Dirty Laundry Theatre's BORDERS is Back at CyberTank

Dirty Laundry Theatre's 'Borders' is back at CyberTank on Popular Demand!

When the pandemic struck in 2020, the world of live performances took a hit. Like many others,

Dirty Laundry Theatre got caught in the midst of previewing its new play, BORDERS. Right before a scheduled East Village run, DLT had a decision to make - to continue or halt.

Unlike others, the producers insisted on exploring and testing creative alternatives to make the play come to life in the new virtual medium. "Camera on stage or a simple zoom performance won't work in our case, it has to feel like it was meant to this platform" Maera Daniel Hagage, the lead producer and artistic director at DLT, said.

Little did the producers know that the play's story and themes would make it a surprising fit for a live stream format. The virtual production of BORDERS was shortlisted by TimeOUT as 'Best Theater to stream online'.

After two successful virtual runs in 2020 and early 2021, Borders returns to CyberTank because the audiences willed it. The production will present two special Live (virtual) shows on Nov. 19 and 20.

The NY Summer Festival's 2019 Best Play nominee, is about two men who meet on Grindr. They are mere 20kms away from each other, but on either side of the Lebanon-Israel border. What begins as virtual flirtation holds the potential to become a real thing. But will their virtual chemistry translate to real life?

Directed by Michael R. Piazza, the original play was written by Nimrod Danishman, based on a personal experience. Exploring questions around virtual dating, the cultural and political conflicts that inform the lives of the Middle Eastern LGBTQ community, the production lent itself organically to the virtual format.

David Kennerley of Gay City News called the virtual production of Borders "a rare winner" in a deluge of virtual performances that failed to engage an audience.

"Borders is a consistently top-notch virtual experience for viewers that perfectly evokes the virtual experiences of its very human protagonist," Deb Miller wrote for the DC Metro Theater Arts.

Catering to the audience's demand, the production is back this year with a new cast. Yochai Greenfeld and Gabriel Sahyoun will take over the leading roles as they navigate the complex world of dating.

The Tank's CyberTank NYC will host BORDERS on Nov 19-20 at 8pm EST.

$15 Tickets are available here

For more information on Borders, you can visit the DLT website.

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