Brave New World Rep Presents GO DOWN MOSES

Wrapping up its fourth annual new play reading series Brave New Works 2021: Zoom, Brooklyn's Brave New World Repertory Theatre announces its third and last offering, Go Down Moses by Dana Leslie Goldstein, set for March 28 at 7pm. Every year, Brave New Works sorts through dozens of submissions to select new plays that address hot-button issues - Race in America, Diversity, Climate Change, and now Police Brutality and Reform.

What does it mean to be an ally? It's 1985. Ethics Professor Philip Hoffman and Dean of Students Albert Becker marched side-by-side for civil rights, registered voters together during freedom summer, and maintain a friendship across boundaries of race, religion and country of birth. At their liberal university, they train the next crop of activists. But when a star student invites a controversial speaker to campus, free speech becomes a battle cry and still festering inequities are impossible to ignore.

The live reading at 7pm will be recorded, then made available on YouTube for the next four days. Free with a suggested donation of $15 to help compensate the artists.

Reservations are necessary, click here.

A panel discussion after the reading will be moderated by artist/activist Gina Belafonte with the playwright Dana Leslie Goldstein, director Tai Thompson.

Special Guest: EMILY MANN, multi-award-winning playwright/screenwriter/director; artistic director-resident playwright, Princeton's McCarter Theatre Center for past 30 years.

Cast: Toree Alexandre, Angela; Ezra Barnes, Hoffman; Maggie Horan, Katie; Nadia Diamond, Jessica; Dexter McKinney, Terry; Nathan Salstone, Isaac; Michelle Lavergne, Stage Directions; Lindsay Smiling, Becker.

Original illustration by Taylor Morgan.

BNW producing artistic director Claire Beckman says "Our longstanding social justice mission was sparked most recently by the murders of Breonna Taylor and George Floyd. In July we put out a call for plays that address police brutality. Two Black actors in our resident company, Dexter McKinney and Nixon Cesar, stepped up as our literary team's co-curators. Now, given the sedition we saw at the Capitol on January 6, and the complicity and passivity of law enforcement, we are more determined than ever to tell stories about the inequities Black Americans endure daily. BNW is committed to giving 10% of all donations to #BlackLivesmatter."

Co-curator Nixon Cesar says the selection process "has been a wonderful experience. It granted me the chance to read some stunning plays on the BLM movement." His co-curator Dexter McKinney adds the process "has been therapeutic and inspiring. I'm looking forward to experiencing my favorite part of it all, the performance!"

Past notable BNWorks playwrights have included: Charles L. Mee, Donnetta Lavinia Grays, Stefanie Zadravec, Malcolm Tariq Kristoffer Diaz, and Erin Courtney and notable directors have included May Adrales, Tamilla Woodard, Lisa Peterson and Liesl Tommy.