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New Drama Haymarket Begins Off-Broadway Run December 9
By: BWW News Desk Dec. 05, 2005
"On the evening of May 4, 1886, anarchist-socialist organizers called a meeting in the Haymarket Square in Chicago to demand an eight-hour day for the city's workers," state press notes. "When police attempted to disperse the meeting, somebody in the crowd hurled an iron sphere filled with dynamite into the ranks of officers. The bomb exploded, the police opened fire into the crowd, and in the ensuing riot, seven policemen and several workers were killed. At the time, it was one of the most deadly acts of terrorism that had ever taken place on American soil. While the bomb-thrower was never caught, seven anarchist leaders were arrested and convicted of conspiracy. Five of them were hanged.
Haymarket focuses on one of those leaders, Albert Parsons, and his wife Lucy Parsons, a bi-racial ex-slave. Using newspapers, trial transcripts, and original scenes, the play shows the aftershocks from the May 4 explosion that rocked the city of Chicago in the summer of 1886. The play begins moments after the bomb is thrown, and follows the lives of anarchists, policemen, elected officials, and ordinary citizens in the aftermath of tragedy and through the first 'red scare' in American history."
"The Alchemy Theatre Company Of Manhattan, Inc. exists to produce vivid theatrical productions, devoted to visceral storytelling of contemporary, classical, and new works, and a collaborative approach to artistry, which will resonate with a diverse New York audience. Two of the past acclaimed productions of ATCNY have been the first NYC productions of Speed-The-Plow and The Normal Heart after their original New York premieres."
Performances of the limited engagement of Haymarket are Monday, Wednesday – Saturday at 8:00 pm and Sunday at 2:00 and 7:00 pm. Tickets are only $15.00. They are available through Ticket Central: (212) 279-4200 or www.ticketcentral.com. For more information, visit www.atcny.org.
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