“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.

Police in Dublin, Ireland, are appealing for witnesses to an assault on a man they believe to be Latvian or Lithuanian and who now is in critical condition following the Aug. 11 incident.

The Gardai, as the national police are known in Ireland, issued the appeal Aug. 13.

The assault occurred shortly before 10 p.m. Aug. 11 at Harbourmaster Place. The man was taken to Mater Hospital following the incident.

He is described as in his mid-40s with short brown hair, approximately 5 feet 10 inches (178 cm) tall, and heavy set. He was wearing black trousers, black shoes, a black shirt and a grey-blue jumper. His first name may be Dmitri.

Police also are searching for a man who might have witnessed the assault. He also is believed to be Latvian or Lithuanian and is described as in his mid-50s, small and with a mustache.

Anyone with information concerning the assault or the identity of the individuals is asked to telephone the Gardai at Store Street, Dublin, on 01-6668000 or the Garda Confidential Number, 1800-666111.

Charges have been dropped against a U.S. Senate candidate from Maryland accused of assaulting and raping his Latvia-born wife, while his wife has now been arrested for trespassing, the Baltimore Sun newspaper reported Aug. 11 on its Web site.

David B. Dickerson, 43, one of several Democratic candidates for the Senate, had been charged with second-degree rape, second-degree assault and a fourth-degree sex offense against his wife, Anna Dickerson. The charges were dropped by Baltimore County prosecutors because of a lack of evidence, the newspaper reported.

Meanwhlle, Anna Dickerson, 19, was arrested Aug. 7 in Henrico County, Va., after she refused to leave the property of her husband’s parents and turned violent, according to media reports. She is charged with trespassing, a misdemeanor, and is to appear in court on Sept. 7, according to court records.

Anna Dickerson reportedly claimed her husband held her against her will in their Sparks, Md., apartment, where he allegedly denied her food, beat her and repeatedly raped her. David Dickerson was charged July 22, but his attorney maintained the Senate candidate’s innocence. Attorney Craig Kadish told news media Dickerson’s wife has a history of mental illness.

In deciding to drop the charges against David Dickerson, Baltimore County prosecutors noted inconsistencies in Anna Dickerson’s statements, the Baltimore Sun reported.

The couple met while David Dickerson was working in Latvia, according to the candidate’s Web site. They have a 3-month-old child who is being cared for by Anna Dickerson’s mother in Latvia.