Off-Off-Bway Comes to Life in East Village Fragments Tour

Peculiar Works Project, the 2007 Village Voice OBIE Award-winning company for its production "Off Stage: the West Village Fragments" will present the site-specific multi-venue companion piece to the West Village performance - "OFF Stage: the East Village Fragments."  The new production will travel throughout East Village streets featuring a company of 80 actors, 17 directors, and visiting over a dozen theatrical landmarks. 

Tours will start on the trapezium-shaped traffic island at the center of Astor Place, which is most notably home to the sculpture known popularly as "The Cube" (near East 8th Street and 4th Avenue).  As the tour proceeds, short scenes from landmark Off-Off Broadway plays will reawaken the actual sites where they premiered, with additional original performances between the stops.  The two-hour performance journey through the birth of Off-Off Broadway, this time in the East Village, enriches everyone: from New Yorkers who regularly attend alternative theater to visitors looking for a different kind of Manhattan walking tour.

Playwrights and plays will include: Tom Eyen (Why Hanna's Shirt Won't Stay Down); Diane di Prima (Monuments); Paul Foster (Balls); Ilsa Gilbert (The Bundle Man); Robert Heide (Why Tuesday Never Has a Blue Monday); Israel Horovitz (The Indian Wants the Bronx); Michael Locascio (A Corner of the Morning); Charles Ludlam (Conquest of the Universe or When Queens Collide); Murray Mednick and Anthony Barsha (The Hawk); Leonard Melfi (Birdbath); Rochelle Owens (Futz); Robert Patrick (Camera Obscura); Sam Shepard (Cowboys); Megan Terry, with music by Marianne de Pury (Viet Rock); Phoebe Wray (The Mulberry Bush); and Jean-Claude van Itallie (America Hurrah).

Stops will include the site or location of the following: La Mama E.T.C., the original site and the 3 subsequent ones; Theatre Genesis/St. Mark's Church-in-the-Bowery; Tempo Theatre/New York Poets Theatre (now Trash & Vaudeville); The Five Spot; Off-Bowery Theatre; The Public Theater; Astor Place Theatre; Tambellini's Gate Theater; and the Playwrights Unit.

The 17 directors will include: Tim Cusack, Jessica Davis-Irons, Mark Finley, Jeff Janisheski, Anna McHugh, Bryn Manion, Casey McLain, Belinda Mello, Chris Mirto, Kay Mitchell, Elaine Molinaro, Gabriel Shanks, Jonathan Solari, and David Vining.

All tickets after the Official Opening date on 6/17 will be $18.00; $15.00 for students and seniors.  For the first week of performances (6/14 through 6/17) all tickets will be $15.00; $10.00 for students and seniors.  TDF vouchers will be accepted.  Tickets for all performances will be available by calling 212-352-3101 or at www.theatermania.com.