Roots and Wings Theatrical Brings Six New Shows to NYC, Now thru 5/18

For the seventh installment of the Duct Tape and A Dream Festival, Roots and Wings Theatrical will showcase six dynamic projects divided between two programs running in repertory today, May 14-18, 2014.

The festival consists of a "Duct Tape" Program and a "Dream" Program. Each program has something to offer for all audiences. The festival is truly eclectic with plays written by emerging artists exploring a variety of subjects such as linguistics, death in the family, things you may have learned in your 20s, and modern adaptations of classics (see: Crutchfield's Pe[t]er Gynt inspired by Ibsen's Peer Gynt). The programs will play in rotation at Theatre 54 at 244 West 54th Street, 12th Floor, New York, New York 10019 for five days with 42 artists sharing the stage.

The festival is produced by the Roots and Wings Board of Directors, which includes Maggie Albert, Caralie Chrisco, Lauren Rayner, and Joseph Samuel Wright. The Festival Lighting Designer is Alex Mannix and Festival Stage Manager is Josh Garon. All tickets are $18 and can be obtained at the door or purchased in advance via Smarttix.com. For more information, please visit www.rawtheatrical.org

The 2014 Festival Line Up

DUCT TAPE PROGRAM SCHEDULE

Wednesday, May 14 at 8 PM

Friday, May 16 at 8 PM

Saturday, May 17 at 3 PM

12 THINGS I LEARNED IN MY 20s

Written by Alex Beck

Directed by Leicester Landon

Featuring Billie Aken-tyers, Jason Paul Andrews, Adrian Corrie, and Brad Howe

12 THINGS I LEARNED IN MY 20s is a serio-comic monologue cycle inspired by our Buzzfeed list addictions. Charlie, who just turned 30, and his team of players lead us through their experiences in this modern decade of extended youth. We have sex with duds. We see our parents age. We cultivate an image. Life keeps going whether we participate or not. What have we learned?

COLORLESS GREEN IDEAS SLEEP FURIOUSLY

Written & Directed by Lauren Rayner

Featuring Lillith Fallon, Cameron Kalajian, Shannon Krowicki, Zachary Luke, Susan Neuffer, and Josh Marcantel

Linguistics student Emma is lost in a world of morphemes when she becomes unexpectedly pregnant in college and is unsure of the father. Friends, family, lovers, and even professors weigh in, but what will Emma decide about her future? Will she continue to investigate the explorations of Noam Chomsky or is motherhood in store? A play about the choices we make, the lovers we take, and what we designate as important in life.

PE[T]ER GYNT

Adapated and Directed by Victoria Crutchfield

Featuring Greer Davis, Alison Cheeseman, Stewart Kramer, Billie Aken-Tyers, Tamara Sevunts, Jason Paul Andrews, Daniel Holme, and Blaire O'Leary

This adapted/devised version of Ibsen's fantastical verse drama Peer Gynt will use an ensemble to create the role of the identity-confused title character and the worlds he inhabits/imagines. In reimagining this epic work for an intimate setting, we follow the Great Boyg's advice to Peer: "go roundabout."

DREAM PROGRAM SCHEDULE

Thursday, May 16 at 8 PM

Saturday, May 17 at 8 PM

Sunday, May 18 at 3 PM

A READER

Written & Performed by Daniel LeBlanc

A collage of texts centering around American Racism, both theoretical dissertations and autobiographical testimony. The voicing and juxtaposition of these texts by modern voices who do not consider themselves racist begs the question of how far we have come and what prejudice remains despite ourselves.

FUTURE ALIGNMENT WITH LASER BEAMS

Written by Alden Moore

Directed by Leta Tremblay

Featuring Raychel A. Wagner, Mason Walters, Sydney Mei Ruf-Wong

Three siblings. Two parents. One Family. We are all learning to let go of the past while some of us are letting go of the future. Life is life, until it's not.

I, SALMOME

Written by Joseph Samuel Wright

Directed by Molly Ballerstein

Featuring Gabrielle Archers, Carlo Bosticco, Brett Michael Coady, Stephanie Heitman, Daniel Holme, Franco Pedicini, Alexander Ristov, and Joseph Samuel Wright

A deconstruction of Oscar Wilde's Salome integrated with a semi-autobiographical narrative. The tale of Salome fused with the story of a young boy. The piece sets out to explore sexual power, objectification, isolation stemming from being defined by sex and identity.

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