently, he appeared in last season's World Premiere production of Thomas Gibbons' A HOUSE WITH NO WALLS. A few of Tim's previous shows with InterAct include REINVENTING EDEN, BLUE/ORANGE (also at Act II Playhouse), BLACK RUSSIAN, BEE-LUTHER-HATCHEE, as Richard Nixon in NIXON’S
NIXON (also at Act II), as Paul Barrow in the
Barrymore Award-winning production of PERMANENT COLLECTION, and as director InterAct's production of MAN MEASURES MAN. Tim also appeared in an episode
of “Hack,” worked on the film The Village, and appeared in THE PHILADELPHIA STORY at the
Walnut Street Theatre.
The design team for BLACK GOLD includes Set Design by Marka Suber, Costume Design by Karen Ledger, Lighting Design by Peter Whinnery, Properties Design by Richard Murray, and Sound Design by Nick Rye. Peter Bonilla will serve as Assistant Director and Dramaturg, Andy Campbell will serve as Techinical Director and Michele Traub will Stage Manage the production.
EXPLORING THE ISSUES
During the run of BLACK GOLD, InterAct will host several post-performance talk-backs to encourage further discussion on the issues raised by the play. Speaker Sundays, a series featuring invited scholars and community leaders, are scheduled to follow matinee performances on Sunday, February 3; Sunday, February 10; and Sunday, February 17. Coffee Conversations, an informal discussion with the production's artists and designers, sponsored by Whole Foods, are scheduled to follow performances on Tuesday, February 5; Wednesday, February 6; Tuesday, February 12; and Wednesday, February 13.
 Guest Speaker Schedule:
Sunday, February 3
Featuring
Sponsored by the Middle East Center, University of Pennsylvania
Sunday, February 10
Featuring
Sponsored by 
Wednesday, February 13
Featuring
Sunday, February 17
Featuring
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Craig Allen Edwards (Actor 1) 
