Launch Pad Reading Series

0 1399
Playwright Tim Errickson (Long Island City)

Mission to (dit)Mars is thrilled to present the first Launch Pad reading of 2020 with FAITH BASED, FUTURE FOCUSED, a new play by Tim Errickson and directed by Antonio Minino.  This free reading will be performed on Monday, February 10th at 7pm at The Broom Tree Theatre located at 23-35 Broadway in Astoria, NY. 

In FAITH BASED, FUTURE FOCUSED, Mal and Dennis both return to their Catholic High School alma mater on the day it closes for good. Did they ever become the people the school tried to make them into, and do they like who each other are today?

Playwright Tim Errickson explains “I was inspired to write the play because I wanted to examine people who seemed to come from the same upbringing and set of values, but have now in their adult lives diverged wildly from each other politically, culturally and religiously.“  Tim offers “I hope that people will think about the places that are sacred to them…theaters, churches, gymnasiums where you made the shot, the bridge where you proposed or broke up…and investigate the universality of those spaces.” 

The evening is presented by Mission to (dit)Mars co-founders Kari Bentley-Quinn, Don Nguyen, Meredith Packer, and Laura Pestronk. 

To attend the reading, please make a reservation.

The Broom Tree Theater at
Astoria First Presbyterian
23-35 Broadway,
Astoria, NY 11106

Directions: Take the N/W to Broadway.  

About the Launch Pad Reading Series

The Launch Pad is a free reading series of new plays by Queens playwrights.  The mission objective of The Launch Pad is to serve as a testing ground for Queens based playwrights who need to hear their plays out loud.  Because Mission to (dit)Mars was co-founded by playwrights and directors, we understand implicitly how to answer those needs. Through this program, the utmost care is taken to foster a safe and productive environment in order to propel the play forward.

0 1562
Sasha Sharova (Astoria)

Mission to (dit)Mars is thrilled to kick off the 2019 Launch Pad reading series with THE LADIES ROOM, a new play by Sasha Sharova and directed by Christine Zagrobelny.  This free reading will be performed on Monday, November 4th at 7pm at The Broom Tree Theatre located at 23-35 Broadway in Astoria, NY. 

The greatest acts of kindness can always be found in a women’s bathroom. But can they make up for everything that happens outside the bathroom’s door?  Sasha Sharova interrogates these questions in her often hilarious and touching new play THE LADIES ROOM. 

On what inspired her to write THE LADIES ROOM, playwright Sasha Sharova explains “I think that moving through workplace structures and experiencing how workplaces are historically, and still at their core, are designed for men inspired me to tackle this play. I wanted to take that idea and put it in a context that is usually a safe haven for women. And that’s how the play wound up taking place in a women’s bathroom.“

“This will be the first time I’m hearing the play in front of an audience and I’m really looking forward to experiencing that.” Sasha offers.  “Also, it’s always so helpful and inspiring to hear actor’s feedback and to talk through their experience of the play and what thoughts and experiences they can bring to it.”

The evening is presented by Mission to (dit)Mars co-founders Kari Bentley-Quinn, Don Nguyen, Meredith Packer, and Laura Pestronk. 

To attend the reading, please make a reservation.

The Broom Tree Theater at
Astoria First Presbyterian
23-35 Broadway,
Astoria, NY 11106

Directions: Take the N/W to Broadway.  

About the Launch Pad Reading Series

The Launch Pad is a free reading series of new plays by Queens playwrights.  The mission objective of The Launch Pad is to serve as a testing ground for Queens based playwrights who need to hear their plays out loud.  Because Mission to (dit)Mars was co-founded by playwrights and directors, we understand implicitly how to answer those needs. Through this program, the utmost care is taken to foster a safe and productive environment in order to propel the play forward.

0 1635
Image: All Systems Go 7

Mission to (dit)Mars is thrilled to announce All Systems Go: 7 as the culminating event for the LAUNCH PAD Reading Series this year.   This free play reading will be held at the RIOULT Dance Center at 34-01 Steinway Street in Astoria, Queens on Monday, July 1st at 7pm.

