tricklock theatre company : company : manoa project

Tricklock proudly presents the 2008 Manoa Project Ensemble in the winning play Sicarius Aurorae by Asher Ely

About the play

Travel down a back alley in ancient Rome, make sure you have your wits and knife about you, and practice that secret handshake, as you enter the world of “Sicarius Aurorae.” The year is 33 BC, the height of the Roman Empire. Rome balances on a tightrope, as would be revolutionaries and dictators fight for prominence, setting the stage for a government that will set the precedent for years to come. Meet Cassus Septimus, a simple Praetorian caught between the feuding factions. Content to be a part of the bigger picture of a great civilization, Cassus finds himself suddenly singled out when he is framed for the murder of his wife. Follow Cassus as he falls in with a group of vigilantes known as the Sicari Aurorae. Travel with him as he journeys down the dark road of revenge, adding to the body count of the already turbulent times. Be there when Cassus realizes he must not only face his enemies but also himself, in a battle to discover who he is. The award winning play for the Manoa Project’s 2008 Season digs deeper at the Rome we know and revere and gives a glimpse at the underbelly, where corruption, vengeance and betrayal rule. Playwright, and Bosque School Senior, Asher Ely not only invites his audience into a meticulously created past, but asks an essential question: what does it mean to truly think independently?

And don't miss the staged reading of the runner-up play Shades of Grey, Growing Darker by Amanda Burroughs with Work Demonstration

About the Manoa Project

Now in its 6th year, the Manoa Project Teen Playwriting Competition and Ensemble Apprenticeship is an educationally based opportunity for young people around New Mexico to participate in a statewide playwriting competition and a summer-long theatre training institute. In addition to providing an outstanding learning opportunity for students ages 14-18, the Manoa Project is a community based outreach program which aims to connect young artists with audiences from Albuquerque and nearby surrounding towns and then throughout the state. The Manoa Project is conceived of and run by Tricklock Company in partnership with the National Hispanic Cultural Center, Albuquerque Academy, and NM Arts. A panel of theatre professionals first selects a winning play and one or two alternate plays that are eventually staged by students from the 7-week intensive summer training program. Once selected, the winning plays go into a workshop phase wherein the young playwrights do intensive rewrites of their new work along with a professional playwriting mentor from the University of New Mexico and/or the professional writing world at large.

The summer program involves actor training 5 days a week (6+ hours per day) for 7 weeks and culminates in the performances of the winning play and staged readings of the alternates in addition to a Work Demonstration of original pieces developed by the Manoa Ensemble over the course of their training. The winning play then tours to one or more locations within the state to allow participants a chance to share their talents and ideas with people from all walks of life. Following the shows, performers spend time in informal dialogue with audience. This allows students and audience members time to discuss show themes and the impact that the work presented has had and continues to have on the audience and performers. This kind of artistic interaction strengthens community awareness and promotes healthy interest in cooperation, community problem solving and ways for young people to stay positively involved in their towns and neighborhoods.