ERNIE'S SECRET LIFE Comes to Dixon Place Next Month

Dixon Place will present the world premiere of Concrete Temple Theatre’s Ernie’s Secret Life, an episodic odyssey that fuses ever-changing puppetry and stagecraft with humor, music, and a raw understanding of our profound collective reality. Written and directed by Renee Philippi and featuring puppetry and set design by Carlo Adinolfi, Ernie’s Secret Life runs January 4–27, 2024, at Dixon Place (161A Chrystie St, Manhattan) with an opening set for Monday, January 8. Tickets are currently on sale at www.dixonplace.org.

Sparked by the isolation and turmoil of our time, Ernie’s Secret Life is a story of discovery for all. It centers on a man fearing that something has happened to his son. He builds a canoe and secretly sets off to find him. What he finds instead – is himself. Powered by a wondrous landscape-in-motion, Ernie’s Secret Life is a play about escaping and then finding your way; a celebration of how we become who we want to be.

For 20 years, Concrete Temple Theatre has been celebrated for creating compelling theatrical works that feature “amazingly expressive” (New York Times) puppetry and stagecraft that is “thoroughly mesmerizing,” (New York Times). The company creates devised visual theatre that blends drama, dance, puppetry, music, and the visual arts into wholly original works that challenge the traditional relationship between design and text. Through touring and in workshops, the company strives to bring myth and ritual back to the center of dialogue by tackling timely issues including grief, family relationships, and environmental stewardship. For over 15 years, and still going, Concrete Temple Theatre has been a proud partner in Dixon Place’s CECO Senior Citizen program.

Ernie’s Secret Life features performances by Carlo Adinolfi, Tau Bennett, Amanda Card, Camille Leigh Cooper, J Hann, Kasper Klop, and Kezia Tyson.
 

The creative team for Ernie’s Secret Life includes Eric Nightengale (dramaturg, lighting & sound design), Laura Anderson Barbata (costumes), J Hann (associate director, puppet consultant), Emily Batsford (associate director, understudy), and Max Mooney (production stage manager).

Following each performance, the artists will host a “meet-the-puppets” session where audience members can try their hand at puppet manipulation and learn more about the inspiration behind the show. On January 18, Brendan Schweda, the mid-Atlantic director of Puppeteers of America, will host a talkback with the artists following the show. Puppeteer and voice-over artist Pam Arciero, best known for her role on Sesame Street as Grundgetta, Oscar the Grouch's girlfriend, will host a talkback on January 26. Concrete Temple will also host a puppetry slam after the show on January 24.

Fifteen performances of Ernie’s Secret Life will take place January 4–27, 2024 at Dixon Place, located at 161A Chrystie Street, between Rivington and Delancey Streets, in Manhattan. Critics are welcome as of Thursday, January 4 for an opening on Monday, January 8. Performances take place Thursday–Saturday at 7pm with an additional performance on January 8 at 7pm. Performances on January 13 will take place at 4pm and 9pm. Tickets, which start at $20, can be purchased at www.dixonplace.org. Standard ticketing fees apply.

Ernie’s Secret Life is suitable for everyone ages 12 and above. The anticipated running time is 65 minutes with no intermission. Please visit www.dixonplace.org for additional information.

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