ALL SYSTEMS GO: 7 is an evening of excerpts from nine brand new plays by the Queens based writers group The Propulsion Lab.  The evening is presented by Mission to (dit)Mars co-founders Kari Bentley-Quinn, Don Nguyen, Meredith Packer, and Laura Pestronk.  

Participating playwrights for this event are Jonathan Alexandratos, Megan Bussiere, Scott Casper, Tim Errickson, Lisa Huberman, Mrinalini Kamath, Sasha Sharova, Jason Tseng, and Ray Yamanouchi.  

The cast includes Jonathan Alexandratos, Lesslie Dodge Crane, Maria Fernandez Diez, Kristin Granade, Robby Haltiwanger, Zac Hoogendyk, Lisa Huberman, Yeuxlanda Kay, Kenneth Lee, David Roberts, Shetal Shah, Sara Thigpen, and Rachel Wong.

The evening is directed by Meredith Packer, Laura Pestronk, and Manny Rivera.  Stage Management by Sarah Lahue.

All Systems Go: 7 will include excerpts from the following nine new plays:

GROUND EFFECT by Jonathan Alexandratos
Against the backdrop of an ever-growing forest fire threatening their Appalachian homes, Ciel and Phoebe bond over the things that only they can do.

END OF THE LINE by Megan Bussiere
It’s the 17th anniversary of 9/11, and four New Yorkers take their morning commute on the N train. One slice of time is broken open to reveal the common threads that run between all four.

THE SEDUCTRESS by Scott Casper
Welcome into our drag cabaret (featuring a certain presidential candidate), for a night of laughs, music, politics, and misplaced representation!

UNTITLED SCHOOL PLAY by Tim Errickson
A catholic school is closing its doors, and former students return to celebrate and mourn. The face the successes and failures of their education, and ghosts of who they were supposed to become.

HOMELAND INSECURITY by Lisa Huberman
It’s shortly after 9/11, and two teenage girls find themselves torn between allegiances.  Rachel’s favorite teacher pushes her to embrace a renewed sense of patriotism, while her Muslim best friend Sam is increasingly marginalized by xenophobic community members in their small Ohio town.

ME AND AC by Mrinalini Kamath
Mrinalini, Agatha, Miss Garble, and others attempt to solve the mystery of who killed the Colonel while simultaneously trying to untangle a skein of colonialism, racism, anti-Semitism, and Anglophilia.

THE LADIES ROOM by Sasha Sharova
The greatest acts of kindness can always be found in a women’s bathroom. But can they make up for everything that happens outside the bathroom’s door?

GHOST MONEY by Jason Tseng
A Chinese American family tries to excavate the truth about their matriarch’s unspoken experience on the front lines of the Chinese Civil War.

PLAYGROUND GAMES by Ray Yamanouchi
A group of third graders play a game to take over the playground.

To attend the reading, please make a reservation on our website:

http://missiontoditmars.com/reservations/

RIOULT Dance Center
34-01 Steinway Street
Astoria, NY 11101

Directions: Take the M/R to Steinway Station or the N/W to either 36th Avenue or Broadway.  Entrance on 34th Avenue.

About the Launch Pad Reading Series

The Launch Pad is a free reading series of new plays by Queens playwrights.  The mission objective of The Launch Pad is to serve as a testing ground for Queens based playwrights who need to hear their plays out loud.  Because Mission to (dit)Mars was co-founded by playwrights and directors, we understand implicitly how to answer those needs. Through this program, the utmost care is taken to foster a safe and productive environment in order to propel the play forward.

0 1672
Megan Bussiere (Astoria)

Mission to (dit)Mars is thrilled to continue the Launch Pad reading series with END OF THE LINE, a new play by Megan Bussiere and directed by Nikki Diloreto.  This free reading will be performed on Monday, April 15th at 7pm at The Broom Tree Theatre located at 23-35 Broadway in Astoria, NY.

