Roughly Speaking, a new play with rap by Shara Ashley Zeiger based on over 200 interviews with the New York City Homeless announces its full cast and creative team.
The Roughly Speaking cast will feature Franz Jones (Broadway’s Big River), Danny Bolero (Broadway’s In the Heights & Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dream Coat), Christopher Michael McLamb, Steven J. Michel, Michael Twain (European Tour ofWest Side Story), Madeline McCray, Troy Valjean Rucker (National Tour, Jesus Christ Superstar), Shara Ashley Zeiger and Joanie Anderson.
Roughly Speaking will be directed by Celine Rosenthal. Set Design is by Joseph Napolitano. Lighting Design is by Sophie Talmadge Silleck. Costume Design is by Shirlee Idzakovich. Roughly Speaking is presented by The Platform Group, in cooperation with Xavier Mission.
Roughly Speaking depicts a world we often walk by through the eyes of Lightning.Bolt, a rapper bound only by his wheelchair on a not so typical day at the soup kitchen. An existential struggle of survival begs questions of love, loss, and what's next.Roughly Speaking is a play with rap about those who are caught in a system which exists more to maintain the status quo, rather than offer a way out.
The Platform Group previously presented a successful staged reading of Roughly Speaking this past June at Manhattan Theatre Club. Those who attended the reading called the work “funny, sad and moving”, “well-written, with good comic timing and heartfelt stories of anguish and struggle” and that “it captured the magic, sadness, reality, pain and humanity of the guests of Xavier.”
All Sunday and Wednesday performances of Roughly Speaking will include a post-show talk back featuring members of the cast and creative team, along with experts on homelessness, community partners and volunteer staff of Xavier Mission’s Welcome Table Soup Kitchen. Audiences will also experience the WE ARE ALL HOMELESS art installation of homeless signs by Willie Baronet set up in the lobby of Tada Theatre. (TEDx Talks, Democratic and Republican National Conventions, Upworthy viral video of 6 million hits, documentary film Signs of Humanity).
Roughly Speaking will be presented at Tada Theater, located at 15 West 28 Street from October 29 through November 20. Show times are Wednesday-Saturday at 8pm, Sunday at 2pm. There will be an additional performance on Monday, November 14 at 8pm and no performance on Sunday October 30, or Wednesday, November 16. All tickets are $25.00, with $3.00 from each ticket sold going towards purchasing backpacks for the homeless. Reservations: 212-868- 4444 or www.theplatformgroup.org The approximate running time of the show is 90 minutes.
Members of the press are invited to all performances.
For Press Inquiries Contact:[email protected]
For Press Reservations Contact:[email protected]
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Information for Listing Editors
WHAT: Roughly Speaking
by: Shara Ashley Zeiger
Directed by: Celine Rosenthal
With: Danny Bolero* (Broadway’s In the Heights, & Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dream Coat), Franz Jones* (Broadway’s Big River), Christopher Michael McLamb*, Steven J. Michel*, Michael Twaine* (European Tour of West Side Story), Madeline McCray*, Troy Valjean Rucker* (National Tour of Jesus Christ Superstar), Shara Ashley Zeiger*, Joanie Anderson
*members of Actors Equity Association
Set Design by: Joseph Napolitano
Lighting Design by: Sophie Talmadge Silleck
Costume Design by: Shirlee Idzakovich
Synopsis: A new play with rap based on over 200 interviews with the NYC Homeless! See a world we often walk by through the eyes of Lightning.Bolt, a rapper bound only by his wheelchair on a not so typical day at the soup kitchen. An existential struggle of survival begs questions of love, loss, and what's next. Sunday and Wednesday performances include a talkback. All performances include an installation of artist Willie Baronet’s homeless signs in the lobby. (TEDx Talks, Upworthy Viral Video of 6 million hits, DNC, etc.)
WHERE:
Tada Theater
15 w. 28th st. (at Broadway)
NY NY 10001
WHEN:
October 29th-November 20th
Thursday- Saturday 8pm
Wednesday November 2nd 8pm
Sunday November 6th 2pm
Wednesday November 9th 8pm
Sunday November 13th 2pm
Monday November 14th 8pm
Sunday November 20th 2pm
TICKETS: $25.00 (with $3 of each going to buy backpacks for the NYC Homeless)
RESERVATIONS: www.ThePlatformGroup.org
SUBWAY INFO:
Take the N/R train to 28th st
Take the D/B/F/M/Q train to 34th st.
Take the 6th train to 28th st.
