Sanitation Workers Take Center Stage In World Premiere at Philadelphia Theatre Company

Honoring our essential workers, Philadelphia Theatre Company welcomes audiences back to the Suzanne Roberts Theatre for in-person theatre with a hopeful story about finding common ground in the most uncommon places. PTC is thrilled to kick-off its 2021-2022 season with the Co-World Premiere of Lindsay Joelle's The Garbologists, from November 11 to December 5, 2021, with opening night on Wednesday, November 17th.

This timely and relevant Co-World Premiere with Pittsburgh's City Theatre, features a white, conservative, proud union member and a Black, liberal, ivy-educated newbie who just joined the sanitation route. When they find something on the curb too valuable to throw away, they're forced to re-evaluate each other and accept each other on their own terms.

Directed by Brooklyn-based Estefanía Fadul, The Garbologists stars Bensalem native Ngozi Anyanwu, making their Philadelphia region debut, joined by Philadelphia favorite Steven Rishard.

Tickets are on sale now starting at $35. PTC continues its 10Tix program, supported by PNC Arts Alive, providing a select number of seats at $10 for every performance. As a thank you for their bravery and perseverance during the pandemic, those who identify as essential workers will have advance access to a reserved set of 10Tix for each performance.

Tickets are available at www.philatheatreco.org or by phone at 215-985-0420. All shows are performed at PTC's home at the Suzanne Roberts Theatre, 480 South Broad Street, Philadelphia, PA 19146.

For the health and safety of patrons, cast, crew and staff, PTC will require that audience members present proof of vaccination and wear a mask while in the venue, aligning with the safety protocols outlined by Theatre Philadelphia. PTC is also offering reduced capacity seating in its mezzanine for audience members who would like to take an additional precaution at the theatre.

For the kick-off of its 47th season, Philadelphia Theatre Company returns with this fresh, off-beat buddy comedy about two essential workers from different worlds who discover there's more that binds them than taking out the trash.

"When I first read The Garbologists, the writing struck me as so deceptively funny, yet the themes of the play were really deep," said PTC Producing Artistic Director Paige Price (she/her). "It was 2018, and we were talking about how relevant this show was even then. I mean, the metaphors about what people toss aside and how one person's trash is another's treasure. It sounded like pure gold, couched in an intimate buddy comedy with two unlikely truck mates. It just felt so fresh and I knew audiences who were just getting their theatre sea legs would really enjoy this world premiere. I had no idea several years later this story would become so timely and relevant during the pandemic."

In the story, Danny is a white, blue-collar mansplainer hiding a heart of gold. Marlowe is a Black, Ivy League-educated newbie who just joined his route. When these two polar opposites are thrown together on Marlowe's first day at the city sanitation department, they're forced to find a steady rhythm, despite their differences. This odd couple starts their 6:00am shift trading barbs, one-upping each other and practicing the secret art of mongo: hunting for treasure in the trash. Somewhere along the route Danny slowly earns Marlowe's trust by sharing hard-earned tricks of the trade. As Marlowe and Danny's lives become increasingly entwined, their initial bickering gives way to a reluctant bond over the broken, beautiful things people discard in the trash.

For research for the production, the playwright went into the actual streets and back alleys of America with sanitation workers from around the county. Joelle said, "The Garbologists is the product of five years of research and fieldwork with sanitation workers who generously showed me around their trucks, garages, and (my favorite), the secret NYC Museum of Trash. The play's world premiere was postponed in 2020 due to the pandemic, during which time sanitation men and women around the country proved how truly essential they are to our daily health and safety. Working one of the top five most dangerous jobs in the country, they are our nation's unsung heroes, and I hope this funny, provocative, heartwarming play will shine a light on their stories."

The Garbologists garnered several accolades ahead of its World Premiere, including an Ensemble Studio Theatre/Sloan Science and Technology Commission, 2020 Kilroys List, 2019 Kilroys List Honorable Mention, and a Susan Smith Blackburn Nomination.

For the Philadelphia production, Estefanía Fadul makes her PTC directorial debut at the helm of this hilarious World Premiere. She recently directed the Drama League Award nominated Carla's Quince, created with The Voting Project. The Garbologists co-stars Ngozi Anyanwu making her PTC and Philadelphia-region debut as Marlowe. She is a Bensalem native and a playwright who most recently appeared in her own two-actor play The Last of the Love Letters at the Atlantic Theater Company, with Tony Award-nominee Daniel J. Watts. Steven Rishard co-stars in his return to PTC to play Danny. Rishard was last seen at PTC in Lisa D'Amour's Detroit and his most recent stage appearance was in The Wilma Theater's Describe The Night.

Christopher Ash (he/him) returns to PTC as the Scenic Designer, after most recently designing PTC's production of Lynn Nottage's Sweat. LeVonne Lindsay (she/her) and Alyssandra Docherty (she/her) were also on the creative team for Sweat, and they return to PTC as the Costume Designer and Lighting Designer, respectively. Docherty tours internationally as a lighting designer with Ballet X and Koresh Dance Company. Philadelphia Sound Designer and Composer Daniel Ison (he/him) is creating the sound for this world premiere. Alison Hassman (she/her), who served as Stage Manager for Everything is Wonderful at PTC in 2020, returns for the season. Clare Drobot (she/her), the co-Artistic Director at City Theatre is Dramaturg, Jamel Baker (he/him) is Production Assistant and Noelle Diane Johnson (she/her) will serve as EDI Officer for The Garbologists.

Following The Garbologists, the season continues in the new year with Tarell Alvin McCraney's smash hit Choir Boy, set to run from February 18 to March 13, 2022. Choir Boy will be directed by PTC Resident Artist Jeffrey Page (he/him). The season concludes with the World Premiere of Madeline Sayet's solo show, Where We Belong, from April 15 to May 8, 2022. Where We Belong launches a national tour with this production at PTC.

Individual show tickets are now on sale for The Garbologists starting at $35. Subscriptions to the Philadelphia Theatre Company 2021-2022 season are also on sale now. The three-show subscription package runs $72-114 per person. PTC also continues its 10Tix program with the support of PNC Arts Alive, and this year those who identify as essential workers, including sanitation workers, first responders, healthcare heroes, and front line workers will receive special advance access to a reserved set of 10Tix for each performance as thanks for their bravery and perseverance during the pandemic.

Tickets, subscriptions and more information can be found online at www.philatheatreco.org or by phone at 215-985-0420. Connect on social with Philadelphia Theatre Company at @philatheatreco on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter.

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