END OF THE LINE takes place on the 17th anniversary of 9/11.  In the play, four New Yorkers take their morning commute on the N train. One slice of time is broken open to reveal the common threads that run between them and how they change at the end of the line.

The cast includes Arshia Panicker, Sean Harrison Jones, Sarah Chalfie, Ro Milner, Bob D’Haene and Matt Ketai.

 

On why she wrote END OF THE LINE, playwright Megan Bussiere explains “My experience with trying to have conversations about white privilege inspired me to write this play about “otherism” in America and our hidden- and not so hidden- biases. I wanted my characters to have messy conversations and say the wrong things and allow themselves to be changed by the person sitting next to them. And I thought what better place to explore privilege, fragility, and bias than a New York City subway car.“

In addition, Megan offers “I hope that each audience member will relate to more than one character and maybe even recognize some of their own inner biases or contradictions. I want the lines to get fuzzy and for people to side with one character in one moment and another character in the next. Mostly I want people to leave talking about race, and willing to listen.”

The evening is presented by Mission to (dit)Mars co-founders Kari Bentley-Quinn, Don Nguyen, Meredith Packer, and Laura Pestronk.

To attend the reading, please make a reservation.

The Broom Tree Theater at
Astoria First Presbyterian
23-35 Broadway,
Astoria, NY 11106

Directions: Take the N/W to Broadway.

About the Launch Pad Reading Series

The Launch Pad is a free reading series of new plays by Queens playwrights.  The mission objective of The Launch Pad is to serve as a testing ground for Queens based playwrights who need to hear their plays out loud.  Because Mission to (dit)Mars was co-founded by playwrights and directors, we understand implicitly how to answer those needs. Through this program, the utmost care is taken to foster a safe and productive environment in order to propel the play forward.

0 1795

Mission to (dit)Mars is thrilled to continue the Launch Pad reading series with FIDDLERS, a new play by Lisa Huberman and directed by Aimee Todoroff.  This free reading will be performed on Monday, February 4th at 7pm at The Broom Tree Theatre located at 23-35 Broadway in Astoria, NY.

Lisa Huberman (photo credit: Jody Christopherson)

FIDDLERS is about Ava, a left-wing anti-Occupation activist who thinks she has a clear sense of her identity as a secular American Jew. But when she brings her non-Jewish boyfriend home at the anniversary of her mother’s death, she is forced to confront her own biases, insecurities, and inherited traumas.

On why she wrote Fiddlers, playwright Lisa Huberman explains “Fiddlers is a way for me to work through my own complicated feelings about Israel, which is especially challenging with the rise of anti-semitism over the last few years. Regardless of political affiliation, most Jews I know are living in this constant state of trauma over how to best keep our communities safe, and I want to give voice to those anxieties.“

On what she hopes the audience will take away from Fiddlers, Lisa offers “I think if my plays fit into a genre it’s “awkward intersectionality”: people who attempt to connect over cultural differences, but find it incredibly hard and end up screwing up a lot. I hope my play will help encourage people to lean into their own discomfort a bit more when confronting their own blind-spots and biases.”

The evening is presented by Mission to (dit)Mars co-founders Kari Bentley-Quinn, Don Nguyen, Meredith Packer, and Laura Pestronk.

To attend the reading, please make a reservation here.

The Broom Tree Theater at

Astoria First Presbyterian
23-35 Broadway,
Astoria, NY 11106

Directions: Take the N/W to 36th ave or 30th ave (Broadway station is currently closed).

About the Launch Pad Reading Series

The Launch Pad is a free reading series of new plays by Queens playwrights.  The mission objective of The Launch Pad is to serve as a testing ground for Queens based playwrights who need to hear their plays out loud.  Because Mission to (dit)Mars was co-founded by playwrights and directors, we understand implicitly how to answer those needs. Through this program, the utmost care is taken to foster a safe and productive environment in order to propel the play forward.

