Permafrost Theatre Collective To Present Reading of ZIG-ZAG

Permafrost Theatre Collective will present a one-night staged reading of Zig-Zag by Philip Catherwood. The reading will be presented as part of PTC's ongoing Icebreaker Reading Series at Pearl Studios (500 8th Avenue, New York, NY 10018) on Wednesday, May 14 at 6pm (doors open 5:30). 

A dystopian play that speaks to a world in ever-increasing conflict, Zig-Zag explores a near future in which the Irish border has been locked off. In search of her missing boyfriend, a young woman called Keeva smuggles herself across and hides out in the cellar of a pub owned by local landlord Rowan. Will this one act of friendship be enough to inspire change, or will Ireland be forever divided?

This reading marks the New York debut of writer Philip Catherwood and the cast will feature Ciara Van Buren (Keeva), Matthew Hogan (Rowan), and Patrick Moore (Stage Directions).

Permafrost Theatre Collective's Icebreaker Series is a script reading program dedicated to developing works-in-progress. In the past it has featured pieces from Mackenzie Lansing (Hunger Games: A Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes), SMJ (Dramatists Guild Foundation Fellow), and Matt cox (Puffs). There will be an opportunity to provide feedback directly following the reading. To keep theater as accessible as possible, PTC has adopted a tier-ticketing system. All proceeds raised will directly benefit the artists involved.

Permafrost Theatre Collective launched in October of 2018 around a mission of Ensemble, Communication, and Empathy. The company acts as an artistic home for multidisciplinary artists and presents works that span the far reaches of storytelling through theatre and music (sometimes both) while commenting on the human experience. As PTC's flagship program, the Icebreaker Reading Series is a new-work incubator series dedicated to presenting fresh pieces in a relaxed and welcoming environment. www.permafrosttheatrecollective.com

Philip Catherwood is an Irish writer originally from Belfast and currently based in London. His plays have been performed in several London venues, with his play The Pitch debuting at the renowned Lyric Theatre in Belfast later this year. Philip is also the writer-producer of sci-fi podcast The Dial-Up, which won a British Podcast Award in 2024. Zig-Zag will be the first performance of Philip's work in New York.