Emerging Artists Theatre Announces Lineup For Spark Theatre Festival NYC

Emerging Artists Theatre (EAT) is kicking off their 30th anniversary season by changing the name of their bi-annual New Work Series to Spark Theatre Festival NYC. The company will also return to premiering new works Off-Broadway in Fall 2023. EAT will be announcing their upcoming Fall Off-Broadway run in the next few months, which will feature four plays developed at their new work series.

In the meantime, EAT is proud to announce that more than sixty new works (in various stages of development) will be showcased at the newly named Spark Theatre Festival NYC this spring. The diverse lineup includes 7 new musicals, 34 dance pieces, 5 solo shows, and 13 short and full-length plays. Spark Theatre Festival NYC will run March 6 - 26 at the 28th Street Theater (also known as TADA!) in New York City's Flatiron District.

EAT will also be showcasing some of their past hit plays for a one night only reading including the NY Times Critically Acclaimed play Penny Penniworth by Chris Weikel, Claymont by Kevin Brofsky, Elephant Girls by Carl Gonzales, and two evenings featuring some of EATs favorite one act plays from the past 30 years.

Company founder and Artistic Director Paul Adams shared his thoughts on the upcoming season: "Emerging Artists Theatre is bursting with excitement as we celebrate our 30th Anniversary. So many changes and upgrades from our New Work Series name change, with a new logo and website, to our return to premiering new works Off Broadway."

Adams went on to share, "After 30 years of helping over 5,000 artists develop their artistry, EAT decided a natural facelift was in order to ensure that we stay on the cutting edge for artists to expand and explore their unique voices. Our New Work Series is rechristened Spark Theatre Festival NYC, where we will continue to give artists a place to see their ideas ignite and become a strong steady flame of creativity. While we still reside at the Tada! Theater space, we are rebranding the space as the 28th Street Theater starting with our Spark Theatre Festival NYC in March, our Off Broadway premieres in September and October, and our Fall Spark Theatre Festival NYC in November."

The festival features a wide range of genre's and topics including the new musical AITQR DISPLACED 2023 which spans 6 decades and focuses on immigrant artists searching for a new home, LGBTQIA choreographers work is showcased in the dance piece Queer Noise, and the new play The N Trial puts hate speach on trial.

Tickets range between $20 - $35 and go on sale next week at www.emergingartiststheatre.org. All performances take place at the 28th Street Theater, 15 West 28th Street (between Broadway and 5th Avenue), 2nd Floor (elevator accessible), New York, NY 10001. Subways: N/R/1/2 to 28th Street, B/D/F/W to 34th Street.

SPARK THEATRE FESTIVAL NYC 2023 LINEUP

WEEK ONE

Monday, March 6 at 7pm

Penny Penniworth (play)
Writer Chris Weikel, director Mark Finley

PENNY PENNIWORTH is a labyrinthine romp through 19th century English literature as presented by a severely short-staffed theatre troupe who decide to produce a "lost" Dickens epic. Per the New York Times: PENNY PENNIWORTH "deserves to become a staple."

Tuesday, March 7 at 7pm

Elephant Girls (play)
Writer Carl Gonzales, director Derek Jamison

Sparks fly along with the laughs as five suburban housewives clash with their kids' Muslim math tutor in an evening of raucous laughter and kitchen utensils.

Wednesday, March 8 at 7pm

30th Anniversary EATfest: a sampling of short plays from the past (short plays)

Three short plays from the last 30 years with some favorite EAT playwrights including Kerri Kochanski, Jon Spano, and Chris Weikel.

Thursday, March 9 at 7pm

30th Anniversary EATfest: a sampling of short plays from the past (short plays)

Five short plays from the last 30 years with some favorite EAT comedies by Andrea Alton, Marc Castle, Audrey Cefalo, Larry Harris, and Chris Widney.

Friday, March 10 at 7pm

Frankenstein Meets the Parents (short play)
Writer Bambi Everson

Having worked out their issues, the future Mr. & Mrs. Frankenstein visit her mother's house for help planning their wedding.

