Two Innovative Companies Join Forces For NYC Women's Fund Supported Play HOW TO MELT ICE

Maria-Cristina Fusté, Executive Artistic Director of Boundless Theatre Company and Melody Brooks, Artistic Director of New Perspectives Theatre Company are using the combined strengths of their two companies--NPTC has an award-winning history of developing new plays by women and BTC has a team of top-notch designers working on Broadway, Off-Broadway and in Regional theatres--to produce How to Melt ICE, a new play by Amalia Oliva Rojas, running Wednesday, February 1 to Saturday, February 11, 2023. The play is directed by Elena Araoz.

This powerful new play draws on Rojas' own experience as a "Dreamer" and immigration rights activist and explores the generational divide between those who came to the U.S. as children and those that carried them here in search of a better life. Set between 2017 and 2019, when the undocumented were increasingly at risk--even DACA recipients were not safe, the play's characters must navigate a minefield of "do's" and "don'ts" in every relationship, and love is the casualty. A chorus of three Tias guide the audience on this journey, with their own brand of dark humor.

Developed in NPTC's Women's Work LAB, the play received a grant from the prestigious NYC Women's Fund for this premiere staging. All performances are at the Julia de Burgos Performance and Arts Center, 1680 Lexington Avenue, New York, NY.

The design team includes Raul Abrego (Scenic), Maria-Cristina Fusté (Lights), Christopher Vergara (Costumes), and Nathan Leigh (Composer/Sound). Ray Rodriguez is the Fight/Intimacy Director; Melody Brooks is Dramaturg. Omayra Garriga is Props Master and Assistant Scenic Designer; Orianna Lineweaver is Assistant Costume Designer, Kaelani Burja is Assistant Director and Zeynep Akca is Production Stage Manager. Amy Palen is Associate Producer.

The cast includes Claudia Acosta, Regina Carregha, Brenda Flores, Bruce Jimenez, Tatiana Mirabent, Jomack Miranda and Bradley Tejada*.

A Special Talkback Series, produced by Gwynn MacDonald, is being offered for audiences to engage with the themes of the play, with members of the creative team and special guests offering insight into the creative process and the realities of immigration from a variety of angles.

· Thursday Feb 2: Immigration: The Picture on the Ground: a discussion focused on the lived experience of people impacted by our broken immigration system, featuring volunteers and organizations who step in to advocate for, aid and support them.

· Saturday, Feb 4: Visual Storytelling: An Insider's Look at Creating the World of a Play: Director Elena Araoz joins Costume Designer Christopher Vergara to talk about their process and inspirations for making visible the lives of those who inhabit the world of this play.

· Wednesday, Feb 8: Immigration Policy: Where Are We Now, What Does the Future Look Like?: Special guest Maribel Hernandez Rivera (ACLU Deputy National Political Director, Equality Division Director) discusses immigration policies and successes.

· Thursday, Feb 9: Our National Romance with Immigration Stories: Matthew Cesario, producer at Finding Your Roots, shares some of his favorite episodes from PBS' most popular series, in a conversation about immigrant stories across media.

BOUNDLESS THEATRE COMPANY is a designer-led organization seeking to investigate, push and redefine the boundaries of theatrical storytelling. Spearheaded by women, Latinx theatre-makers and other theatre-makers of color, Boundless is committed to creating inquisitive and socially relevant theatre that prioritizes the designer's vision. The company was founded in 2006 and operates simultaneously in New York City and Puerto Rico. Past projects include the Puerto Rico premiere of The Good Body by Eve Ensler, the NYC premiere of Prospect by Octavio Solis, and the NYC premiere of Fur by Migdalia Cruz. Boundless also offers theatre classes for children, community arts programs for older adults, and mentorship opportunities for early-career theatre designers of color. The company produces both Spanish-language and English-language professional theatre, and all community programs are offered bilingually.

NEW PERSPECTIVES THEATRE COMPANY is an award-winning, multi-racial company performing at its home in the Theatre District, communities throughout NYC and as of 2015, internationally. Now in its 31st Season, notable productions of original works have included Exhibit #9 by Tracy Scott Wilson (Audelco Award); Jihad, The Play by Ann Chamberlain (OOBR Award for Excellence); Admissions by Tony Velella (10 Best Plays Citation, Backstage); the premiere of The Shaneequa Chronicles by OBIE-Winner Stephanie Berry (with Blackberry Productions); Anatomy of a Love Affair by Deirdre Hollman (Optioned by Essence Entertainment); MOTHER OF GOD! by Michele Miller (Princess Grace Foundation Finalist), and She Calls Me Firefly by Teresa Lotz (with Parity Productions, Outstanding Short Play, Innovative Theatre Awards.) The Company's mission is to use theatre as an agent for social change by developing and producing new plays and playwrights, especially women and people of color; presenting classic plays in a style that addresses contemporary issues; and extending the benefits of theatre to communities in need. Our aim is not to exclude but to cast a wider net.

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