Crystal Field News

On Monday, September 19, Theater For The New City, 155 First Ave. (at E. 10th Street), will present a memorial for its co-founder George Bartenieff (January 23, 1933-July 30, 2022) to celebrate his creative years at the theater, 1971-1992.  Reception begins at 7:30 PM and a narrated pictorial, remembrances and performances will start at 8:00 PM.

From August 28 to September 18, 2022, Theater for the New City (TNC), under the direction of Crystal Field, will resume its annual Dream Up Festival, a feast of adventurous theater that had been suspended in 2020 and 2021 during the disruptions of Covid.  The annual event is an ultimate new works festival, dedicated to the joy of discovering new authors and edgy, innovative performances.

Theater for the New City's award-winning Street Theater Company will open its 2022 annual tour Saturday, August 6 with 'Teacher! Teacher! or PS I Love You,' a rip-roaring original musical which tells the story of a struggling teacher in an underserved neighborhood who puts her life on the line for her kids.

From June 2 to 19, Theater for the New City will present the world premiere of 'A Healthy House' by Tom Diriwachter, directed by Jonathan Weber.

With the roster still building, Theater for the New City has currently scheduled over 190 performing arts organizations, independent artists, poets, puppeteers and film makers for its 27th annual Lower East Side Festival of the Arts, which will be mounted May 27 to 29 in and around Theater for the New City, 155 First Ave. (at E. 10th Street).

From June 2 to 19, Theater for the New City will present the world premiere of 'A Healthy House' by Tom Diriwachter, directed by Jonathan Weber.  It's a wickedly funny play about a Staten Island family trying to preserve its run-down house and its memories without getting too scammed by the contractor. 

A story of two people sets the stage for some wondrous things to happen. Each understands what the other is going through, and ultimately becomes what the other needs. The story of Larry and Lucy is such a story. An Uber driver jaded by life meets a teenage girl who has turned to drugs in her attempt to alleviate the unrelenting boredom of her life. Through their shared search for purpose do these two characters portray how unfortunate many are to suffer, but also how lucky are those who see their hopes finally realized in the form of fated companionship - by those who, they realize, can make things better.

Hamlet in Harlem, a new play written and directed by Alberto Ferreras is a politically incorrect comedy that promises murder, mystery, offensive stereotypes and cultural appropriations. 

'Aunt Susan and Her Tennessee Waltz' by Toby Armour will be presented by Theater for the New City (TNC) April 28 to May 15.  The play dramatizes the leadership of Susan B. Anthony, Carrie Chapman Catt and Juno Frankie Pearce in the struggle to win the women's right to vote.

It was inevitable, perhaps, that post-truth politics would seep into 21st century absurdist theater.  One sunny example is 'Occasionally Nothing' by Natalie Menna, which takes us to an upsetting time-to-come when something can become a profound, obvious nothing. 

The Theater for the New City production of 'Sometime Child: a Reclamation and a Redemption' by Richard Bruce, previously scheduled for February 10 to 20, was struck by Covid in the cast. That forced the run to be postponed on its opening day. The production has been reassembled and will be presented by Theater for the New City from March 13 to 27.

The Theater for the New City production of 'Sometime Child: a Reclamation and a Redemption' by Richard Bruce, previously scheduled for February 10 to 20, was struck by Covid in the cast. That forced the run to be postponed on its opening day.

From February 25 to March 13, Theater for the New City (TNC) will present the August Strindberg Rep production of August Strindberg's 'Dance of Death, Parts One and Two,' newly translated and directed by Robert Greer.

From February 25 to March 13, Theater for the New City (TNC) will present the August Strindberg Rep production of August Strindberg's 'Dance of Death, Parts One and Two,' newly translated and directed by Robert Greer.

​​​​​​​To share an outstanding solo show with the widest possible audience, Theater for the New City has extended its world premiere production of 'I Just Want To Tell Somebody,' written and performed by Ronald 'Smokey' Stevens, through February 6.

'Sometime Child: a Reclamation and a Redemption' by Richard Bruce is a tale of a unique relationship between a successful divorce lawyer and two young, troubled but gifted 'at risk' youths who have mugged him. Theater for the New City, 155 First Ave., will present the play's world premiere February 10 to 20, directed by Erik Oleson.

'Sometime Child: a Reclamation and a Redemption' by Richard Bruce is a tale of a unique relationship between a successful divorce lawyer and two young, troubled but gifted 'at risk' youths who have mugged him.  Theater for the New City, 155 First Ave., will present the play's world premiere February 10 to 27, directed by Erik Oleson.

Theater for the New City's Emerging Playwrights Program will be beneficiary of the theater's 19th annual Love 'n Courage benefit Monday, February 14, 2022 at The Players, 16 Gramercy Park South.  The evening honors Austin Pendleton, Drama Desk and Obie winner, Tony Award nominated actor, playwright, theater director and teacher.

The little told story of Miller, Marilyn and Elia Kazan, the noted director who had been Miller's friend and Marilyn's lover, is the subject matter for The Unamerican, a new play written by Claude Solnik and directed by Joseph John Battista.

To share an outstanding solo show with the widest possible audience, Theater for the New City, 155 First Ave., has extended the world premiere of 'I Just Want To Tell Somebody,' written and performed by Ronald 'Smokey' Stevens, through January 30. (Its original run was January 6 to 23.)