`Dark Cowgirls and Prairie Queens' kicks off the Drama Fest '94 season at City Hall tomorrow.

Presented by Stage One Productions, The Carpetbag Theatre's opening show dramatises the lives of seven black women and the roles they played in opening up the American West.

There will also be a special matinee performance of `Cric Crac', presented in the storytelling format, on Saturday afternoon.

Directed by Linda Parris-Bailey, her company was formed in 1970 as a community venture to encourage minorities in the performing arts. It will be their first appearance in Bermuda.

Stage One Productions have announced that in addition to the City Hall performances, the visiting Carpetbag Theatre company will conduct two mornings of theatre workshops for Bermuda's secondary schools.

Stage One chairman, Mr. Reese Bartley says, thanks to the generosity of the Bermuda Arts Council, these sessions will be free of charge.

"The theme of the workshops will be Collaborative Writing, which develops original community scripts based on local histories. This is how `Dark Cowgirls and Prairie Queens' was developed.'' One of the aims of Stage One Productions is to foster the continued development of theatre in Bermuda, says secretary, Mr. Kensley McDowall.

"We see these workshops as part of the developmental process and have decided to start off with the most fertile minds, that of our young people.'' `Dark Cowgirls' will be performed at City Hall from tomorrow, March 10 through Saturday, March 12, with the matinee performance of `Cric Crac' also on Saturday, at 2.30 p.m.

A few tickets remain for sale and are available from the City Hall Box Office between 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. each day, telephone 292-2313.

STORYTELLING -- A special matinee performance of "Cric Crac'', presented in storytelling format, will start at 2.30 p.m. on Saturday at City Hall.