IT CAN HAPPEN HERE! To Be Presented At Culture Lab LIC
Performances run March 6-30, 2025.
By: A.A. Cristi Feb. 05, 2025
New Perspectives Theatre Company (NPTC) and Culture Lab LIC (CLLIC) have announced a limited run premiere of It CAN Happen Here! by Melody Brooks, Katrin Hilbe, Tess Howsam, Daniel Jacobs, and Susan Quinn.
Running Thursday, March 6 to Sunday, March 30, 2025. Performances are Thursday-Sunday at 7:30 p.m., with matinees on Saturday and Sunday March 29 and 30 at 2:30 p.m. All performances are at Culture Lab LIC, 5-25 46th Avenue, Long Island City, NY 11101
It CAN Happen Here! is a multi-media experience that weaves together three strands of storyline: the achievements of the Federal Theatre Project, which employed tens of thousands of artists from every demographic working in every theatrical genre and which brought performances into every corner of the U.S.; the ground-breaking work of its fearless leader, Hallie Flanagan, whose vision shaped the story-telling and aesthetics of the most impactful productions; and the political consequences, which encompassed the breaking of racial and social barriers and earned the disapprobation of the House Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC), whose legacy of attacks on Theatre and the Arts continue to this day.
Ground-breaking artists from NPTC's and CLLIC's creative teams are collaborating with director Katrin Hilbe, to take the audience on a fast paced and stylized journey from HUAC hearings to Federal Theatre performances, from Hallie's home life to labor strikes, from the beginnings of an impossible undertaking to a triumphant success to a devastating loss. Penelope Rose Deen is Choreographer/Movement Director. Award-winning Production Designer Tess Howsam is creating a world of visual storytelling inspired by the innovative theatrical designs of the Federal Theatre and its Living Newspapers that includes shadow puppets, hand-crafted props and a wealth of images from the Library of Congress archive. Gaby FeBland is collaborating on the Puppets and Props; Matsy Stinson (Costumes), Sara Gosses (Lighting), Andy Evan Cohen (Sound) and Erwin Falcon (Projections) complete the design team. Josh Iacovelli is Technical Director; Cat Gillespie is Production Stage Manager.
The cast includes Theresa Rose as Hallie Flanagan, joined by a nine-member Ensemble playing a variety of roles: Max Bank, Allie Beltran, DJ Davis, Emma Sarah Davis, Chase Lee, Megan Lomax, Jomack Miranda, Nick Radu-Blackburn, and Cheyenne Springette.
NEW PERSPECTIVES THEATRE COMPANY is an award-winning, multi-racial company performing at its home in the Theatre District, communities throughout NYC and as of 2015, internationally. Now in its 33rd season, notable NPTC productions have included How to Melt ICE, by Amalia Oliva Rojas, produced with Boundless Theatre Company (4 LATA Awards; 3 HOLA Award Nominations), She Calls Me Firefly by Teresa Lotz, produced with Parity Productions (Outstanding Short Play, NY Innovative Theatre Awards), Jihad by Ann Chamberlain (OOBR Award for Best Production); The Taming of the Shrew (OOBR Award for Best Production), Admissions by Tony Velella (10 Best Plays Backstage); MOTHER OF GOD! by Michele Miller (Finalist, Princess Grace Foundation Award) as well as the U.S. premiere of Visit by renowned Argentinean playwright Ricardo Monti, the New York Premieres of Vaclav Havel's The Increased Difficulty of Concentration, OBIE-Winner Stephanie Berry's The Shaneequa Chronicles (produced with Blackberry Productions), and Lemon Meringue Façade by Ted Lange. NPTC's mission is to develop and produce new plays and playwrights, especially women and people of color; to present classic plays in a style that addresses contemporary issues and restores women to the Canon; and to extend the benefits of theatre to communities in need. Our aim is not to exclude, but to cast a wider net.
CULTURE LAB LIC unites people through arts, culture, and community, creating a vibrant hub that reflects the spirit and diversity of Queens. For over five years, it has grown into a multifaceted home for artists across disciplines, community members, and mission-driven nonprofits, offering space, resources, and a strong sense of belonging. As a cornerstone of Long Island City—one of the U.S.'s fastest-growing, most dynamic neighborhoods—Culture Lab LIC champions arts and culture amid rapid social change. Our diverse programs, including cultural festivals, art exhibitions, live music, dance, and theater, celebrate Queens' rich cultural fabric. Located along the stunning waterfront near Manhattan, Long Island City boasts the largest concentration of art galleries in Queens, thriving as a cultural hotspot. Renowned for dynamic, inclusive programming, Culture Lab LIC hosts live outdoor concerts featuring top musicians across jazz, classical, indie, and world music, fostering shared artistic experiences. Beyond music, we offer cutting-Edge Theater, thought-provoking visual arts, and engaging community events that inspire and connect neighborhoods. Our annual residency program provides performing artists with free rehearsal and performance space to develop new work, showcased at the acclaimed New Works Festival. Artists retain full creative rights and ticket proceeds, directly benefiting from their efforts. Since its inception, the program has supported over 20 original works, enriching the community with groundbreaking performances. Through these initiatives, Culture Lab LIC remains dedicated to celebrating Queens' cultural richness and supporting the artists and communities that make it thrive.
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