Hanger-On (dance)
Choreographer/performers Bethey Ruble and Hanna Golden

Hanger-On warps the idea of audience and artists by exploring who leeches on whom and what is given up in the process.

Runaway Dance (dance)
Choreographer Anne Parichon-Buoncore

A dance that urges humans to reconnect with their true nature by practicing love and acceptance.

hey. it's over now. (dance)
Choreographer/performer by Lil Aronoff

One thought that turned into the next one, that shifted to that, that somehow spiraled all the way back around and left again. Wait, what?

Friday, March 10 at 9pm

My True Love! A Perfect Musical Fairytale (musical)
Writer Ben Boecker

A witch (who identifies as a princess) dreams of falling in love with a Perfect Prince- the kind who listens, does what he says he'll do, and is also really, like, good at cooking and stuff! - until she meets Hunter, and the Extreme Gardener from Nebraska.

Saturday, March 11 at 7pm

The Legacy (short play)
Writer Janet Sarno, director Elowyn Castle

More than "keepsakes." Will it bring them closer together or tear them apart?

Drifting (dance)
Choreographer Chiemi Ip

Moments and events of drifting in the ocean inspire movers to evaluate their relationships as they navigate through diverse motions of waves and changes in the environment.

Saturday, March 11 at 9pm

Movement II (dance)
Presented by Chutzpah Dance and guest artists

Chutzpah Dance presents works from emerging choreographers prioritizing artists from traditionally underrepresented groups.

Showgirl Interrupted (one person show)
Writer Francine Daveta, co-written Stephen Ruddy

A showgirl has reached her dream of becoming a burlesque star and, at the height of her game, she is unstoppable. Until her mother stops her.

Sunday, March 12 at 2pm

Hidden in the Spotlight (dance)
Choreographer Emma Elsmo

An ode to Dinah, Ella, and Nina.

Sunday, March 12 at 5pm

stalled (play)
Writer Kyle Mazer, director Rachel McKenna

On Derby Day, Shane Brady must gamble on his future while reckoning with his past-cling to his Jersey Shore fantasy or run life's race.

Sunday, March 12 at 7pm

Eyes on the Flag (short play)
Writer/director Katie Casebolt

Anna, a best-selling author, can't get past the emotional hurdles her last book
Former lovers go head to head in a dangerous game for justice after a tell-all book of their turbulent relationship is published.

WEEK TWO

Monday, March 13 at 7pm

Claymont (play)
Written by Kevin Brofsky, directed by Derek Jamison

It is 1969, and the world has gone crazy. American soldiers are being sent overseas to fight a war, fear and mistrust grip the nation. Meet Neil Greenglass, who pins all his hopes on an art project to win a scholarship to college. An art project no one understands.

Tuesday, March 14 at 7pm

The Shame Project (solo show)
Writer/performer by Victor Verhaeghe, director Kristin Hangii

A midwestern man reveals, and then battles the shame that was programmed in him since birth. It's a story of healing, breaking and being human.

Wednesday, March 15 at 7pm

Macha (musical)
Book/lyrics by Maria Elizabeth White, music/lyrics by Anna Marcus-Hecht, directed by Thalia Ranjbar

Macha, the ancient Irish goddess of revenge, and Tiff, a modern woman in an abusive relationship, help each other process their trauma.

Thursday, March 16 at 7pm

Queer Noise (dance)
Curated by Lavy Cavaliere, co-curated by Beatriz Castro

An experimental, multi-disciplinary, and process centered show, providing emerging QUEER choreographers with an opportunity to present work at any stage of making.

Fashioned Creature (dance)
Choreographer Sammie Murray, composer Maverik Leslie

Fashioned Creature is a response to Susan Stryker's "My Words to Victor Frankenstein" and a love letter to trans rage.

Friday, March 17 at 7pm

Signal Lost (dance)
Choreographer Laura Ardner

A depiction of how different individuals' narratives coincide as they navigate their ways through life.

We Out Here (musical)
Writer/director Samantha O'Brochta

Black actors cast in a slave movie contemplate the realities of the film industry as performers of color with limited access to diverse roles.