0 1604

Jonathan Alexandratos

Mission to (dit)Mars is thrilled to continue the Launch Pad reading series with WORDS CANNOT DESCRIBE THIS, a new play by Jonathan Alexandratos and directed by Jessica Bashline.  This free reading will be performed on Monday, November 19th at 7pm at The Broom Tree Theatre located at 23-35 Broadway in Astoria, NY.

In WORDS CANNOT DESCRIBE THIS, O must flee her home country, Albania.  To do it, she’ll need the help of one asshole, one dead rabbit, three rando strangers, and one magical strawberry implanted in her brain.  This exciting new play asks what is home when home goes away?  

“This is basically the story of my mom’s parents and their cousins who fled Albania for Greece, and then Greece for the U.S.” explains Jonathan.  “It’s not a happy story. It’s one that involves abuse, refugees, smuggling people, poverty, loss, war, and discrimination. Yet, it also involves me, and everything I’m able to do now, which I’m pretty happy about.“

The play was commissioned through a New Works Grant awarded by Queens Council on the Arts to create new work that speaks to the Queens community.  

“I’m very lucky to have Mission to (dit)Mars co-supporting me with the QCA for this Launchpad Reading on November 19th.  When I proposed this play to the QCA, I described a piece that is at once Albanian, Greek, American, and, of course, Queens.”  adds Jonathan. “In Queens, and all across New York City, really, there is a massive population of Greeks and Albanians who arrived here, in many cases, because their homes were destroyed by war.”

The evening is presented by Mission to (dit)Mars co-founders Kari Bentley-Quinn, Don Nguyen, Meredith Packer, and Laura Pestronk.  It is made possible (in part) by the Queens Council on the Arts with public funds from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the City Council.   

To attend the reading, please make a reservation.

The Broom Tree Theater at
Astoria First Presbyterian
23-35 Broadway,
Astoria, NY 11106

Directions: Take the N/Q to Broadway.

About the Launch Pad Reading Series

The Launch Pad is a free reading series of new plays by Queens playwrights.  The mission objective of The Launch Pad is to serve as a testing ground for Queens based playwrights who need to hear their plays out loud.  Because Mission to (dit)Mars was co-founded by playwrights and directors, we understand implicitly how to answer those needs. Through this program, the utmost care is taken to foster a safe and productive environment in order to propel the play forward.

This reading is made possible (in part) by the Queens Council on the Arts with public funds from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the City Council.

0 1723

Mission to (dit)Mars is thrilled to announce All Systems Go: 6 as the culminating event for the LAUNCH PAD Reading Series this year.   This free play reading will be held at the Astoria Performing Arts Center at 30-34 Crescent Street in Astoria, Queens on Monday, June 18th at 7pm.

ALL SYSTEMS GO: 6 is an evening of excerpts from ten brand new plays by the Queens based writers group The Propulsion Lab.   The evening is presented by Mission to (dit)Mars co-founders Kari Bentley-Quinn, Don Nguyen, Meredith Packer, and Laura Pestronk.  It is made possible (in part) by the Queens Council on the Arts with public funds from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the City Council.  

“Our writers have adeptly responded to the social and political issues happening right now with a diverse and stirring array of plays that examine so many aspects of our world today: sexuality, loneliness, race, class, religion and, above all, the importance of human connection.” said co-founder Kari Bentley-Quinn

Participating playwrights for this event are Jonathan Alexandratos, Kari Bentley-Quinn, Mrinalini Kamath, Lisa Huberman, Kristine M. Reyes, Scott Casper, Tyler Rivenbark, Jason Tseng, Nat Cassidy, and Ray Yamanouchi.  

Laura Pestronk adds “This year’s Propulsion Lab dives headfirst into the deep end, grappling with strong, scary subjects with grace and fearlessness and even hilarity. I’m proud of what is looking to be our no holds barred boldest All Systems Go yet!”

