I SEE YOU AND YOU SEE ME Premieres Thursday at Queens Theatre

On April 22 at 7:00 PM (ET), Queens Theatre will spotlight stories about resilience and hope amid the COVID-19 pandemic with its new film, I See You and You See Me, based on oral history and source material from the Queens Memory Project.

The film, produced by Queens Theatre and Madison Square Films, was written, adapted, and directed by Harris Doran (Beauty Mark, Bleeding Love), and stars 11 actors presenting the accounts of Queens residents who shared their stories about their lives last year with the Queens Memory Project at the Queens Public Library.

At turns sad, frustrating, angry, humorous, and even hopeful, the stories illustrate the emotional and psychological impact of the events of 2020 on our lives. As the film opens up, it reminds us that when New York shut down due to the virus in March 2020, "the stories of Queens were silenced. But the voices of Queens still called out to be heard."

Queens Theatre will debut the film on YouTube on Thursday, April 22 at 7:00 PM (ET). To learn more and RSVP to see the film for free, visit https://queenstheatre.org/event/coming-soon-i-see-you-and-you-see-me/.

"At Queens Theatre, we always are seeking ways to connect with the diverse communities we serve, and during the pandemic have connected more broadly with a global audience," says Taryn Sacramone, QT's Executive Director. "This exceptional, moving film, shares the stories of hope, of pain, and of promise - and all originating in Queens - with the world. By presenting these beautifully scripted stories - all based on true accounts - we hope to show that we are not alone, that we all truly are in this together, and that we will prevail."

"We made this project as a love letter to the Queens Community," says Dominic D'Andrea, QT's director of community engagement who conceived and produced this project for QT. "This project was created from the stories of Queens community members, with Queens artists, in Queens, during the height of the pandemic. At that time, Queens was the global epicenter of the epicenter. We felt an enormous responsibility to give voice to our stories in this period of deep uncertainty. While we were all experiencing this trauma together, we found beauty and laughter and existential questions and our humanity underneath. This film celebrates all of that. This film is Queens."

"This film gives a look into people's homes during the pandemic, and I think us getting to see the many different experiences all happening simultaneously, lets us know that we are not alone," says Harris Doran, the film's writer and director.

The film stars (in order of appearance): James Seol (Lucille Lortel Award nomination "KPOP," "The Flight Attendant"); Deirdre Lovejoy ("The Wire," "The Blacklist"); Khalid Rivera ("Pose," "Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt"); Kate Rigg (Mile 22, "Oz"); Pooya Mohseni ("Law & Order: SVU," "Madame Secretary"); Carol Mazhuvancheril (The Inheritance); Rocky Vega (On That Day in Amsterdam); Kevin Smith Kirkwood (Kinky Boots); Deborah S. Craig (The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, "The Blacklist"); Brittany Vicars (I Didn't Come Here to Make Love); and, Alana Raquel Bowers (Chicken and Biscuits).

The film adapts stories that emerged last year from residents of Queens. Those stories featured in the film were provided by: Kaffy Abdul; Hector Biaggi; Seo-Young Chu; Tanya Fiebert; Karen Fisher; Emily Hepding; Sto Len; Douglas Lyons; Carrie Marino; Natalie Milbrodt; Demetries Morrow; Sheena Pachon; and, Sarah Pousty.

"The Queens Memory Project is thrilled to partner with the Queens Theatre team on this production," says Natalie Milbrodt, Director of the Queens Memory Project. "We work every day with Queens residents sharing their lived experiences on the record for future researchers who will want to know about the realities of this moment in history. Engaging with the creativity of artists like the Queens Theatre team helps us share these stories in exciting and impactful ways to new audiences."

The creative time behind I See You and You See Me included: Dominic D'Andrea, Harris Doran, Jay Rogers (Producers); Oscar Frasser (Cinematography); and Harris Doran (Editor). The film was shot remotely in actors' homes and on stage at Queens Theatre.

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