By MICHAEL BOYLAN
mboylan@thecitizennews.com

Actor's Express is known for doing experimental theater.

The group works with both well known and lesser known playwrights, readying their works for a higher level and a bigger audience. In the past, plays have progressed from the King Plow Arts Center, where Actor's Express is based, to off-Broadway and Broadway.

The next play that will be produced under the warm wing of Actor's Express is Robert Schenkkan's “Handler.”

The play is about the Holiness Way sect of snake handlers and deals with the power of faith, loss and love. Snake handlers handle poisonous snakes during religious ceremonies to illustrate and reflect the power of God on their lives. The characters in the play seek signs that their lives are going in the right direction, often not realizing that the signs are all around them.

“Handler” is Schenkkan's first full-length play since winning the Pulitzer Prize for “The Kentucky Cycle.” As a member of the New Dramatists, Schenkkan frequently works with smaller groups, while workshopping his new plays.

Schenkkan was born in Chapel Hill, N.C. and graduated Phi Beta Kappa and Magna Cum Laude from the University of Texas in Austin. His play “The Kentucky Cycle” achieved great success. Telling the story of a family over several generations, the play was made into a film for HBO by Kevin Costner.

“Handler” will be presented at Actor's Express Jan. 20 to March 4. The play does have adult situations and content and should be viewed as a PG-13 production.

Showtimes are at 8 p.m. Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays and at 7 p.m. Sundays. There will be two matinees during the play's run Feb. 6 and Feb. 20. The time of the matinee is at 2 p.m. and there will be no evening performance on those days.

For ticket information, phone 404-607-SHOW.

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