The Strides Collective Presents World Premiere of THE PIGEON

The Strides Collective, a new non-profit queer theatre company serving the
greater Philadelphia area, will offer the World Premiere of the pigeon. this October. This new play is written by Founding Artistic Director Jonathan V. Edmonson, with direction by Kyle Metzger, and is the Collective's first in-person production.

the pigeon. will premiere at Christ Church Neighborhood House in Philadelphia, running from October 6-16th, 2022. Tickets are available for purchase by visiting
stridescollective.com/tickets

Declan Barkin is missing. When his brother Adam shows up in Denver to investigate the
disappearance, he connects with Nate, who swears he barely knows Declan... but when a
perplexing building manager, a curious roommate, and a bird on the fire escape interfere, Nate finds himself face-to-face with the very thing he has been trying to avoid. the pigeon. examines the truths we hide, the lies we craft, and the world we wish was right outside our window.

"We are thrilled to be producing a brand new queer play in Philadelphia," Edmondson said. "I will never forget the energy I felt during our first read-through; it was a room full of queer artists working on a queer story, feeling extremely safe to explore the themes in the show. We need more of these rooms and these stories."

The cast features Andrea Rose Cardoni, Erin Malimban, Robin Ritter, Josh Rosenzweig, and Ray Wrightstone. The creative team features stage management by Lyndsey Connolly and Margaux Cattelona, dramaturgy by Emily Dzioba, intimacy direction by Nora Gair, scenic design by Aaron Forsman, light design by Bless Rudisill, sound design by David Mandarino, and costume design by Deanna Marino. Tanner Richardett serves as the Production Manager.

The Strides Collective is a theatre company established in Philadelphia and operated by member artists living across Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New York, and Delaware. Founded by Artistic Director Jonathan V. Edmondson in early 2020, the Collective produces and develops theatrical work by emerging playwrights that embraces the queer experience through authentic, modern, and innovative storytelling. Their work prioritizes the goal of normalizing the conversation about queer identity, creating a safe haven in which emerging artists can tell their stories and have the ability to express themselves without fear of judgment. The Strides Collective is a proud member of the Queer Theatre Alliance. Learn more and sign up to receive email updates at stridescollective.com.