The cast includes Justin Ahdoot, Lesslie Dodge Crane, Duane Fergusan, Paula Galloway, Daniel Isaac (Billions), Karen Johal, Patrick Andrew Jones, Mariana Newhard, Jim Nugent, Tara Pacheco, David Shih, Elijah Trichon, Anthony Willis, and Jr. Rachel Wong.

The evening is directed by Meredith Packer, Laura Pestronk, and Dev Bondarin.  Stage Management by Jodi Witherall.

“I can’t believe we are at All Systems Go! year six. This is by far the most diverse and exciting grouping of excerpts we have been given to present and I am so excited to share it with our theater community here in Queens.” said co-founder Meredith Packer

All Systems Go: 6 will include excerpts from the following ten new plays:

THE TWIRLY POP EXPRESS by Jonathan Alexandratos
A father and son rebuild old animatronic animals from The Twirly Pop Express, the robotic band from a now-defunct kids’ party arcade. When the robo-animals come to life, they expose the true heart of the father and son’s relationship.

21ST CENTURY HISTOTRAGMEDY: A BERNIE CAROL by Scott Casper
A look at the history, tragedy, comedy of the century thus far. In this act, Bernie Madoff is visited by three spirits, guiding us all to a possible redemption we may not deserve.

FOUNDATIONS by Nat Cassidy
A construction crew waits out a sudden rainstorm and, as they exchange stories, they begin to realize that the apartment complex they’re building might actually be haunted.

FIDDLERS by Lisa Huberman
As a left-wing anti-Occupation activist, Ava thought she had a clear sense of her identity as a secular American Jew. But when she brings her non-Jewish boyfriend home at the anniversary of her mother’s death, she is forced to confront her own biases, insecurities, and inherited traumas.

B-A-B-Y by Mrinalini Kamath
Manika, a former spelling bee participant, now all grown-up and a pediatrician, goes about having a child in an unconventional way.

THE DIVER by Kari Bentley-Quinn
Thirty years from now, New York City is hit by a massive tsunami that has changed the landscape and the citizens of the city forever. Amena Fakhoury, one of the last Syrian refugees living in the United States, has been scuba diving to find the lost items of the people who were taken in the wave, and for any evidence of the people she lost. In the meantime, the Muslim community she lives in is being oppressed, jailed and monitored by a privatized police force.

DEDICATED TO YOU (LOVE, RYAN WOO) by Kristine M. Reyes
Ryan has been secretly writing love songs for his long-time crush, Xian, who’s got the hots for Tristan, the new kid in school. In this adaptation of Cyrano de Bergerac, Ryan is Asian, Tristan is white…and Ryan doesn’t stand a chance.

ALL THE PLACES BETWEEN MOONRISE AND MOONSET by Tyler Rivenbark
Witness is a poor, mostly ignored, teenager in a small rural Southern town called Warsaw. This is what he’s seen.

LIKE FATHER by Jason Tseng
A queer contemporary adaptation of Oedipus Rex. Joe asks his old friend Tyrese to help him run the bed and breakfast he and his late husband recently acquired. Eddie arrives with a secret past that threatens to disrupt Joe’s delicate present.

PURE LOVE by Ray Yamanouchi
Four people of color navigate romance and desire.

To attend the reading, please make a reservation on our website:

http://missiontoditmars.com/reservations/

Astoria Performing Arts Center at
Good Shepherd United Methodist Church
30-34 Crescent St. (at 30th Rd)
Astoria, NY 11102

Directions: Take the N/Q to 30th Avenue. Walk down 30th Ave toward the Trade Fair Supermarket, continue past Mt. Sinai Hospital of Queens. Turn left on Crescent Street, then right on 30th Rd. The entrance is the second set of red doors on your left.

