NEWS

West Virginia University at Parkersburg 300 Campus Drive | Parkersburg, WV |  26104-8647  Phone:  304-424-8203 | Fax:  304-424-8315  Connie Dziagwa:  Communications/Public Relations Director

WVU Parkersburg Theatre Department presents "The Tale of a Malay Princess"

CONTACT:  Mohamed Ghouse Nasuruddin, 304-424-8295.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

An original play written by West Virginia University at Parkersburg's Fulbright-Scholar-in-Residence will be staged April 13-15 at the college.

"The Tale of a Malay Princess" by Mohamed Ghouse Nasuruddin premiered as a command performance for the King and Queen of Malaysia in 2002 as "Tengku Putri Salasiah," the name of the play's princess. 

The WVU Parkersburg production will be performed at 7:30 p.m. April 13, 14 and 15 in the college's multi-purpose room.  The play is set amidst court intrigue in the 18th Century Malay kingdom of Indraloka.  It portrays an interwoven theme of human dignity, weakness and greed.

"The production will employ a three-quarter staging, using symbolic sets and minimal properties in the staging style of traditional Malay theatre," said director Nasuruddin who teaches theatre classes at WVU Parkersburg.

The actors will be in full view of the audience throughout the performance.  "There is no attempt to hide the transition from the actor to the character as is done in realistic theatre," Nasuruddin explained.

Cast members include WVU Parkersburg students and area residents including Jason Gwynn, Janie Rhodes, Layla Halfhill, Larry Miller, Jolene Taylor, Chad Goode, Grant Adam, and Nasuruddin as the storyteller.  Patrick Garvey, a WVU Parkersburg journalism major, is serving as the play's technical/assistant director.