The Pasadena Playhouse will present the world premiere of ABOVE THE FOLD, by veteran New York Times writer Bernard Weinraub and directed by Steven Robman. This riveting new drama takes place amidst the shift from print to digital journalism and stars Academy Award and Emmy nominee Taraji P. Henson.

Henson earned an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actress opposite Brad Pitt in David Fincher’s The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, and is a 2011 Emmy nominee for Best Actress in a Movie or Miniseries for Lifetime’s Taken From Me. She starred as Detective Joss Carter in the highly rated J.J. Abrams crime drama Person of Interest for CBS opposite Jim Caviezel and Michael Emerson, and starred in the major hit Think Like A Man.

In ABOVE THE FOLD Henson portrays “Jane,” an African-American newspaper reporter from New York, who flies to a Southern university where three white fraternity members have been accused of raping a young African-American woman.

Playwright Bernard Weinraub said, “I became interested in the Duke case, several years ago there was a case of three lacrosse players accused of raping a young African-American woman, and I began reading about it, and I wasn’t so much interested in the case itself, but about how the case is covered. And the pressures the journalists felt both internally as well as externally from their own papers to follow this line.”

“Jane breaks the big story of the brutal rape that happened at the university, so she somewhat feels responsible for what happens,” said Henson. “A great journalist knows how to muffle their voice … they know how to separate themselves from the job. That’s a great journalist.” She added, “There’s always two sides to every story, as good as the story may sound coming from that one person – always take into consideration that, that other person has a great story to tell too, and then make your decision.”

“All the actors, led by Taraji, give such depth and meaning to their roles. They’re supremely talented. And I’m deeply grateful to every one of them,” said Weinraub.

ABOVE THE FOLD runs Jan. 28 to Feb. 23. The Pasadena Playhouse is located at 39 South El Molino Ave. in Pasadena. For tickets call or go to PasadenaPlayhouse.org.