1-In your own words, describe the production. Including key themes and conflicts…why is this the right time for this production? It's about someone wishing away their inherited baggage, and complications that causes. I confront my family's racism when my brother and I both commit to interracial relationships (his has the benefit of being straight, but the drawback of being with an Arab). Our parents insist the Holocaust means Jews can't be safe with anyone but other Jews. Wanting a more inclusive identity, I wonder how different my life would be if the Holocaust had never happened; before I know it, I'm interviewing Holocaust deniers around the world. Needless to say, what I hear—and share—is shocking. Laughable, and yet, considering at least eight white nationalists are running for U.S. Congress in 2018, also terrifying. 2-Who are your collaborators and what do you like about working with them? I am a geeky, loner introvert. Usually during a show I've written, I'm pacing in the back of the theater, nursing crushes on the actors. Performing, on purpose, in front of a hundred people a night, projecting confidence? I'd work with no one else but the director Jeremy Gold Kronenberg, who has known me since we were preteens and his middle name was not "Gold" and he was knitting homemade vests on the bus to school. I feel safer being naked before him than I do before most of my doctors. Especially my urologist. Jeremy's never stuck anything up my urethra. 3-Who is the typical audience for the production? What do you want audiences to get out of the show (ie: feel when they leave the theater)? When I first started performing this show, I thought I would do it in a sort of Sacha Baron Cohen persona and present myself as a real Holocaust denier. Over the years, I've realized theater attracts more earnest, liberal Jews than it does Ali G fans, so now my audience is earnest, liberal Jews. All of them. All the synagogue-going, Haaretz-reading, Trump-hating Jews from here to Scarsdale. But also all the gays. And all the Millennials. Everyone worried about fake news and Bannon and Kushner and Russia, and everyone who listens to On the Media and On Being and Wait Wait Don't Tell Me (for the yuks). Anyone who sees a terrible normalization of hate happening, and wants to engage in a 75-minute dialogue about what we need to know to fight back. At the end of each show, I want 100 people to have laughed 150 times—but to still be scared shitless. Really scared shitless. Like so scared, I thought about calling the play "Oy, Get Out Already!" But then I learned Orin Wolf has already optioned that title for a show staring Nick Kroll coming to Broadway in 2019. 4-Who is someone (or something) who has inspired you? Deborah Lipstadt, while researching Hoaoxocaust. Mel Brooks, while writing it. RuPaul Charles, every Thursday. 5-Why theatre, when did you know you wanted to be a writer? Seventh grade. I like being good at things, and it already wouldn't be sports. When my voice changed, it also wouldn't be musicals. - QUESTING BEAST PRODUCTIONS in partnership with THE THEATER AT THE 14TH STREET Y Proudly Present HOAXOCAUST! Written and performed by BARRY LEVEY Directed by JEREMY GOLD KRONENBERG LIMITED ENGAGEMENT SEPTEMBER 5 – 30, 2018 AT THE THEATER AT THE 14TH STREET Y TICKETS START AT $25 | WWW.14STREETY.ORG
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“We should all be glad that a challenging and intelligent solo show like Hoaxocaust! is onstage anywhere. This is worthwhile and timely theater of the highest order.” - Theatermania “Skilfully raises questions about religion and politics with humor, earning laughs from a subject that many might think is too sacred to get such a treatment.” - Theatre Is Easy “Uses sharp satire to pierce the gasbags… There are more controversial and provocative ideas crammed into the 70-minute Hoaxocaust! than in most plays on or off Broadway.” -Jewish Standard “Squarely nails the inherent absurdity behind Holocaust denial.” -New Voices Questing Beast Productions, in partnership with The Theater at the 14th Street Y, is pleased to present Barry Levey in his provocative play Hoaxocaust! directed by Jeremy Gold Kronenberg. Hoaxocaust! will play twenty three performances from September 5th through the 30th, 2018 at The Theater at the 14th Street Y (344 East 14th Street at 1st Avenue, New York, NY 10003). Opening night is Wednesday, September 12th at 8:00 P.M. Press are cordially invited Friday, Sept 7th at 7:00 pm, Saturday, Sept 8th at 2:00 pm or 6:00 pm, Sunday, Sept 9th at 2:00 pm, and Opening Night Wednesday, Sept 12th at 8:00 pm (and any subsequent performance upon request). What roles should past horrors play in defining ourselves, our religious views, or even our politics? Is there such a thing as a contemporary Jewish