HELLO FALL!
As we wrap up our 20th Anniversary year, we hope you’ve enjoyed journeying through time with us to look back fondly on some of the 600+ incredible shows we’ve hosted over the last two decades.
As you may remember, we received an unbelievably generous anniversary gift of $10 million dollars from the Elysabeth Kleinhans Theatrical Foundation which has allowed us to eliminate weekly rental fees for the companies, reducing their cost to produce shows here. This ensures that artistic merit will now take center stage, allowing for a wider range of voices to be heard on our stages.
59E59’s mission is to support non-profit theater companies and each producer’s individual mission to produce diverse perspectives on our stages. This Fall Season perfectly reflects our commitment to showcasing exceptional companies who are eager to share their groundbreaking work with adventurous, enthusiastic Off Broadway audiences like you.
The Fall Season is filled with moments that spark laughter, allow for reflection, and provide the connection that only theater can offer. The following pages display an eclectic array of stories ranging from a heartwarming holiday tale to a thought-provoking historical drama. It is a season that offers something for everyone.
We can’t wait to see you at the E:Bar after the show to share your thoughts.
Cheers to a fantastic fall season!
VAL DAY
Artistic Director
Managing Director
ABOUT THE COMPANY
PRIMARY STAGES
Primary Stages is dedicated to inspiring, supporting, producing, and sharing the art of playwriting. We operate on the strongly held belief that the future of American theater relies on nurturing playwrights and giving them the support they need to fully realize their vision. Primary Stages is the Resident Off Broadway Theater Company at 59E59 Theaters. www.primarystages.org
Original artwork by Chance Brinkman-Sull, Chautauqua Theater Company at Chautauqua Institution
PRIMARY STAGES IN ASSOCIATION WITH CHAUTAUQUA THEATER COMPANY PRESENTS
THE LIGHT AND THE DARK
(THE LIFE AND TIMES OF
ARTEMISIA GENTILESCHI)
BY KATE
HAMILL DIRECTED BY JADE KING CARROLL
At the height of the Italian Renaissance, artists are reshaping the very image of humanity. Artemisia Gentileschi wants to become one of the great painters...but women are not thought capable of true artistry. With persistence and bravado she quickly establishes a groundbreaking perspective, but just as her career begins to gain momentum, a series of devastating betrayals crack the foundation of her life and art. Told through her piercing point of view, The Light and The Dark (the life and times of Artemisia Gentileschi) weaves a magnetic and empowering tapestry of art, ambition, rage, and resilience.
From Kate Hamill, the playwright behind Primary Stages’ critically acclaimed adaptations of Pride and Prejudice and Little Women, comes a new play about how Gentileschi transcended trauma to become one of the most successful artists of her time and an inspiration for women throughout the ages.
FIRST LOOK $27 (incl. $2 fee)
SAT, NOV 2 AT 7:00 SUN, NOV 3 AT 2:00
PREVIEW $38 (incl. $3 fee)
TUE, NOV 5 — SUN, NOV 10
REGULAR $66 – $131 (incl. $6 fee)
59E59 MEMBERS $50
OCTOBER 18 — NOVEMBER 10
LUNA STAGE PRESENTS
MRS. STERN WANDERS THE PRUSSIAN STATE LIBRARY
BY JENNY LYN BADER
DIRECTED BY ARI LAURA KREITH
Berlin, 1933. With martial law in effect, political activism has become a capital crime.
A young Gestapo officer arrests a graduate student suspected of illegal research. This interrogation promises to be most challenging as he faces the iconic 20th-century thinker Hannah Arendt.
Is she innocent? Or an enemy of the state?
Inspired by real events, this fantastical drama delves into the life and mind of one of history’s most profound thinkers.
ABOUT THE COMPANY
LUNA STAGE
FIRST LOOK $27 (incl. $2 fee)
FRI, OCT 18 AT 7:15 SAT, OCT 19 AT 2:15
REGULAR $44 (incl. $4 fee)
59E59 MEMBERS $30
Luna Stage develops and produces vibrant plays about local and global experiences, and brings communities together for artistic events that spark conversations, create understanding, and inspire change. Founded in Montclair, NJ in 1993, Luna Stage moved to West Orange in 2010 to become an arts anchor of the underserved Valley neighborhood. As producer, innovator, and educator, Luna is dedicated to eliminating barriers to participation, and nurturing the next generation of audiences and artists. www.lunastage.org
“A POWERFUL AND TIMELY TOUR DE FORCE!”
