New drama by Kristiana Colón’s inspired by Ntozake Shange's For Colored Girls... premieres
February 18 - March 14 at The Flea Theater
The Flea Theater presents the New York premiere of Kristiana Colón’s but i cd only whisper, directed by Resident Director David Monteagudo and featuring members of The Bats, The Flea’s resident acting company. Previews start February 18, with opening night slated for Monday, February 29.
At the tail end of the Vietnam War veteran Beau Willie Brown attempts to return to the family and life he left behind. Inspired by and including extracts from For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide When The Rainbow Is Enuf by Ntozake Shange, but i cd only whisper explores the effects of trauma, moving through time and space, fusing the physical and the poetic.
but i cd only whisper premiered in London at the Arcola Theatre. TimeOut London called it “…a beautifully sophisticated play, which combines monologues, fantasies and flashbacks to tell the story of black Vietnam vet Beau Willie Brown…As Beau opens up, a murky picture emerges of a man at battle with himself and society.”
The Flea’s production features The Bats: Crystal Arnette (Mary Kate Olsen is in Love), Akeem Baisden Folkes, Toussaint Jeanlouis, Kineta Kunutu, Brandon Rubin, Matt Stango (The Mysteries), with understudies Clea DeCrane, Jack Gilbert, Justin Phillips, Rodrikus Springfield, and Terralon Walker. The creative team includes Starlet Jacobs (scenic design), Elaine Wong (lighting design), Ari Fulton (costume design), D.R. Baker (sound design), Michelle Cole (choreography), Gerry Rodriguez (fight choreography), Hye Young Chyun (props master), Joseph Barnes (technical direction) and Paige Barnes (stage management).
but i cd only whisper runs February 19 - March 14. It plays Thursday–Monday at 7PM during previews. After opening on February 29, the schedule moves to Thursday-Saturday and Monday at 9PM, and Sunday at 7PM. Tickets are $15-$25-$35 with the lowest priced tickets available on a first-come, first-served basis. The production includes violence, graphic language, and sexual situations. Opening night is slated for February 29. The Flea Theater is located at 41 White Street between Church and Broadway, three blocks south of Canal, close to the A/C/E, N/R/Q, 6, J/M/Z and 1 subway lines. Purchase tickets by calling 212-352-3101 or online at www.theflea.org.
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KRISTIANA COLON (playwright) is a poet, playwright, actor, educator, Cave Canem Fellow, and Executive Director of the #LetUsBreathe Collective. Her play Octagon, winner of Arizona Theater Company’s 2014 National Latino Playwriting Award and Polarity Ensemble Theater’s Dionysos Festival of New Work, had its world premiere at the Arcola Theater in London in September 2015. Her work was featured in Victory Gardens’ 2014 Ignition Festival. In 2013, she toured the UK with her collection of poems promised instruments published by Northwestern University Press. In autumn 2012, she opened her one-woman show Cry Wolf at Teatro Luna in Chicago while her play but i cd only whisper had its world premiere at the Arcola Theater in London. Kristiana is a member of the Goodman Playwrights Unit, a Resident Playwright at Chicago Dramatists and one half of the brother/sister hip-hop duo April Fools. She appeared on Season 5 of HBO’s Def Poetry Jam.
DAVID MONTEAGUDO (director) is a brooklyn-based director and producer. He has developed and produced work with The Flea, The Atlantic, Theater for the New City, and Ma-Yi Theaters amongst others. His project Under the Hood, which melds game theory and theatrical conventions, was featured in the 2014 Come out and Play Festival and will be presented as part of The Best Games Festival in Pittsburgh. He is a founding member of State of Play.
THE BATS are the resident acting company of The Flea Theater. Each year over a thousand actors audition for a place in this unique company. The Bats perform in extended runs of challenging classic and new plays. Major as well as up-and-coming writers vie to have The Bats tackle their work. As performers, these actors are known being fearless not feckless and bring verve and vision to the written word. Stage and Cinema calls The Bats “Always charming and energized,” and Ben Brantley calls them “fresh-faced,” which is “...good news, especially for New York casting agents.”
THE FLEA THEATER, under Artistic Director Niegel Smith and Producing Director Carol Ostrow, is one of New York's leading off-off-Broadway companies. Winner of a Special Drama Desk Award for outstanding achievement, Obie Awards and an Otto for political theater, The Flea has presented over 100 plays and numerous dance and live music performances since its inception in 1996. Past productions include premieres by Trista Baldwin, Steven Banks, Thomas Bradshaw, Sheila Callaghan, Kim Davies, Bathsheba Doran, Will Eno, Karen Finley, Amy Freed, Sean Graney, A.R. Gurney, Laurel Haines, Jennifer Haley, Hamish Linklater, Enrique Gutiérrez Ortiz Monasterio, Itamar Moses, Anne Nelson, Qui Nguyen, Adam Rapp, Jonathan Reynolds, Roger Rosenblatt, Todd Shalom, Julian Sheppard, Tommy Smith, Elizabeth Swados, Ken Urban, Mac Wellman, Beau Willimon, Brian Watkins, and Frank Winters, among others. Highlights include Drama Desk nominated She Kills Monsters, These Seven Sicknesses, Restoration Comedy, The Mysteries and eight World Premieres by A.R. Gurney including the WSJ Best New Play of 2013, Family Furniture.