identity independent of the Holocaust? Should there be? What if the Holocaust had never happened? Mahmoud Abbas has said it. Poland has said it. Some people currently running for our Congress and in our President's coalition have said it. If the Holocaust didn’t happen… what did? Join writer/performer Barry Levey on an around-the-world adventure as he tracks down deniers from Illinois to Iran, meets engineers and ex-presidents, and dodges a brother in Hungary and a boyfriend back home on a journey to discover the shocking truth. Developed at the New Group, the cell, and Prospect Theater Company at 59E59, Hoaxacaust! previously performed at Theater for the New City and won the NY International Fringe Festival’s 2014 Overall Excellence award. It returned for the FringeNYC Encore Series: Solo in the City at the Baruch Performing Arts Center before touring to Jersey City Theater Center and Temple Beth Ahm Yisrael. Hoaxocaust! plays the following twenty three performances through Sun, Sept 30th: Wed, Sept 5th at 8:00 P.M.Fri, Sept 7th at 7:00 P.M.Sat, Sept 8th at 2:00 P.M.Sat, Sept 8th 6:00 P.M.Sun, Sept 9th 2:00 P.M. Wed, Sept 12th 8:00 P.M.Fri, Sept 14th 9:00 P.M.Sat, Sept 15th 4:00 P.M.Sat, Sept 15th 8:00 P.M.Sun, Sept 16th 4:00 P.M.Sun, Sept 16th 8:00 P.M. Thu, Sept 20th 8:00 P.M.Fri, Sept 21st 7:00 P.M.Sat, Sept 22nd 2:00 P.M.Sat, Sept 22nd 6:00 P.M.Sun, Sept 23rd 2:00 P.M. Tue, Sept 25th 8:00 P.M.Wed, Sept 26th 8:00 P.M.Fri, Sept 28th 7:00 P.M.Sat, Sept 29th 2:00 P.M.Sat, Sept 29th 6:00 P.M.Sun, Sept 30th 4:00 P.M.Sun, Sept 30th 8:00 P.M. Tickets start at $25.00 and are currently available to purchase by calling 646-395-4310 or by visiting www.14streety.org.Tickets may also be purchased 30 minutes before showtime. Running Time: 75 Minutes Website: www.hoaxocaust.com “Funny and engaging… something rare and wonderful to find.” -Stage Buddy This one-man show about Holocaust deniers had so many enjoyable and provocative twists and ideas that left us in its grips for days. I don’t think I’ve ever been to a one-person show that was as thrilling and absorbing as this.” -Letters from the Mezzanine “A compelling, thought-provoking, emotional, can’t stop thinking, how will I sleep tonight one-man show.” -Call Me Adam “Levey’s script is beautifully structured. It’s sharp and insightful, simultaneously funny and thought-provoking.” -Woman Around Town “Argues with great quiet force” -History News Network 1-In your own words, describe the production. Including key themes and conflicts…why is this the right time for this production? The production is set in New York City in the year 2018, so a big theme of the show will be locating these characters among the people who populate our city. Our mission as a theater company is to reveal the relevance of classical literature to contemporary times, so this choice aligns with that mission and will also foster a sense of familiarity between the audience and the characters, and the characters' conflicts. The play is very much about the madness of love and art and the magical properties that exist in love and art. And the play takes place in the summer (or, more probably, May - but it FEELS like summer). I've always found New York in the summer time to be a magical place with a very distinct energy and atmosphere. I think our production will capture that quality: the fun, the risk, the liveliness, the wildness of the city in the summer time. There's something about it that is just bursting at the seams. Additionally, it's a play about change and the conditions under which people are changed or change themselves. I think the play will be heartening, and maybe even a bit illuminating, in showing the way that people can be transformed and in some cases made better by their experiences. This is a theme that seems timely to me. I think it's a good time to think about why we're stuck where we are, and what can help us move past where we are. 2-Who are your collaborators and what do you like about working with them? Katie Willmorth is the assistant director and has been my primary collaborator in preparing and rehearsing the play. I've worked with her as a fellow actor and have directed her, but this is my first chance to direct with her, and it's been a real gift. She has such a high level of preparation and sensitivity to the circumstances of the play, which really helps us stay focused on the human event of a scene. She has an incredible ear for Shakespeare's language and such a keen perception about what helps make a scene work best. Our designers, Bevin McNally, Joe Jung, Conor Mulligan and Andrew Diaz have really worked to understand the concept of the show and the parameters of our outdoor playing space. Their initiative has been impressive, and they've all been creative with their design and flexible