'Owning Up to the Hard Truth', Borderlands Theater Presents Robert Schenkkan's BUILDING THE WALL

A famous playwright’s play that just opened in New York this summer is coming to Tucson’s internationally recognized Borderlands Theater. And you would have a difficult time finding a bigger name than the author, Robert Schenkkan, who has won a Tony Award and Pulitzer Prize.

What if President Trump is impeached after a failed plan to declare martial law following a terrorist incident in New York?  It is 2019 and a history professor interviews a former detention center supervisor and Trump supporter now imprisoned.

In an interview with The New York Times, Schenkkan said his 90-minute 2-character play took him just one week to complete in what he called a “white-hot fury” after last year’s presidential election.

“We no longer live in a world that is business as usual — Trump has made that very clear — and if theater is going to remain relevant, we must become faster to respond,” Schenkkan said. “We cannot hope to be useful if we can’t respond until 18 months or more after the fact.”

 

Borderlands Theater will stage the resulting play after an extended run in Los Angeles, a run in DC and New york all part of a National New Play Network’s NNPN) Rolling World Premiere, of which Borderlands is a founding member and regularly stages NNPN rolling world premieres.

 

While the play has a very current political premise, the drama does what theatre does best: pull the audience into real people as opponents on issues in ways that do not allow us to avoid their humanity. In fact Hannah Arendt’s famous “banality of evil” becomes part of this exploration of our social culpability in maintain systemic oppression.  What are we all capable of?

 

THE PLAY

After two square blocks in Times Square have been “irradiated,” President Trump declares martial law and places Muslims and Mexicans and other groups in containment camps. Trump has been impeached and exiled after the terrorist event and mass incarcerations.

Gloria, the history professor, interviews Rick, the former detention supervisor, who is now in prison for his involvement in the atrocities. She is African American and he can’t understand why white Christians should not defend their identity too and protect America at the same time. This riveting, harrowing and illuminating drama delivers a powerful warning and puts a human face on the inhuman, revealing how when personal accountability is denied, what seems inconceivable becomes inevitable.

The Los Angeles Times said that “Building the Wall” “should be seen and shuddered over, if only to heighten our collective vigilance. The theater historically has provided a forum for citizens to contemplate the agonizing issues of the day.”

ABOUT “BUILDING THE WALL” AND NATIONAL NEW PLAY NETWORK

Building the Wall by Robert Schenkkan is produced at Borderlands as part of an NNPN rolling world premiere. Other partners are Fountain Theatre (Los Angeles, CA; March 18-May 21, 2017), Curious Theatre Company (Denver, CO; April 4-19, 2017), Forum Theatre (Silver Spring, MD; April-May 2017), and City Theatre (Miami, FL; September 27-October 8, 2017). Schenkkan and the Rolling World Premiere theaters have received international attention in The New York Times, The Washington Post, and on the BBC Newshour for their rapid artistic response to the current administration and the political climate it foments. It is NNPN’s 68th Rolling World Premiere.

MORE ON THE PLAYWRIGHT

Schenkkan has won a Pulitzer Prize and a Tony Award for his work. The Tony was for “All the Way,” his examination of the first year of Lyndon B. Johnson’s presidency, which starred Bryan Cranston on Broadway in 2014. The Pulitzer Prize was for “The Kentucky Cycle” and he recently co-wrote the screenplay for Oscar nominated 2016 film, “Hacksaw Ridge.”

MORE ON THE DIRECTOR:

Marc David Pinate is the producing director of Borderlands Theater and a theatre artist, musician and educator. This play marks his third season leading Borderlands. The company has received national recognition for the site-specific production, Barrio Stories, the recreation of the neighborhoods that used to occupy Tucson Convention Center.  His acting career includes work with Teatro Visión, Shadowlight Productions, Su Teatro, Campo Santo and the Magic Theatre where he played the role of Tiresias in the world premiere of Luis Alfaro’s award winning play, Oedipus El Rey. As a director he has worked with El Teatro Campesino and Stanford University in California; Steppenwolf and American Theatre Company in Chicago; and Arizona Theatre Company to name a few. He’s taught acting at San Jose State University’s department of Television, Radio, Film and Theatre. In June 2013, he completed an MFA in Directing from The Theatre School at DePaul University in Chicago.

PERFORMANCE SCHEDULE AND TICKET INFORMATION

Temple of Music and Art Cabaret Theater, 330 S Scott Ave, Tucson, AZ 85701. Tickets: $13-$30 with various discounts.

9/27 - 7:30 pm Preview (HALF OFF All tickets $13!)

9/28- 7:30 pm Preview (HALF OFF All tickets $13!)

9/29- 7:30 pm Opening Night: Light refreshments plus meet and greet the actors and director. ($30)

10/1 - 2 pm Matinee ($16/$22/$27)

10/4 - 7:30 pm ($16/$22/$27)

10/5 - 7:30 pm ($16/$22/$27)

10/6 - 7:30 pm ($16/$22/$27)

10/7 - 7:30 pm ($16/$22/$27)

10/8 - 2 pm Matinee ($16/$22/$27)

10/11 – 7:30pm (($16/$22/$27)

10/12 – 7:30pm ($16/$22/$27)

10/13 – 7:30pm ($16/$22/$27)

10/14 – 7:30pm ($16/$22/$27)

10/15- 2 pm Matinee ($16/$22/$27)

PLEASE CONTACT BORDERLANDS THEATER BOX OFFICE AT (520) 882-7406.

ORDER TICKETS ONLINE: www.borderlandstheater.org

In person at 151 S Granada, TUCSON 85701.

For handicap accessibility please call the Box Office.