The Anthropologists Announce  Opening Night Benefit

For

The Peoples Institute For  Survival And Beyond

Opening Night Of No Man’s Land

Friday, November 18 @ Theater Lab

The Anthroplogists are thrilled to announce that the Opening Night of NO MAN’S LAND on Friday, November 18th at 7:30pm, will benefit The Peoples Institute for Survival and Beyond (PISAB), an international anti-racist collective that has worked to build an effective movement for social transformation for over 35 years.
“We feel so fortunate to be able to support The People’s Institute and the vital and inclusive work that they facilitate across the country to help all Americans understand ‘what racism is, where it comes from, how it functions, why it persists and how it can be undone.’ They put into action the very deep concerns of our play,” said Melissa Moschitto, Artistic Director of The Anthropologists and director of No Man’s Land. Tickets for the Opening Night Benefit are $35and include a post-show reception with the cast and creative team. $5 of every ticket will go directly to funding a scholarship to an “Understanding and Undoing Racism” workshop in the New York region.
The Anthropologists (Malini Singh McDonald, Producer) will present the World Premiere of their newest devised piece, NO MAN’S LAND, directed by Melissa Moschitto (Give Us Bread at Milagro Theatre/CSV; Mahalla with Jewish Plays Project at the 2013 Berkshire Fringe) at TheaterLab (357 West 36th Street between 8th and 9th Avenues)November 17-December 11, with performances Thursday through Saturday at 7:30pm and Sunday at 5pm (no performances on November 24 & 25). Tickets ($15; $12 students & seniors; $20 at the door) are available online athttps://web.ovationtix.com/trs/pe.c/10122309 or by calling 866-811-4111. The show runs approximately 80 minutes, with no intermission.
The cast will feature Michael Ables, Mariah Freda, Jean Goto, and Brian Demar Jones with Lighting/Projection Design by Nic Christopher, Set Design by Sarah Edkins, Sound Design by Christopher Gillard, Costume Design by Lux Haac, and Dramaturgy by Lynde Rosario. The Production Stage Manager will be Allison Newcombe.
If a modern day fairy tale is a dream come true, then whose dream does it belong to and at what cost? Four actors set out to wrestle to the stage the true story of American Dad, Jeremiah Heaton, who planted a flag in the African desert to make his daughter a real Princess. They attempt to expose this modern day fairy tale’s roots in systemic racism and white privilege. What follows is an outrageous, inappropriate and sometimes painful confrontation with their own bias as they take the journey to a new story.
Alongside their production of No Man’s Land, The Anthropologists will also present “Re-Frame Your Reference,” a provocative programming series investigating privilege and systemic racism in the United States today by recognizing and challenging culturally embedded frames of reference. We invite the audience to join us after performances to connect and converse about these important issues.
THE ANTHROPOLOGISTS are dedicated to the collaborative creation of investigative theatre that inspires action. Rooted in research and community engagement and shaped by contemporary dance and physical theatre techniques, we’re committed to exploring current social topics from an anthropological perspective in order to break down and unleash cultural discoveries.
Past provocations have included:  “why do Americans need so much stuff?” (EXCESS – a dance play inspired by The Cherry Orchard) and “who gets access to food?” (GIVE US BREAD, hailed by nytheatre.com as “a thoroughly entertaining and thought provoking play mixing elements of dance and stylized movement to create a piece that is wholly within its own hybrid Anthropologists genre.”)