in working around the aesthetic of the show as a whole. So much of their work is going to actualize the magic of the play in a thrilling way. Chris Montgomery's publicity photography, under the direction of our Artistic Director Beth Ann Hopkins, helped articulate and display what our production was aiming to accomplish in a way that helped me get closer to understanding exactly what that aim was. The cast is so strong, and everyone is working on such a detailed and committed level. I think a lot of the success in producing Shakespeare's comedies is presenting a varied set of characters, so it's important that the actors stay fully invested in their own character so the production can present a diverse group of people, and a diverse set of behaviors and attitudes. It should feel like a full, wild world. So much of our rehearsal has really just been fostering the great ideas the actors come in with. It's been a privilege to be in the room with these actors. 3-Who is the typical audience for the production? What do you want audiences to get out of the show (ie: feel when they leave the theater)? We see our audience as being everyone. We have people I'd consider Shakespeare experts come see the plays, and we have people who have never seen a Shakespeare show come see the plays. Our belief is that a really good production can serve both ends of this spectrum so long as it's specific and focused on the people in the story and their conflicts. This year, I hope people feel that something in the play has lifted them above the ordinary. I hope they feel there's something special in living in this city with all of its wildness and variety of characters and backgrounds. I hope they feel that there's something in the power of art that can invite them to look at their own experiences and lives from a slightly different viewpoint. I also hope they feel happy. 4-Who is someone (or something) who has inspired you? Our company of artists, certainly. Our audiences for being so generous with their attention and willingness to be open for experiences and show consistent year to year support. Our Artistic Director Beth Ann Hopkins, for making a company that so fervently protects the artist's ability to explore, risk, and pursue what the artist feels is most important in a piece of drama. And for making a company that places such a high value on community, respect and collaboration. 5-Why theatre, when did you know you wanted to be a director? I love the live experience of theater, and the bond that's shared from actor and audience experiencing something together and in real time. It has such a rich immediacy. I love the idea of lots of different people experiencing something together, because I think that there is a sense, even if it's unconscious, that we are sharing a simultaneous experience, even if our interpretations of that experience differ, with a group of people who are likely very different from ourselves, and that sense of shared experience brings communities closer, and exercises our empathy. Being in the space together is very important, and stories are very important, as they help us assign meaning to our lives and personal histories. Fostering this is something that I think is very important in all times, and to me seems of especial importance in our current times. - SMITH STREET STAGE Proudly Presents A MIDSUMMER’S NIGHT DREAM For Lovers, Leaders and Madmen Written by WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE Directed by JONATHAN HOPKINS JUNE 20 – JULY 1, 2018 IN CARROLL PARK JULY 11 - 15 AT THE ACTORS FUND TICKETS AVAILABLE NOW AT SMITHSTREETSTAGE.ORG SMITH STREET STAGE is pleased to announce their production of William Shakespeare’s A MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM, directed by Jonathan Hopkins. A MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM will play June 20-July 1 Carroll Park (Carroll Stop off F & G) and July 11-15 Mark O'Donnell Theater, The Actors Fund Arts Center (160 Schermerhorn St, Brooklyn, NY 11201). Performances begin Wednesday, June 20 and continue through Sunday, July 15. Opening Night is Friday, June 22nd (7:30 p.m.). Tickets for the Carroll Park performances are FREE and TAF are a three tiered price structure. Smith Street Stage is the proud honoree of three Innovative Theater Awards: OUTSTANDING ENSEMBLE for Much Ado About Nothing and OUTSTANDING REVIVAL for both Much Ado About Nothing & The Tempest A MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM for today’s New York City that imagines our fellow New Yorkers - the buskers, the lovers, the neighbors, the leaders - as the wild and magical Spirits of Shakespeare's classic comedy. It is a celebration of the energy, danger, uniqueness and soul of the place that we call home, and its potential to evoke in all of