I. About Théâtre Métropole

Théâtre Métropole, an international English-language theatre company in Paris, was founded by Lance Tait in 2002. It is comprised of theatre practitioners and artists from eight different countries. Théâtre Métropole focuses on post-absurdist drama and has a special interest in physical theatre and verse drama. It is actively seeking the participation of more American actors and directors.

II. a. Synesthesia at the New York International Fringe Festival 2003

August 2003

Bottle Factory Theater (Venue #3)

195 East Third Street (between A + B)

tickets: http://www.fringenyc.org/

(212) 279-4488 or 1-888-FringeNYC

Saturday the 9th at noon
Sunday the 10th at 4 pm
Wednesday the 13th at 9:45 pm
Friday the 15th at 3 pm
Saturday the 16th at 5:15 pm
Sunday the 17th at 6 pm
Wednesday the 20th at 8 pm and
Thursday the 21st at 3:15 pm

Two unexplained deaths. A titanic struggle follows between a detective desperate to find a suspect and a witness who has her own mysterious reasons to conceal what she knows. This unique production from Paris unfolds to a shattering climax.

"Synesthesia," first read at Moving Parts in Paris in January 2003, is Théâtre Métropole's first full production. The production, in English, directed by Lance Tait, premiered at New York International Fringe Festival in August 2003. The production featured British actress Stephanie Campion in the role of Lydia Perova and British actor Damian Corcoran in the role of Detective Louis Yevchenko. Duration of the production: 1 hour 50 minutes, with one intermission.

"Synesthesia" is set in Lydia Perova's office at the Tchaikovsky Conservatoire of Music, Kiev, Ukraine. The time is the present. Ms. Perova is aged between 45 and 55. Police Detective Yevchenko is in his early forties. Yevchenko and Perova are both cunning individuals and are formidable opponents.

Synesthesia itself refers to the phenomenon of the senses getting crossed--colors are heard, music and fragrances are seen, etc. In the play, there is discussion of music compositions that go beyond the realm of sound and into realms of sight, smell, touch and the mystical. There was an extensive original soundtrack used in the playís New York performances.

II. b. Selected Biographies of Artists in Synesthesia

Stephanie Campion (Lydia PEROVA) has acted in dozens of plays in Paris in the last decade, including many plays in French. She has also appeared in many short films. She is probably best known in Paris as the director of Moving Parts, a workshop for new plays in either English or French, that she has headed for the last seven years. Stephanie grew up in England. She has lived and thrived in Paris since the early 90s. She trained in classical music in the U.K. (she is a lyric soprano) and she has studied acting in Paris with both French and American acting teachers.

Damian Corcoran (Louis YEVCHENKO), a native of Great Britain, trained in physical theatre in both London and Paris. He has lived in Paris since 1989, where he works both as a stage actor and director. He also appears in and provides voice-overs for documentaries and industrial films; he works dubbing feature films (including "Le Pact des Loups"). Recently he appeared in "No Man's Land" by Harold Pinter at Sudden Théâtre, Paris. His Paris directing credits include Steve Martin's "Picasso at the Lapin Agile," Arthur Miller's "Two Way Mirror," and most recently, Neil LaBute's "The Shape of Things."

Lance Tait (Director and Playwright), is a native of northern New York State. He is the founder of Théâtre Métropole, an international theater company in Paris, where he has been working since 2001. Since that time he also has been active in Moving Parts. Tait studied playwriting with Nobel laureate Derek Walcott at Boston University where he received a M.A. in 1994. He has been a lecturer in the dramaturgy program at the University of Leeds, England. His plays have been performed or have received public readings in Boston, Los Angeles, Denver, Toronto, Paris, the U.K. and at the American Repertory Theatre and Harvard University. Tait's plays are published in the U.S. by Enfield Publishing. (See http://www.lancetait.com/ for more information.) Mr. Tait composed the original music for Synesthesia. He is an alumnus of Bard College where he majored in music composition, studying with Joan Tower and others. Recently nine plays written by Tait based on lesser-known short stories (with t! he exception of "The Fall of the House of Usher") by Edgar Allan Poe were presented in readings by Théâtre Métropole in Paris.

II. c. Press Release for Synesthesia at the New York International Fringe Festival 2003

For Immediate Release

Contact: Lance Tait. Théâtre Métropole, Paris, France.
U.S. phone: (310) 226-2811

lancetait@hotmail.com http://www.theatremetropole.org/www.theatremetropole.org

Moving Parts/Théâtre Métropole, Paris, presents, "Synesthesia" at

The New York International Fringe Festival FringeNYC

A production of The Present Company

August 8th 24th

All Tickets: $15. For tickets visit http://www.fringenyc.org/ or call

In New York: (212) 279-4488 or Outside New York: 1-888-FringeNYC

Rare Chance to See Unique Paris Production by Contemporary American Playwright; Tait Brings Operatic drama to the 2003 Fringe Festival

Fringe Festival goers have an opportunity to see the world premiere of U.S. contemporary playwright Lance Tait's original, suspense-filled drama, "Synesthesia." This exciting new work, in English, features two British actors, Damian Corcoran and Stephanie Campion, well known to Paris audiences. It is directed by the playwright.

Yvonne Shafer of St. John's University, New York, and author of Performing O'Neill, says that Tait is "a playwright with ideas and intellect, with training and experience to challenge and excite an audience." In contemporary theater, Lance Tait's work stands out for its depth, mastery and ability to entertain. Against a backdrop of music that is both beautiful and strange, "Synesthesia," a story of love and murder, unfolds to a shattering climax. Tait's plays have been performed or have received readings in Boston, Los Angeles, Denver, Toronto, Paris, the U.K., and at the American Repertory Theatre and at Harvard University. In the U.S. he is published by Enfield Publishing. Moving Parts is a Paris theater workshop founded seven years ago; Théâtre Métropole is an international theatre company founded in Paris by Lance Tait, who has been working in Paris since 2001.

III. a. The Edgar Allan Poe Project

"...consider anew what are the capabilities of the drama--not merely what hither to have been its conventional purposes." Edgar Allan Poe, "The American Drama," August 1845.

In 2002-03 Théâtre Métropole presented a reading series in Paris of nine plays written by Lance Tait based on lesser-known short stories (with the exception of "The Fall of the House of Usher") by Edgar Allan Poe. The company currently seeks financial support to tour with a two-hour version of their Poe show.

A combination of theatrical techniques from world theater are used in plays adapted and inspired by Poe. Tait remarks, "Certainly my aim in selecting many lesser-known Poe stories to adapt is founded upon my desire to enlighten the world about the profundity and exquisite scope of Poe.. my desire is to honor Edgar Allan Poe, and in these times where the arts and humanities are marginalized and even attacked by many constituents in the moneyed elite, to hold up Art as a wondrous endeavor to be indulged."

IV. Link to http://www.lancetait.com/