“Zilā,” a three-act play considered by some critics to be one of playwright Gunārs Priede’s best works, will be performed by four actors from the National Theatre of Latvia as they tour the United States and Canada during September.

Priede (1928-2000) wrote Zilā (The Blue One) in the 1970s. It was one of many of the playwright’s works that were considered undesirable by Soviet authorities.

The story focuses on four people and the things that have gone unsaid for years. Set in their home in a Black Sea town in Georgia, the play spans two days and allows the audience to observe the relationship between Rasma and her son, Juris, who has been recuperating from a traffic accident that killed his father, grandmother and another woman. Arriving to visit are Linda, whom Juris remembers from earlier days in Latvia, and her escort, Vidvuds.

“The Blue One is a typical late vintage Priede play that grows from a topical sketch on current social ills to a tragedy of universal import that reveal subtle psychological complexities in human relations,” theatre scholar Juris Silenieks wrote in introducing a 1977 English translation of the work.

Appearing in the play will be Lolita Cauka as Rasma, Ainārs Ančevskis as Juris, Evija Skulte as Linda and Juris Lisners as Vidvuds. The performance is directed by Mihails Kublinskis, with set design by Ieva Kauliņa.

Performances in the 15-city tour are planned in:

• Portland, Ore., at 7 p.m. Sept. 6 in the Latvian Lutheran Church of Oregon, 5500 S.W. Dosch Road, Portland. The performance is organized by the Latvian Society of Oregon. For further information, contact Biruta Zommere at +1 (503) 436-1708.
• Seattle, Wash., at 7 p.m. Sept. 8 in the Latvian Center, 11710 3rd Ave. N.E., Seattle. The performance is organized by the Latvian Society of Washington State. For further information, contact Jānis Kramēns, +1 (425) 941-2753.
• San Francisco at 7 p.m. Sept. 9 in the Northern California Latvian Ev.-Lutheran Church, 425 Hoffman Ave., San Francisco. The performance is organized by the Latvian Society of Northern California. For further information, contact Emīls Elstiņš, +1 (925) 935-9769.
• Los Angeles at 1:30 p.m. Sept. 10 in the Latvian Community Center, 1955 Riverside Drive, Los Angeles. The performance is organized by the Los Angeles Latvian Theatre. For further information, contact Ilga Jankovska, +1 (818) 783-1437.
• Minneapolis at 7 p.m. Sept. 12 in the Latvian Ev.-Lutheran Church of Minneapolis and St. Paul, 3152 17th Ave. S., Minneapolis. The performance is organized by the Latvian Welfare Association Daugavas Vanagi and the Association of Latvian Organizations in Minnesota. For further information, contact Jānis Robiņš, +1 (651) 646-1980.
• Indianapolis, Ind., at 7 p.m. Sept. 15 in the Latvian Community Center, 1008 W. 64th St., Indianapolis. The performance is organized by the council of Indianpolis Latvian organizations. For further information, contact Eižens Lemke, +1 (317) 409-5825.
• Chicago at 7 p.m. Sept. 16 in the Latvian House, 4146 N. Elston Ave., Chicago. The performance is organized by the Chicago Latvian Society. For further information, contact Armands Birkēns , +1 (773) 282-6510.
• Kalamazoo, Mich., at 4:30 p.m. Sept. 17 in the Kalamazoo Latvian Hall, 100 Cherry Hill Drive, Kalamazoo. The performance is organized by the Kalamazoo Latvian Society. For further information, contact Malda Pūtele, +1 (269) 353-8320.
• Toronto at 7:30 p.m. Sept. 20 in the Latvian Canadian Cultural Centre, 4 Credit Union Drive, Toronto. The performance is organized by the cultural center. For further information, contact Vizma Maksiņa, +1 (416) 751-1216.
• Boston, Mass., at 7 p.m. Sept. 22 in the Latvian Ev.-Lutheran “Trimda” Church of Boston, 58 Irving St., Brookline. The performance is organized by Mākslas Draugu Grupa. For further information, contact Maija Asberga, +1 (781) 828-1193.
• New York at 7 p.m. Sept. 23 in the New York Latvian Ev.-Lutheran Church, 4 Riga Lane, Melville. The performance is organized by the council of New York Latvian organizations. For further information, contact Jānis Riekstiņš, +1 (516) 674-8802.
• New Jersey at 2 p.m. Sept. 24 in the Latvian center Priedaine, 1017 Highway 33 East, Freehold. The performance is organized by the New Jersey Latvian Society. For further information, contact Jānis Students, +1 (732) 836-9750.
• Philadelphia at 2 p.m. Sept. 28 in the Latvian Society of Philadelphia, 531 North 7th St., Philadelphia. The performance is organized by the Latvian Welfare Association Daugavas Vanagi, the local pensioners’ group and the Philadelphia Society of Free Letts. For further information, contact Aida Bērziņa, +1 (610) 853-2649.
• The Washington, D.C., area at 7:30 p.m. Sept. 30 in the Latvian Ev.-Lutheran Church of Washington D.C., 400 Hurley Ave., Rockville. The performance is organized by Latvian organizations in Washington. For further information, contact Anita Juberte, +1 (301) 869-3127.
• Florida at 5 p.m. Oct. 2 in the Latvian American Center, 1705 9th Ave. N., St. Petersburg. The performance is organized by the St. Petersburg Latvian Society. For further information, contact Andris Ritums, +1 (727) 797-1933.

The tour is sponsored by the Latvian-American cultural organization Tilts.

Ainārs Ančevskis portrays Juris and Evija Skulte is Linda in the National Theatre of Latvia’s staging of the Gunārs Priede play “Zilā,” which is set for a 15-city tour of North America. (Photo courtesy of National Theatre of Latvia)