us a wondrous transformation. This play dares to show us the extraordinary magic and everyday miracles that are hidden in plain sight. The production stars Baize Buzan* (Yale Rep,Yale MFA, Steppenwolf) as Helena, Brandon Dial as Snout, Shaun Bennet Fauntleroy* (Theatre Hall of Fame’s 2017 Emerging Theatre Artist) as Hippolyta, Justin Gillman* (Classic Stage) as Egeus & Starvling, Patrick Harvey as Puck, Beth Ann Hopkins* as Titania, Brian Lee Huynh* (Lincoln Center’s War Horse, Off Bway: A Clockwork Orange, The Light Years) as Oberon, Pete McElligott as Theseus, Jonathan Minton as Flute, Alex Purcell*, as Demetrus, Nowani Rattray* as Hermia, Will Sarratt as Lysander, Hannah Sloat* (Lincoln Center’s War Horse) as Quince, and Corey Whelihan* as Bottom. (*Equity Member appearing with permission of Actors’ Equity Association without benefit of an Equity contract in this Off-Off Broadway production) The production is produced by Yuriy Pavlish & Beth Ann Hopkins, assistant directed by Katie Willmorth, features scenic and prop design by Andrew Diaz (The Public, Classic Stage, Disney, Roundabout) costume design by Bevin McNally, and lighting design by Conor Mulligan. Joe Jung (The Old Globe, Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson) is the composer and Allie Grant* and Lindsay Kipnis* are the stage managers. Amanda Browne is the ASM. Assistants are Madison Cerniglia, Danica Clauser, Josephine Hurshell-Hobson and Kayla Prestel. A MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM plays the following regular schedule with all matinee performances beginning at 2:00 pm and all evening performances beginning at 7:30 pm: Carroll Park (all evening performances) June 20 Preview June 21 Preview June 22nd Opening June 23 – July 1st (off June 25th & 26th) Actors Fund July 11th Opening (At the Actors Fund) July 11- 13 July 14 Matinee & Evening Performance July 15 Matinee only Tickets are FREE at Carroll Park and $25 - $55 (seat location dependant) at The Actors Fund Art Center and are now available online at www.SmithStreetStage.org. Tickets may also be purchased in-person at the box office ½ hour prior to performance. Running Time: 2:00 Website: http://www.smithstreetstage.org/ Directions: Carroll Park (Carroll Stop off F&G), Brooklyn, NY 11231 The Actors Fund Arts Center, 160 Schermerhorn St, Brooklyn, NY 11201 THE AWARD-WINNING BOOMERANG THEATRE COMPANY, celebrating 20 years of producing re-imagined classics and world premieres, is pleased to present William Shakespeare’s TWELFTH NIGHT, directed by Sara Thigpen. TWELFTH NIGHT will play a limited outdoor engagement at Central Park (69th Street and Central Park West, NYC). Performances begin Saturday, June 16 and continue through Sunday, July 15. Opening is Sunday, June 24 (2 p.m.). “At its heart, Twelfth Night is a play about Love. These characters, like all of us at one time or another, are bored or stuck or hiding from the world, and when tempted by Love, we all have a choice: remain closed off and ignore the call, or be brave and risk rejection/ridicule, to embrace the possibility of Love.” Shares director Sara Thigpen, “That’s what is so compelling! It’s not even a guarantee, it’s just a possibility, a Hope that who you love may love you back...and to see that played out gives us the chance to laugh at our own foibles, cheer for our own victories and have compassion for all of our losses.” It begins at night, with a shipwreck. All are lost, save one...a valiant woman washed ashore in a strange country. In an instant, Viola becomes the person she needs to be...in disguise. She serves the Duke, and discovers a passion in her heart as strange as the country she now inhabits. But Duke Orsino loves another. And so Viola becomes the Duke's messenger, delivering his love to Olivia. Can she do it? Should she? And what becomes of all of them when Viola sheds her disguise and reveals her true self? To settle all, Viola may have to outdrink Sir Toby and Sir Andrew, outwit Feste, and outmaneuver Malvolio if she has any hope of setting true love right! Featuring Spencer Aste* as Sir Andrew, Daniel Bailin* as Fabian, Pilar Gonzalez as Curio, R. Paul Hamilton* as Ship Captain, Paul Herbig* as Sebastian, Annalisa Loeffler* as Feste, Sevrin Anne Mason* as Maria, Hannah Jane McMurray* as Viola, Mateo Moreno* as Antonio, Vinnie Penna* as Sir Toby, Heather Lee Rogers as Valentine, Michael Shattner* as Malvolio, Anthony Simone* as Orsino, Lisa Tharps* as Olivia. The production features costume design by Stefanie Genda, and prop design by Julie Gjeka. The production stage manager is Brianna Poh. TWELFTH NIGHT plays the following schedule through Sunday, July 15th: Saturdays at 2:00 p.m. Sundays at 2:00 p.m. Free admission. No tickets necessary. Feel free to bring a blanket, or picnic. All are