Urban Stages: September Play Fest! 9/2 – 9/27! Watch Live!

30 Aug Urban Stages: September Play Fest! 9/2 – 9/27! Watch Live!

Part-time Telluride local, Frances Hill (Barlow), founded New York-based Urban Stages in 1984 with the idea of championing new works by artists of diverse cultural backgrounds and to make these works available to all. As artistic director for over 30 years, Hill has produced dozens of world, American and NYC premieres, including Pulitzer Prize Finalist BULRUSHER (2007) by Eisa Davis. Her theatre, a favorite haunt of the Viebrocks (in pre-Covid days of yore), has been honored with accolades from the Drama Desk, Obie Awards, Audelco, Outer Critics Circle, and more.

Throughout the month, Urban Stages’ September Play Fest & Fundraiser brings virtual staged readings directly into your home. These online performances will be available at urbanstages.org for a limited time – 96 hours for each play. A total of 384 hours of drama – the good kind. 

Note: Show times slotted for the East Coast.

Instead of buying a ticket, Urban Stages asks you to help them discover and champion exciting new plays and diverse artists. Simply watch these works by Urban Stages’ artists when they are available for FREE then, if moved, click the donate button to support new theater, new voices and everything Urban Stages.

WEDNESDAY SEP 2 to SUNDAY SEP 6 | 7pm, 2020

By Idris Goodwin. Directed by Kristan Seemel

Featuring: Shabazz Green, Roderick Lawrence,
Abraham Makany and Salma Shaw

“Bars and Measures” is a tale of two brothers. One a classical pianist. The other a jazz bass player. One a Christian. The other a Muslim. One living in freedom. The other in jail.

“Bars and Measures” made its New York premiere at Urban Stages October 18 thru November 17, 2019 | Click Here For More Info.

The New York Times praised the production as “A Smart Supple Production…handsomely polished” and “A tale about getting lost, and whether and how you can find your way back.”

Theater Pizzazz said: “Theater of the highest caliber…electrifying actors, a hot theatrical experience.”

Bars and Measures returns during September Fest with the original cast from it’s NY Premiere at Urban Stages.

WEDNESDAY SEP 9 to SUNDAY SEP 13 | 7pm, 2020

By Christian Elder. Directed by Vincent Scott.

Featuring: Bethel Caram, Shabazz Green,
Paul Kelly and Disnie Sebastien.

In #NWORD, VAUGHN, the Black mother of an eight-year-old boy named Memphis, confronts MACK, a white real estate broker at an open house in SoHo. A video posted online captures Mack’s daughter, Hazel, calling Memphis the “n word” on the school bus. Accusations of racism are debated between the school administration and parents. The event has repercussions on the women’s marital lives, drawing their husbands TOM and JAKE into the conflict. When an unexpected death reveals betrayal, ugly tensions rise to the surface and expose disturbing truths.

WEDNESDAY SEP 16 to SUNDAY SEP 20 | 7pm, 2020

By Ruth Zamoyta. Directed by Kim T. Sharp

Featuring: Jason Asher, Grant Bowen, Christopher Daftsios, Mat Labotka and Chris Marshall.

In THE INCELS, Tom and Derrick are depressed, bitter men who can’t get girlfriends. Tom records his manifesto on his vlog, telling tales of fruitless encounters with women … as well as his plan to rid the world of sexuality. Derrick has a YouTube channel in which he teaches other men how to survive in the backwoods … and obsesses about the young woman he’s stalking. Pat is a MGTOW (“Men Going Their Own Way”) who teaches Incels how to find happiness in a solitary lifestyle. When Tom and Derrick turn violent, can Pat convince them to put down their guns?

The Incels was developed at a reading at Urban Stages and at New Jersey Play Lab in 2020 through its comprehensive Residency Program.

WEDNESDAY SEP 23 to SUNDAY SEP 27 | 7pm, 2020

By Megan Loughran. Directed by Jennifer Werner

Featuring: TBA

In THE SILVERFISH, Beth and Brandon are young and in love and they have no money. They’re living in Brooklyn pursuing careers they are passionate about. Which is another way of saying they have no money. When they’re suddenly thrown a Godawful, expensive curveball, they combine their desperation with their underutilized talents and come up with a plan. It might not be a plan that “good people” would go for, but when you’re young and in love and desperate and poor, the word “good” can mean a lot of things.

Note:

Vincent Scott, Assistant Producer. Ryan Belock, Video Designer and Editor.
Disnie Sebastien, Social Media

Urban Stages expresses its gratitude to the Performers Unions: Actors Equity Association, American Guild of Musical Artists, American Guild of Variety Artists, SAG-AFTRA through the Theatre Authority, Inc, for their cooperation in permitting the Artists to appear on this program.