UNBECOMING TRAGEDY: A RITUAL JOURNEY TOWARD DESTINY Company Announced At Long Wharf Theatre

Long Wharf Theatre has announced the cast and creative team for the world premiere of Unbecoming Tragedy: A Ritual Journey Toward Destiny, written and performed by Terrence Riggins and directed by Cheyenne Barboza.

This gripping solo drama runs May 11 - June 1, 2025, at Off Broadway Theater, behind the Shops at Yale (41 Broadway, New Haven, CT 06511), with a Pay-What-You-Can performance period from May 11-15 to ensure accessibility for all.

More than a play, Unbecoming Tragedy is a reckoning-part confessional, part ritual, part fever dream-crafted by a playwright and performer whose work has captivated audiences on both local and national stages.

For Riggins, this play is not just another production; it is a deeply personal excavation of the stories we tell ourselves to survive. His career has spanned regional and Off-Broadway theatre, film, and television, but Unbecoming Tragedy marks a homecoming. A nationally recognized artist, Riggins is also a New Haven resident, and this world premiere is an affirmation of Long Wharf Theatre's belief that some of the most vital storytelling in American theatre is happening right here, in its own backyard.

Long Wharf Theatre has been nurturing Unbecoming Tragedy for years. The journey began when Dexter Singleton and Jenny Nelson of Collective Consciousness Theatre (CCT) introduced Riggins' work to the company. In 2021, an excerpt was featured in Long Wharf Theatre's LAB series, offering a first glimpse of the piece in front of an audience. A developmental reading followed in 2022, then a staged workshop at Bregamos Community Theater in 2023, produced by CCT. With each step, the piece evolved- it was refined, sharpened, made more visceral. Now, the play finally takes full form in a production directed by award-winning theatre artist Cheyenne Barboza, whose past work includes Passing Strange at Long Wharf Theatre and The Agitators at Theatre Horizon.

"This play is about transformation-not just personal, but collective," says Riggins. "It's about how we navigate life's complexities, the roles we play, the choices we make. It's about what happens when we can no longer outrun our own truth."

For Long Wharf Theatre, Unbecoming Tragedy represents something much larger than a single production. Now in its 60th season, the company is reshaping the way theatre is made and experienced in New Haven. Its commitment to producing work beyond the walls of a traditional theatre building has brought stories into unexpected spaces-boathouses, community centers, and now, a tucked-away venue behind the Shops at Yale.

"We continue building on our history of innovation, creativity, and ingenuity for the people of Greater New Haven." says Jacob G. Padrón, Artistic Director of Long Wharf Theatre. "Unbecoming Tragedy is exactly the kind of work that drives us forward. Terrence is a singular voice, and this story is one that demands to be heard."

The production is also the latest chapter in Long Wharf Theatre's long-standing partnership with Collective Consciousness Theatre, an organization dedicated to amplifying underrepresented voices and creating theatre that fosters civic dialogue. The two companies have worked together for years to support artists whose stories reflect the realities of New Haven's diverse communities.

"Unbecoming Tragedy is a powerful exploration of the human condition, shedding light on the complexities of identity and the impact of trauma," says Dexter Singleton, Artistic Director of Collective Consciousness Theatre. "I'm excited for audiences to experience this journey at Long Wharf Theatre, where the story takes on new depth with the incredible talent on stage. It's a play that resonates with everyone, challenging us to reflect on who we are and how we evolve."

"This play was born in New Haven. It was shaped by New Haven. And now, it will be shared with the people of New Haven before it reaches national stages," says Riggins.

"This isn't just theatre. It's a conversation. It's a reckoning. It's a ritual," says Riggins. "And it starts here."

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