welcome. For more information visit www.boomerangtheatre.org/twelfthnight Central Park at 69th Street and Central Park West (enter at 69th St and head south, or 67th Street and head north) *Equity Members appearing with permission of Actors’ Equity Association without benefit of an Equity contract in this Off-Off Broadway production. Check out the coverage The Genesis Plays received during their run at The Theater at the 14th Street Y this May 2018: May 27, 2018: Commercial Appeal: From Playhouse on the Square to New York: Memphian uses acting to engage communities - Feature https://www.commercialappeal.com/story/entertainment/2018/05/27/memphis-native-jon-adam-ross-now-playwright-actor-new-york-playhouse-square/632780002/ May 14, 2018: Tablet Magazine: The Genesis Plays Bring Biblical Heroes and Contemporary Issues to Stage - Review http://www.tabletmag.com/scroll/262113/the-genesis-plays-bring-biblical-heroes-and-contemporary-issues-to-stage May 14, 2018: Medium: The Genesis Plays by The In[heir]itance Project: “The Leah/Rachel Play” - Review https://medium.com/@beyondbeigetravel/review-the-genesis-plays-by-the-in-heir-itance-project-the-leah-rachel-play-8bd991151635 May 7, 2018: Photo Flash: The Theater at the 14th Street Y Presents THE LEAH/RACHEL PLAY - News Item https://www.broadwayworld.com/off-broadway/article/Photo-Flash-The-Theater-At-The-14th-Street-Y-Presents-THE-LEAHRACHEL-PLAY-20180507 May 6, 2018: Photo Flash: The Theater at the 14th Street Y Presents THE REBECCA PLAY - News Item https://www.broadwayworld.com/off-broadway/article/Photo-Flash-The-Theater-At-The-14th-Street-Y-Presents-THE-REBECCA-PLAY-20180506 May 5, 2018: Hollywood SOAPBOX: Exploring the uniqueness, universality of Genesis - Interview https://www.hollywoodsoapbox.com/?p=19648 May 4, 2018: Photo Flash: The Theater At The 14th Street Y Presents THE JACOB PLAY - News Item https://www.broadwayworld.com/off-broadway/article/Photo-Flash-The-Theater-At-The-14th-Street-Y-Presents-THE-JACOB-PLAY-20180504 May 3, 2018: Broadway World - Photo Flash: The Theater At The 14th Street Y Presents THE SARAH PLAY - News Item https://www.broadwayworld.com/off-off-broadway/article/Photo-Flash-The-Theater-At-The-14th-Street-Y-Presents-THE-SARAH-PLAY-20180503 May 2, 2018: Opplaud: The Genesis Plays (The Jacob Play) - Review https://opplaud.com/reviews/new-york/210-genesis-plays-14-street-y May 2, 2018: Broadway World - Photo Flash: The Theater At The 14th Street Y Presents THE ABRAHAM PLAY - News Item https://www.broadwayworld.com/off-broadway/article/Photo-Flash-The-Theater-At-The-14th-Street-Y-Stages-THE-ABRAHAM-PLAY-20180502 May 1, 2018: Jewish Week - Sacred Text As A Stage For Community Building - Feature http://jewishweek.timesofisrael.com/sacred-text-as-a-stage-for-community-building/ Apr 29, 2018: Say Me Says Mom - Sunday Scoop Week of April 29 - News Item https://saysmesaysmom.blogspot.com/2018/04/sunday-scoop-week-of-42918-whats.html Mar 27, 2018: Broadway World - The In[heir]itance Project and The 14th Street Y Present The Sarah Play (featuring Stephanie Rocio) - News Item https://www.broadwayworld.com/off-off-broadway/article/The-Inheiritance-Project-And-The-14th-Street-Y-Present-THE-SARAH-PLAY-20180327 Mar 20, 2018: Broadway World - The Inheiritance Project and The 14th Street Y Proudly Present The Abraham Play - News Item https://www.broadwayworld.com/off-broadway/article/The-Inheiritance-Project-And-The-14th-Street-Y-Proudly-PresentTHE-ABRAHAM-PLAY-20180320 Mar 16, 2018: Broadway World - The In[heir]itance Project and The 14th Street Y Present The Sarah Play - News Item https://www.broadwayworld.com/off-broadway/article/The-Inheiritance-Project-And-The-14th-Street-Y-Present-THE-SARAH-PLAY-20180316 Mar 15, 2018: Broadway World - The Leah/Rachel Play Comes To The 14th Street Y As Part Of The Genesis Plays - News Item https://www.broadwayworld.com/off-broadway/article/THE-LEAHRACHEL-PLAY-Comes-To-The-14th-Street-Y-As-Part-Of-The-Genesis-Plays-20180315 Jan 25, 2018: Broadway World - The In[heir]itance Project Brings Five Genesis Plays to The 14th Street Y - News Item https://www.broadwayworld.com/off-broadway/article/THE-INHEIRITANCE-PROJECT-Brings-Five-Genesis-Plays-To-The-14th-Street-Y-20180125 Earlier Coverage: Interfaith Arts Group in Charleston Addresses Social Justice Issues By Adam Parker, The Post and Courier | Dec 9, 2017 Better Than An Oscar By Jon Adam Ross, EJewish Philanthropy | March 7, 2017 The Rebecca Play: Innovative theater project uses Book of Genesis as its genesis By Adam Parker, The Post and Courier | May 7, 2016 The InHEIRitance Project By Rebecca Leibowitz, Charleston Jewish Voice | Apr 25, 2016 Using Art to Heal: The inHEIRitance Project Visits Charleston By Rebecca Leibowitz, Sight Line | Apr 25, 2016 A Twin Cities Abraham By H. Glenn