Gentrification of Brooklyn and its casualties are explored in Off-Broadway premiere.
September 4 - 27 at the cell
"An amazing play." -- NY Daily News
"I absolutely loved Pat Fenton’s STOOPDREAMER…engaging, passionate and informative… This is a piece of history that hits home." -- Times Square Chronicles
"Filled with heartfelt passion and yearning… an engaging look at the process of gentrification and the loss of dreams of those who sat on their stoops and watched all they held dear slowly disappear." -- TheaterReviews.com
"Vivid… (asks) us to remember, and perhaps defend, those who get trampled in the rush to questionable progress. " -- Theater is Easy
"An emotional and well-executed tribute to times gone by and lasting memories that create the foundation for our futures." -- Electronic Link
"Stoopdreamer is a lovely ode to 'the good ole’ days,' and is a balanced blend of humor and depth. Strong performances, an ease of pace, and an intimate portrayal of a generation left behind highlight this satisfying trip down memory lane." -- TheaterScene.net
"Glorious... Got an hour? See STOOPDREAMER." -- One Magazine
Nancy Manocherian’s the cell will present the World Premiere of STOOPDREAMER, a new drama about the lingering effects of gentrification, by Pat Fenton. Featuring an immersive staging by director Kira Simring, previews begin September 4 with opening slated for Thursday, September 10 as part of Origin's 1st Irish Theater Festival 2015. NOTE: this limited engagement is produced on an Off-Broadway contract.
In 1945, Robert Moses began a massive roads project that would displace 1,252 families (a large percentage of them Irish) from Windsor Terrace, Brooklyn. Now, seventy years later, haunting memories persist as three stoopdreamers gather in the last remaining Irish saloon from that era. In STOOPDREAMER, drinks are poured, stories are shared and secrets are revealed as this trio of Brooklynites imagine a future that might have been.
STOOPDREAMER stars Jack O'Connell, Bill Cwikowski, and Robin Leslie Brown with a production team includes Gertjan Houben (production design), Chris Steckel (assistant production design), M. Florian Staab (sound design), Siena Zoé Allen (costume design), Samantha Keogh (Dramaturg), Louisa Pough (stage manager) and Jane Davis (assistant stage manager).
Patrick Fenton was born in Windsor Terrace, Brooklyn on St Patrick’s Day. After eight gritty years as a cargo loader at New York’s Kennedy Airport, Fenton quit to take a civil service job as a Court Officer in Manhattan’s courts, and to continue a freelance writing career as a journalist that has brought him publication in magazines and books, including the New York Times, New York Newsday, The Daily News, New York Magazine, and The Irish Echo. He has worked as a New York City taxi cab driver, bartender, and radio host. He is the author of "Confessions of a Working-Stiff," an account of a cargo handlers life, which was published in 1973 in New York Magazine. Fenton's writing has been published in numerous writing anthologies including, “The Irish, a Treasury of Art and Literature,” and the “Book of Irish Americans.”
Kira Simring is the Artistic Director of the cell. A professional director for over 15 years, Kira has worked closely with writers to develop and realize their work. For the past two consecutive years, Kira has been granted The Best Director Award by New York City’s 1st Irish Theatre Festival.
Nancy Manocherian’s the cell is dedicated to creating works to mine the mind, pierce the heart, and awaken the soul. the cell is a not-for-profit collective for artists to incubate and present new work.
Origins 1st Irish Theater Festival is the only festival in the world dedicated to Irish playwrights. The festival, now in its eight year, has presented the work of 122 Irish writers. This year's festival will take place in ten venues across Manhattan and will run from September 1st to October 4th. www.1stirish.org
STOOPDREAMER runs September 4 - 27, Wednesday - Saturday at 7pm and Saturday & Sunday at 3pm. the cell is located at 338 W 23rd St, between 8th & 9th Avenues -- accessible from the C & E trains at 23rd Street. Tickets are $25, available at 800-838-3006 or www.thecelltheatre.org.