The City Speaks: An Interactive One-Man Show of New York Slang & Speech at Henry Street Settlement

New York City doesn't just have a language of its own — it has hundreds of them. But how did generations of immigrants, neighborhoods, and cultures shape everything from the way New Yorkers “tawk” to the slang we use without a second thought? Get ready to step inside a historic Lower East Side institution for an interactive theatrical experience where the words, voices, and accents of New York City take center stage.

Join New York Adventure Club for The City Speaks, a one-man show exploring the voices of New York and how the city's remarkable linguistic diversity has shaped its slang, sayings, accents, and ever-evolving way of speaking.

Led by performer and creator Nic Reale, who brings the Lower East Side to life through a colorful cast of characters, this fun and comedic exploration of the city's linguistic history will include:

• A custom-made theatrical experience at the historic Henry Street Settlement, the storied Lower East Side institution founded in 1893 that has served generations of immigrant and working-class New Yorkers while playing an enduring role in the neighborhood's social and cultural life
• The Lower East Side as a microcosm of New York City, where generations of immigrants and their languages have lived side by side, exchanged words and ideas, and helped shape the way New Yorkers communicate
• Surprising stories behind familiar New York slang, sayings, and accents, and how generations of immigration and cultural exchange shaped the way New Yorkers speak
• A colorful cast of characters — all performed by Nic, bringing the neighborhood's many voices, personalities, accents, and linguistic quirks to life
• Plenty of audience participation, from games and call-and-response to funny voices, accents, sounds, and other interactive moments that make everyone in the room part of the show

Part linguistic deep dive and part interactive performance, The City Speaks uses one extraordinary neighborhood to tell the larger story of how generations of New Yorkers have learned to understand — and influence — one another through language.

See you there!

*Please note that the performance takes place on the second floor of the Henry Street Settlement, which does not have an elevator.

About Nic Reale

Nic Reale was born on a busy archipelago off the coast of America and has been described as "Noam Chomsky meets Sesame Street as a damn good hip hop dancer." As a multidisciplinary creator, he leads tours, designs maps of urban and sociological issues, and expresses funny voices in many languages. After living away from his native New York in Southeast Asia and Europe for five years, he founded Studio Dérive, a creative production company that realizes The City Speaks as a walking tour, as well as The Blind Quest documentary series and Life Map collaborative art project.

https://studio-derive.com

About the Henry Street Settlement

Henry Street Settlement is a historic Lower East Side institution founded in 1893 by nurse and social reformer Lillian Wald to serve the neighborhood's immigrant and working-class communities. From its beginnings providing health care to residents from a small tenement apartment on the Lower East Side, the organization grew into a pioneering force in public health, social services, education, and the arts. More than 130 years later, Henry Street Settlement continues to serve the Lower East Side from its historic neighborhood buildings while carrying forward its longstanding mission of strengthening and supporting New York City communities.

https://www.henrystreet.org