The Hearth to Present World Premiere Of Nia Akilah Robinson's PUSH PARTY At Theaterlab

The Hearth will present the World Premiere of Push Party by Nia Akilah Robinson (The Fire This Time Festival; upcoming Playwriting MFA from Yale), directed by Chesray Dolpha (Resident Director on Tina: The Tina Turner Musical on Broadway; Artistic Director of Broadway Advocacy Coalition) at Theaterlab June 7-23. 

Nia Akilah Robinson’s Push Party is a lively ensemble comedy about six Black women trying to uphold fifteen years of friendship at a post-birthing party in Harlem. All Lelo wants is for this event to go smoothly, but tensions among the group rise and then explode when an unhoused person lands in the community room.

Inspired by Black women’s stories of birth and motherhood and by the joys and challenges of life in Harlem, this new play confronts the moments when friendship erodes, when hope starts to falter, when we argue until we laugh, and when Black folk see other Black folk suffering and die a little inside.

The cast includes Nedra Snipes (Clyde’s at The Goodman; Antigone with Classical Theatre of Harlem), Mikayla Bartholomew (Kia Corthron’s Fish with Keen Company; Yetunde Price in King Richard starring Will Smith), Claudia Logan (Diarra from Detroit on BET), Brittany Davis (Torn Asunder with Luna-Stage/">Luna Stage), Clarissa Vickerie (Juilliard), and Breezy Leigh (Clyde’s at Portland Stage). The production will feature Sound Design by Jordana Abrenica (Cambodian Rock Band with Signature Theatre), Set Design by Ant Ma (Bloom Bloom Pow at A.R.T./New York; The Great Divide at HERE), Costume Design by Patricia Marjorie (Modern Swimwear at The Tank) and Lighting Design by Xotchil Musser (The Sweet Spot at 59E59). The Production Stage Manager will be Cassandra Gutterman-Johns. 

Performances are scheduled for Friday, June 7 at 7pm, Saturday, June 8 at 7pm, Sunday, June 9 at 2pm, Monday, June 10 at 7pm, Wednesday, June 12 at 7pm, Thursday, June 13 at 7pm, Friday, June 14 at 7pm, Saturday, June 15 at 7pm, Sunday, June 16 at 2pm, Tuesday, June 18 at 7pm, Wednesday, June 19 at 7pm, Thursday, June 20 at 7pm, Friday, June 21 at 7pm, Saturday, June 22 at 7pm, and Sunday, June 23 at 2pm. Tickets (First 10 $18; General Admission $29) are available for advance purchase at https://theaterlabnyc.com/push-party-june-7-23-2024/. The performance will run approximately 80 minutes, with no intermission. 

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