BYGONE FRUIT Will Make World Premeire at Project Y Theatre in June

Project Y Theatre will present the World Premiere of Bygone Fruit by Banna Desta, directed by Celestine Rae, as part of the 9th Annual Women in Theatre Festival at Theatre 154 (154 Christopher St #1E, New York, NY 10014), June 6-23.

Blake and Selam appear to be a perfect couple—but that harmony is put to the test when they prepare for their families to meet for the first time. During a tense cook-off, subtle and startling revelations are made about their respective identity, Black heritage and views on the diaspora, creating a divide that might be too great to overcome.

The cast will feature Landon G. Woodson (The Taste of It at Theatre 54) and Antu Yacob (The Fire This Time Festival, Season 11). The design team will include Set Design by Chen-Wei Liao(A Girl is a Half-Formed Thing with Irish Rep), Lighting Design by Elizabeth M. Stewart (Between the Threads at HERE), and Sound Design by Tate Abdullah (What The Constitution Means To Me with City Theatre Company, Pittsburgh). 

Performances will take place on Thursday, June 6 at 7pm, Friday, June 7 at 7pm, Saturday, June 8 at 7:30pm, Saturday, June 15 at 5:30pm, Wednesday, June 19 at 7pm, Friday, June 21 at 7:30pm, Saturday, June 22 at 8:15pm, and Sunday, June 23 at 8:15pm. Tickets ($25) are available for advance purchase at www.witfestival.projectytheatre.org. The performance will run approximately 50 minutes, with no intermission. 

Banna Desta (Playwright) is an Eritrean and Ethiopian-American writer for the stage and screen. She crafts stories about and for the African diaspora. Her work for the stage has been supported and developed by SPACE on Ryder Farm, Audible Theater, Rattlestick Theater, Project Y Theater, Atlantic Theater Company, National Black Theater, and the Dramatists Guild Foundation. She received her MFA in Dramatic Writing at NYU where she currently teaches undergraduate students

Celestine Rae (Director) is a director, actress, dancer, and educator. Her artistic journey began as a modern dancer in her hometown of Philadelphia where she studied dance at Philadanco!, Koresh, and Soliloquy in Motion Dance Studios. Her training in various forms of dance grew into a deep passion for the theatre. Celestine is a graduate of The William Esper Studio where she studied under Terry Knickerbocker. Celestine has directed for The United Solo Festival, Project Y Theatre, Keen Teens, The Planet Connections Theatre Festivity, and various staged and private play readings. She was also the co-creator and co-artistic director of The Naked Expedition Project, a play reading series dedicated to showcasing underrepresented voices and stories in theatre. She also served as Artistic Director of Keen Teens Festival of New Work in their 16th & 17th seasons. Celestine teaches acting at Pace University, New York University- Experimental Theatre Wing, The New York Conservatory for Dramatic Arts, and Primary Stages.

The Women in Theatre Festival seeks to broaden the opportunities for women in the entertainment industry by producing new work by women with more than 50% representation of all artists involved. Our festival is a model of going beyond parity, as we commission and produce new works by women+ writers, devisers, and creators, develop an audience interested in feminist theatre, and foster opportunities that center interdisciplinary practices and experimentation. More Women. More Theatre. All the Time.

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