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Working Theater and Broadway Advocacy Coalition present
with the support of CUNY School of Labor and Urban Studies’ Murphy Institute and Leadership for Democracy and Social Justice
Presented at Theatre Row
Stage Left is an innovative new play festival where art meets activism. Now in its second year, Stage Left brings five new plays to the stage and pairs each show with an advocacy organization. Together, these partnerships invite audiences not just to witness the struggles and triumphs of progressive movements, but to take part in real-time responses and action following each production. Stage Left transforms the theater into a space for solidarity, dialogue, and community organizing.
by Amalia Oliva Rojas
Community Partner: Workers Justice Project
How to Melt Ice weaves together a tapestry of magical realism, Mexican mythology and authentic immigrant experience in a highly-stylized framework that explores the demands of familial love and the generational divide between “Dreamers” and those who carried them to the promised land.
by Arturo Luíz Soria
Community Partner: Coming Soon
A motley crew of cooks hurl insults, grab ass, and compete to be the most macho en el calor of a gringo’s failing kitchen, all under the thumb of Chef Gallo. When a flamboyant new dishwasher sparks an affair with Luiz, Gallo’s ward, the cooks’ banter turns deadly. Gallo must wrangle the men to keep the restaurant open while wrestling with her own demons that threaten to push Luiz away.
Novios will be presented with closed captioning.
by Keelay Gipson
Community Partner: Freedom Agenda
#NewSlaves is an epic fantasia on the commodification and criminalization of the Black Body in America through the lens of the NFL Draft and the prison system.
by Chad Kaydo
Community Partner: Coming Soon
When Spencer goes to the Catskills to help his friends M and Richie reopen their restaurant in the summer of 2021, they spend late nights trash-talking customers while trying to avoid their deepest fears and regrets. A play about bitchy Yelp reviews, bears vs. otters, and keeping your friends alive.
by R. Forest Malley
Community Partner: Theater Workers for a Ceasefire
Harvard professor Walid Elsady is invited to deliver a keynote address at a conference not too far from his hometown of Damascus in the ancient port city of Yaffa–or, as it is better known in 2021, Tel Aviv. In denial of the risks involved, he arrives at Ben Gurion Airport with his wife and star student in tow, only to find himself detained without explanation. As he waits in limbo, Walid begins questioning the stories he has told–to his colleagues, to his wife, to himself – and the compromises he has made to succeed in the West.
Working Theater believes the transformative experience of live theater should not be a privilege or a luxury, but a staple of every working person’s life. Now in its 41st season, Working Theater continues its mission to produce theater for, with, and about working people—the essential workers of any city or town—and to make play-going a regular part of our audiences’ cultural lives. Our mobile unit (Five Boroughs/One City), grassroots audience engagement efforts, and pioneering arts-in-education initiatives (TheaterWorks!) have set the bar for equity in the American theater. Our work remains relevant, accessible, and affordable to all, regardless of geography or socio-economic status. Working Theater has commissioned and produced over seventy culturally diverse world-premiere plays, with subjects and themes ranging from the struggles of women working in poultry plants (Lisa Ramirez’s TO THE BONE) to the plight of the uninsured in America (Michael Milligan’s Mercy Killers), to the shared journey of undocumented immigrants crossing the United States border, staged inside an actual 18-wheeler (Ed Cardona, Jr.’s La Ruta). The company has presented its work in 15 American cities, earned 2 Drama League nominations, 6 Drama Desk Award nominations, a Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Ensemble for Rob Ackerman’s Tabletop, and 3 Audelco Awards. www.theworkingtheater.org
Broadway Advocacy Coalition (BAC) ignites action through artivism. We bring together artists, directly impacted leaders, and advocacy organizations to create performances that drive change. Founded in 2016 by Broadway artists and directly impacted leaders in response to racism and police brutality, BAC has grown from a grassroots collective into a nationally recognized organization at the intersection of storytelling, performance, and policy. In partnership with Columbia Law School, BAC developed the award-winning Theater of Change methodology, equipping communities to use performance, law, and civic engagement as tools for social change. In 2021, BAC received a Special Tony Award for its impact. Learn more at www.broadwayadvocacycoalition.org
The Joseph S. Murphy Institute focuses on education for workers and union members and serves as a research and resource center for publications and public programming. The Institute traces its roots to 1984 and in 2005 was named in honor of former CUNY Chancellor Joseph S. Murphy, a tireless advocate for labor and worker education. The Institute continues as an entity within the School of Labor and Urban Studies, with two specific goals: 1) offer public forums, publish material, and offer programs that will encourage public discourse and greater civic participation, and 2) partner with unions, employers, and other CUNY units to expand educational opportunities for union members and other adult learners seeking to attain the knowledge, skills, and credentials they need to achieve their career goals and improve their economic wellbeing.
Leadership for Democracy and Social Justice (LDSJ) is an institute of the Colin Powell School for Civic and Global Leadership at City College of New York and the CUNY School of Labor and Urban Studies. LDSJ was created and is led by movement leaders with experience and investment in grassroots organizing. Aiming to support diverse cohorts of leaders from the communities at the forefront of social justice movements, helping to foster understanding of how to build lasting power and use it for our collective liberation.
Theatre Row is an Off-Broadway multi-theater complex in the heart of the Theater District that serves as an affordable home for performing artist organizations, and a lively, accessible venue for audiences from every walk of life. Located just two blocks from Times Square, Theatre Row offers theater rentals, rehearsal studio rentals, office space, ticketing and box office, as well as tech support to actors, producers, dancers, and musicians. Theatre Row encourages its varied mix of nonprofit theater companies to share ideas and resources as they work in its intimate spaces. Over 125,000 patrons come to Theatre Row each year.