Friday, March 17 at 9pm

While I was Home Growing (dance)
Choreographer Lucia Gagliardone

A dance of memory excavation, built from father-daughter conversations about an ancestor, as dancers dwell in her memory through fabric and bones.

Troubleshooting (musical)
Written and composed by John Carroll, performed by The Quarry Project

A forlorn young adult and an outgoing social worker unpack their loneliness over a 30-min phone call.

Saturday, March 18 at 7pm

Kodoku (dance)
Choreographer Mayu Nakaya

kodoku: "solitude" or"loneliness" in Japanese. Seems to touch, but feels no warmth. Seems to be away, but connected at heart. Intersecting people's thoughts and feelings.

Pass the Potatoes (dance)
Choreographer Heather Dutton

A family of 7 sits down to family dinner night after night over many years. The routine is as predictable as the people around the table.

THROWING STUDY (dance)
Choreographed by Hannah Lieberman in collaboration with Stephanie Schramm

THROWING STUDY explores feminine bodily existence, physicality, and spatiality, citing Iris Young's 1980 essay "Throwing like a Girl," girlhood sports, and ballet training.

Change (dance)
Director Rebecca Allen, choreographer Maddison Clay

Change focuses on highlighting the strengths of each dancer.

Saturday, March 18 at 9pm

Praxiteles (dance)
Choreographer Leigh Ann Gann

Praxiteles allows audiences to be integral members in shaping the meaning and aesthetic of the work. It also challenges dance's traditional limitations in accessibility for both audience members and performers.

The N Trail (play)
Written by Philip C. Hall, Directed by KM Jones

America's efforts to grapple with social intolerance and politically inspired violence in the year 2023 result in the arrest of a young black man, pursuant to a newly-enacted "Hate Speech" law and his trial for "provocative and malicious use" of one of the most offensive words in the English language.

Sunday, March 19 at 2pm

Ink & Paint (short play)
Writter Danielle E. Moore, director Bailey Nassetta

Part theater, part film, this docudrama follows women artists' fight for recognition at Walt Disney Studios amid the shadow of global conflict and labor uprisings.

SyncUP: Movement, Music, Momentum (dance)
Creative Collaborative Team: Butler, Gifford, Lavie, Moredechai, Patterson, & Rubama

Six original voices collide and synchronize in this dynamic movement musical event that explores unique and diverse perspectives on sustainability in our current landscape.

Sunday, March 19 at 5pm

Confessions of a Serial Dater (short play)
Created by Temese Chavis, written by Temese Chavis and Dawnita Spencer

Set in Harlem, NY, an ambitious matchmaker becomes obsessed with breaking the cycle of failed black relationships; she seeks to find black love for her clients and for herself. Unfortunately, she can't get past the first date.

Sunday, March 19 at 7pm

on being (dance)
Choreographed by Taylor Hollingsworth in collaboration with Maya Lam

What are the effects of the sacrifices made in our pursuit of an idyllic world?

Watching It Unfold (dance)
By the Terre Dance Collective

A movement journey of connection & reflection.

WEEK THREE

Monday, March 20 at 7pm

Transition (one person show)
Written, composed, and performed by Jermaine Rowe, directed by Ricardo Barrett

After the death of a trans teenager a community decides if they deserve the Jamaican folkloric death ritual.

Tuesday, March 21 at 7pm

Echo: A Musical Quest (musical)
Written by Deniz Demirkurt and Ella Sodam Yoon

Inspired by the Greek mythology of Echo, this is the story of someone finding the courage to speak up even when punished for doing so.

Wednesday, March 22 at 7pm

sit under my skin (dance)
Choreographer Elizabeth Siani

An immersive expression of discomfort. A work that explores how discomfort manifests in one's body, mind and spirit.

bouquet (dance)
Choreographer Catherine Messina

Are we an orchid - more sensitive to our environment? Or are we dandelions - more adaptable to every obstacle we face?

Thursday, March 23 at 7pm

take off the veil (dance)
Choreographed and performed by Haley Morgan Miller

"take off the veil" is a vision of the emotional labor it takes to be at peace with heart and mind, and every relationship surrounding them.