Rosenkrantz, Jeducation World | Jan 25, 2016 REVIEW: The Abraham Play By Arthur Dorman, Talkin' Broadway | Dec 31, 2015 REVIEW: The Abraham Play By Rebecca Kanner, tcjewfolk.com | Dec 20, 2015 Jon Adam Ross: ‘This brilliant light’ By Erin Elliott Bryan, American Jewish World News | Mar 25, 2015 THE IN[HEIR]ITANCE PROJECT and THE 14TH STREET Y are pleased to present THE SARAH PLAY, as part of The Genesis Plays, a collection of plays inspired by stories in the book of Genesis, and devised with communities in different US cities. Created in a collaborative process led by Jon Adam Ross and directed by Chantal Pavageaux, THE SARAH PLAY performs in rep (with four other plays) during a three-week limited engagement at The Theater at the 14th Street Y (344 E 14th St at 1st Ave, New York, NY 10003). Performances begin Tuesday, May 1st and continue through Wednesday, May 16, 2018. Press are cordially invited Tuesday, May 1st at 9:00 p.m., Thursday, May 3rd at 9:00 p.m., and Saturday, May 5th at 7:00 p.m. (and any subsequent performance) Three actors tell the ancient, sacred story of Sarah and Hagar, the mothers of Isaac and Ishmael, drawing from Muslim, Christian and Jewish traditions. The storytellers struggle to determine which religion’s version of the narrative gets told, when there are multiple accounts of what happened. “In Kansas City we worked with the Muslim and Jewish communities,” shares creator Jon Adam Ross. “The play became a meta-examination of how we tell stories that carry multiple, conflicting truths. Director Chantal Pavageaux believes “The Sarah Play is the most thought-provoking of the five plays. We also really pushed ourselves formally, and we were able to develop our aesthetic in a new way.” Starring Jon Dalin, Stephanie Dauman (Blindspot - NBC), and Stephanie Rocio (Broadway World Award Best Featured Actress - Dreamgirls at Cape Fear). Produced by Martha Goode. Featuring set design by Deb O, costume design by Andja Budincich, lighting design by Stacey Boggs, and sound design by Caroline Faustine. Tyler Winthrop is the stage manager, Eli Reid is the production manager, and Zhailon Levingston is the associate director. Marketing/PR by Kampfire PR, and graphic design by Billy Keefe. The Sarah Play plays the following performances through Fri, May 18th: Tuesday, May 1st at 9:00 p.m.Thursday, May 3rd at 9:00 p.m. Saturday, May 5th at 7:00 p.m.Thursday, May 10th at 7:00 p.m.Saturday, May 12th at 7:00 p.m.Sunday, May 13th at 12:00 p.m.Friday, May 18th at 7:00 p.m. Tickets are $18 (or see three plays for $14 each with a Flex Pass) and are now available online at www.14streety.org/genesis or by calling 646-395-4310. Tickets may also be purchased in-person at the box office half-hour prior to the performance. Running Time: 70 minutes The developmental process of The Genesis Plays includes text study with artists and clergy, devising workshops, open rehearsals with participating organizations and houses of worship, performance talkbacks, and community engagement events where local artists and audiences also respond to the source material. The Genesis Plays are funded with generous support from The Covenant Foundation, in association with Downtown Jewish Life, co-presented by The Theater at the 14th Street Y. THE GENESIS PLAYS features:
To learn more visit www.inheiritance.org THE IN[HEIR]ITANCE PROJECT and THE 14TH STREET Y are pleased to present THE LEAH/RACHEL PLAY, as part of The Genesis Plays, a collection of plays inspired by stories in the book of Genesis, and devised with communities in different US cities. Created in a collaborative process led by Jon Adam Ross and directed by Chantal Pavageaux, featuring a film directed and produced by Emmy-award winning filmmaker Ilana Trachtman (Praying with Lior), THE LEAH/RACHEL PLAY performs in rep (with four other plays) during a three-week limited engagement at The Theater at the 14th Street Y (344 E 14th St at 1st Ave, New York, NY 10003). Performances begin Tuesday, May 1st and continue through Wednesday, May 16, 2018. Using documentary-style interviews with community members in tandem with the scripted action on stage, in The Leah/Rachel Play a historian unearths an ancient papyrus about sisterhood and struggles with what it means for a man to have made this discovery that reveals so much about female identity. As a new father to twin baby girls, he’s looking for advice anywhere he can get it. “In Seattle we explored how history is written by men, even in the bible. And in response we explored the concept of sisterhood, the voices of biblical women, and the sibling relationship of Leah and Rachel,” shares creator Jon Adam Ross. “Brandon Blake will be flying out to recreate his work in The Leah/Rachel Play, he brings such infectious joy with him everywhere he goes. Ilana Trachtman