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February 1st to March 9th 2023 Rattlestick Theater ibn partnership with Merrimack Repertory Theatre Presents SPIRITUS/VIRGIL'S DANCE Written by and Starring Dael Orlandersmith Directed by Neel Keller ​ Scenic Design - Takeshi Kata Costume Design - Kaye Voyce Lighting Design - Mary Louise Geiger Original Music & Sound Design - Lindsay Jones Projection Design - Nicholas Hussong Associate Scenic Design - Colleen Murray Associate Costume Design - Annie Hoeg Associate Lighting Design - K Rudolph Associate Sound Design - Veronica J. Lancaster Associate Projection Design - Joey Moro Stage Manager - Martha Donaldson Production Assistant - Misha Fristensky Press Representative - The Chamber Group Originally commissioned by Merrimack Repertory Theatre Courtney Sale, Nancy L. Donahue Artistic Director, Bonnie J. Butkus, Executive Director Originally produced at the Contemporary American Theater Festival in Shepherdstown, West Virginia in July 2023, Peggy McKowen, Artistic Director Spiritus/Virgil's Dance was developed, in part, with support from Fisher Center LAB, which receives funding from the Fisher Center of Bard's Artistic Innovation Fund with lead support from Rebecca Gold and S. Asher Gelman through the March Forth Foundation, Fishercenter.bard.edu Photos by HanJie Chow

February 8th - March 5th, 2023 Rattlestick Theater and National Black Theatre Presents AMANI Written by a.k. payne Directed by Josiah Davis ​ CAST Amani - Denise Manning Kofa - Kai Heath Dasia - Mars Rucker Smith - Eden Marryshow Robert Richards/ Davion/ Lamar Davis/ A series of Men - Omari Chancellor PRODUCTION STAGE MANAGER - Kiara Brown CREATIVE TEAM​ DRAMATURG - Nissy Aya PRODUCTION DESIGNER - Brittany Bland PROPS MANAGER - Daniel Brothers ASSISTANT COSTUME DESIGNER, WARDROBE SUPERVISING CONSULTANT - Allison Esannason COSTUME, WIGS, AND HAIR DESIGNER - Mika Eubanks SET DESIGNER - Maruti Evans INTIMACY COORDINATOR - Ann C. James BAND: DRUMS - Ahmad Johnson LIGHTING DESIGNER - Marika Kent ASSISTANT LIGHTING DESIGNER - Matt Lazarus MUSIC DIRECTOR, BAND: KEYS - Nehemiah Luckett BAND: SAX - Gabrielle Murphy SOUND DESIGNER AND COMPOSER - Kathy Ruvuna ASSOCIATE PROJECTIONS DESIGNER - Nitsan Scharf ASSISTANT STAGE MANAGER - Fumiko Tanaka BAND: BASS - Skyler Vole ​ PRESS Chris Chambers, Andres Sanchez - The Chamber Group Co-produced with National Black Theatre ​ Amani grows up building a rocket ship with her father, who vows to make it to outer space: where his child can breathe easy, where there are no gangs to take his first love’s life, nor prisons to take Black boys’ best years. As Amani moves into adulthood, she seeks her voice and her own dreams. Will Amani make it to the moon? Photos by Marcus Middleton

November 9th - December 11th, 2022 Rattlestick Theater Presents The Gett Written by Liba Vaynberg Directed by Daniella Topol ​ CAST Baal - Ben Edelman Ida - Liba Vaynberg Other Man - Luis Vega Mama - Jennifer Westfeldt PRODUCTION STAGE MANAGER - Allison Hohman CREATIVE TEAM​ MAGIC CONSULTANT - Alexander Boyce TECHNICAL DIRECTOR - Nicholas Brester INTIMACY DIRECTOR - Daniella Caggiano PRODUCTION MANAGER - Teresa Cruz, Kasper Klop MASTER ELECTRICIAN - Dariel Garcia DRAMATURG - Matt Green SET DESIGNER - Misha Kachman SOUND DESINGER - Megumi Katayama ASSOCIATE SOUND DESIGNER - Keirsten Lamora COSTUME DESIGNER - Johanna Pan DRAMATURGY INTERN - ​Kayla Salter PROPS DESIGNER - Anita Sibony de Adelsberg ASSISTANT STATE MANAGER - TaTyana Smith LIGHT DESIGNER - Paul Whitaker ​ CASTING - Tara Rubin Casting ​ PRESS Chris Chambers, Andres Sanchez - The Chamber Group Produced in partnership with Congregation Beth Elohim ​ The Gett is a tale of the dirty and the divine, drawing on everything from the Torah to bad sex. It’s about the tacky menorah in your lobby behind the Christmas tree and the lover whose phone number you can’t forget and that voicemail from your mother you haven't listened to yet. As sacred as it is profane, this is a play about recreating a self. Herself. Photos by Bronwen Sharp The Gett is generously funded by The Blanche & Irving Laurie Foundation; Stephanie Connor, in honor of Liba Vaynberg; Richard Hodos; Marcia and Harold Langsam, in honor of Rosalee Lovett; Bruce Lovett, in honor of Rosalee Lovett; NYU Community Fund; Amy Oshinsky, in memory of Rosalee Lovett; Norm and Sandy Reisman, Alana R. Spiwak and Sam L Stolbun; the Still Point Fund; and Sydelle and Andy Weinberger. ​ This production is dedicated to Rattlestick's beloved friend and former Board treasurer Rosalee Lovett.

