Waterwell has announced the U.S. premiere of 7 Minutes, produced in association with Working Theater. Originally written in Italian by Stefano Massini (The Lehman Trilogy), this production is also the English-language premiere of the play, with a translation by Francesca Spedalieri commissioned by Waterwell. Directed by Mei Ann Teo (SKiNFoLK: An American Show), 7 Minutes will play March 17 through April 10, 2022 at HERE in Manhattan.
Based on actual events, 7 Minutes depicts an urgent meeting of the 11 women elected to the union council of their rural Connecticut textile factory. Changes at the factory seem inevitable when new owners take over, giving the council only 90 minutes to vote on a decision with serious consequences for everyone at the factory. Tempers flare and anxieties boil over as individual needs, perspectives and suspicions vie for position while the clock runs down.
A razor-sharp portrait of unionized factory workers grappling in real time with the power imbalance they depend on for their very livelihoods, 7 Minutes scrutinizes the individual impact of the economic forces and labor practices currently under debate in the United States. Best known in New York for his acclaimed play The Lehman Trilogy - a searing study in the unfettered pursuit of wealth by early captains of American industry - Massini tracks in 7 Minutes the lasting effects of the capitalist system they helped build on the workers of today, who bear the brunt of ever-tightening productivity demands and decades of government policy and business interest weakening the labor movement.
7 Minutes has been produced around the world, including in Italy, France, Germany and Iran. In translating the play to English, Spedalieri and Waterwell Artistic Director
Lee Sunday Evans chose to set it in an area of the U.S. where a small number of long-standing textile factories that rely on intricate craftsmanship and skilled physical labor are still in operation today.
Evans said in a statement, "In working on Stefano's plays, I've been deeply inspired by his ability to craft riveting, emotional stories about how global economic forces affect everyday people. 7 Minutes lets audiences in on a thorny debate among unionized workers facing both employers and a culture that have worn down the power of many unions since the 1970s. Our shared cultural understanding of collective action is in a state of flux; workers across the U.S. are asking, 'How much can we risk? What will we tolerate? What could we accomplish together?.'"
7 Minutes will feature scenic design by
You-Shin Chen, costume design by
Asa Benally, lighting and sound design by Hao Bai, and props design by
Patricia Marjorie.
Taylor Williams is the casting director,
Victor Cervantes Jr. is the line producer, and
Brittany Coyne is the production manager. AriDy Nox serves as dramaturg.
Casting for 7 Minutes will be announced later.
This 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.
Tickets are priced according to a Sliding Scale Ticketing Initiative, reflecting Waterwell and Working Theater's commitment to accessibility. For tickets, visit
here.org. HERE is located at 145 6th Avenue in Manhattan (Enter on Dominick Street, one block south of Spring Street).
To learn more about 7 Minutes, visit waterwell.org.
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