Forbidden Fruit

ERIC STEPHEN BOOTH, a graduate of C.C.N.Y., and a native New Yorker has been writing plays since Junior High School. In 1975, he was part of the Frank Silvera Workshop at the La Martinique Theater where he had his first staged reading of his play - "THE STRUGGLE.” In 1985, Mr. Booth had his first production. "FORBIDDEN FRUIT" which was produced by Judith Caden, Mickey Coleman, Victor P. Santoro and Madeline Braisted. The play ran for 12 performances. Mr. Booth's biggest success was "METAMORPHOSIS" a slice of black gay life". Metamorphosis in 1990 ran for 30 performances and received rave reviews from the Native.

His play was compared to The Boys In The Band. The year 1991 was a year of great achievements. In January, the staged reading of "STEEPLECHASE" was performed at the Gay and Lesbian Community Center. In June, Mr. Booth received the BRIO Award, (Bronx Recognizes Its Own), for "STEEPLECHASE". "JE NE REGRETTE RIEN", a play inspired by a poem by David Fachette had a staged reading that August. One of Mr. Booth's poems is part of the book, "THE ROAD BEFORE US", edited by Assotto Saint and has won a 1991 Lammy, (Lambda Literary Awards), in the Gay Men's Poetry Category. In fall of '92, Mr. Booth has produced two plays; "STEEPLECHASE", an award winning play and "DÉJÀ-VU'S RESISTANCE", a new work in progress featuring Kit Holiday, were performed at The Total Theater Lab and ran for 30 performances.

In The Spring of '93, Mr. Booth also had a staged reading of his play "HOT PEAS AND BUTTER", at The Gay and Lesbian Community Center. Also in '93, Mr. Booth was selected as a recipient of the Bronx Council On The Arts' Artist for Community Enrichment (ACE) program. January of '94, Mr. Booth's play, "REVENGE FOR THE ARYAN GOD", had a staged reading at The Pregones Theater in St. Ann's Church. In October of that year a limited production of Mr. Booth's ACE Award wining play - "OLODUM" - was performed at the Gay and Lesbian Community Center. In January of '96, Mr. Booth's new play, "DORIENE GARY - THE MUMMY AND THE DRAG QUEEN" - had a staged reading at The Point CDC. In the same year Mr. Booth's play, - No Happy Endings "Paraiso Prohibido" - was presented as a staged reading also at The Point CDC. It starred Jorge Merced of The Pregones Theater.

In January of '98, Mr. Booth performed in his new work titled, "BUTCH QUEENS", which ran for three weeks at the Producer's Club. In December 1997, Mr. Booth launched the Public Access TV show “STRANGE FRUITS” on BronxNet, MNN, BCAT & QPTV, the NYC Public Access Television Stations. In 2000, Mr. Booth won the "Best Film About The Bronx " award from the South Bronx Film & Video Festival for - Night of 12 Gowns 2000 - In 2001, Mr. Booth won 2 BETA (Bronx Excellence in Television Access) Awards from BronxNet for his TV show Strange Fruits; - "Best Innovative Program "- & - "Best Entertainment Variety Performing Arts Program" – Nemesis was a play written in 1984 and has been adapted to video in 2002. Nemesis is Mr. Booth’s first short film and it has been submitted to various film festivals for 2003.Forbidden Fruit is Mr. Booth’s first feature film project. Forbidden Fruit has been dedicated to Rick. Rick is a real person in Mr. Booth’s life. It was Rick’s death that catapulted Mr. Booth into sobriety and producing his plays.