Castillo Theatre
Embarking on its 25th theatre season, the Castillo Theatre brings experimental political theatre, dealing with contemporary and historical social issues, to the heart of New York's commercial theatre district.
A showplace for the plays of Fred Newman and Heiner Müller, a multicultural home for Black theatre, and a hotbed of theatrical improvisation, Castillo includes people of all ages and backgrounds in its creative life - from raising and contributing money to being part of the house staff to performing on stage. Castillo works and plays side-by-side with the developmental youth programs of the All Stars Project, which bring theatre to the whole city (and then some!).
Castillo Theatre 2009- 2010 Theatre Season - A Celebration of Postmodern Political Theatre
So What's a Revolution Anyway? Click here for statement.
Selected Saturdays throughout the year
Next Audition: TBA
Coming Soon!
PAST SHOWS
October 8 - November 1, 2009
Presented by Woodie King Jr.'s New Federal Theatre in association with the Castillo Theatre, The River Crosses River is an evening of 7 short plays by woman playwrights of color including Ruby Dee, the Pulitzer Prize winner Lynn Nottage, Naveen Bahar Choudhury, Bridgette Wimberly and others. The plays deal with a broad range of experiences - politics and war; love and loss; abortion; punk rock and dating - in a broad range of voices.
Safe at Third (or Josh Gibson Don't Bunt)
October 23 - November 22, 2009
Written and directed by Fred Newman
In Fred Newman's new play with music, Negro League baseball great Josh Gibson hits yet another towering home run, but as he rounds the bases, he meets genius Albert Einstein, aviator Amelia Earhart, and revolutionary poet Otto René Castillo - all on third base with no way home. Relativity theory meets baseball meets the Wizard of Oz in this whimsical theatrical fantasy.
December 4, 2009 - January 17, 2010
Directed by Dan Friedman
An ensemble of young theatre artists is embarking on three months of discussions and workshops with social scientists, community activists, and workers of all kinds about work, in all its multiplicity - as a career, as a passion or as a paycheck. In the tradition of Youth Onstage!, the young performers are coached by skilled playwrights and theatre directors as they create a new performance piece that is both challenging and entertaining.
January 22 - February 21, 2010
Written by Heiner Müller, Translated by Carl Weber
Music and lyrics by Fred Newman,
Directed by Gabrielle L. Kurlander (Click here for video interview)
The promise of revolution comes to Jamaica in 1799, as the timeless themes of love, loss and betrayal collide in a challenging play by acclaimed German avant-gardist Heiner Müller.
Castillo continues expanding the boundaries of political theatre as popular director Gabrielle L. Kurlander mounts the first-ever American production of Müller's The Task performed by an all-Black cast. With Fred Newman's avant-garde songs, Billy Taylor's gospel, R&B classics and rap, this is New York City experimental theatre at its best.
March 12 - 21, 2010
Co-production with City Lights Youth Theatre
Directed by Rob McIntosh
Based on the novel by John Steinbeck, Adapted by Frank Galati
Frank Galati's skillful and stirring adaptation of John Steinbeck's classic story won a TONY award for Best Play in 1990. In this City Lights/Youth Onstage! co-production, the struggles of Tom Joad and his family are given voice by our young people: "Maybe a fella ain't got a soul of his own, but on'y a piece of a big one."
Ché
Written by Mario Fratti; Directed by Madelyn Chapman
Risky Revolutionary
Written by Fred Newman; Directed by David Nackman
May 14 - June 13, 2010
An evening of one-act plays featuring Ché Guevara: physician, author, revolutionary leader and pop culture icon.
In Ché, Mario Fratti imagines the final moments of the revolutionary leader. With his execution both certain and near, Ché remains defiant to the authorities, and compassionate and loving to the people around him, including the guards who will soon be his firing squad. In Fred Newman's magical love story, Ché is the Risky Revolutionary, reappearing decades after his murder to urge his old comrade Fidel Castro to take the greatest risk of all.
Featured Video
Youth Spotlight
