REPRO ECO: TOMORROW IS NOW to Premiere at Theatre at the 14th St Y
Six playwrights and choreographer Jennifer Chin explore toxins, ecology and reproductive justice under director Lorca Peress.
REPRO FREEDOM ARTS and MULTISTAGES have announced the world premiere production of REPRO ECO: TOMORROW IS NOW, directed by Lorca Peress. REPRO ECO: TOMORROW IS NOW features six short plays by women exploring the intersection of reproductive health and environmental justice. Utilizing humor, mythology, Afro-futurism, drama, and dance, these multicultural narratives examine the impact of toxins, plastics, and ecological hurdles on our physiology, communities, and collective future, and will play a four-week limited engagement at the Theatre at The 14th St Y (344 E. 14th St, NYC).
FEMME COLLECTIVE, a producing consortium for REPRO ECO: TOMORROW IS NOW includes six additional selections: new works in development, solo shows, clown work and dance theatre (*list included below). Performances begin Wednesday, September 9 and continue through Sunday, October 4. Opening Day is Wednesday, September 16 (2 p.m.).
The project originated when ReproFreedomArts, a 24-year old theatre company dedicated to addressing reproductive health, rights, freedom, and justice, commissioned six playwrights, Diane Breeser, Cindy Cooper, Alinca Hamilton, Mildred Inez Lewis, Cassandra Medley, and Laura Shamas, to participate in several months of online discussions with specialists in environmental justice and reproductive rights throughout 2024. Drawing from these exchanges, the six writers developed the collection of new works titled Repro Eco. MultiStages subsequently partnered with ReproFreedomArts to co-produce a developmental reading series in 2024 and 2025. Lorca Peress, Artistic Director of MultiStages, a 29-year-old theatre company dedicated to multicultural and multidisciplinary new works that are socially challenging and provocative, is collaborating with her team of designers and a choreographer to craft a multidisciplinary stage interpretation of the pieces.
THE DANCES:
Four modern dances created and choreographed by Jennifer Chin bring the elements of Water, Earth, Fire, and Air to life.
THE PLAYS:
"Always Never Really Here" by Alinca Hamilton
A mother and daughter face the harsh realities of living without clean running water in the verifiably real town of Sand Branch, Texas.
"Through Water Into Blood" by Mildred Inez Lewis
After a devastating miscarriage, a West Virginia woman confronts her birth doula, and they both realize the role toxic chemicals may have played.
"Until the Change Comes" by Cindy Cooper
A branding team begins to question their work after a visit from Theo Colborn, a woman scientist from years gone by who first identified toxic harms to health.
"Figments" by Diane Breeser
A woman, discovering she is pregnant, has a comical nightmare about microplastics and small steps she can take to protect against environmental harm.
"We Are Our Ancestors Reasons for Living" by Cassandra Medley
In an Afro-futurism style, intergenerational women experience an altered world in which nature is so degraded that the outdoors must be delivered and enjoyed virtually.
"Priorities" by Laura Shamas
In a dystopian future, two gynecologists and a midwife meet in secret to prioritize the needs of their pregnant patients, so they can escape to a better environment.
'REPRO ECO: TOMORROW IS NOW is an extraordinary experience with dance, film and text that highlights the relationships between our bodies, our world and our future,' says director Lorca Peress. 'It's my pleasure to bring together our award-winning theatre company and designers with Broadway and Off-Broadway talent at Off-Off Broadway prices."
"We are addressing hot-button topics of reproductive health and environmental justice to build hope and inspiration to carry us to a better future,' states creator Cindy Cooper. "This is revolutionary storytelling that addresses topics that are percolating in the news. Extraordinary women writers are bringing these provocative stories to life."
A versatile acting ensemble of 8 actors play 18 roles, they are: James Alton (Judge Rinder, Citizen James), Gena Bardwell (Off-Bway: Our Place in Time), Jean Brookner* (Repro Eco, Side Man, The Waverly Gallery), Darlenis Duran (Dark Asset, Arthur The King, Ladylike), Joyce Griffen* (Prodigal Sister, Cotillion, Selma), Pernell Walker* (Halfway Bitches Go Straight to Heaven, City on A Hill), Brielle Webb (Short Film Body Count), and Becca Worthington (Who's Holiday, Everything To Me).
The production features scenic/property design by Jennifer Varbalow, costume design by Lisa Renee Jordan, lighting design by kia rogers, projection design by Jan Hartley, and sound design by Sun Hee Kil. The modern dances are choreographed by Jennifer Chin. Mel Ashby-Hunt is the stage manager, Matthew White is the associate stage manager, and Hadley Todoran is the Production Stage Manager. Allison Astor-Vargas is the Assistant Director; historical dramaturgy by A.J. Muhammad and project consulting by Margie Kelly (environmental communication expert). Publicity by Katie Rosin/Kampfire PR.
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