- Voice of America -
“A CHARMING, FUNNY, AND MOVING THEATRICAL EXPERIENCE”
- BroadwayWorld -
9 — 27
NEW JERSEY REPERTORY COMPANY IN ASSOCIATION WITH VASI LAURENCE PRODUCTIONS AND M. GREEN PRODUCTIONS PRESENTS
WHAT DOESN’T KILL YOU
WRITTEN AND PERFORMED BY
JAMES HINDMAN
DIRECTED BY SUZANNE BARABAS
In this rousing true story, stage and screen veteran James Hindman is a man of a certain age who finds himself paralyzed by self-doubt, when a serious health scare upends his life. Luckily he isn’t the type to let a life-threatening heart attack dampen his spirits… or his obsession with Cher.
In this fast-paced, one-man extravaganza, Hindman seamlessly moves between characters to tell a story that bounces from light-hearted camp to poignant reflections on life’s greatest challenges. The Irish Times called his performance “stagecraft and storytelling at its best.”
What Doesn’t Kill You is an invigorating reminder that the show must go on!
REGULAR $32 (incl. $2 fee)
59E59 MEMBERS $25
ABOUT THE COMPANY
NEW JERSEY REPERTORY COMPANY
NJ Rep’s mission is to develop and produce new plays and to make a lasting contribution to the American Stage, and to act as a catalyst for the revitalization and redevelopment of our community. www.njrep.org
NOVEMBER 15 — DECEMBER 8
NEW LIGHT THEATER PROJECT PRESENTS
ROOM 1214
BY MICHELLE KHOLOS BROOKS DIRECTED BY SARAH NORRIS
Inspired by real interviews with a history teacher who experienced the 2018 tragedy at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School firsthand, this stirring memory play, by the playwright of the critically acclaimed H*tler’s Tasters, follows as she returns to the school to teach one final lesson, asking what if you could rewrite history?
She reunites with her students as they were – playful, funny, and full of life and potential – real kids with bright futures. Equal part memorial and essential history, Room 1214 overflows with truths both uncomfortable and necessary, offering a moving reminder that the best way to honor the past is to learn from it.
ABOUT THE COMPANY
NEW LIGHT THEATER PROJECT
FIRST LOOK $27 (incl. $2 fee)
FRI, NOV 15 AT 7:15 SUN, NOV 17 AT 7:15
REGULAR $44 (incl. $4 fee)
59E59 MEMBERS $30
New Light Theater Project (NLTP) nurtures a collective of artist-practitioners through the presentation of compelling stories across theatrical genres. NLTP believes in the strength of ensemble work and is committed to fostering our collective composed of writers, actors, directors, stage managers, designers, and other artist-practitioners from diverse backgrounds. At least 50% of an NLTP production engages our collective while the rest of the production team consists of innovative artists with whom we hope to cultivate deeper relationships. NLTP is a Co-Op Resident Company at 59E59 Theaters. www.NewLightTheaterProject.com
1
WHITE HORSE THEATER COMPANY IN ASSOCIATION WITH ANTHONY W. LOPEZ PRESENTS
THISTLES
BY CYNDY A. MARION DIRECTED BY DEV BONDARIN WITH
LESLIE ALEXANDER, LISA BOSTNAR, MEL HOUSE, GORDON STANLEY, AND ROD SWEITZER
After fleeing New York City for the countryside during a global calamity, Rebecca finds herself alone in her family’s neglected farmhouse. She must do her best to manage the anxieties and expectations of her aging relatives as they clash over whether to sell the old house, all while surrounded by doorknobs and relationships that are in desperate need of repair.
Thistles keenly explores family secrets, queerness, and the desperate desire to be accepted. Tragedy lurks as emotions are buried under ancestral floorboards.
