Brave New World Repertory Theatre to Present MOON FOR THE MISBEGOTTEN in May

Brooklyn’s Brave New World Repertory Theatre will present Eugene O’Neill’s classic play, A Moon for the Misbegotten, for eight immersive outdoor performances in May and June. True to Brave New World Rep’s mission, they are presenting it in a uniquely immersive way, using the exteriors of two historic Brooklyn houses as backdrop. Performances are set for May 17-18, May 24-25 at The Old Stone House in Park Slope, and June 15-16, June 22 at Wyckoff House Museum in East Flatbush.

To enhance the immersive experience, two special free performances have been designated as time-specific. Says director Claire Beckman, cofounder/producing artistic director of Brave New World Rep, “A Moon for the Misbegotten might well be called a sequel to Long Day's Journey into Night that I think could be called Long Night’s Journey into Day (since the play ends at dawn). We’re presenting two of our outdoor performances starting at 4am and ending at sunrise to give the characters and the audience the immersive experience of birdsong and early morning light.”

Set during Prohibition, A Moon for the Misbegotten deals with the timely themes of love, guilt, alcoholism, and redemption. Jim Tyrone, haunted by the recent death of his mother, is consumed with guilt about his drinking which she had begged him not to do and which now prevents him from accepting love from Josie Hogan, the play’s central character. On this particular night, knowing the moon will be out, Josie Hogan tries to escape the hold of her chronically drunk father and to break the cycle of loneliness for herself and Jim. 

The two 4am performances will end at 6:15 with a complimentary breakfast, says Beckman. “It’s an unprecedented opportunity to experience the actual break of day when the characters do. Josie and Jim’s night together is an exploration of our human need for connection. It’s a brief miracle… a new dawn.”

Says Beckman, “The play, set more than 100 years ago, resonates right now with themes of loneliness, class warfare, and the absence of any social safety net. Welcome back to America in 1922 – pre-FDR’s New Deal, Civil Rights and Women’s movements, and Roe v Wade. We all need some affordable escape that isn’t on our screens. So, we invite the audience to fight the ‘bad crazy’ with some ‘good crazy.’ Come spend a night with strangers, watch the sun rise, and make a connection through the poetry of Eugene O’Neill.”

The cast includes Alex Dmitriev* as Phil Hogan, John Edmond Morgan* as James Tyrone, Christopher Sears* as Mike Hogan/T. Stedman Harder/guitarist, and Erin Treadway* as Josie Hogan. The creative and crew team features Claire Beckman as the director and Celeste Muniz* as the producing associate/stage manager. (*Member of AEA)