Convergences Theatre Collective Proudly Presents the World Premiere of BABEL

CONVERGENCES THEATRE COLLECTIVE is pleased to announce the world premiere production of BABEL, co-created by WT McRae (Peter and the Wolf, Long Island Philharmonic; The True nature of Love, Oberon Theatre Ensemble) and co-created and directed by Jeremy Williams (Murrow, Phoenix Theatre Ensemble; West Side Story, Arkansas Shakespeare Theatre). BABEL will play a limited engagement at The Theater at the 14th Street Y (344 East 14th Street, New York, NY 10003).

Performances begin Wednesday, January 18 and continue through Sunday, February 5. Opening Night is Sunday, January 22 (7:30 p.m.). Tickets range in price from $15-$70 and are available at http://www.14streety.org/babel. Critics are invited Wednesday January at 7:30pm, Friday January 20 at 8pm; Saturday, January 21 at 2pm and Sunday January 22 at 7:30pm (and any subsequent performance).

BABEL is a physical spectacle that reinvents one of the oldest stories in the world: The Tower of Babel, told through Acrobatic Dance Theater. It calls upon diverse perspectives of the story to reveal ambition, grief, and healing within the complexity of the human condition.

The company of 22 powerful dancers build the world of the play, a sculpture garden of bodies. Sitting in three quarter round, the audience is immersed in the tower where performers climb, fly and play--building it so high that it offends the gods. The tower is destroyed, the people divided, and given separate languages so that they cannot collaborate to build again. Conflict separates humanity--yet they persevere and continue to build together despite the challenges of communication and identity. BABEL embodies the human desire to create, to connect, and to collaborate to overcome adversity building ambitious towers again and again.

The ensemble includes Leo Abel, Casey Beauchamp, Bruce Brackett, Melissa Denize, Michael Eisenstein, Mark Ferrando, Brooke Ferris, Nora Gustuson, Jenna Hokanson, Eiko Kawashima, Sydney Ippolito, Charlie Kilgore, Zachary Koval, Ana Carolina Lima, Erica Lindegren, Melana Lloyd, Devin McDuffee, Rafa Reyes, Marisol Kimberly Rosa-Shapiro, Liz Stanton, and Juliana Suaide.

The production features music composed by Julie Zhu and Robert Fleitz (Juilliard Orchestra, The New Juilliard Ensemble, The Imperial Symphony Orchestra, Tampa Bay Symphony), costume design by Natalie Loveland (Up and Away - Lincoln Center), lighting design by Jay Ryan (Obie Award Recipient - Big Dance Theater; Eva Adamson Award for Excellence in Lighting Design; Phoebe Award Recipient), and design collaboration/photography by Lloyd Mulvey.

BABEL plays the following schedule through Sunday, February 5:

Wednesday, January 18th at 7:30pm
Friday, January 20th at 8:00pm
Saturday, January 21st at 2:00pm
Sunday, January 22nd at 7:30pm (Opening Night)
Tuesday, January 24th at 7:30pm
Thursday, January 26th at 7:30pm (LGBT Night)

Saturday, January 28th at 8:00pm
Sunday, January 29th at 2:00pm
Monday, January 30th at 7:30pm
Wednesday, February 1st at 7:30pm
Thursday, February 2nd at 2:00pm
Friday, February 3rd at 8:00pm
Saturday, February 4th at 2:00pm
Sunday, February 5th at 7:30pm

Tickets are $70 - Premium, $35 - General, $25 - Student/Senior/Military, $15 - Youth (12 and under) and are now available online at http://www.14streety.org/babel or by calling 646-395-4310. Tickets may also be purchased in-person at the theater ½ hour prior to performances.

Running Time: 75 Minutes

Website: www.convergencescollective.org