400 YEARS IN MANHATTAN Brings New York City History To The Stage
In 400 Years in Manhattan, "recovering tour guide" Noah Diamond tells the story of the island of Manhattan, accompanied by an expansive multimedia presentation. Diamond, best known for his performance as Groucho Marx in the Off Broadway revival of I'll Say She Is, made his New York debut on a double-decker tour bus. "That was my day job for years," he says, "and I always thought: What I'm really doing here is writing a show."
The result of that thought, 400 Years in Manhattan, alternates between tales of Diamond's experiences as a New York City tour guide, and the epic saga of the city itself. An earlier version of the show was seen in a workshop production at HERE Arts Center in 2007.
Amanda Sisk, director and producer of 400 Years in Manhattan as well as I'll Say She Is, has been developing this material with Diamond since the work's inception. As in their earlier collaboration on the Nero Fiddled political musicals, the team finds narrative arcs in episodic storytelling-a special feat in the case of 400 Years in Manhattan, a one-person play which encompasses four centuries of history.
Diamond is the author of Love Marches On: A Saga of Broadway and Gimme a Thrill: The Story of I'll Say She Is. He can be heard monthly on The Marx Brothers Council Podcast.
400 Years in Manhattan will be seen in the United Solo Theatre Festival at Theatre Row on September 30 at 7:00 pm, and October 4 at 9:00 pm. The October 4 performance is sold out. Additional performances may be scheduled.
UNITED SOLO THEATRE FESTIVAL is an annual international festival for solo performances held at the Theatre Row in the heart of the New York City theatre district on 42nd Street, currently in its 10th anniversary season. Fiona Shaw called United Solo "the mecca of the solo shows in the world." Over 120 participants from six continents will present their shows every day from September 19 until November 24, 2019. Through its mission, United Solo presents renowned artists as well as new talents, discovers original stories, connects artists with their audiences, exchanges diverse perspectives, fosters a dialogue for change, entertains, and now also educates through its professional training program led by distinguished artists and cultural icons. Artists and companies interested in being presented at The United Solo Festival in 2020 are now welcome to submit their applications online at unitedsolo.org starting September.
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