October 11 – November 10, 2018
This fall we present plays from Urban Stages’ 35 seasons of bringing extraordinary new works and artists to an Off-Broadway stage. All of these plays premiered with uS to critical acclaim and went on to publication, award recognition and larger venues regionally and internationally.
To celebrate our 35th anniversary, and to thank you - our patrons who attend our shows and support uS - WE PRESENT THESE PLAYS FREE OF CHARGE. We encourage you to RSVP your seat as soon as possible (links are below). In addition, when you attend these performance readings, we encourage you to take advantage of opportunities to support many more years of excellence at Urban Stages.
October 11, 2018. 7pm. Click Here To Reserve Your Seats
COMFORT WOMEN
By Chungmi Kim. Directed by Frances Hill.
“Effective drama comes alive with strong performances.”
“There’s no comfort in the revelations, but there are moments of illumination.”
-New York Times, Nov 8 2004
World Premiered in 2004 | Produced in Korea
During WWII, the Japanese Imperial Forces abducted thousands of young women from Asian countries and forced them into sex slavery. They were known euphemistically as “comfort women.” Chungmi Kim’s powerful lyrical play depicts the collision of the past and present when a young Korean NYU student and her grandmother meet two of these ‘comfort women’ during the 1994 UN protests.
Starring original members Tina Chen and Jo Yang with Ching Valdes-Aran, Soomi Kim and Wei-Yi Lin.
October 15, 2018. 7pm. Click Here To Reserve Your Seats
THE SWEEPERS
by John Picardi. Directed by Frances Hill.
“Often humorous. Gripping! Mr. Picardi renders his characters timeless."
-New York Times, April 9 2002
World Premiere in 2002 | Transferred to Capital Repertory Theatre & regional theaters
Bella, Mary, and Dotty have been friends and next-door neighbors in Boston’s North End Italian neighborhood since childhood. Husbands and sons are away fighting, and World War II impacts the neighborhood, exerting unsettling pressure to assimilate and change with the times on those who cherish traditions, values, and cultural heritage. Against this backdrop, Bella’s son is about to marry into an affluent Italian American family with connections to Beacon Hill. Secrets are revealed, lies are bared, and truths are told as the war winds down and powerful emotions strain life-long friendships.
Starring original cast members Carole Healey and Antoinette LaVecchia with Rebecca Knowles, Katherine Leask and Sam Vita
October 18, 2018. 7pm. Click Here To Reserve Your Seats
COYOTE ON A FENCE
By Bruce Graham. Directed by Kim T. Sharp.
“Provocative theater that stirs the mind”
-New York Times, April 14 2000
New York Premiere in 2000 | Two Drama Desk & a Obie Award nominations
Bobby Reyburn is a funny young guy who loves to do impressions. He's also a member of the Aryan nation, a racist predator convicted of a horrific crime. John Brennan is educated and arrogant, a serious writer who may only be guilty of doing society a favor. As each awaits his fate on death row, one evokes sympathy, the other derision. In vivid scenes, COYOTE ON A FENCE explores the disturbing question: Can one be innocent though proven guilty?
Starring original cast member Paul Sparks with Christopher Daftsios, Lee Sellars and C. Kelly Wright
If Sold Out, we also accept walk-ins if there is room (no guarantees)
October 20, 2018. 7pm. Click Here To Reserve Your Seats
A DEAL
By Zhu Yi. Directed by Ana Margineanu.
“a play that was crying to be written, its subject matter now front and center”
- Theaterpizzazz, Nov 20 2017
World Premiered In 2017 | Toured China in Mandarin
A DEAL is a dark comedy that features a Chinese family’s home buying journey in New York in winter 2015, a time of increased real estate property ownership by overseas Chinese and a sharp decline in the value of the Chinese yuan against the US dollar. It reveals the ideological conflicts between the East and the West in contemporary society by tracking a little stream of the global cash flow.
