Mar. 22 - Apr. 13: NAATCO Presents A Dream Play at Here

The OBIE Award-winning National Asian American Theatre Company (NAATCO) — now in its 23rd season of presenting classics and new works performed by Asian American actors — will present August Strindberg’s A DREAM PLAY in a new adaptation by Sung Rno and Andrew Pang, directed by Mr. Pang, with previews set to begin March 22 prior to an official opening night of March 27 at HERE, 145 Sixth Avenue (entrance on Dominick, 1 Block South of Spring) in New York.
A DREAM PLAY runs through April 13. Tickets are priced from $15 (for preview performances, March 22nd- 26th) – $25 (for performances March 27th – April 13th). For Tickets & Information, please visit www.here.org or call 212-352-3101. This production of A DREAM PLAY is a part of SubletSeries@HERE, HERE’s curated rental program, which provides artists with subsidized space and equipment, as well as technical support.

Sung Rno’s plays — which include GRAVITY FALLS FROM TREES, wAve, THE TRAJECTORY OF A HEART, FRACTURE and KONISHIKI, MON AMOUR — have been produced by Ma-Yi Theater Company, East West Players, Dance Theatre Workshop, Immigrants Theater Project and NY International Fringe Festival. Andrew Pang is an actor/director who has performed with NAATCO, Ma-Yi and Pan Asian Rep and with the Steppenwolf Theatre in productions directed by Frank Galati.

Jojo Gonzalez, Siho Ellsmore, Tina Chilip and Dave Shih in NAATCO’s A Dream Play at Here. Photo by William P. Steele

In A DREAM PLAY, Agnes, a god’s daughter, has lost her way and finds herself falling to the third sphere from the sun, “the densest and heaviest of the spheres that roam in space.” Her father encourages her to descend and observe the “Creator’s children” saying that the world is “not the best for sure, but not the worst. Have courage, child, ’tis but a trial.” Agnes observes at first but, drawn to the human beings she encounters, decides to participate in their lives to better understand them.

Jojo Gonzalez and Rica de Ocampo in NAATCO’s A Dream Play at Here. Photo by William P. Steele

The day after the opening of A DREAM PLAY in 1907, Strindberg wrote in his diary: “Thus the world exists only through sin, if it exists at all, for it is only a dream picture (hence my Dream Play is a picture of life).” The play inspired Surrealism, Expressionism, and Ingmar Bergman was very influenced, if not obsessed by the work, mounting it four times in Stockholm. Strindberg — the Swedish playwright and author of MISS JULIE, THE GHOST SONATA andTHE DANCE OF DEATH — called it “my most beloved play, the child of my greatest pain.”

The cast of A DREAM PLAY includes Alexis Camins, Tina Chilip, Rica de Ocampo, Siho Ellsmore, Eston Fung, Jojo Gonzalez, David Shih, Sophia Skiles, Dax Valdes, and Brent Yoshikami.

A DREAM PLAY has scenic design by Joseph Lark-Riley, costumes design by Alice Tavener, lighting design by Sarah Lurie, and sound design by Alex Hawthorn. Dax Valdes is the choreographer.

A DREAM PLAY will be performed Mondays – Saturdays at 8:30 p.m. and Saturdays at 4:00 p.m. from Friday, March 22nd – Saturday, April 13th. There will be no performances on March 30 (4:00), April 3, April 6 (4:00), and April 8.

Now in its 23rd season, the OBIE Award-winning NAATCO was created to provide opportunities for Asian American actors, directors, and designers. NAATCO has presented a host of classic works, adaptations of these works by Asian American Playwrights, and has produced original work by non-Asian American Playwrights, presenting these with all Asian American casts. Recent productions include the Drama Desk nominated A PLAY ON WAR (an adaptation of Brecht’s MOTHER COURAGE, nominated for Outstanding Music in a Play), and the critically acclaimed THE SEAGULL. Other notable productions include OTHELLO, LONG DAY’S JOURNEY INTO NIGHT, OUR TOWN, YOU CAN’T TAKE IT WITH YOU, William Finn’s FALSETTOLAND,ANTIGONE, IVANOV, THE DISPUTE, the world premieres of Karen Hartman’sLEAH’S TRAIN, Catherine Filloux’s EYES OF THE HEART, Michael Golamco’sCOWBOY V. SAMURAI, and the rolling world premiere of Jordan Harrison’s FUTURA.

Lia Chang

Lia Chang is an actor, a performance and fine art botanical photographer, and an award-winning multi-platform journalist.