Globalstage Productions, a video production company which specializes in creative taping of live theatre, announces a new production for university students and adults. An Immaculate Misconception is a fascinating play written by the father of the birth control pill Carl Djerassi. Dr. Djerassi is in a unique position to understand and dramatize the world of science. An Immaculate Misconception is about the personal moral ramifications of choices now available in fertility and reproductive control. In particular, it is about the scientific procedure ICSI, which allows men previously thought to be infertile to father a child.

The play features 37-year old reproductive biologist, Dr. Melanie Laidlaw, who invented the ICSI procedure and uses it to fertilize her own egg with the sperm of an infertile man -- with dramatic and unexpected consequences. An Immaculate Misconception opened in a 3-week run at the 1998 Edinburgh Fringe Festival to wide acclaim and has been staged in London, San Francisco, Vermont, Vienna, Cologne and Munich. It has been translated into five languages and was featured by the BBC World Service as "Play of the Week" in May 2000.

An Immaculate Misconception brings alive the world of science, and stimulates the audience to think about the issues and dilemmas facing scientists, and all of us as potential parents. In the words of author Carl Djerassi, the increasing separation of sex ("in bed") and fertilization ("under the microscope") is likely to turn into one of the biggest issues in the next century, meriting wide and continuous debate." The video includes commentary by Djerassi, who was awarded the National Medal of Science for the first synthesis of the oral contraceptive in 1973. He is a professor at Stanford University, and a prolific writer of both fiction and non-fiction. (For additional news comments and detailed information, see Carl Djerassi's website, at www.djerassi.com.)

Globalstage Productions is a video production company specializing in videos of live theatre. Globalstage is especially known for its series for kids and families, which is broadcast on PBS across the country, used in schools and libraries, and sold by subscription and individually [(888) 324-5623, or www.globalstage.net]. The Los Angeles Times describes the Globalstage shows as "prize finds." The Chicago Tribune explains that Globalstage captures "a good portion of the excitement of the theatre. Part of the success is due to the excellent way the plays are filmed, with camera movements that enhance the emotions of the actors and underscore the action." Globalstage has won numerous awards, including American Library Assocation/Booklist's for Best Videos of 1999 (for Playing from the Heart), and Starred Reviews from Publishers Weekly.

An Immaculate Misconception is the first Globalstage Production for adults, directed by Lizbeth Pratt. Other Globalstage videos include Playing from the Heart, Island of Dr. Moreau, Pinocchio, Frankenstein, The Three Musketeers, Far From the Madding Crowd, and Cyrano. Two more are in progress: Twain's The Man who Corrupted Hadleyburg and Tolstoy's How Much Land Does a Man Need. Globalstage videos cost $27 each. An Immaculate Misconception and several of the others are available in both the US (VHS) and European (PAL) videos formats. Order at (415) 749-6840 or toll-free, 1 (888) 324 5623, or www.globalstage.net.