Starring original cast members Pun Bandhu and Wei-Yi Lin with Michi Barall, Don Castro, Christopher Daftsios and Charlotte Purser
A Few Seats Available. If Sold Out, we also accept walk-ins if there is room (no guarantees)
October 22, 2018. 7pm. Click Here To Reserve Your Seats
FEAR ITSELF
By Eugene Lee. Directed by Trezana Beverley.
New York Premiere in 1997 | Audelco Award Winner for Best Production
In a small Texas town, Cornelius is a figure of bravery and masculinity. Except that time he froze up and didn’t try to save his wife as she died screaming in a fire. His son, Harry Lee, is set to follow in his footsteps as a star football player. Secretly, Harry Lee writes poems. Unique and sensitive poems that long to know what really happened on the night of his mother’s death.
Starring original cast member Count Stovall with Michael Chenevert, Daniel Davila, Marie Thomas and C. Kelly Wright.
A Few Seats Available. If Sold Out, we also accept walk-ins if there is room (no guarantees)
October 24, 2018. 7pm. Click Here To Reserve Your Seats
HONKY
By Greg Kalleres. Directed by Luke Harlan.
““It keeps you laughing from start to finish.”
-New York Times Critic’s Pick, March 15, 2013
World Premiered In 2013 | Multiple Regional Productions | PBS Broadcast
A black teenager is shot for his “Sky Max” shoes. Sales triple among white teens. Are ghetto-glorifying commercials to blame or the CEO that only sees dollar signs? Either way, a new cure for racism promises to solve everything and advertises, “If you don’t think you need it, you’re probably a racist!” The NY Times Critic’s Pick, HONKY is a darkly comedic look at five people, white and black, as they navigate the murky waters of advertising, race, romance and basketball shoes.
Starring original cast Scott Barrow, Philip Callen, Dave Droxler, Anthony Gaskins and Reynaldo Piniella, Delance Minefee with Grace Rex and C. Kelly Wright
October 27, 2018. 7pm. Click Here To Reserve Your Seats
BULRUSHER
By Eisa Davis. Directed by Trezana Beverley
“Eisa Davis can’t help herself, she’s made giddy by language. She tickles the ears of her listeners…”
-New York Times, March 16, 2006
World Premiere in 2006 | Pulitzer Prize for Drama Finalist
This poetic, evocative play by Eisa Davis is set at the dawn of the Civil Rights movement, in 1955 - the year Emmett Till was murdered. In a small town in California, a young African-American girl begins to understand what race means when a stranger from Alabama arrives. Set in a brothel in the real town of Boonville, with its own unique homespun language (Boontling), BULRUSHER tests our assumptions about race, sexuality and love.
Starring original cast members Robert Beitzel, Charlotte Colavin and Guiesseppe Jones with Maechi Aharanwa, Michelle Beck,and Christopher Daftsios
Oct 28: 2pm & Nov 1: 2pm. Click Here To Reserve Your Seats
THE ART OF MIME - For the Family
Created and Starring Bill Bowers
Bill Bowers, mime extraordinaire, will present his popular Art of Mime workshop from our touring Outreach Program. Bill premiered his one man show Beyond Words at Urban Stages, which went on to win prizes at multiple festivals and have successful runs at subsequent theaters. In this family-friendly workshop, which tours in libraries throughout NYC, Bill will demonstrate the mime moves that made him rise to the top of his craft, and get the whole family playing along too.
October 30, 2018. 7pm. Click Here To Reserve Your Seats
CHILI QUEEN
By Jim Lehrer. Directed by Frances Hill.
“Effective drama comes alive with strong performances.”
“Dialogue and performances that transcend the stereotypical”
-New York Times, Nov 26 1986
Premiered in 1986 | Transferred to Kennedy Center and regional venues
Set in a small town in Texas, Chili Queen Is probably the first incident of FAKE news. A cashless cowboy claims he gave his waitress a $20 bill. She swears it was a $10. Before long, guns are drawn, the sheriff is involved, helicopters fly overhead and everyone is on the nightly news. Written by former PBS newscaster Jim Lehrer, Chili Queen takes a minor spat and puts us in the center of a media event if not the truth.
