Hometown Hall

Atlanta actor and translator, Isma’il ibn Conner teams up with 7 Stages Artistic Director and actor, Del Hamilton, in a world premier translation into American English of In the Solitude of Cottonfields (Dans la Solitude des Champs de Coton) by the highly acclaimed and often studied, French playwright Bernard-Marie Koltès. Directed by Eric Vigner, one of the leading theatre directors from France and artistic director of CDDB, National Theatre of Lorient, this play is a journey of deals that shows two aspects of one entity, and the powerful interaction of two men who are more familiar than they appear. There is only a dealer, a client and desires that must be satisfied at all costs. With this play In the Solitude of Cottonfields, Eric Vigner shows the different forms of discrimination, violence which is not only in the world but violence of the world.

This production marks the beginning of THE U.S. KOLTES PROJECT, a ten-year program established in order to translate and produce six of Koltès’ plays: In the Solitude of Cottonfields, The Day of Murders in the History of Hamlet, Sallinger, The Night Just Before the Forests, Tabataba and Quay West. These plays were chosen for their ability to address the human condition as well as the predicament we face as citizens of the United States , the world, and how the international community views America and Americans. Each play involves themes such as intense isolation, deal-making, senseless war, and misplaced national loyalty. Born in 1948 to a middle-class family, Bernard-Marie Koltès emerged as one of the most distinctive and important dramatic voices of the 1980s. His work, based in real-life problems, expresses the tragedy of being alone and of death. His writing style accents the dramatic tension and the lyricism of his plays. Beginning with the 2008 production of In the Solitude of Cottonfields, 7 Stages will present a world premier translation of each work every other year through 2018 filling each off year with residencies at national and international universities. 

All performances of In the Solitude of Cottonfields, take place on the Mainstage at 7 Stages Theatre, located at 1105 Euclid Avenue in Atlanta ’s Little 5 Points. Tickets are on sale now and may be purchased by calling 404-523-7647 or by visiting www.7stages.org. 

Performance Times
April 24 – May 18, 2008

Thursdays – Saturdays at 8pm, Sundays at 5pm 

Additional Performances
Monday, April 28 at 8pm
Thursday, May 1 at 10am
Saturday, May 3 at 2pm
Wednesday, May 7 and Wednesday, May 14 at 6pm

Ticket Pricing
$10 previews April 24 & 25

$25 for all regular performances
$5 off for students, seniors over 65, artists and educators

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In the Solitude of Cottonfields and The U.S. Koltes Project is made possible through support from François Koltès, CDDB – Théâtre de Lorient, the Consulate General of France in Atlanta, the Cultural Services of the French Embassy, CulturesFrance, Festival d’Avignon, Alliance Theatre Writer’s Lab, Alliance Francaise Atlanta and New York, and The High Museum. 

The U.S. Koltès project is sponsored by the Cultural Service of the Consulate General of France in Atlanta and The French-American Fund for performing Arts, a program of FACE with major support from The Laura Pels Foundation, Entr’Actes –Société des Auteurs et Compositeurs Dramatiques, Michel Fribourg Foundation, Association Beaumarchais, Catherine Popesco Foundation for the Arts, the French Ministry of Culture and Communication, the Cultural Services of the French Embassy, CulturesFrance and the Florence Gould Foundation and the Centre National des Ecritures du Spectales, La Chartreuse. 

The 7 Stages 2007-08 season is sponsored in part through funding from the Fulton County Arts Council, Atlanta Bureau of Cultural Affairs, Georgia Council for the Arts, National Performance Network, National Endowment for the Arts, The Loridans Foundation, The Schubert Foundation, The Rich Foundation, Theatre Communications Group and Delta Airlines. 

Located in Little Five Points, inarguably one of Atlanta, GA’s coolest neighborhoods, and founded by noted director/actor team Del Hamilton and Faye Allen in 1979, 7 Stages Theater, has remained a professional, non-profit theatre company devoted to engaging artists and audiences by focusing on the social, political, and spiritual values of contemporary culture. Named "Best Theatre in Atlanta" by Creative Loafing Magazine and recognized by the Drama League of New York as one of 50 theaters nationwide for its Theatre Excellence in America Program, 7 Stages Theater is known for its ability to showcase many of the most outstanding cross-cultural works and dynamic performances, and has produced 56 world premieres, 21 American premieres, and countless regional premieres.