Award-winning Israeli playwright Motti Lerner to speak at Theater Emory and present his new play, “Benedictus”

Theater Emory welcomes award-winning Israeli playwright and screenwriter Motti Lerner to deliver his speech entitled “Playwriting in Wartime” and discuss his new play “Benedictus,” which will be read by Theater Emory's Artistic Director, Tim McDonough, as well as Atlanta actors, Chris Kayser and James Donadio, on Monday, Oct. 15, 2007 at 4:00 p.m.  The event is free and open to the public; reservations are recommended.  The lecture, play-reading and discussion are part of Theater Emory's 2007-2008 season focused on war and are co-sponsored by the Tam Institute for Jewish Studies at Emory University, the Department of Theater Studies at Emory University, The Office of the Consulate General of Israel to the Southeast, and Jewish Theatre of the South, which is presenting Lerner's “Hard Love” in January 2008, (starring David de Vries and Jewish Theatre of the South's Artistic Director, Mira Hirsch).  For further information regarding the Motti Lerner event, the public can call 404-727-5050 or visit www.theater.emory.edu.

Motti Lerner is one of Israel's most provocative contemporary playwrights and a professor at Tel Aviv University.  Lerner has spoken throughout the U.S. and Europe on playwriting, Israeli theater and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.  His plays, most of which are political in nature, have been produced throughout Israel and Europe.

“Benedictus” was inspired by an actual handshake in 2005 between President Khatami of Iran and President Katsav of Israel at the funeral of Pope John Paul II.  In the play, two childhood friends from Tehran, one Jewish (and now an Israeli citizen and arms dealer) and one Muslim (and now an Iranian politician with the new Islamic Republic), meet hours before a US attack on Iran is scheduled to begin.  With the fates of their families and their countries at stake, these boyhood friends are faced with reclaiming an understanding of one another and negotiating world peace.  “Benedictus” will have its world premiere at San Francisco's Golden Thread Productions at the end of this month.
The Motti Lerner event will be held on Monday, October 15, 2007 at 4:00 p.m. in the Schwartz Center for Performing Arts Theater Lab, 1700 North Decatur Road, Atlanta on the Emory University campus.  The event is free although reservations are recommended by calling 404-727-5050.  Parking is available in the adjacent Fishburne Parking Deck.  For further information, please visit www.theater.emory.edu or www.jplay.org.