Co-Op Theatre East to Present BUILDING A REAL BOY at Dixon Place

Co-Op Theatre East, The Dare Tactic and Eagle Project announce the Dixon Place workshop of Building A Real Boy, a multimedia theatrical telling of the life and work of computer activist Aaron Swartz who died tragically at the age of 26 while facing forty years in prison for downloading academic journals.

Devised collaboratively and performed by Co-Op Theatre East ensemble members Tyrus Holden, Ashley Marinaccio, and Michael Rehse, through Swartz's own writings, and a series of interviews with Swartz's colleagues and friends, and written by Tyrus Holden, Building A Real Boy sheds light on critical issues surrounding freedom of information, and internet privacy, in addition to the power of youth in fighting oppressive political systems.

Building A Real Boy

Dixon Place

161A Chrystie Street

New York, NY, 10002

Monday, November 20th 2017

$18 at the door/ $15 general/ $12 student and senior

Tickets available at http://dixonplace.org/performances/building-a-real-boy/.

One Night Only!

This workshop is open to the public. COTE Ensemble member, playwright and performer Tyrus Holden says, "Aaron helped pioneer the technologies we take for granted in the modern Internet era, but he also touched so many lives during the course of his own. I hope audiences are able to come away with an appreciation for his complexity and the beauty of his ideals and dreams. And if we're lucky, just some of those folks may find the passion to contribute to the important work he was doing and create their own positive delta." The show features additional performances by Nikita Chaudhry and Amy Chang. Building A Real Boy is made possible by generous grants from The Puffin Foundation, and Lower Manhattan Cultural Council.

About Dixon Place: An artistic incubator since 1986, Dixon Place is a Bessie and Obie Award-winning non-profit institution committed to supporting the creative process by presenting original works of theater, dance, music, puppetry, circus arts, literature and visual art at all stages of development.  Presenting over 1000 creators a year, this local haven inspires and encourages diverse artists of all stripes and callings to take risks, generate new ideas and consummate new practices.  Many artists, such as Blue Man Group, John Leguizamo, Lisa Kron, David Cale, David Drake, Deb Margolin and Reno, began their careers at DP. In addition to emerging artists, Dixon Place has been privileged to present established artists such as Mac Wellman, Holly Hughes, Justin Bond, Karen Finley, Kate Clintonand Martha Wainwright.  After spawning a salon in her Paris apartment in 1985, founding Artistic Director Ellie Covan pioneered the institution in her NYC living room for 23 years. Covan was a recipient of a Bessie, a New York Dance and Performance Award and a Bax10 Award for her service to the community. Dixon Place received two Obie Awards, and an Edwin Booth Award for Excellence in Theater. Dixon Place has organically developed and expanded into a leading professional, state-of-the-art facility for artistic expression.

About Co-Op Theatre East: Co-Op Theatre East believes in the power of art to foster a dialogue for social change. We provide an entertaining performance forum in which to ask evocative, challenging questions of artists and audiences on our way to creating collaborative answers. COTE produces theatre that deals with the questions of today, the situations we find ourselves immersed in as New Yorkers, Americans, and world citizens at this critical moment in time. We view the act of creating theatre as a political act and recognize the unique role that theatre has played in raising consciousness throughout history. The world is shaped by narrative. Stories unite, divide, enlighten and entertain. COTE produces theatre that explicates the world we live in. Learn more at cooptheatreeast.org.

About The Dare Tactic: Founded in 2014, The Dare Tactic is a New York based theatre company dedicated to producing new, innovative, original works by underrepresented voices. Under fiscal sponsorship by Fractured Atlas, The Dare Tactic has produced 10 Mainstage productions at venues including: The ShapeShifter Lab, St. Paul's Theatre, The White Horse Tavern, Melville Gallery, and more. The Dare Tactic has been nominated at Planet Connections Theatre Festivity, appeared at Poetic License Festival, and collaborated with administration at Pace University. We dare our artists to cross boundaries, allowing the freedom for artistic exploration. www.thedaretactic.org.

About Eagle Project: Eagle Project is a New York-based performing arts company, fiscally sponsored by New York Live Arts that behaves as an artistic laboratory. Through theater, music, dance, spoken word, and film, the Eagle Project dissects the American identity using the Native American experience, both past and present. Their programs include the development and staging of the works of Native American Playwrights and educational outreach on Native American culture. Hatchis Eagle Project's program of readings, staged readings, and workshops designed to help develop original theatrical material. From this program, Eagle Project has produced Wood Bones by William S. Yellow Robe, Jr.; Broken Heart Land by Vicki Lynn Mooney; and Trail of Tears by Thomas J. Soto. Learn more at www.eagleprojectarts.org.

Co-Op Theatre East, The Dare Tactic and Eagle Project Present:

Building A Real Boy

Written by Tyrus Holden

Devised by Co-Op Theatre East members, Tyrus Holden, Ashley Marinaccio and Michael Rehse

Directed by Ashley Marinaccio

Associate Directed by Robert A.K. Gonyo

Assistant Directed by Vinny Eden Ortega

Media Design by Gil Sperling

Featuring Nikita Chaudhry, Amy Chang, Tyrus Holden, Ashley Marinaccio and Michael Rehse

Cover Art Design by Juan Osborne

Cover Photography by Jasen Appelbaum

Dramaturgy, Transcription Assistance and Additional Script Editing Provided by Sophie Walker, Matthew Champagne, and Vinny Eden Ortega

"Building A Real Boy" is made possible through generous grants from The Puffin Foundation and Lower Manhattan Cultural Council.