18TH ANNUAL SEASON OF THEATER

SATURDAY, June 6 at 8:300PM

TIERS

 by Reg E. Gaines

Set in 1970s Jersey City, Tiers follows the friendship of four young black men: Angelo, Earl, ‘Heads’ and ‘Ice.’ What starts out as a simple night of cards, drinks and jokes among close friends, quickly turns.

SATURDAY, June 13 at 8:30PM

B-BOY BLUES

by James Earl Hardy

Opposites do attract. Take Mitchell "Little Bit" Crawford, a 30-year-old Columbia University grad and journalist, and Raheim "Pooquie" Rivers, a 23-year-old homeboy from Harlem and high school dropout who is a messenger. When Middle Class Boy meets Working Class Boi, the attraction is palpable and explosive

EMERGING PLAYWRIGHTS

WEDNESDAY, June 3 at 8:00PM

DOUBLE RAINBOW (SHORT)

by Marcus Scott

Lea and Michael, two far-left democratic LGBT rights activists, are under arrest and facing criminal charges. The charge: Assault and Battery. The crime: Outrageous or justified?

THURSDAY, June 4 at 8:00PM

LESTER COLLINS TAKES FIVE (SHORT)

by Mel Nieves

Lester Collins, a one-time saxophone player with several jazz bands advises a hungry aspiring younger fellow player on the ups and downs of a true jazz man's life.

FRIDAY, June 5 at 8:00PM

A CRAIGSLIST PLAY (SHORT)

by Ruben Carbajal

Mined from the Missed Connections page of North New Jersey's Craigslist site, this found play is a kind of symphony of longing and desperation. 

WEDNESDAY, June 10 at 8:00PM

I FEEL GOOD! (SHORT)

by J. Lois Diamond

Sharon, aged forty, desperately wants to have a singing career but record companies won’t give her a break despite her obvious talent. She is forced to deal with the tough realities of guarding prisoners at Rikers Island. But then, she gets a call.

THURSDAY, June 11 at 8:00PM

A KISS IS JUST A KISS (SHORT)

by James Earl Hardy

Remember that Mtume song from the 1980s, “You, Me and He”? Olivia Henderson is faced with that very scenario when she learns her husband, Oz, is involved with Chris Culbertson. Chris is convinced she’s shown up at his apartment to fight for her man, and he has news for her: she won’t have to because he’ll gladly stop seeing him. But Olivia has a surprise for them both…

FRIDAY, June 12 at 8:00PM

THE RED PLAID SUITCASE

by Alan “Rock” Wilk

Separation, resilience and identity. The Red Plaid Suitcase is a story about all of us, because everybody’s searching for something.

THURSDAY, June 18 at 8:00PM

FRESNO (STAGED READING)

by Augusto Federico Amador

Haunted by his childhood UFO abduction; a long estranged son, Ernie, returns home to his dying repressive father, The Old Vato, and dangerous half-brother Paco, to learn the truth about the mysterious disappearance of his beloved half-brother Angel.

SATURDAY, June 20 at 8:30PM

GROCERY RUN (SHORT)

by Brandice Peltier 

On a nice quiet day, a young, rookie white cop stops a young black female. What was supposed to be a simple grocery run becomes an intimate conversation that questions the power structure of race in America. When things get heated, will they both be able to survive the truth?

WEDNESDAY, June 3 at 8:00PM

THE PRIZE (SHORT)

by Rollin Jewett

When a son visits his aging father, a rugged ex-cowboy TV star facing Alzheimer’s, he realizes his father is deteriorating more quickly than he thought. A loving tribute to the caregivers who stand by their loved ones through difficult times.  

THURSDAY, June 4 at 8:00PM

SOUL SURVIVER (SHORT)

by Alano P. Baez

(aka Prophet/Not4Prophet)

A man imprisoned and sentenced to die somewhere in the United States, contemplates the course of his life and loves, the trajectory of his beloved Soul music and Sam Cooke, and the long history of Black oppression, struggle and resistance in America. 

FRIDAY, June 5 at 8:00PM

 BAGGAGE

by Melissa Rose

One woman tells the story of her experiences as a touring spoken word artist in the United States and Europe while exploring her need to escape through travel and self-destruction.

WEDNESDAY, June 10 at 8:00PM

ONE ACT OF KINDNESS (SHORT)

by Juan Ramirez, Jr.

After her car breaks down on the side of the road, Ema decides to walk only to find Amila, a forgetful orange seller. When she asks for directions, she doesn't get the answers she wants. Whether it's good directions or bad directions, life's got a way to put you exactly where you need to be.

THURSDAY, June 11 at 8:00PM

THE OTHER SIDE

by Jason Tseng

Esther arranges to confront David, the man who raped her over a decade ago. She soon finds that the man from whom she seeks justice is not what she expects. This play interrogates the complex issues of sexual violence, rape culture, and restorative justice.

WEDNESDAY, June 17 at 8:00PM

RESTORATION PARTS

by Sheila Duane

What makes a woman a victim? Can victims throw off their victimhood and become whole beings again? Restoration Parts is the story of a family broken by a child's rape at age six. The child, Girl, grows up to take back her life from trauma. Was it murder or self-defense?

FRIDAY, June 19 at 8:00PM

FOR CHANCE

by Chima Chikazunga

After waking up from a recent blackout, Chance receives a surprise visit from his childhood best friends on his 25th birthday. The unexpected guests share a secret that threatens to awaken an unresolved emotional wound that has long been forgotten.

SATURDAY, June 20 at 8:30PM

CONCRETE ROSE

by LaDarrion Williams 

Two strangers, Nyla Jackson and Dante Williams, lives are forever changed when they wake up in an abandoned hospital room in the Ninth Ward of New Orleans during Hurricane Katrina. With the hospital building threatening to collapse, the two must recollect their memories and figure a way out before it's too late. As the storm grows, Nyla and Dante begin to find the truth that will ultimately connect them in unspeakable ways.

TICKETS

TICKETS:

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$25 FOR FEATURED PLAYWRIGHTS

$20 FOR EMERGING PLAYWRIGHTS

$5 FOR STAGED READING

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AVAILABLE AT:

The Pershing Square Signature Center

In order to service disabled patrons, DUAF reserves seating for patrons with visual, hearing and mobility impairments. In order to better serve you, we ask that you please identify any needs you may have. Please use CONTACT to inform us of your request.

VENUE

THE PERSHING SQUARE SIGNATURE CENTER

480 West 42nd Street
New York, NY 10036

TICKETS: (212) 244-7529