Written by: Robert E. DiNardo
Directed by: Shela Xoregos
Set Designer: Jonathan Mesich
Assistant Set Designer: Mengyi Liu
Costume Designer: Andrew Walsh
Lighting Designer: Clarence Taylor
Stage Manager: B. Michael Peterson

Protected is an autobiographical play in which a septuagenarian recalls his turbulent youth of triumphs and tribulations, forbidden erotic exploits, disguised racism, and religious hypocrisy.

CAST

Colin Henning
Ali Lawrence
Gene Santarelli
Troy Tripicchio

Robert E. DiNardo is a resident of Philadelphia. After serving in the U S Navy, he lived in NYC before returning home, where he had his first play, *The Tibetan Powderpuff*, produced at Temple University, then, *Empress of the Blues*, based on the life of Bessie Smith, produced by the YM-YWHA. Subsequent productions have been in NYC, produced by the Xoregos Performing Company. They are: the one-act, *Protected*, performed at the Common BasisTheatre, then the full-length *Protected.* performed as staged readings at the Jefferson Market Library and Theater for the New City in 2019 and *Brocade*, a staged reading for the Italian-American Theater Festival, then a full production at Theater for the New City in January 2020.

Shela Xoregos has directed for NY theater companies, museums, summer stock, libraries, parks and festivals. Favorites include: *Hamlet*, King *Lear, Much Ado, The Importance of Being Earnest, Tea and Sympathy, The Miracle Worker, Antigone, The Trojan Women,* *Hippolytus. *Racine's *Brittanicus**, a*nd *premieres* of a dozen Harlem Renaissance one-act gems. She has directed many wonderful plays by unpublished writers. Also a choreographer, she has set works on the Oakland Ballet, Pacific Ballet at Hollywood Bowl, Seattle Dance Theater and others.