About the Launch Pad Reading Series

The Launch Pad is a free reading series of new plays by Queens playwrights.  The mission objective of The Launch Pad is to serve as a testing ground for Queens based playwrights who need to hear their plays out loud.  Because Mission to (dit)Mars was co-founded by playwrights and directors, we understand implicitly how to answer those needs. Through this program, the utmost care is taken to foster a safe and productive environment in order to propel the play forward.

This reading is made possible (in part) by the Queens Council on the Arts with public funds from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the City Council.

0 1268

Nat Cassidy (photo by Prospect Photography)

Mission to (dit)Mars is thrilled to continue the Launch Pad reading series with FOUNDATIONS, a new play by Nat Cassidy.  This free reading will be performed on Monday, April 16th at 7pm at The Broom Tree Theatre located at 23-35 Broadway in Astoria, NY.

Entering the world of FOUNDATIONS you’ll find there’s a new apartment complex being built in your neighborhood: Melody Gardens, offering luxury living at affordable prices. But one day, as they wait for a rainstorm to pass, the construction crew of Melody Gardens begins trading stories about the dreams they’ve been having lately, and they realize: stories are like buildings. We design them. We live in them. And sometimes, they turn out to be haunted.  Foundations is directed by Jordana Williams.

 

The evening is presented by Mission to (dit)Mars co-founders Kari Bentley-Quinn, Don Nguyen, Meredith Packer, and Laura Pestronk.  

On why this eerie script was selected, co-founder Meredith Packer explains “In this play, Nat asks us to take a dark and terrifying look at something as mundane as the apartments we live in. And he makes them thrilling, thought-provoking, and nightmare-inducing.”

“Nat has brilliantly conquered the horror genre, and his plays usually keep me up all night with one eye open.” explains Laura Pestronk.  “The extremely exciting and fearful FOUNDATIONS is no exception, and it had me checking my apartment twice before drifting into a likely nightmare.”

Kari Bentley-Quinn adds “FOUNDATIONS sent more than one shiver down my spine, and proves that Nat is one of the best horror writers for the stage. Not only is this play frightening and unsettling, it features a cast of well drawn characters and edge of your seat suspense.”

This free reading is made possible (in part) by the Queens Council on the Arts with public funds from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the City Council.   

To attend, please make a reservation.

The Broom Tree Theater at Astoria First Presbyterian
23-35 Broadway,
Astoria, NY 11106

Directions: Take the N/Q to Broadway.

About the Launch Pad Reading Series

The Launch Pad is a free reading series of new plays by Queens playwrights.  The mission objective of The Launch Pad is to serve as a testing ground for Queens based playwrights who need to hear their plays out loud.  Because Mission to (dit)Mars was co-founded by playwrights and directors, we understand implicitly how to answer those needs. Through this program, the utmost care is taken to foster a safe and productive environment in order to propel the play forward.

This reading is made possible (in part) by the Queens Council on the Arts with public funds from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the City Council.

0 1736

 

Mrinalini Kamath

Mission to (dit)Mars is thrilled to continue the Launch Pad reading series with STUFF,  a new radio play by Mrinalini Kamath.  This free reading will be performed on Monday, February 5th at 7pm at The Broom Tree Theatre located at 23-35 Broadway in Astoria, NY.

Inspired by the NY Times article “The Lonely Death of George Bell,” STUFF tells the story of lives that intersect when a man dies alone in his cluttered apartment. A radio play about living alone in modern times.  STUFF is directed by Colette Robert and live foley provided by Tony Vo.

The evening is presented by Mission to (dit)Mars co-founders Kari Bentley-Quinn, Don Nguyen, Meredith Packer, and Laura Pestronk.  

In describing the play, co-founder Laura Pestronk said “In STUFF, Mrinalini gets us down and dirty into the sometimes darkly comic, sometimes deeply melancholy world of hoarders. From the outside we may simply scoff at the piles of ‘garbage’ kept forever inside certain houses, but STUFF never lets us off the hook so easily.”

