For Immediate Release — Wednesday, March 8, 2006

Contact:

Mary E. McCrank

Media Relations Officer

(585) 245-5516

mccrank@geneseo.edu

SUNY Geneseo's GENseng to present two plays in March about the Cambodian genocide

GENESEO, N.Y. — The State University of New York at Geneseo will present two plays about the Cambodian autogenocide in March.

GENseng: Geneseo's Asian American Performance Ensemble will perform "Eyes of the Heart" and "Photographs from S-31," both written by Catherine Filloux and which explore the atrocities that took place between 1975 and 1979 in Cambodia.

"Although the atrocities of the Pol Pot-led Cambodian autogenocide happened a mere 30 years ago, it seems I am always the first one to inform my students of its occurrence. When they find out that Cambodia turned on 25 percent of its own population, they are invariably devastated, but also want to learn more," said Randy Barbara Kaplan, associate professor of performing arts and GENseng's founder and director. "A play is a visceral means of reaching them about this painful chapter of history. History forgotten is history that never occurred; we honor the memories of the victims by being sure to tell their stories."

Sam Oeun Tes and Bonavy Chhim of the Cambodian American Heritage Association in Washington, D.C., will give a free, short performance of Cambodian classical court dance at 4 p.m. Wednesday, March 29, in the Black Box Theatre in Brodie Hall. This will be accompanied by a staged reading by GENseng of Filloux' one-act drama about the Tuol Sleng prison under the Pol Pot regime, "Photographs from S-21," starring Dana LePage and Jason Park.

Tes and Chhim also will teach Kaplan's Asian dance class from 11:20 a.m.-12:35 p.m. Tuesday, March 28, and Thursday, March 30, in the Alice Austin Theatre in Brodie Hall. The general public and college community are welcome to come and watch.

GENseng will present "Eyes of the Heart," about a Cambodian refugee who experiences self-induced blindness at 7 p.m. Thursday, April 27, 4 p.m. Friday, April 28, and 2 p.m. Saturday, April 29. Tickets are $6, and the show is in the Black Box Theatre. The cast includes Hanna Kim, Hanna Lydia Kim, Dana LePage, Min Baek, Katelynn Hill, Joan Monplaisir, Adi Renaud and Jamal Abdunnasir.

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