Maria Mercedes

John Lithgow, John Glover, and Marina Benedict star in this fleeting love story inspired by California Poet Laureate Carol Muske-Dukes' poem 'Ovation.' Six short dance sequences, featuring Benedict and John Todd, were choreographed by Jane Lanier. Music by John Rubinstein.

An award-winning adaptation of Dostoevsky's little-known masterpiece by 'Russian Nights' Theatre of St. Petersburg (Best Performance Award, St. Petersburg Theatre Critics Award for Detailed Research into Spiritual Life of Man, Grand Prix of Third St. Petersburg Independent Theatre Festival), Netochka tells the story of her childhood in which her extraordinary stepfather--a drinker, dreamer, and gifted violinist--transformed yet exploited her and destroyed her mother in his descent into insanity. "This is a simply stunning performance in every way. ...An acting masterclass." BRITISH THEATRE GUIDE "Filatova gives a luminously radiant performance as the abandoned girl, against a background of light and music co-ordinated with great style by director Alexander Markov." SCOTSMAN "Filatova has an obvious talent as an actress... she is totally absorbed in the role and convinces. There is something engrossing about her...she has the ability to draw the audience in and allow them to accompany her on her journey." THE STAGE Alexander Markov's direction, coupled with Vera Filatova's mesmerizing sharp performance delivered a wonderfully gentle portrait of one young girl's desires. Not to be missed." ISLINGTON GAZETTE "A stunning Vera Filatova plays Netochka, who recounts the story of her destitute childhood under the spell of her eccentric and unworldly stepfather. A one-woman show is always a stern examination but Vera's masterful performance reveals a vulnerable nine-year-old and all her childhood foibles - almost imploring the audience to reach out and save her." NEW CAMDEN JOURNAL.

In the gripping drama "The Lies We Told," six friends, who haven't seen each other for three years, gather around a dinner table to confront the haunting memories of their last fateful meeting. With a backdrop of lies, betrayal, cheating, love, and the enduring bonds of friendship, this reunion unearths secrets that will shake their relationships to the core. The story unfolds as the group of friends, Camryn, Will, Sylvie, Vik, Anthony, and Clover, come together at Camryn's home, their once-strong camaraderie strained by the shadow of a terrible event that occurred the last time they met. Tensions hang heavy in the air as they cautiously reconnect, each harboring guilt, resentment, and unspoken truths. As the night progresses, the table becomes the stage for an emotional roller coaster. Their past deeds, missteps, and unfaithfulness come to light, exposing a web of lies and betrayals that had been festering for years. Love stories intertwine with tales of heartbreak, while friendships are tested in the crucible of past mistakes. Amid the heated discussions and tearful confessions, it becomes clear that the friends' bonds are both fragile and resilient, as they wrestle with the guilt of their actions and the love they still hold for one another.

A young woman inherits a textile plant, and finds that she's expected to pay protection money to gangsters who have their own men among the plant's employees.