Congo Kinshasa RPCV Dr. Andrew Ade writes one act play



"A Question of Taste is a political fable about modern Africa," Ade said. "Two African men of different generations and political philosophies meet while both are in police detention. They clash over important issues that motivate their resistance fighting against their national president and, despite the discovery of surprising similarities between them, end their personal encounter in violence. "I used to live in Africa when volunteering for the Peace Corps in Zaire; part of my play draws from the personal experience I had there. Although I originally had the idea for the play while in graduate school, I have only now been able to write it. The actual composition took about three weeks this past August," he said.

Congo Kinshasa RPCV Dr. Andrew Ade writes one act play

Professor's Play Selected for Festival

Monday, October 22, 2007

Dr. Andrew Ade, Westminster College assistant professor of English, is the author of a one-act play selected for presentation at the fifth annual Theatre Festival in Black and White, sponsored by the Pittsburgh Playwrights Theater Company (PPTC).

"A Question of Taste is a political fable about modern Africa," Ade said. "Two African men of different generations and political philosophies meet while both are in police detention. They clash over important issues that motivate their resistance fighting against their national president and, despite the discovery of surprising similarities between them, end their personal encounter in violence.

"I used to live in Africa when volunteering for the Peace Corps in Zaire; part of my play draws from the personal experience I had there. Although I originally had the idea for the play while in graduate school, I have only now been able to write it. The actual composition took about three weeks this past August," he said.

This is Ade's first participation in a Pittsburgh festival. An earlier play was included in a new-works festival while he was in graduate school, and Northwestern presented a musical he co-wrote with Anthony Billera.

The festival will present eight new short plays by playwrights with ties to the Pittsburgh area. They will be presented in alternating evenings of four plays each from Oct. 20 to 28 at the PPTC space in Pittsburgh's Cultural District on Penn Avenue. Reservations may be made by calling (412) 288-0358.

Five of the eight plays will be staged in Westminster's Beeghly Theater for a special performance Saturday, Nov. 3. The Westminster presentation is sponsored by Scrawl, the Office of Diversity Services, and the Inquiry Program. It is free and open to the public.

In addition to Ade's play, the festival and Westminster evening will include Cake Without Frosting by fj Hartland, a 1980 Westminster graduate. John Gresh, former Westminster visiting professor of theatre, will direct Mr. Ding Dong Daddy.

Ade has been with Westminster since 2003. He earned an undergraduate degree from Northwestern University and a master's and Ph.D. from the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill.

Contact Ade at (724) 946-7349 or e-mail adeaw@westminster.edu for additional information.

About Westminster College...
Founded in 1852 and related to the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), Westminster College is ranked 15th among liberal arts colleges, according to the Washington Monthly 2007 Annual College Guide. Westminster is a national leader in graduation rate performance, according to U.S. News Guide to America's Best Colleges, and is one of the most affordable national liberal arts colleges in Pennsylvania. Westminster is also honored as one of "The Best 366 Colleges" and "Best in the Northeast" by The Princeton Review, and was recognized by the Templeton Guide as a "Character Building College."

Nearly 1,600 undergraduate and graduate students benefit from individualized attention from dedicated faculty while choosing from 41 majors and nearly 100 organizations on the New Wilmington, Pa., campus.

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Headlines: October, 2007; Peace Corps Congo Kinshasa; Directory of Congo Kinshasa RPCVs; Messages and Announcements for Congo Kinshasa RPCVs; Theatre

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