is an Emmy-award winning film director who produced and directed the film for the play and her incredible talent and experience have made adapting the piece for the NYC stage extremely exciting.” For director Chantal Pavageaux, “The Leah/Rachel Play is an experiment for The In[heir]itance Project and, as such, is the most unpredictable. The interaction between film and live performance allows for great theater magic, and for interesting twists in storytelling.” Starring Brandon Blake and Jon Levin. Produced by Martha Goode. Featuring set design by Deb O, costume design by Andja Budincich, lighting design by Stacey Boggs, sound design by Caroline Faustine and projections by Phoenix Sweeney. Tyler Winthrop is the stage manager, Eli Reid is the production manager, and Zhailon Levingston is the associate director. Marketing/PR by Kampfire PR, and graphic design by Billy Keefe. Film directed and produced by Ilana Trachtman (cinematography by Lars Larson, film editing by Zelda Greenstein, and studio sound recording by Bob Marts). The Leah/Rachel Play plays the following performances through Wed, May 16th: Tuesday, May 1st at 7:00 p.m. Friday, May 4th at 9:00 p.m. Sunday, May 6th at 4:00 p.m. Wednesday, May 9th at 9:00 p.m. Friday, May 11th at 9: 00 p.m. Saturday, May 12th at 4:00 p.m. Sunday, May 13th at 2:00 p.m. Wednesday, May 16th at 7:00 p.m. Tickets are $18 (or see three plays for $14 each with a Flex Pass) and are now available online at www.14streety.org/genesis or by calling 646-395-4310. Tickets may also be purchased in-person at the box office half-hour prior to the performance. Running Time: 70 minutes The developmental process of The Genesis Plays includes text study with artists and clergy, devising workshops, open rehearsals with participating organizations and houses of worship, performance talkbacks, and community engagement events where local artists and audiences also respond to the source material. The Genesis Plays are funded with generous support from The Covenant Foundation, in association with Downtown Jewish Life, co-presented by The Theater at the 14th Street Y. THE GENESIS PLAYS features:
To learn more visit www.inheiritance.org The SHAKESPEAREAN EXPERIENCE explores the experience of being an immigrant in the US, facing the challenge of the English language, finding place in society, and a sense of belonging.
The spirit of Raul Julia, one of the first latinos to thrive at classic Shakespearean work at the Public Theater in NYC, will guide the characters into the light and self-acceptance they need to open the doors of possibilities. Together they will break down the walls that hinder their potential in our society today. R.Evolución Latina is thrilled to use the works of Shakespeare in a way that celebrates community as a whole. R.Evolución Latina partners with Pregones/PRTT Raul Julia Training unit, in furthering the legacy of Míriam Colón. The production stars artists living in NYC from France, Puerto Rico and more: Adela Bolet, Adriana Coronado, Bruno Giraldi, Eduardo Uribe, Gilda Mercado, Gina Fernandez, Igor Correa, Ismael Castillo, Jacob Louchheim, Jesús Sepúlveda,Katherine Goldblum, Krystal Pou, Luis Herrera, Matthew Oster, Matthew Ting, Nedelka Sotelo, Phil Ordoñez, Samia Omari, Will Taitel; International students from Colombia, Argentina, Mexico, and Chile: Angie Catalina, Velasquez Ramirez, Camila Martinez, Clara Lanzani, Diego Andres Lopez Gonzalez, Josefina Lausirica, Juan Camilo Laverde, Julian Eduardo Pantoja Perea, Laura Andrea Mojica Garzon, Maria Carolina Orozco Gómez, Maria Jose Gutierrez Beron, Mariana Herrera, Marlene Cristina Gomez Rodriguez, Melissa Barajas Alzua, Nelsy Viviana Salazar, Sergio Pareto, Solana Del Carmen Gomez, Sonia Monroy Fernandez, Vanina Frezza. The creative team includes guest choreographers Valeria Cossu (best director Discovering Magenta), Daniel Fetecua (Limón Dance), Gabriela Garcia (Off Broadway's Sweeney Todd), Matt Steffens (Drama Desk Award for Queen of the Night) and music director Desmar Guevara (Pregones Theatre). The SHAKESPEAREAN EXPERIENCE will perform five performances only at the Harlem School for the Arts (645 St Nicholas Ave, New York, NY 10030). Performances begin Thursday, April 5 and continue through Saturday, April 7. T Thursday, April 5 - Opening Night at 7pm Friday, April 6 at 1pm - a special industry performance Friday, April 6 at 7pm Saturday, April 7 at 2p and 7p Tickets are a suggested donation of $10-$20 and are now available online at https://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/3365953 or by calling 917-355-2459. Tickets may also be purchased in-person at the Harlem School of the Arts a ½ hour prior to the performances. Running Time: 90 min no intermission Website: http://revolucionlatina.org/bws-2018/ 1-In your own