ABOUT THE COMPANY
WHITE HORSE THEATER COMPANY
REGULAR $32
(incl. $2 fee)
59E59 MEMBERS $25
Incorporated in 2003, White Horse Theater Company is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to producing and developing American plays. We seek to investigate and celebrate American culture by re-examining American classics and nurturing new American voices. We aim to champion great American playwrights by revitalizing their masterworks and shedding new light on their seldom-produced works. We strive to support emerging American playwrights by offering them developmental readings, labs and workshops. White Horse is committed to making high-quality theater and we aim to share our passion for American plays and playwrights with our fellow artists and audiences. www.whitehorsetheater.com
DECEMBER 4 — 22
CHRISTIAN HEGE, EPYLLIONARD PRESENTS
ALEXANDER KLAUS, THE ONE-LEGGED SHOEMAKER MAN
WRITTEN AND PERFORMED BY CHRISTIAN HEGE DIRECTED BY JENNY
MERCEIN
A young soldier with the curious name Alexander “Sander” Klaus returns home from the Civil War forever changed, with wounds on his heart, mind, and body. In the immigrant melting pot of boisterous, soot-covered, 1800s New York City he forms relationships and builds a new life. What he can’t explain is why the wartime flashbacks that plague him somehow coincide with the mysterious appearance of children’s toys.
Told in ingenious rhyming verse by writer-performer Christian Hege, this optimistic play delights and surprises at every turn. An achingly beautiful fairy tale that raises the possibility of transforming pain into joy.
REGULAR $32 (incl. $2 fee)
59E59 MEMBERS $25
ABOUT THE COMPANY
CHRISTIAN HEGE, EPYLLIONARD
I used to say “I want to make a hundred people cry five nights a week.” But I’m a writer, and it may be best to hide that hubris in a tiny bit of prose. So. To start every project with a good story, tell it well, and then with luck, to connect, and engender wonder. www.christianhege.com
“HEGE PAINTS AN IN-DEPTH PORTRAIT OF A CITY STRUGGLING WITH THE AFTERMATH OF A CIVIL WAR, AND PUTS INTO IT A WELCOME CELEBRATION OF KINDNESS.”
- Chrison Theatre -
THE CIVILIANS PRESENTS
RADIO DOWNTOWN: RADICAL ‘70 S ARTISTS LIVE ON AIR
CREATED AND DIRECTED BY STEVE COSSON
Made from archival interviews from WNYC’s “Arts Forum,” a 1970s radically open format radio show about avant garde artists, this world premiere enlists an experimental storytelling method in homage to its downtown subjects. The result is a hilariously naturalistic, wholly live experience.
The cast of Radio Downtown channels some of the era’s most audacious visionaries like Harry Smith, Yvonne Rainer, and Kenneth Anger using their words verbatim with arresting images and films made by these artists. The resulting show invites us to see a future as imagined by these ‘70s trailblazers—an erasure of the line between art & audience; a cultural community that embraces political activism; and an abundant, wild, and fully democratic creative life for America.
ABOUT THE COMPANY THE CIVILIANS
FIRST LOOK $27 (incl. $2 fee)
SAT, JAN 11 AT 7:15 SUN, JAN 12 AT 2:15
REGULAR $44 (incl. $4 fee)
59E59 MEMBERS $30
The Civilians is a New York City company that creates thrilling theater on the urgent, exciting questions of our time. We create shows using a unique method we call “investigative theater”—interviews, research, residencies, and up-close collaborations to dive into the lives of others. We also nurture new work by some of America’s leading playwrights and composers. The result: shows that blend the real and the theatrical to give new perspective on today’s big social and political questions. www.thecivilians.org
THEATER C
JANUARY 29 — FEBRUARY 15
AMERICAN BARD THEATER COMPANY PRESENTS
PECKING ORDER
BY ROBIN RICE
DIRECTED BY BASIL RODERICKS
Two red-tailed hawks have the nerve to build a nest on a ritzy apartment building on the Upper East Side. Doorman Albert is determined to protect them, but many of the building’s residents aren’t happy about it. Torn between his own dreams and responsibilities, Albert’s love of birds and longing for romance are thwarted by the need to financially support his ailing sister.
With elements of magical realism, this quirky, heartfelt drama explores the inequalities and conflicts of those who work to serve the wealthy, who work to protect the things they love, and who work to control the pecking order.
