one of Bermuda's best known actors, Danjou Anderson, when he takes on the pivotal role of Paul in Linda Paynter's production of Six Degrees of Separation at City Hall from March 25 to 27.

An unusually strong cast, led by Connie Dey should make this a theatrical night to remember.

Based on a true story, John Guare's Broadway hit play evolves around a young black man who pretends he is the son of Sidney Poitier.

Gullibility and snobbery become the order of the day as his disclosure opens the most exclusive doors along New York's Park Avenue. When he confides to his newly acquired friends that he is at school with their children (at Harvard, naturally), their sudden camaraderie knows no bounds.

More than that, Mr. Anderson will not reveal. He says: "It will spoil the plot if I say any more! But it's a play that examines some serious issues -- with some very funny lines. It's one of the best-written plays I've come across in a long, long time. And a very challenging role for me.'' Patricia Pogson will be directing the play, bringing together once again, the talented trio of Paynter, Pogson and Anderson who scored such a success with Ain't Misbehavin', staged at City Hall last year.

National Gallery director Laura Gorham, who takes on the role of Kitty, is excited about the play. "I saw it at the Lincoln Centre in New York and thought it was so good, I went and bought the script, hoping that someone could do it in Bermuda. But I couldn't find anyone who felt confident enough to direct it. So I'm thrilled to be working with Patricia Pogson. She has the expertise to handle what is really a difficult script. Very sophisticated, acid humour that requires split-second timing,'' says Gorham.

She explains that the title of the play pertains to Guare's theory that every person on earth is separated by six circles of acquaintances. "It's through these overlapping circles that Paul manages to worm his way into people's lives,'' she says.

"This play really does reveal the strange side of human nature,'' muses Danjou Anderson. "Just imagine, all this happens in New York, where no one trusts anyone! But this character is a smooth talker and the essence of charm -- it just shows how people react to name-dropping and the `if he's at Harvard he must be OK' mentality!'' Mr. Anderson is also full of praise for director Patricia Pogson, who has a degree in Theatre Arts from Howard University. "She has such incredible ability. And besides being my colleague, she's also my best friend,'' he laughs.

Danjou Anderson became involved with the theatre about 18 years ago. He pays tribute to his English teacher, Carol Ann Furbert, who also taught him speech and drama at Warwick Secondary School. "She had a big influence on my life.

It was Mrs. Furbert, her husband, and a few of us who were the founding members of We Are People Too, in the early '70s.'' After attending Ewing Preparatory School in New Jersey and Wagner College on New York's Staten Island, Mr. Anderson went on to study acting at the prestigious Herbert Bhergorf Studio in New York.

"His wife, Uta Hagen, who writes on method acting was there and one of my teachers was Earl Hyman, who played the father on the Bill Cosby Show, also Hal Holbrook. Sean Penn studied there -- and so did Sean Dill. I think he and I are the only ones from Bermuda, though.'' These days, Mr. Anderson is the gallery director at Heritage House by day, but he still pursues his love of theatre in the evenings. Bermuda audiences will remember his outstanding 1978 performance as the tin-man in The Wiz. He says: "That was the most memorable role for me, because I'd just found my singing voice. I shocked myself -- I had no idea I could sing!'' But in spite of his roaring success in last year's Ain't Misbehavin', he confesses that he finds singing "very stressful''.

His first BMDS appearance was in Jocelyn Troake's Cabaret, and he also appeared as the Philosopher in the BMDS production of Fire Raisers, where he remembers having "some very good lines''.

The great-nephew of music-man Gandhi Burgess says one of his earliest recollections was listening to his mother as she vacuumed to the sound of The Marriage of Figaro.

"I admire my mother probably more than anyone else in my life. She is a quiet, but very strong person.'' The family artistic streak continues in his twin sisters, who are studying at the Bermuda College and earning extra credits for their hoped-for art career by helping Laura Gorham out over the weekends and holidays at the National Gallery.

Connie Dey, one of the Island's outstanding actresses, studied drama in Boston and has appeared with most of Bermuda's theatre groups since her arrival here in 1956. She played leading roles for several of the late Hastings Saltus' productions, is a well-known figure in Bermuda's annual pantomimes and made a memorable appearance in last year's production of Love Letters for the BMDS.

This production will mark the Bermuda debut of Richard Briggs. In his native America, he has appeared in films and TV (including an NBC Movie of the Week) besides doing `voice-overs' for TV and radio.

Dusty Hind, who was a leading light in local theatre during the '60s and also comes from a professional theatre background in the UK, will be making a welcome return to the stage in this play. He says this will be a double celebration for him, as his son Michael will be appearing with him for the first time.

Other cast members include Paul Matthews, Robert Pires, Russell De Moura, Ingrid Welch, Dalzell Tucker, Jens Hansen, Carolyn McNally, Paul Woolgar and Sheri Batenchuk.

Set designs are by Stephen Dudden. The interior of a swish Park Avenue apartment calls for portraits by the famous Russian modernist painter, Kandinsky. Bermuda's Sheilagh Head has been entrusted to capture his dramatic style.

Six Degrees of Separation opens at City Hall on Thursday March 25 and runs through Saturday, March 27 at 8.30 p.m. It is not suitable for children.

Tickets ($30 patrons, $20 general admission) are available now from Twenty-seventh Century Boutique and from March 22 onwards, from the City Hall Box Office between 11 a.m. and 2 p.m.

PARK AVENUE CON MAN -- That is the role actor Danjou Anderson will be playing in the Linda Paynter production of Six Degrees of Separation, the smash Broadway hit which opens at City Hall for a three-night run on March 25.