Starring Christopher Daftsios, Reese Madigan, Dave Droxler, and C. Kelly Wright
November 4, 2018. 1pm. Click Here To Reserve Your Seats
The Peanut Prince - For the Family
Written By and Starring Terence Archie
What can you do with a peanut? George Washington Carver found over 300 ways to use peanuts, including laundry soap and “peanut orange punch.” Carver was a former slave that spent his life researching on plants. World-famous and beloved, presidents consulted him and even Thomas Edison offered him the equivalent of a million dollars a year to work for him ( Carver said no!). This your rare chance to “meet” him. For ages 8 and up.
Starring Terence Archie (Apollo Creed in Broadway’s Rocky)
November 5, 2018. 7pm. Click Here To Reserve Your Seats
A Musical Evening
Directed by Peter Napolitano.
“A charmer.” -Curtain Up (27 Rue de Fleurs)
“Thrilling…chilling...delightful” -The New York Times (Mabel Madness)
“Loopy, Nutty Loony. Iconis expertly lays the groundwork which land to showstopping effect”
-The New York Times (ReWrite)
Audelco Awards’ Best Musical Production of 2010 (Langston in Harlem)
A celebration of Urban Stages' 35 years of premiering new musicals. A night starring Terence Archie, Trezana Beverley, Lorinda Lisitza, Barbara Rosenblat, Cheryl Stern, Gayle Turner & C. Kelly Wright and many others.
Songs from:
Langston in Harlem
Lyrics by Langston Hughes. Music by Walter Marks
27 Rue de Fleurus
Book and lyrics by Ted Sod. Music and lyrics by Lisa Koch
Mabel Madness
Written by Trezana Beverley. Original songs by Barry Levitt and Peter Napolitano.
ReWrite
Music, Lyrics and Book by Joe Iconis.
November 7, 2018. 7pm. Click Here To Reserve Your Seats
MINOR DEMONS
By Bruce Graham. Directed by Kim T. Sharp.
“A truly gripping evening in the theater!” - New York Post | March 20 1997
“Play packs a real punch” – The Daily News, March 1997
Premiered in 1997 | Commercial transfer starring Reed Birney
After years as a high-power and corrupt lawyer for the mob, Deke Winters returns to his small hometown to reclaim his life and live a decent life. That is until the case of a fifteen-year-old murderer falls into his hands. A procedural error means that Deke can get his client off easy even though he is clearly guilty of his horrible crimes. A lie will keep his dangerous client out of society. Yet lying in the court of law is what destroyed Deke’s life in the first place and what he tried to get away from when he moved back home.
Starring original Cast members Reed Birney and Kate Konigisor, with Logan Riley Bruner, Christopher Daftsios, Fredric Lehne, Susan Pellegrino and C.Kelly Wright
November 10, 2018. 7pm. Click Here To Reserve Your Seats
THE OXFORD ROOF CLIMBER’S REBELLION
By Stephen Massicotte. Directed by Roger Danforth.
“Excellent! Mr. Massicotte’s riveting play could not be more timely”
-New York Times, Oct 27 2007
Premiered in 2007
Two heroes return home from the First World War. Lawrence of Arabia is a leader without an army. Robert Graves is a poet who can’t forget. Suffering the aftermath of war and foreseeing the dawning of new ones, the Oxford Roof Climber’s Rebellion, the Benevolent Order of, lays siege to a sleepy university town. A stand against stands, a dare to end all daring, a doing that protests all doing; the two haunted men - armed with a talent for practical jokes – grasp at love and dare to imagine a new world.
Starring original cast Dylan Chalfy with Annaleigh Ashford, Buzz Roddy, Joe Tapper and Kenneth Tigar