Theater for the New City Presents GENERATION (BU)Y Through 5/23

The Theater for the New City presents new play from Philip Suraci, author of the TNC hit "Lysistrata's Children," GENERATION (BU)Y, opening May 6th.

 

Playing at Johnson Theater, Thursday - Sunday, April 30 - May 23, Thursday - Saturday at 7:30pm, Sunday at 3pm. Additional Performance Wednesday, May 19 at 7:30pm. All Seats $25, $20 Students & Seniors. 20% discount for groups of 10 or more

GENERATION (BU)Y-Conceived & Directed by PHILIP SURACI

"Generation (bu)Y" explains our slavery to marketing from the mouths of babes.  Conceived and directed by Philip Suraci, written by Suraci and the cast, the play will be performed by an ensemble of 18 young actors (aged 11 to 13) plus three adult actors.  It is meant to be played for an audience of adults and children over the age of ten. The intent of the production is to raise awareness of the effects marketing and advertising upon children.  "Generation (bu)Y" examines strategies used by marketers such as the belittlement of parents and adults (parent/child alienation) and the exploitation of child needs of acceptance by peers. 

In the play, a 13 year-old girl is in crisis.  She is suffering from anxiety and subject to angry outbursts at school.  Her grades are suffering.  Her mother has sent her to therapy.  Through her sessions with her therapist, the audience comes to learn about the source of her distress: the pressure to conform to what she feels others wish her to be and her perceived inability to meet those expectations (as conveyed by her peers and media).  The dialogue between the therapist and the girl introduces scenes where kids meet, like at school, the mall, a birthday party, or a bad dream.  Interspersed with these are conversations between a consultant specializing in marketing to children and a prospective client.  The marketer is "selling" her expertise while explaining to her client (and the audience) how marketers target Generation Y--those born between 1980 and 2000.  The play is contains both dialogue and songs.  In the end, the girl develops a liberating understanding of herself and is transformed to a more aware and confident state of being.  The audience is charged with the responsibility to value children as human beings rather than as sources of commerce and profit. 

Playing at Cino Theater, Thursday - Sunday, May 6 - 16. Thursday - Saturday at 8pm, Sunday at 3pm. All Seats $15. Students, Seniors, Teachers and Children under 12 are $5. TDF vouchers accepted.

Theater for the New City is located at 155 1st Avenue, New York, NY 10003. To buy tickets to performances, visit www.theaterforthenewcity.net/

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