Kari Bentley-Quinn adds “We are presenting a brand new experience for Mission to (dit)Mars and our audience. Mrinalini has created a beautiful piece about loneliness, death, and what our material possessions that we leave behind say or don’t say about our lives”

On the unique nature of the play format, Don Nguyen explains “We wanted to immerse the audience in the world of this play which is why we decided to bring in a live foley artist to add that extra dimension to the night’s performance. It’s a whole different set of challenges than what we’re used to, but we’re up for it.”

Meredith Packer says “STUFF explores the conditions of human baggage, both physical and emotional, and how it affects our lives and those around us even after we are gone.”

This free reading is made possible (in part) by the Queens Council on the Arts with public funds from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the City Council.   

To attend, please make a reservation on our website:

http://missiontoditmars.com/reservations/

The Broom Tree Theater at Astoria First Presbyterian
23-35 Broadway,
Astoria, NY 11106

Directions: Take the N/Q to Broadway.

About the Launch Pad Reading Series

The Launch Pad is a free reading series of new plays by Queens playwrights.  The mission objective of The Launch Pad is to serve as a testing ground for Queens based playwrights who need to hear their plays out loud.  Because Mission to (dit)Mars was co-founded by playwrights and directors, we understand implicitly how to answer those needs.  Through this program, the utmost care is taken to foster a safe and productive environment in order to propel the play forward.

PRESS CONTACT: Don Nguyen, 718-839-0424, missiontoditmars@gmail.com

This reading is made possible (in part) by the Queens Council on the Arts with public funds from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the City Council.

0 1157

Mission to (dit)Mars is thrilled to continue the Launch Pad reading series with THE AMERICAN TRADITION,  a new play by Ray Yamanouchi.  This free play reading will be performed on Monday, November 6th at 7pm at The Broom Tree Theatre located at 23-35 Broadway in Astoria, NY.

THE AMERICAN TRADITION is a play set in Antebellum America.  Eleanor—cross-dressing as a white planter—and her husband, Bill—pretending to be her loyal servant—attempt to escape to the free state of Pennsylvania.  In hot pursuit of them is Walsh, a drunk planter and member of the Not All Slavers movement.  The play is directed by Axel Avin Jr.

The evening is presented by Mission to (dit)Mars co-founders Kari Bentley-Quinn, Don Nguyen, Meredith Packer, and Laura Pestronk.  

Commenting on the play, co-founder Kari Bentley-Quinn says “With The American Tradition, Ray boldly examines the delicate and painful history of slavery in America while seamlessly connecting it to current political rhetoric. The play is at once horrifying, thought provoking, and laugh out loud absurd.“

Meredith Packer adds “Ray’s ability to make his audience look at the harsh truths of slavery in the 1800’s and it’s legacy of systemic racism today without preaching or pretense is proof of his deft writing ability.”

“The dialogue zips along while the tension sizzles in Ray’s American Tradition, and ridiculously funny moments still hit hard as this play fearlessly takes on the horrendous history of slavery and racism in our country.“ says Laura Pestronk.

This free reading is made possible (in part) by the Queens Council on the Arts with public funds from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the City Council.   

To attend, please make a reservation on our website.

The Broom Tree Theater at

Astoria First Presbyterian

23-35 Broadway,

Astoria, NY 11106

Directions: Take the N/Q to Broadway.

About the Launch Pad Reading Series

The Launch Pad is a free reading series of new plays by Queens playwrights.  The mission objective of The Launch Pad is to serve as a testing ground for Queens based playwrights who need to hear their plays out loud.  Because Mission to (dit)Mars was co-founded by playwrights and directors, we understand implicitly how to answer those needs.  Through this program, the utmost care is taken to foster a safe and productive environment in order to propel the play forward.

 

This reading is made possible (in part) by the Queens Council on the Arts with public funds from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the City Council.

123...4Next Page 1 of 4

SOCIAL

346FansLike
0FollowersFollow
709FollowersFollow

Popular category

© Mission to (dit)Mars 2017