PATHWAY TO THE BALLOT BOX Immersive Voting Rights Experience Comes to New Paltz

Historic Huguenot Street in association with ClockJack Productions presents Pathway to the Ballot Box, a unique immersive theatrical experience that will guide visitors on a journey through more than 300 years of local women's history.

The passionate characters in Pathway to the Ballot Box are inspired by the challenges, triumphs, fears, and accomplishments of eight women who lived in New Paltz, NY over three centuries, leading to the first vote cast by a woman in New Paltz. The experience will run weekends August 21st through September 5th, 2021.

Pathway to the Ballot Box is co-produced and directed by ClockJack Productions' Artistic Director, P.J. Griffith (Broadway's American Idiot, Off-Broadway's Rock of Ages, Giant, Sleep No More). The experience is driven by monologues written by a diverse array of writers from various backgrounds and mediums, each inspired by real women from New Paltz's past.

These writers include-Kate Douglas, Vickie Ramirez, Mary Page Keller, Nia Witherspoon, Penelope Lowder, Rae Binstock, and Amber Neilson

In Pathway To The Ballot Box, several structures along the national historic landmark district of Huguenot Street will come to life, including the Jean Hasbrouck House, the Deyo House, and the 1717 Church. The experience features a cast of accomplished actor-activists that includes Janet Aldrich, Diane Perell, Montana Lampert Hoover, Crystal Tweed, Valeta Brown, Jasmine Rochelle Godspeed, Verena McBee and Megan Stacey.

"This piece is a call to arms that will hopefully leave our audience with a sense of how far we've come in the name of representation, and how much further we have left to go before we actually share a sense of equity in the decisions being made by our own government," says director/producer P.J. Griffith.

Historic Huguenot Street is honored to have the support of many SUNY New Paltz faculty and staff throughout the conceptualization and development of this program, especially from the History and Theatre Arts Departments. The program's Costume Designer, Andrea Varga, is an Associate Professor of Theatre Design at SUNY New Paltz. "This is not a replication of history," says Varga, "but a window into the lived experience of everyday, extraordinary women through artistic interpretation."

For those who want to extend their experience, a VIP luncheon will treat visitors to delicious local catering, provided by Valley Home Dining, and the opportunity to have thoughtful, inspiring conversations with a featured guest. Each luncheon will honor and highlight a different guest host, which will include Pathway to the Ballot Box producers, writers, actors, consultants, local historians, women's rights advocates, and more.

Pathway to the Ballot Box is made possible by the New York State Council on the Arts and was funded in part by Humanities New York with support from the National Endowment for the Humanities.

More information about the experience is available at https://www.huguenotstreet.org/pathway

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