Noted stage, film and television actor Anthony Mackie will be featured in a reading of Charles Fuller’s “A Soldier’s Play” on Monday, March 7, at 7 p.m. at the Shubert Theatre. The reading will be followed by a short question and answer session with the playwright, director Steven Maler and the cast. The reading is part of the Wang Center’s continuing American Voices: Drama, Dialogue, Downtown series.

Now appearing in Clint Eastwood’s blockbuster hit, “Million Dollar Baby,” Mackie was also part of the all-star cast in Jonathan Demme’s recent remake of the classic hit, “The Manchurian Candidate.” He is currently starring Off-Broadway at The Roundabout Theatre in the title role of the world premiere production of Stephen Belber’s “McReele.”

“A Soldier’s Play” takes place in 1944 during World War II at Fort Neal, Louisiana. A black Master Sergeant is found shot to death just outside the Army Base. A military lawyer, also a black man, arrives from Washington to conduct an investigation. Facing an uncooperative chain of command and fearful troops, Captain Davenport must battle deceit and prejudice in order to find out who really killed Sergeant Waters.

“A Soldier’s Play” was originally performed Off-Broadway by the Negro Ensemble Company in 1981. The play received the Pulitzer Prize in 1982 and the story was released as the motion picture, “A Soldier’s Story.”

Audience members who attend the March 7 reading are invited to register for one of three free acting master classes to be held on March 8, 9 or 10. Registration will be held during intermission of the reading, and space is limited.

General admission tickets are $10 and are on sale at the Shubert box office, by calling 800-4474-7400 or online at www.wangcenter.org.

-- OnStage Boston

02/21/05