NEWS RELEASE
TED & COMPANY THEATERWORKS
FISH-EYES

DISCIPLES PETER AND ANDREW COME ALIVE IN “FISH-EYES” 

FISH-EYES lands in Royal Oak on Sunday, October 21st, taking audiences into the biblical stories of Peter and Andrew.  As we experience their encounters with Jesus through their eyes, we “find the humor in these stories [and] the humanity as well. And then we can find ourselves. Seeing these characters as real people actually enhances the power of the texts,” says co-writer Ted Swartz.

Written with Lee Eshleman, the 60-minute play is currently being performed by Swartz and Ingrid De Sanctis.

In FISH-EYES, Ted plays Peter, a gruff cynic and Ingrid is his witty younger brother Andrew. Through scenes drawn from the four Gospels, the actors flesh out “Pete and Andy”, as they find themselves hip-deep in miracles, questions and ultimately, faith. In one of the most notorious scenes, “The Feeding of the 5000”, the actors scramble into the audience looking for food. “The stuff we get is almost its own miracle,” Ted chuckles. “Let’s see, a hamburger, dog food, chips and salsa, Jolly Ranchers, granola bars, a credit card, baby formula, a wooden apple, a beer.”

This scene adjoins “The Boatride” where Jesus (unseen, but responded to by the actors throughout) beckons Peter to walk to him on the water. Andrew cautions, “You can’t swim!” but he goes anyway. Ted’s deft miming of Peter’s two triumphant steps followed by his plunge underwater reflect the myriad of emotions the brothers experienced as they tried to make sense of Jesus.

Ted Swartz lives in the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia. Along with writing and acting, his loves include his wife, three sons and baseball.  In 1987 he graduated from seminary and began a ministry that took him, not to a pulpit in a congregation, but to more than one quarter million people across the U.S. and into Canada , Kenya , Japan and beyond.  The first 20 years of this work was done as part of the duo, Ted & Lee. Since the sudden death of his acting partner, Lee, in May 2007, Ted is presenting his unique dramas with a variety of actors.

Playing the role of Andrew in FISH-EYES is Ingrid De Sanctis, from Souderton , Pa.   While it may seem unusual for a female to play the role of Andrew, De Sanctis knows the role inside and out, as she has directed the play.  A versatile actress, who has played the role of Mary and one of the shepherds in the Ted & Lee production, DOVETALE, Ingrid is also a co-writer of that play and has won three different writing grants, creating edgy, challenging plays on such topics as refugees in the Balkans ("Torba"), survivors of violent crime ("Transcendence") and peace stories from the inner city.

FISH-EYES is appropriate for all ages. The program starts at 10:30 am in the First Presbyterian Church of Royal Oak ( 529 Hendrie Blvd, south of Eleven Mile, one block east of Woodward, at the corner of Sixth Street and Hendrie). For more information, please contact (248)541-0108 or www.fpcro.org.

For information about Ted & Company TheaterWorks, call Sheri Hartzler, agent
at 540-574-4877 or email agent@tedandlee.com.
  
    

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
TED & COMPANY THEATERWORKS

THE CREATION CHRONICLES – A ROMP THROUGH THE OLD TESTAMENT

Old Testament stories come alive; new characters discovered and you may even find yourself searching your Bible to see if that story is REALLY there!  The Creation Chronicles was created by acting/write duo Ted & Lee and will be presented at First Presbyterian Church of Royal Oak ( 529 Hendrie Blvd in Royal Oak , MI —corner of 6th Street --one block east of Woodward) on Saturday, October 20th, 2007 at 7:00 pm by Ted and actress Ingrid DeSanctis.  Ted and Company will also perform “Fish Eyes,” a New Testament portrayal of the disciples Simon Peter and Andrew, on Sunday, October 21st, at 10:30 am at the church.  The performances are free and open to the public.

The Creation Chronicles are based upon Old Testament literature and open with a scene from Genesis: the creation of the earth, the sky and all things.  A jubilant God (Swartz) explains to “creative consultant” Gabriel (DeSanctis) about gravity, elephants, and even puns.  Finally God unveils an early draft for humans, wondering aloud just “what they will do.”

The Creation Chronicles brings the audience words from patriarchs Noah, Samuel, Jeremiah and along the way you’ll meet various couples of Old Testament times:  David and Bathsheba, Jacob and Leah, Samson and Delilah, Abraham and Sarah.  All of the stories come together to examine God’s various attempts at relationship with and understanding of human beings, culminating in something totally new: the advent of Christ..

Ted Swartz lives in the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia. Along with writing and acting, his loves include his wife, three sons and baseball.  In 1987 he graduated from seminary and began a ministry that took him, not to a pulpit in a congregation, but to more than one quarter million people across the U.S. and into Canada , Kenya , Japan and beyond.  The first 20 years of this work was done as part of the duo, Ted & Lee. Since the sudden death of his acting partner in May 2007, Ted is presenting his unique dramas with a variety of actors.

Ingrid De Sanctis is a writer, a director, actor and teacher.  She was a co-writer and actor in the Ted & Lee production DoveTale.   She is a former Professor of Theater at  Clemson University and Eastern Mennonite University and adjunct instructor at the  University of Central Florida .  She has served most recently with AmeriCorps in Apopka , Florida , using the arts for communication and empowerment for migrant workers and their families.  De Sanctis has won three different writing grants, creating edgy, challenging plays on such topics as refugees in the Balkans ("Torba"), survivors of violent crime ("Transcendence") and peace stories from the inner city.

  For more information, contact Sheri Hartzler, Agent, 540-574-4877 or agent@tedandlee.com