Addiction drama 'A Separate Sun' debuts at the Fringe

THERE'S A little something for everyone on the theatrical edges of the 2010 Philadelphia Live Arts Festival/Philly Fringe, getting into gear this weekend through Sept. 18 - from the, um, "karaoke debauchery" of "Zombies Are Forever" to a new beach blanket musical, "Destination Summer," to a staged presentation of old-time radio dramas, "Hear Again Radio Project."

But playwright Joe Blake thinks it's time to get real, people. He believes that 2010 audiences crave something more attuned to the world we live in, something that's "pressing the envelope, more sensitive to the times."

And he's got just the goods to satisfy: an urban drama with music called "A Separate Sun" which has its world premiere Saturday at The Arts Garage on Ridge Avenue as part of the Fringe. (The Fringe welcomes any and all to present their work, and Live Arts participants are selected by festival producing director Nick Stuccio.)

"Sun" stars Barrymore Award-winning actress/singer Joilet Harris as Ansonia, a woman struggling to overcome abuse, drugs and depression who finds salvation through the power of song.

Blake, a former Daily News reporter who covered news and entertainment, writes with obvious personal knowledge and sensitivity for his subject.

For musical scoring, he found a kindred spirit in Bill Jolly, one of Philadelphia's most seasoned R&B, jazz and theatrical music arranger-composers, Blake shared in a recent conversation.

Q: Will "A Separate Sun" be your debut at the Fringe festival? And what inspired it?

A: This is my second time participating. The first was with a piece called "Muralista," about a mural proposed for a gentrified neighborhood. My inspiration was a piece I did for the Inquirer, in which I complained about a mural I didn't like in an urban neighborhood. It had these idyllic images [and] reflected nothing of the stress that the community was under. Murals were invented as a political tool by artists like Diego Rivera to incite revolution and change. They were supposed to represent anything but being happy and digging in the garden.

"A Separate Sun" came out of teaching a writing class for a group of recovering addicts. A friend who was teaching asked if I could fill in for two sessions. At first I was resistant, didn't think I could accomplish anything. I wound up staying for three years.