REGULAR $32 (incl. $2 fee)
59E59 MEMBERS $25
ABOUT THE COMPANY
AMERICAN BARD THEATER COMPANY
Our mission is to excavate the language of playwrights and create thought-provoking, self-reflective productions that illuminate issues relevant to underrepresented voices. We work to develop our artists’ skills by investing in projects that nurture and challenge them. www.americanbard.org
2 discounted tickets for every show
2 complimentary tickets to a Primary Stages show
59E59 Theaters Member events
59E59 Theaters Member gifts
Exclusive member-only presales and booking
2 complimentary drinks at our E:Bar
Discounted tickets to every Primary Stages production
Priority access to Primary Stages Developmental Programming
Discount to Primary Stages ESPA classes
Primary Stages Member gifts
ALL MEMBERS RECEIVE THESE GREAT BENEFITS:
• SAVE on single tickets
• ACCESS THE BEST SEATS with exclusive member-only ticket presales
• Enjoy FLEXIBLE & FREE TICKET EXCHANGES when plans change last minute
• Take advantage of NO BOOKING FEES
• Make a night of it with DISCOUNTS & DEALS on parking, local restaurants, and more!
Avenue
CALENDAR
OCTOBER
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 9
7:30 What Doesn’t Kill You
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 10
7:30 What Doesn’t Kill You
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 11
7:30 What Doesn’t Kill You
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 12
2:30 What Doesn’t Kill You
7:30 What Doesn’t Kill You
SUNDAY, OCTOBER 13
2:30 What Doesn’t Kill You
TUESDAY, OCTOBER 15
7:30 What Doesn’t Kill You
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 16
7:30 What Doesn’t Kill You
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 17
7:30 What Doesn’t Kill You
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 18
7:15 Mrs. Stern
7:30 What Doesn’t Kill You
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 19
2:15 Mrs. Stern
2:30 What Doesn’t Kill You
7:15 Mrs. Stern
7:30 What Doesn’t Kill You
SUNDAY, OCTOBER 20
2:15 Mrs. Stern
2:30 What Doesn’t Kill You
TUESDAY, OCTOBER 22
7:15 Mrs. Stern
7:30 What Doesn’t Kill You
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 23
7:15 Mrs. Stern
7:30 What Doesn’t Kill You
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 24
7:15 Mrs. Stern
7:30 What Doesn’t Kill You
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 25
7:15 Mrs. Stern
7:30 What Doesn’t Kill You
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 26
2:15 Mrs. Stern
2:30 What Doesn’t Kill You
7:15 Mrs. Stern
7:30 What Doesn’t Kill You
SUNDAY, OCTOBER 27
2:15 Mrs. Stern
2:30 What Doesn’t Kill You
TUESDAY, OCTOBER 29
7:15 Mrs. Stern
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 30
7:15 Mrs. Stern
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 31
7:15 Mrs. Stern
NOVEMBER
FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 1
7:15 Mrs. Stern
SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 2
2:15 Mrs. Stern
7:00 The Light and The Dark
7:15 Mrs. Stern
SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 3
2:00 The Light and The Dark
2:15 Mrs. Stern
TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 5
7:00 The Light and The Dark
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 6
7:00 The Light and The Dark
7:15 Mrs. Stern
THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 7
2:15 Mrs. Stern
7:00 The Light and The Dark
7:15 Mrs. Stern
FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 8
7:00 The Light and The Dark
7:15 Mrs. Stern
SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 9
2:00 The Light and The Dark 2:15 Mrs. Stern
7:00 The Light and The Dark
7:15 Mrs. Stern
SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 10
2:00 The Light and The Dark
2:15 Mrs. Stern
TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 12
7:00 The Light and The Dark
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 13
7:00 The Light and The Dark
THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 14
7:00 The Light and The Dark
FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 15
7:00 The Light and The Dark
7:15 Room 1214
7:30 Thistles
SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 16
2:00 The Light and The Dark
7:00 The Light and The Dark
7:30 Thistles
SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 17
2:15 Room 1214
2:30 Thistles
3:00 The Light and The Dark 7:15 Room 1214
TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 19
7:00 The Light and The Dark 7:15 Room 1214
7:30 Thistles
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 20
2:00 The Light and The Dark
