EST/Going to the River presents
The River Crosses Rivers II
A Festival of Short Plays by Women of Color
Dates: Wednesday, September 14 – Sunday, October 2 2011
Started in 1999, EST/Going to the River addresses the critical lack of opportunity for women playwrights of color. The goal, simply put, is to give these women the kind of exposure that is provided by EST, whose goal is to nurture individual theatre artists and to develop new American plays. The River Crosses Rivers II is a stellar lineup of playwrights whose voices add richness and texture to the American Canon.
COMIDA DE PUTA (F#@king Lousy Food) by Desi Moreno-Penson, directed by José Zayas* with Maggie Bofill+, Gilbert Cruz+, Ismael Cruz Cordova, Susanna Guzmán+
Phaedra in the Bronx. A bodega-owner’s wife, is madly in love with her husband’s son, the lunch-counter boy, even her friend, the neighborhood ‘spiritual’ woman, Rosalia, can’t save her.
LEARNING TO SWIM by France-Luce Benson*, directed by Elizabeth Van Dyke*
with Stephanie Berry*+, Lincoln Brown+, Ashley Bryant+, & Paulo Quiros
A woman grappling with loss discovers the only way to rise above her grief is to swim through it.
MODERN ROMANCE by Bridgette Wimberly*, directed by Chuck Patterson*
with Chike Johnson, Trish McCall+ & Harvey Gardner Moore
Tanya has been lonely for a long time. Lately she has found something exciting to do with her afternoons … but is he for real?
ONE QUARTER by Christine Jean Chambers, directed by Talvin Wilks*
with William Jackson Harper*+ & Amelia Workman+
A multi-racial woman ponders the future of her progeny— How will her child inherit a culture she’s always felt alienated from.
ONE FOR THE BROTHERS, A LOVE STORY by Pearl Cleage, directed by Woodie King, Jr. with Reggie Burch, Denise Burse+, & Morocco Omari+
A love story set during the turbulent 60′s & 70′s when revolution was the norm.
POST BLACK written & directed by Regina Taylor+
with Carmen DeLavallade+ performing September 14 – 18,
Micki Grant+ performing September 21 – 25,
& Ruby Dee+ performing September 28 – October 2
In an airport, a 110 year-old woman encounters the post black generation, much to their surprise.
THE SETTLEMENT by Philana Omorotionmwan, directed by A. Dean Irby with Denny Dale Bess*+, Teresa Stephenson+, & Marie Thomas+
New homeowners find their domestic bliss disrupted by the late-night arrival of a stranger who insists that the couple’s home is rightfully hers.
SKIN by Naveen Bahar Choudhury, directed by Jamie Richards* with Vandit Bhatt+ & Nitya Vidyasagar*+
A classic tale of Hip Hop Wannabe Boy meets Disenchanted Poet Girl.
WAKING UP by Cori Thomas*, directed by Tea Alagić with Lynnette Freeman+ & Amy Staats*+
Two women on different continents face breast cancer. A play about what separates us and what makes us the same.
*denotes member of EST
+denotes member of Equity
“I met Mr. Right a thousand times. I just never got his name.”
AEA Stage Manager working in and around the New York City area.