Hero: short works around the theme of 'Hero' at 78th Street Theatre Lab

The Drilling Company (TDC) present its 16th collection of short work from emerging writers around a common theme, with this year's theme being Hero. The collection is playing at 78th Street Theatre Lab from 11 - 27 Apr 2008.

Now in its ninth year, the company is known for it collections around common themes and its summer Shakespeare in the Parking Lot series, in its 16th year. Drilling Company short play projects have spawned such notable works as 'Thom Paine Based on Nothing' By Will Eno (Pulitzer prize nomination), 'Clean Alternatives' by Brian Dykstra (Edingburgh Fringe First Award), P.Seth Bauer�s 'The Karma Cookie' and 'Over the Line' and most recently, 'Atomic Farmgirl' by C. Denby Swanson.

The theme this year is Hero. �We chose it because it�s an election year, � said artistic director Hamilton Clancy, �Many people in the country now seem to be searching for some kind of a hero. Whether it�s a war hero, or some one breaking the mold, everyone is looking for a leader to step up. We decided it was something worthy for playwrights to explore.

With grants from the New York State Arts s Council and Lower Manhattan Community Council, The Drilling Company commissions writers to write around the chosen theme. Past themes in their seven year war series include, Honor, Security, Revenge, Justice and Service.

Playwrights featured in Hero are Brian Dykstra, Andrea Moon, C. Denby Swanson and Colleen Cosgrove, all frequent contributors to TDC projects. Hero introduce David M. Miller and brings back Eric Henry Sanders, Sheri Graubert and Brian Christopher Williams.

Directors feature veteran company director Hamilton Clancy, Desmond Mosley, Dan Teachout, Stephen Bittrich, Bradford Olson, David Marantz and Gail Winar.

Cast for Hero features Rebecca Darke, Veronica Cruz, Jane Guyer, Dan Teachout, Tom Demenkoff, Alvin Keith, Brigitte Barnett, Daniel Smith, Sam Underwood, Iriemimen Oniha, Kwaku Driskell, Harlan Works, Serena Hui and Greg Skura.

In keeping with the Hero theme for the season, TDC will present 'Twelfth Night' and 'Henry the Fifth' for Shakespeare in the Parking Lot, outdoors at the Municipla parking lot at Ludlow and Broome this summer.