EMISSION to Play Dream Up Festival

"Emission," a play written by Tom Block and directed by Pitr Strait, is about love, greed and the internal human conflict that clouds reason. An absurdist farce with deeply troubling undertones, the play explores why we humans are unable to take control of our lives vis-a-vis the growing climate disaster. Using humor, a love triangle between three women and a struggle for control of an invention that makes carbon emissions visible, "Emission" shows how greed, desire, sex and selfishness can overwhelm our ability to master our own fates. Its world premiere will be presented by Theater for the New City's Dream Up Festival September 1 to 13 at Producers' Club Theaters, 358 West 44th Street.

The play is narrative theater and features a live, original jazz/blues score played by cellist and singer/poet Serena E. Miller. She plays the music, as well as vocalizes the "chorus," a series of poetic interludes that address the actors and action, as well as the audience. These musical and poetic elements contextualize the action of the play in a mythological framework.

Tom Block is an author and artist who has published five books, written nearly 50 full-length and short plays and has exhibited his artwork more than 200 times around the United States, Canada and Europe. He has had numerous plays developed and produced in New York and Washington DC. In New York City, his work has been seen at Ensemble Studio Theater, HERE Arts Center, Theater for the New City, Dixon Place, Drama League, Theater at the 14th Street Y, Kraine Theater, Athena Theatre Company and many others. Reviewers have said of his plays that they offer "a fascinating and rewarding look at the multiple dimensions of faith, theory and inspiration." Block is also a visual artist and has exhibited his artwork in museums, universities and galleries around the United States and Europe. (www.tomblock.com)

Director Pitr Strait has staged "The Skriker; Scarecrow; Henry IV, Part 1," 1020 Productions: "A+B: A Mash-Up Musical," Extant Arts Company: "A Christmas Carol," "Two Gentlemen of Verona," "The Tempest" and "Paper Dolls" at New School for Drama and "The Disappearance of Jonah" for NY Fringe Festival. He was assistant director for "In Fields Where They Lay" (Dreamscape Theatre @ New Ohio Theatre).

Serena E. Miller created the musical score and plays it live during the show. She is an actress and cellist, most recently seen in "I Catch You Dreaming" (Oomph Theater Productions). Other recent credits include "The Old Forever New Things" (The New School for Drama) and "Naked Holidays" (Endtimes Productions). She will be playing the role of Caesar in What Dreams May Co./Queens Shakespeare's production of "Julius Caesar" this July and is a part of the musical and macabre troupe of "The Ded Sullivan Show" at Times Scare NYC (opened June 27th). (www.serenaemiller.com)

The sixth Dream Up Festival (www.dreamupfestival.org) will be presented by Theater for the New City (TNC) from August 30 to September 20, 2015, offering a lineup of wide-ranging and original theatrical visions embracing drama, musicals, improv, aerial and more. This year, owing to growing popularity, the festival has expanded beyond its primary venue. Previously, all productions were presented at Theater for the New City, 155 First Ave. This year, 19 productions will be presented at TNC and seven will be presented at an outside venue, The Producers Club Theaters at 358 West 44th Street.

The festival is dedicated to new works. TNC feels this festival is especially needed now in a time of declining donations to the arts, when grants are not being awarded due to market conditions and arts funding is being cut across the country and abroad. The festival aims to push ideas to the forefront through imaginative presentations so as to challenge audience expectations and make us question our understanding of the way art illuminates the world around us.