In 1919, three teenage friends from a rough neighborhood in Philly run away to New York City with stolen money for a last week of wild boyhood freedom before returning to the consequences. One of these three boys, Jimmy Hall, grew up to be my grandfather, a bare-knuckles boxer who trained with the legendary Jack Dempsey, and who used those skills later in alleyways against federal agents.
This NYC adventure is just one family legend contained in "Hope Street", my one-person show named after the actual address on which my ancestors had their first home in America. My grandfather was a remarkable storyteller who gave our family the great gift of Our Own Story, and, now, I get to bring those boys back to NYC again. Stories about a time when 'contact' meant face-to-face and row homes were the spine of a growing city. They were five brothers living together trying to survive the Great Depression and each other, making huge mistakes like throwing out an entire bathtubful of hootch because there was a cop at the door, who, it turned out, only wanted directions, but otherwise getting all the important things right.
2016 United Solo, the world's largest solo theatre festival, currently in its 7th year, will present 120 shows from six continents at Theatre Row: 410 West 42nd Street, New York City. TICKETS, with a price of $20.25 ( which includes a $2.25 theatre restoration charge ) are available at Theatre Row box office, 410 West 42nd Street, New York, NY 10036, as well as over the phone at 212.239.6200 and online at
telecharge.com. More details can be found at
www.unitedsolo.org.