words, describe the productions? Including key themes and conflicts…why is this the right time for this production? Each of the five Genesis Plays puts a story from the book of Genesis in conversation with the lived experiences of a different community around the United States. In Minneapolis we examined Abraham's legacy as a patriarch as it relates to the relics we inherit and pass along. It's a solo show, but it doesn't feel like one. It's a scavenger hunt where the audience holds all the clues. And I feel this play challenges us to face the fact that we can run from our family, but we can't run from our inheritance. In Charleston, in the aftermath of the massacre at Mother Emmanuel AME, we explored parental favoritism through the story of Rebecca and the prophesy she received while pregnant with twins, among whom she then played favorites. This play is extremely relevant as an exploration of parental favoritism as a stand-in for systemic favoritism in America over our history and still today. In Austin we layered gentrification over the story of Jacob, who presumes cultural hegemony only to be confronted with the challenges of integrating with unfamiliar customs. As immigration battles rage in America and around the world, this play moves on to the ignored conversation about culture you bring with you and culture you adopt. In Seattle we explored how history is written by men, even in the bible. And in response we explored the concept of sisterhood, the voices of biblical women, and the sibling relationship of Leah and Rachel. In Kansas City we worked with the Muslim and Jewish communities to explore Sarah and Hagar, Abraham's wives and the mothers of Isaac and Ishmael in a play that became a meta-examination of how we tell stories that carry multiple, conflicting truths. 2-Who are your collaborators and what do you like about working with them? Our core artist team collaborated everywhere we went. In Charleston we worked with Darian Dauchan, an NYC based actor/poet/playwright who brought his fierce artistry to the work and Charleston-based actress/director Joy Vandervort-Cobb who became our guardian angel in that city and beyond. The project in Austin was a wrestling show devised in collaboration with Aztlan Dance Company, one of whose dancers Luis Ordaz, is reprising his role in NYC. Brandon Blake, a musician from Seattle, will be flying out to recreate his work in the Leah/Rachel play and he brings such infectious joy with him everywhere he goes. Ilana Trachtman is an emmy award winning film director who produced and directed the film for the Leah/Rachel play and her incredible talent and experience have made adapting the piece for the NYC stage so much fun! 3-Who is the typical audience for the production? What do you want audiences to get out of the show (ie: feel when they leave the theater)? One of the most exciting things about these plays is that they are cutting edge and primal at the same time. A WWE-inspired wrestling event that also has elements of the bible; a play about the history of race in Charleston told through poetry and movement, a multi-media film/theater piece set just slightly in the future. Each play is completely different from the other and yet they were all inspired by the same ancient book. I would say the typical audience for these shows is passionate about the world we live in while also curious about what we can learn from those who came before us. People in their 20s and 30s who are just starting to figure shit out and gain some perspective while maintaining a life of adventure and discovery - I think they'd love these plays because they live on that edge of future and past. And my hope is that people leave with more questions than answers, that they are inspired to go read some stuff 4-Who is someone (or something) who has inspired you? I'm really inspired by Miranda July. Over and over again she creates art that engages people at every phase of the artistic process, empowering them as participants and not just witnesses. We strive to do the same thing with the In[heir]itance Project in communities around the country. 5-Why theatre, when did you know you wanted to be a director? (I'm not a director, I'm an actor and playwright) I've always wanted to be an actor. But growing up in Memphis I thought I had to be a Gene. (Hackman, Wilder, Kelly) I thought I had to be serious, be funny, or sing and dance. But in college at NYU's Tisch School of the Arts, I started realizing there were so many more ways to tell stories on stage. I first learned about devised theater at the Experimental Theater Wing and I was hooked. The idea of making art in community for community really excited me. And devised theater is what I've done almost exclusively ever since! |
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