Castillo Theatre Announces 2010-2011 Season

The Castillo Theatre announces its twenty seventh season of experimental, political theatre entitled Where We Are and How We Got Here. The season will feature: two plays by Fred Newman, Castillo's artistic director emeritus and playwright-in-residence; a performatory montage of the work of the late East German playwright Heiner Müller; a festival of new plays by young playwrights from Castillo's Youth Onstage! Playwriting Workshop featuring young people from New York's inner-city communities; as well as ongoing musical improv comedy and neighborhood talent shows. These performances will be held at the Castillo Theatre, 543 West 42nd Street (bet. 10th and 11th Ave) and in New York City's communities. The season gets underway on October 23rd with an All Stars Talent Show at Jamaica High School and with Playing With Heiner Müller, opening November 5. For tickets and information please call the Castillo Box office at 212-941-1234 or go to www.castillo.org.

The season opens with Playing With Heiner Müller, (November 5 - December 12) directed by All Stars Project president and CEO Gabrielle L. Kurlander, text by Heiner Müller, songs by Fred Newman and choreography by Lonné Moretton. This production, with an all Black cast, explores the weird and wonderful love affair between Müller, one of Europe's most sophisticated avant-garde playwrights, and Castillo, a theatre that often introduces live theatre to people for the first time in their lives.

The two plays by Fred Newman, include his very first play, Mr. Hirsch Died Yesterday, (January 21 - February 20) which explores the nature of social identity. It's directed by Woodie King, Jr., the founding director of the New Federal Theatre and one of the country's most important African American directors and producers. The season also features Newman's only dance drama, License to Dream, (April 22 - May 21) which projects the All Stars Project's pedagogy into song and dance. It's directed by actor and director David Nackman, with dances by choreographer Javier Dzul and music by David Truskinoff.

This spring, Castillo is presenting a festival of new plays by playwrights from the Youth Onstage! Playwriting Workshop. The Young Playwrights From Castillo festival (March 4 - 13) is a living example of ordinary people - in this case, poor and working class young people of color - telling their own stories, writing their own plays, and shaping their own history.

Castillo also produces, through the All Stars Talent Show Network, (selected Saturdays) hip-hop talent shows in communities all over New York City. A Back to School trip takes adult supporters to the shows. Throughout the season, musical improv comedy shows will be performed by The Proverbial Loons, Castillo's comedy troupe (October 29, 30 and selected Fridays and Saturdays).

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