7:00 The Light and The Dark 7:15 Room 1214
7:30 Thistles
THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 21
7:00 The Light and The Dark
7:15 Room 1214
7:30 Thistles
FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 22
7:15 Room 1214
7:30 Thistles
SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 23
2:00 The Light and The Dark 2:15 Room 1214
2:30 Thistles
7:00 The Light and The Dark 7:15 Room 1214
7:30 Thistles
SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 24
2:00 The Light and The Dark 2:15 Room 1214
2:30 Thistles
TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 26
7:00 The Light and The Dark 7:15 Room 1214
7:30 Thistles
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 27
2:00 The Light and The Dark 2:15 Room 1214
7:30 Thistles
FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 29
2:00 The Light and The Dark 7:00 The Light and The Dark
7:30 Thistles
SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 30
2:00 The Light and The Dark 2:15 Room 1214
2:30 Thistles
7:00 The Light and The Dark
7:15 Room 1214
7:30 Thistles
DECEMBER
SUNDAY, DECEMBER 1
2:00 The Light and The Dark
2:15 Room 1214
2:30 Thistles
TUESDAY, DECEMBER 3
7:15 Room 1214
WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 4
7:00 The Light and The Dark
7:15 Room 1214
7:30 Alexander Klaus
THURSDAY, DECEMBER 5
7:00 The Light and The Dark
7:15 Room 1214
7:30 Alexander Klaus
FRIDAY, DECEMBER 6
7:15 Room 1214
7:30 Alexander Klaus
SATURDAY, DECEMBER 7
2:00 The Light and The Dark
2:15 Room 1214
2:30 Alexander Klaus
7:00 The Light and The Dark
7:15 Room 1214
7:30 Alexander Klaus
SUNDAY, DECEMBER 8
2:00 The Light and The Dark
2:15 Room 1214
2:30 Alexander Klaus
TUESDAY, DECEMBER 10
7:00 The Light and The Dark
7:30 Alexander Klaus
WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 11
7:00 The Light and The Dark
7:30 Alexander Klaus
THURSDAY, DECEMBER 12
7:00 The Light and The Dark
7:30 Alexander Klaus
FRIDAY, DECEMBER 13
7:30 Alexander Klaus
SATURDAY, DECEMBER 14
2:00 The Light and The Dark
2:30 Alexander Klaus
7:00 The Light and The Dark
7:30 Alexander Klaus
SUNDAY, DECEMBER 15
2:00 The Light and The Dark
2:30 Alexander Klaus
TUESDAY, DECEMBER 17
7:30 Alexander Klaus
WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 18
7:30 Alexander Klaus
THURSDAY, DECEMBER 19
7:30 Alexander Klaus
FRIDAY, DECEMBER 20
7:30 Alexander Klaus
SATURDAY, DECEMBER 21
2:30 Alexander Klaus
7:30 Alexander Klaus
SUNDAY, DECEMBER 22
2:30 Alexander Klaus
JANUARY
SATURDAY, JANUARY 11
7:15 Radio Downtown
SUNDAY, JANUARY 12
2:15 Radio Downtown
TUESDAY, JANUARY 14
7:15 Radio Downtown
WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 15
7:15 Radio Downtown
THURSDAY, JANUARY 16
7:15 Radio Downtown
FRIDAY, JANUARY 17
7:15 Radio Downtown
SATURDAY, JANUARY 18
2:15 Radio Downtown
7:15 Radio Downtown
SUNDAY, JANUARY 19
2:15 Radio Downtown
TUESDAY, JANUARY 21
7:15 Radio Downtown
WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 22
7:15 Radio Downtown
THURSDAY, JANUARY 23
7:15 Radio Downtown
FRIDAY, JANUARY 24
7:15 Radio Downtown
SATURDAY, JANUARY 25
2:15 Radio Downtown
7:15 Radio Downtown
SUNDAY, JANUARY 26
2:15 Radio Downtown
TUESDAY, JANUARY 28
7:15 Radio Downtown
WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 29
7:15 Radio Downtown
7:30 Pecking Order
THURSDAY, JANUARY 30
7:15 Radio Downtown
7:30 Pecking Order
FRIDAY, JANUARY 31
7:15 Radio Downtown 7:30 Pecking Order
FEBRUARY
SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 1
2:15 Radio Downtown
7:15 Radio Downtown
7:30 Pecking Order
SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 2
2:15 Radio Downtown 2:30 Pecking Order
TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 4
7:15 Radio Downtown 7:30 Pecking Order
WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 5
7:15 Radio Downtown 7:30 Pecking Order
THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 6
7:15 Radio Downtown 7:30 Pecking Order
FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 7
7:15 Radio Downtown 7:30 Pecking Order
SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 8
2:15 Radio Downtown 7:15 Radio Downtown 7:30 Pecking Order
SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 9
2:15 Radio Downtown 2:30 Pecking Order
TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 11 7:30 Pecking Order
WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 12
7:30 Pecking Order
THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 13 7:30 Pecking Order
FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 14
7:30 Pecking Order
SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 15 7:30 Pecking Order