Lili'uokalani (dance)
Choreographer Lili Tewes

LILI'UOKALANI is a portrait of the only queen of Hawai'i, the last sovereign monarch, and her fierce fight for her land and her people.

journey (dance)
Choregraphed by Kate Binder with musical artists Jess Jones, Rob Flax, and more

A distorted movement journey through time.

Thursday, March 23 at 9pm

AITQR DISPLACED 2023 (musical)
Written and directed by Carrie Beehan, music direction by Charles Duke

When Immigrant Artists leave their quiet rooms of contemplation this is what happens. A true story spanning six decades, a defector, a temporary worker, a video editor, a pianist, a puppeteer, a lawyer and a seer sing the universal story of searching for home.

Friday, March 24 at 7pm

My Apocalypse (dance)
Co-directed by Mimi Doan and Cole Stapleton

Drained of familiarity, plush and ripe with effort; shame monsters roam the desert, cruising one another as the world crumbles.

You're Not Allowed to Ask Me That (solo show)
Written and performed by Jake Alexander, directed by Hayley Moir

A one-person show about falling in- and out- of love with theatre

Friday, March 24 at 9pm

Dark Forest (dance)
Choreographer Cherri Nelle Thompson

Dark Forest highlights the levity of finding friendship and creating family after a tragic loss.

Maybe You Just Think They're Handsome (solo show)
Writer Jason Buchel

A young man in therapy remembers telling his parents he's gay at 10 then grapples with a question-what does it mean to fully trust yourself?

Double Bind (dance)
Choreographed and performed by Sara Pizzi and Aika Takeshima (sarAika)

A project that will translate the women's voices into movements delivering a universal message of equity, diversity, inclusivity & human connections.

Saturday, March 25 at 7pm

RETROSPECTRAL (dance)
Directed and choreographed by Nadia Khayrallah and Whitney Janis

The program includes two World Premieres, new music, and poetry that guides the audience between past and present.

Mother Nature's Bitch (dance)
Choreographer by Caroline Alter

Is our path in our control or are we just following a set cycle that we perceive through different lenses each time?

Sunday, March 26 at 2pm

Will Wilson Saves the World: A New Musical (musical)
Book and lyrics by Lyndsey Chance, music by Michelle Lugo, directed by Kristy Thomas

Eighty-year-old Will Wilson recalls losing his childhood friend to a violent massacre near the end of World War II. Meanwhile, his granddaughter seeks justice for the escaped Nazi SS officer who perpetrated this tragedy 60+ years ago. As her story thematically intersects with her grandfather's past, she learns that life is about making choices.

Sunday, March 26 at 5pm

Nirmale | Shymale: The dualities within (dance)
Choreographed and conceptualized by Aparna Shankar and Meghana Murthy with Sri Thina Subramaniam as Advisor

Light and Dark. Compassion and Rage. Yin and Yang. These forces compete for control over our mind. What would unfold if they had to co-exist?

Three Salt, Three Sesame (dance)
Choreographer Rachel Lieblein-Jurbala

Echoing the shape of grief, "Three Salt Three Sesame" is a mercurial reflection on loss, memory and remembrance.

everyday&everynight (dance)
Choreographer Garet Wierdsma

"everyday&everynight" is an attempt to understand cycles of abuse and ways that we have been taught to be violent with ourselves since we were children.

Sunday March 26th at 7 pm

The Intermission (dance)
Choreographed by Sophie Gray-Gaillard and Olivia Passarelli

A group of 20-somethings venture on a journey of self discovery, all whilst putting on a very convincing performance.

Unrequited Headbang (dance)
Choreographed by Natalie Long

Connections, missed connections and possibly worst of all, connections that almost are. An exploration of interpersonal relationships and their complications.

Speed Dating
Written & directed by Curt Strickland

Two senior citizens, both widowed, have their first date in forty years.

Emerging Artists Theatre's New Works Series began in 2006 and focuses on new works, new talents, and new voices. Since its inception, numerous musicals, plays, solo-shows and dance pieces that were workshopped at the series have gone on to have full productions at the Edinburgh Fringe, NYMF, FringeNYC & Encores, Off-Broadway, as well as National and International productions. www.emergingartiststheatre.org

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