Urban Stages Announces 38th Season Featuring a World Premiere, a New York Premiere & More

Celebrating its 38th Off Broadway season, Urban Stages' has announced its upcoming season featuring two play premieres, the 14th installment of the award-winning cabaret series Winter Rhythms. Urban Stages also programs and presents dozens of free plays and art programming in libraries across NYC and online.

The season will kick-off on November 13 with Eleanor and Alice Conversations Between Two Remarkable Roosevelts by Ellen Abrams, directed by Frances Hill. The world premiere of this new play centers on two of the most influential women of the 20th century, starring Tony Award-Winner Trezana Beverley (For Colored Girls...) as Eleanor Roosevelt and 2020 Sam Norkin Drama Desk Award-Winner Mary Bacon as Alice Roosevelt Longworth. Throughout the drama, these friends, cousins, and rivals meet at eight crucial moments over the course of their lives. They feud, laugh, commiserate, and argue over their husbands, children, the nature of politics and the state of the world. One a Democrat and one a Republican, throughout 60 years of meetings they witness a changing world from their own unique vantage points. Through their accomplishments, Eleanor and Alice ultimately help build a foundation that benefits women in politics today.

Ellen Abrams' plays have been performed in theaters throughout the East Coast and her short play, Lizzie Borden Gets Engaged, has recently been published by Smith & Kraus. Her work can be found in the National Playwright Exchange. Previously, Eleanor and Alice was performed as an online radio play and as a staged reading at FDR 4 Freedoms Park (Roosevelt Island) through Urban Stages' Outreach program. Previews begin on November 13th in advance of its November 16th opening night and will run through December 4, 2022 (Patrons Night, a special benefit evening w/ dinner and cocktails will take place on Thursday, November 17, 2022)

WINTER RHYTHMS 2022 marks the 14th year that Urban Stages welcomes noted musical artists to its stage during the holiday period. WINTER RHYTHMS won the Bistro Award for Outstanding Series and the Ruth Kurtzman Benefit Series MAC Award. The mission of WINTER RHYTHMS is to bring the talents of well-known and up-and-coming singers, musicians, lyricists, and composers to the attention of the New York theater community while performing at Urban Stages Theater. All proceeds go to Urban Stages' Outreach, a city-wide program that tours and makes available online free plays and art programming for all ages. Outreach is a key part of Urban Stages' mission to champion diverse artists and makes art, theater, and education available for all.

This year the series, produced by MAC award-winning songwriter Tom Toce, and co-produced by Bistro & MAC Award winner, Sue Matsuki, will feature 20 shows.

The season will round up in March/ April (dates TBA) as Urban Stages presents the New York Premiere of People Of The Book by Yussef El Guindi. The dark comedy centers on a man's return from war to literary glory after writing an international best-seller, but his celebrity is underscored by his marriage to an Iraqi woman he saved. When he reunites with old friends, questions emerge about the veracity of the book and its particular patriotic American gaze.

Born in Egypt, raised in London and now based in Seattle, EL Guindi's work frequently examines the collision of ethnicities, cultures and politics that face Arab-Americans and Muslim Americans. His numerous works include Threesome (Portland Center Stage, 59E59 Theaters, 2015), Pilgrims Musa and Sheri in the New World (American Theater Critics Association Award Winner, 2012) and Back of the Throat (Flea Theater, 2006).

Outreach 2022-23 - For over 25 years, Outreach has toured libraries throughout New York, Queens, and Brooklyn branches, bringing admission-free plays and art programming for a wide variety of age groups and from teaching artists of diverse backgrounds. Last season, Outreach reached over 13,000 with its free programs including the continuation of Outreach Online launched during the height of the pandemic.

This fall, Outreach is partnering with Brooklyn Public Library on their Brainy Babies series programs. Bilingual artists will share songs, stories, and learning tips in their native languages. In addition, Outreach will partner with Queens Public Library on a series of bilingual story times for their ongoing virtual programming. In these collaborations, we'll be providing arts programming in 6 languages - Spanish, Quechua, Arabic, Mandarin, French, and Bengali. Outreach Bilingual programs continue to grow, ensuring language is not a barrier to engaging with the arts.

Other new programs coming to libraries via Outreach include a circus program, a new hip-hop program for toddlers called "hippity hop," a clowning program in development since last season, a teen program about Shakespearean insults, and a targeted yoga program. At Brooklyn Public Libraries' Adult Learning Centers, Outreach continues to offer improv and spoken word programs and is looking forward to bringing students to Urban Stages' theater for ELEANOR AND ALICE to later incorporate themes of the show into lessons and workshops.

Eleanor and Alice Conversations Between Two Remarkable Roosevelts

Written by Ellen Abrams, and directed by Frances Hill

Begins on November 13, opens on November 16, and runs through December 4, 2022

Performance schedule: Mon, Wed, Thurs, Fri at 7:30 pm; Saturday at 3 pm and 7:30 pm
Sundays at 3:00 pm

Tickets are $40 (previews are $25). Student rush tickets are $15.
November 17, 2022 is Patrons Night (a special benefit evening w/ dinner and cocktails)

Tickets available at urbanstages.org

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