Rattlestick Theater is pleased to announce the 2024 edition of Global Forms, a festival showcasing the work of immigrant theater artists. Learn more

Rattlestick Theater is pleased to announce the 2024 edition of Global Forms, a festival showcasing the work of immigrant theater artists. The 2024 edition will take place June 7-9, 2024 at Rattlestick’s beloved home in the West Village, located at 224 Waverly Place. Global Forms will include a bountiful mix of performances, panels, affinity groups, and community events. A centerpiece of the festival will be three in-progress performances of DRAUPADI - AN 18 NIGHTS/ MAHABHARATA PROJECT PLAY by actor and writer Mahira Kakkar, with dramaturgy by Amrita Ramanan and directed by Associate Artistic Director at Studio Theatre Danilo Gambini. Additionally, micro-grants in the amount of $1,000 will be awarded to five immigrant theater artists based in New York City. Applications open April 5th and close April 30th. Recipients will be given an opportunity to present a sample of their work during the Global Forms weekend. “Global Forms is an incredible example of using theater to create action,” said Rattlestick’s Artistic Director Will Davis. “It was created as a direct response to the needs of immigrant artists at the height of the pandemic. Over five years, it has grown into a platform that not only showcases work, but fosters community through mentorships and dialogue between different pockets of New York City-based artists.” The 2024 edition of Global Forms will be programmed and supported by a team of accomplished immigrant theater artists who will bring insight, mentorship, and expertise to every aspect of the weekend. The curators include director Tea Alagic, theatermaker James Clements, costume designer Mel Ng, director Mei Ann Teo, Associate Artistic Director at Studio Theatre Danilo Gambini, and actor and writer Mahira Kakkar. Global Forms was created in 2020 to meet the urgent, specific needs of immigrant artists during the pandemic. Since its inception, Global Forms has grown to a major annual event that has hired over 150 artists from 50+ countries. Curation Team Currently the curation team consists of Tea Alagic, James Clements, Mel Ng, Mei Ann Teo, Danilo Gambini, and Mahira Kakkar. About the Festival Panels & Affinity Groups A series of panels made up of various groups who can speak to and answer questions about the immigrant artist experience, needs, and hiring practice. ​ ​ Community Events Mixers, parties, and networking events for former and current Global Forms participants to convene and commune. ​ As the centerpiece of the 2024 Global Forms, Rattlestick will present three in-progress performances of a selection of Mahira Kakkar’s Draupadi - an 18 Nights/ Mahabharata Project Play . Mahira's play is an adaptation of the classic ancient epic about two feuding royal families in the devastating Kurukshetra War, as told by characters often overlooked. The play grapples with the question - what is it to be human in an often inhumane world? Written as an exploration of Mahira’s dual experience of South Asian and American culture, Eighteen Nights/A Mahabarata Project will have dramaturgy by Amrita Ramanan and be directed by Rattlestick’s former Associate Artistic Director Danilo Gambini. ​ About Mahira Kakkar Mahira Kakkar is a Kolkata born, NYC based actor and writer. She is a proud graduate of Jadavpur University and the Juilliard School. As an actor has had the privilege of working on numerous plays, films and TV shows in NYC and around the world. As a writer she has developed scripts with co- writers that have won development grants and been pitched to HBO, ABC and Fox. www.mahirakakkar.com Seed Grants Because the Rattlestick Theater building will likely be under renovation, we are shifting the previous festival applica tion from performance slots to Seed Grants for immigrant theater artists. This will ensure that we are st ill able to provide broad support of theater projects by immigrant artists across the city, while Rattlestick is “on the road”. Winners of the grants will b e chosen by a panel of curators who are working immigrant theater artists and who will also provide mentorship to the grantees. Applications will open soon. ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Mission The mission of Global Forms is to create opportunities, visibility, and community for international and immigrant artists. This group of artists is drastically underrepresented and underserved in our industry. Since its inception in 2020, the festival has collaborated with 300 artists from over 40 countries. All of the artists involved in Global Forms are paid, and the festival does not ask for any form of payment for participation. The festival is funded solely through sponsorships, grants and donations contributed by government agencies, foundations, organizations, and individuals. This year, the festival will maintain hiring collaborators who are immigrant artists, making this the very first festival with 100% immigrant artists employment. ​ Global Forms is made possible by the Ford Foundation and New York State Council on the Arts with the support of Governor Kathy Hochul and the New York State Legislature. To join them in supporting our immigrant artists, you can donate at the link below. ​ *by immigrant artists, we mean: artists working under F, J, O, EB, or other forms of eligible Employment-Based Immigrant Visas. Apply Here Donate here Questions? Email globalforms@rattlestick.org for more info. No phone calls please.

The Lab About the Lab Development of new work comes in many forms. At Rattlestick we tailor the development process to the work and to the artist. From full play readings to movement workshops to site-specific explorations, our goal is to bring our resources to the artist and let them create, draft, and discover their work on their own terms. In keeping with the spirit of community, the Lab brings our fellows and commissioned artists together with directors, actors, and other artists for collaborations and invited sharings. The Lab 2023 Last year's Lab featured the directorgy of 2022/23 Directing Fellow Alex Keegan, as well as readings of Motherland by 2023/23 Van Lier Fellow May Trehaft-Ali, directed by Colm Summers; Sin Padre by Arturo Luís Soria, directed by Danilo Gambini; Rose by William Francis Hoffman, directed by Adrienne Campbell-Holt; BabySteps by Kareem M. Lucas, and Fa ctory 812 by 2023/23 Van Lier Fe llow Minghao Tu, directed by Ralph Peña. Learn more about our new works programming here, and about our fellows and commissioned artists here .