Juliann Lavallee to Present New Play UNDER WOODSIDE

Under Woodside, Juliann Lavallee's newest play, puts a contemporary twist on Dylan Thomas' poetic prose style to breathe life into the story of the Sunnyside/Woodside neighborhood of Queens. Though the action of the play is confined to a single day and a few city blocks, it captures the city's flavor in a way that resonates with natives, transplants, and vacationers alike.

On writing this piece Juliann explains, "Dylan Thomas' Under Milkwood marinated in my mind for over a decade and when the pandemic hit, and I could no longer leave my apartment, memories of my neighborhood bubbled. Thomas' style became a framework to describe my city: the way the air chills at night, the sound of dishes clattering in restaurants, how other people walk and move on their way to work. Under Woodside became my pandemic baby, a way to be in the world I missed so much, inaccessible though it was outside my door. I attempt to capture the beauty of the efforts, little and large, people put into living."

In this staged incarnation of the piece, artfully directed by Bryna Kearney, Under Woodside feels like a long awaited group hug after the stress this long pandemic wrought. It celebrates the diversity of being: saints and solicitors are presented as equally holy and worthy. Experiencing this will remind audiences of the intricacy, mindfulness, and love of the city that never sleeps.

Catch the show at:

Hunters Point South Park- August 6th at 7pm (@the Kayak Launch across from the intersection of 2nd St. and 56th Avenues, FREE)
Central Park’s Summit Rock- August 7th at 6:30pm (enter park at W. 81st St.,  FREE)
Astoria Park’s North Lawn- August 12th at 6:30pm (at intersection of Shore BLVD & Ditmars BLVD,  FREE)
McCarren Park’s Bedford Lawn -August 13th at 6:30PM (at intersection of Bedford & Lorimer St., FREE)
Doughboy Park- August 14th at 7 pm (@ intersection of 52nd St. and Woodside Ave., FREE)