Protection at Studio 17

MANHATTAN,, NEW YORK. 11/14/2025 – Stroller Scene has announced the next play in its “birthday party” workshop  series, to be held at Studio 17 (13 W 17th St 3rd Floor, New York, NY 10011) on Sunday, December 14th, 2025, and presented with Amanda+James.

The birthday party series presents public workshops of new plays, developed through Stroller Scene’s developmental process. Audiences are invited to watch a lightly-staged reading – then hang around after for a party.

On December 14th at 4 PM at Studio 17, Stroller Scene with Amanda+James will present their next offering: Protection by Hanna Novak, directed by Chris Diercksen. 

A short synopsis of the play: Debby and Shoshanna were neighbors in an Upper West Side co-op until Debby moved away during the pandemic. When Debby’s family is struck by tragedy, the women go on a darkly comic, shapeshifting journey that will transform their lives.

“The birthday party workshop series is at the apex of Stroller Scene’s process. By supporting plays from early drafts through their development journey, these workshops are celebrations of plays that have been put through their paces and are ready for production,” shared Stroller Scene Artistic Director, Chris Diercksen. “Since Hanna brought Protection to us last year, we’ve been thrilled to see the big, successful swings she's taken in revising what were already very good drafts of the piece into the deeply moving play it is today. We’re also so grateful for Amanda+James, whose collaboration on the long-term stewardship of this play has been tremendous.”

Tickets are $15 and can be reserved using this link. Doors open at 4pm for refreshments and mingling. The reading begins at 4:30pm, and runs approximately 80 minutes with no intermission, followed by more party. 

Founded in 2023, Stroller Scene (Producer) develops new plays by fostering environments for playwrights to experiment and grow. Its mission is to immerse playwrights in a community of artists who invest in their long-term development. Its programming is designed to empower playwrights and plays that are ready for production.

Amanda + James (Co-Producer) is a New York-based company dedicated to producing the work of emerging artists. They provide a space for this community to follow creative impulses, refine ideas into projects, and collaborate and learn from their peers. In fulfillment of our mission, A+J produces a suite of ongoing programs: Sessions (chamber music), PlayTime (theatrical work), Dance+ (interdisciplinary dance work), Sightlines (choreographic residency), Summer Happenings (performance art) and Working Titles (opera). Amanda + James also develops and presents larger-scale, multi-disciplinary productions and co-productions. They have ranged from an original EDM opera, to a communist burlesque musicale, to a new immersive project based on the music of Olivier Messiaen and an original chamber oratorio, The Lydian Gale Parr. Over its twelve year history, Amanda + James has collaborated with a diverse range of over 300 artists and counting. The company is dedicated to supporting today’s rising artists and is proud to have supported and furthered the work of an impressive group of creators  across all mediums of art, having presented at venues including Target Margin Theater, PioneerWorks, the Chelsea Hotel, Coffey Street Studio, CPR-Center for Performance Research, Ars Nova, and more.

Protection is an Equity approved Showcase. 

*These Actors are appearing courtesy of Actors' Equity Association.”

Publicity and programs must also include the phrase “Equity approved Showcase.