Photo Coverage: Chatillion Stage Company Celebrates Opening Night of FIRE

Chatillion Stage Company (Debra Whitfield, Artistic Director), presents the world premiere of the new play FIRE written by Debra Whitfield (Duck Sauce Can Be Dangerous). Directed by Benjamin Viertel (The Bitter Tears of Petra Von Kant), the 8-member cast features Lauriel Friedman (A Midsummer Night's Dream), Jake Horowitz (Our Town), Kevin Lowry (Sweet & Lucky), Paulette Oliva (Barbicide), Laura King Otazo (Insignificant), Jay Russell (End of the Rainbow), Malka Wallick (Outer Banks) and Stuart Zagnit (Newsies).

The limited engagement of FIRE continues through Saturday evening, October 28, 2017 at Theatre 54 at Shetler Studios and Theatres (244 West 54th Street, 12th Floor).

The Triangle Waist Company fire on March 25, 1911, lives in infamy as one of the worst disasters in the history of New York City. In just a few short minutes, over one hundred and forty lives were abruptly extinguished when the 8th, 9th and 10th floors of the Triangle Waist Company were consumed by fire on that fateful March day. Most of the casualties were female immigrants who had come to America to start new lives for themselves and for their families. Many of the girls sent portions of their meager incomes back home to their relatives who remained in the "old country." The young women had believed the stories they had read about American streets being "paved with gold." The reality was, the only gold they saw were the gold coins pocketed by the manufacturers.

FIRE dramatically interweaves fictionalized stories about these young transplants with actual testimony from the trial against the owners of the factory. It poetically explores the theme of avarice juxtaposed against the dream of living in a new land and all the promise that goes along with it.

FIRE resonates today because one of the baser human desires, greed, pervades the world culture as much now, if not more, than it did back in 1911. The play is ultimately about overcoming adversity and never giving up hope for a better life.

The creative team includes Bryce Cutler (scenic & projection design), Emily Chalmers (costumes), Deborah Constantine(lights), Carlene Stober (sound), Ed Matthew (sound), Debra Moolin (props), Inga Thrasher (hair/make-up consultant),Colleen Gleason (dialect coach), Cyrus Newitt (technical director), and Toro Communications (social media). The Production Stage Manager is Emily Zepeda with Skye Cone, Assistant Stage Manager.

FIRE will play the following performance schedule: Wednesday - Friday at 8:00 p.m., and Saturday at 3:00 p.m. & 8:00 p.m. andSunday at 3:00. PLEASE NOTE: No matinee performance on Saturday, October 14. There is a special added performance on Tuesday, October 17 at 8:00 p.m. Opening Night is Wednesday evening, October 18 at 7:30 p.m.

Photo Credit: Linda Lenzi

Jay Russell

Jay Russell

Stuart Zagnit

Jake Horowitz

Jake Horowitz

Debra Whitfield

Benjamin Viertel

Benjamin Viertel

Benjamin Viertel and Debra Whitfield

Benjamin Viertel and Debra Whitfield

Laura King Otazo

Laura King Otazo

Kevin Lowry

Kevin Lowry

Paulette Oliva

Paulette Oliva

Lauriel Friedman

Malka Wallick

Malka Wallick

Stuart Zagnit and Jay Russell

Malka Wallick and Jake Horowitz

Malka Wallick, Paulette Oliva, Lauriel Friedman and Laura King Otazo

Stuart Zagnit, Jay Russell, Kevin Lowry and Jake Horowitz

Stuart Zagnit, Jay Russell, Benjamin Viertel, Kevin Lowry and Jake Horowitz

Stuart Zagnit, Jay Russell, Debra Whitfield, Kevin Lowry, Jake Horowitz and Benjamin Viertel

Carolyn Mignini and Debra Whitfield

Carolyn Mignini and Steve Vinovich

Skye Cone and Kyle Ivey

Skye Cone and Kyle Ivey

Xandra Schultz, Skye Cone and Kyle Ivey

Debra Whitfield and Larry Toppall

Debra Whitfield and Doug Denoff

Toro Adeyemi and Benjamin Viertel

Toro Adeyemi and Benjamin Viertel

Benjamin Viertel, Lauriel Friedman, Malka Wallick, Paulette Oliva, Stuart Zagnit, Jay Russell, Debra Whitfield, Kevin Lowry, Jake Horowitz and Laura King Otazo