Mason Holdings to Present the World Premiere of HART ISLAND

Mason Holdings, a company known for creating intimate experiential theatre, will present the world premiere of Hart Island, a multimedia theatrical meditation on New York City's potter's field and the humans connected to it, living and dead. Written by Mason Holdings Founder and Artistic Director Tracy Weller and created with longtime collaborators, director Kristjan Thor and set designers Christopher and Justin Swader, Hart Island weaves together the voices of friends and family of Hart Island's deceased, Rikers Island inmates and gravediggers, and fictional documentary narration. Performances begin March 8 at The Gym at Judson (243 Thompson Street, Manhattan), with an opening set for March 13, for a limited run through April 9. Tickets are now on sale at https://masonholdings.org/.

Based on historical research, Hart Island weaves together six seemingly disparate voices, all connected to Hart Island. As audiences enter The Gym at Judson, they'll be greeted by a scenic installation that suggests the depths of an archeological dig. At first, the characters of Hart Island seem anonymous and alone, locked in their own solitary existence. Gradually, however, the walls that separate them become more porous until every voice is revealed to be intrinsically linked.

"The forgotten little islands of New York City, like Hart Island, offer profound enlightenment," says writer Tracy Weller. "The word 'island' is born of the same root as 'isolation.' Every island, like every human, however, is the offspring of something greater. Even Hart Island is a fragment of Pangea; you and I are mere cells in the macroorganism of all life on earth. Yet, when a human dies, an absolutely unique and irreplaceable ecosystem vanishes forever. And, as sea levels rise, every island is threatened with the same fate. There's so much we don't want to look at - within and without - fundamental truths and societal truths that we have relegated to the periphery. We are terrified of pain and ugliness, but maybe our blinders are also concealing vast and transcendent beauty. I believe, if you are willing to pass through darkness, you will find the purest, most undeniable hope. That is Hart Island."

Director Kristjan Thor remarks, "As with all the work I have done with Mason Holdings, the hope is always to create a performance that is a full and total event-an experience that takes up emotional space and stays with you after you leave the theater. When working with this incredible team of artists, we constantly ask how our decisions will deepen the experience-make it more impactful. This approach is central to how we are thinking of Hart Island-we aim to create a rich, emotional landscape for the audience to enjoy and revel in. Honoring, embodying, and depicting New York's countless untold stories."

The cast for Hart Island includes Julie Asriyan, Nora Cole, Jimmy Crowell II, James Foster Jr., Daniel Kublick, Donald Paul, and Tracy Weller.

The additional creative team for Hart Island includes Natalie Loveland (costumes), Christina Tang (lights), Philip Carluzzo (sound), Yana Biryukova (video/projections), Liz Nielsen (production stage manager), Reed Ridgley (producer), and Rashad Bailey (associate producer).

Twenty-seven performances of Hart Island will take place March 8 - April 9, 2022, at The Gym at Judson, located at 243 Thompson Street in Manhattan. The performance schedule is Thursday - Sunday at 8pm, Saturday at 2pm, and Sunday at 3pm with an additional 8pm performance on March 8 and no performance on March 11. Critics are welcome as of March 10 for an opening on Sunday, March 13 at 8:30pm. General admission tickets are $40 and can be purchased online at https://masonholdings.org/.

Mason Holdings will require proof of full vaccination for all artists, staff, and audience members for all performances. Masks and/or CDC-recommended face coverings will be required for audiences and employees inside the theater at all times.

Please visit https://masonholdings.org/ for more information.

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