In Delirium, at the Sanford Meisner Theatre

Vortex Theater Company presents In Delirium, based on Johann Wolfgang von Goethe's novel 'The Sorrows of Young Werther,' adapted for the stage by Gisela Cardenas and Joshua Randall, opening at the Sanford Meisner Theatre on the 3 Apr 2006, following prviews from the 31 Mar and running through to the 23 Apr 2006.

In Delirium: Tells the story of Werther, a tormented young man 'seeking the infinite' in an art he cannot master and a woman he cannot have. Through a series of letters to his best friend, we feel the vague impassioned longing, the moody melancholy, the wayward love and indignation, the soft feeling and stern philosophy which characterize the hero and inevitably drives him to his tragic end.

Goethe was only 24 when he wrote Werther and it seized the hearts of men around the world. Shortly after its publication, there were thousands of reports of young men using the same method as Werther to commit suicide�resulting in a ban of the book in several countries. The term 'Werther effect' has been used in scientific literature to designate copycat suicides. This tragic tale may be viewed as a celebration of unfettered emotion or as a mercilessly accurate portrait of a man whose dedication to pure feeling turns him into a monster.

The production is directed by Gisela Cardenas, and has set design by Jian Jung, costumes by Oana Botez-Ban, lighting by Lucrecia Briceno and sound by John Ivy.