ISLANDER From Liza Birkenmeier and Katie Brook Set to Premiere in August at HERE

Following their 2019 production of Dr. Ride's American Beach House, playwright Liza Birkenmeier and director KATIE BROOK are set to premiere their next collaboration, ISLANDER, as part of SubletSeries@HERE. ISLANDER repurposes verbatim NHL commentary from the abysmal 2017-2018 New York Islanders season into a sharp comedy about white male fragility, expressiveness, and shame. Previews begin at HERE (145 Sixth Avenue, Manhattan) on August 19, 2021, with an opening set for August 21, for a limited run through September 4, 2021. Tickets are on sale now at https://here.org/shows/islander/ .

ISLANDER, which was originally scheduled to premiere March 27-April 11, 2020, is one of the first canceled productions to reopen following the pandemic.

The 2017-2018 NHL season was an embarrassment for the New York Islanders. Displaced from their home rink and in danger of losing their captain, they never made it to the playoffs. ISLANDER packs all of the feelings of the rowdy, deceived, passionate New York Islanders fan base into one man's body. Birkenmeier and Brook explore the crisis of the team as the crisis of white male identity.

ISLANDER centers on one man who is determined to have a season of self-improvement. He knows he deserves to win. He can feel it. But as the weeks wear on, his situation only gets worse, in every way possible. A shadow of his former dominance, his current status is ever-crumbling and increasingly embarrassing. In ISLANDER, the humiliating 2017-18 New York Islanders season becomes a one-man dramedy about rooting for yourself even when you're terrible.

Writer Liza Birkenmeier and director KATIE BROOK commented, "The decentralization of the straight white male identity-and the angst that decentralization is creating-feels even more timely since we first started working on ISLANDER in 2019. We find America's obsession with White Male Comfort terrifying and pitiable. As we emerged following the pandemic, we think that this shaky-ground moment can be an interesting one for contemplation and growth for everyone and can be best, or perhaps only, explored through the perspectives of people who have not been privileged by it."

ISLANDER stars David Gould as Man and includes supporting performances by Dick Toth as Other Man and newcomer Aksel Latham-Mitchell as John Tavares..

The creative team for ISLANDER includes set and lighting designer Josh Smith, choreographer Katie Rose McLaughlin, and sound designer Ben Williams.

Sixteen performances of ISLANDER will take place August 19-September 4 at HERE, located at 145 Sixth Avenue, just below Spring Street, in Manhattan. Critics are welcome as of August 19 for an opening on Sunday, August 22. Tickets, which are free with RSVP from August 19-22 and $25 from August 24 - September 4, are available online at https://here.org/shows/islander/ or by phone at 212-647-0202. Standard ticketing fees apply.

Performances at HERE on Tuesdays through Saturdays are Vaccinated Only Performances; patrons attending performances on these days will be required to show proof of vaccination and be masked inside the building. Performances on Sundays are Accommodation Performances, for patrons who are fully-vaccinated or have a negative COVID test. On Sundays, audience capacity will be limited to 50% (less than 50 patrons), and all audiences will be required to complete HERE's health survey prior to or upon arrival at HERE. As part of the health survey and upon arrival at HERE, audiences are required to show proof of vaccination or a negative COVID test in the last 72 hours. Masking is required of all staff and audiences at all times while inside the building.

HERE's Comprehensive Site Safety and Reopening Plan can be found at reopening.here.org. The designated HERE Site Safety Monitor will be present at every performance and will be responsible for enforcing compliance with this Safety Plan.

ISLANDER is produced by Televiolet and was developed through a New Georges Audrey Residency. In its Supported Productions program, New Georges provides resources, mentorship and an institutional platform to its affiliated artists who are producing their work independently. The production is a part of SubletSeries@HERE: a curated rental program, which provides artists with subsidized space and equipment, as well as a technical liaison.

DETAILS:

Televiolet presents

ISLANDER
Compiled by Liza Birkenmeier
Directed by KATIE BROOK
A New Georges Supported Production

Previews: August 19-20 at 8:30pm; August 20 at 4pm

Opening: Saturday, August 21 at 8:30pm
Regular: August 24-28, August 31-September 4 at 8:30pm; August 27 & September 3 at 4pm

HERE (145 Sixth Avenue, Manhattan)
https://here.org/; 212-647-0202

Tickets: Free with RSVP, August 19-22; $25, August 24 - September 4

To post a comment, you must register and login.