THEATER FOR THE NEW CITY — 155 FIRST AVE. — 212 254 1109

CRYSTAL FIELD, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, PRESENTS…

“CAN YOU HEAR THE PIGEONS”
Writer/Director William Electric Black 

                              A Boldly Reimagined Lord of The Flies

FEBRUARY 27th TO MARCH 16TH * THURs. TO SAT. 8PM  *SUN 3PM          TIXS: $20 GENERAL * $15 SENIORS/STUDENTS * $12 GROUPS OF 10+

TIXS: AVAILABLE AT:  https://ci.ovationtix.com/35441/production/1229742

RUNNING TIME: 80 MINUTES  – NO INTERMISSION –  HAND STROBES

KILL THE BEAST! CUT HIS THROAT! What if right before we die our life doesn’t flash by our eyes? What if, instead, a terrifying story does. CAN YOU HEAR THE PIGEONS, a bold retelling of Lord of The Flies, is a new play written and directed by Emmy Award winning writer -William Electric Black aka Ian Ellis James. The play is a story imagined by Ralph, from the original story, while Jack Merridew and his hunters set their habitat on fire to trap and kill him.  Jack has already killed the smart, asthmatic boy called Piggy and the strange loner, Simon. Ralph, knowing that his fate is sealed, has nowhere else to go except inside his mind where Lord of The Flies conjures up a new, engrossing tale, CAN YOU HEAR THE PIGEONS.

 In this daring, immersive production where the audience sits on stage, Ralph becomes Ralphie, as he imagines that he exists on another island where an array of other teenagers — Lorde, Jackson, Faye, Frances, Taylor, Gray Ford and Frankie now find themselves alone in the 13th Circle. War has erupted and many young boys and girls have been sent away by their parents to find safety in the circles. CAN YOU HEAR THE PIGEONS is the all-consuming chaos within Ralph’s mind that tragically parallels his same fate. 

 In William Electric Black’s bold retelling of the classic book, the marooned teenagers constantly read and study the book, Lord  of The Flies, while they wait for the so-called LEADERS to come rescue them. In both stories, savagery, and civilization clash. When the rules disappear death, and destruction ensue. The conch no longer has meaning. Ralph and his avatar RALPHIE from his imaginary tale both face death from teens who no longer see themselves tied to the laws of society. The edgy retelling of the novel by William Golding is perhaps a foreshadowing of what might happen in our present-day society if everyday people disregard the laws and rules of the Constitution, our democracy.

 William Electric Black, Poetry Electric Series Director at La MaMa ETC, brings a unique visual staging to the production used by such artists as The Belarus Free Theatre, Joseph Chaikin, Andrei Serban, and Peter Brook. CAN YOU HEAR THE PIGEONS, performed by a unique ensemble of 12 performers that combines live music, physical theater, and innovative staging – opens February 27, 2025, and runs thru March 16th (THURS. – SAT. 8PM * SUN AT 3PM)  –  155 First Ave. New York City, NY.   www.Theaterforthenewcity.net

ENSEMBLE: Caleb A. Moreno – Miranda Renee – DeAundre Addison – Sheng Wen – Josie Altucher – Marisa Papa – Zoe Ray Prawda – Laura Walter – Marina Fess – Mizzie (Daylon) Fernandez – Brittyn Dion  – Mae Cirks.       MUSICIANS:  Guitar: Mae Cirks —  Bass: Zoe Ray Prawda

PROD. TEAM: Lighting by Alexander Bartenieff, Costumes/Props – Susan Hemley, Pig Masks – Susan Kaplow, Stage Manager  – Ally Clare, Props  Coordinator – Grace Andringa, Make-up & Graphics – Sofia Zucker,  Tech Direction – Mark Marcante, Board Operator – Geoffrey Christopher

William Electric Black (aka Ian Ellis James) is a seven-time Emmy Award winning writer. 

CREDITS: (TELEVISION) William Electric Black, aka Ian Ellis James, is a seven-time Emmy Award winning writer for his work on “Sesame Street” between 1992 and 2002. He also wrote for Nickelodeon’s “Allegra’s Window” and Lancit Media’s “Backyard Safari.” In 2022-2023, his children’s television show – “Rap-U-Cation” was optioned by FarView Entertainment. He also developed an original TV show for FarView called Dragon Clouds. In a series of multimedia projects with Doug E. Fresh, Chuck D, and Artie Green, he has campaigned for exercise and good nutrition for young children, prescription drug awareness and obesity prevention.

 CREDITS: (STAGE PRODUCTIONS) (2024) Betty & The Belrays – Writer/Director – La MaMa ETC,    NY, NY — (2024) Fly To Tomorrow – Additional Book Writer – Jooda Culture – South Korea — (2024) The Frankenstein Project – Writer/Director – TNC, NY, NY — (2023) Romeo & Juliet: Tribal Rock Musical -Writer/Director, TNC, NY, NY — (2022) Romeo & Juliet: Tribal Rock Musical – La MaMa ETC, NY, NY 

 AWARDS: Awards include Sesame Street (7 Emmy Awards) La MaMa Regional Theater Tony Award, 2018. NY State Assembly Citation – Charles D. Lavine, Member of Assembly, 2018. He has received a Bronze Apple (National Educational Video Award) for directing. He has also received several Best Play Awards and has been published by Benchmark Education, The Dramatic Publishing Co. and Smith & Krauss. He has been a faculty member at NYU’s Tisch School (Dept. of Dramatic Writing) for over 20 years.

 SPECIAL PROJECTS: In 2009, he directed Theater for the New City’s sensational and serious “Lonely Soldier Monologues: Women at War in Iraq,” a staged series of monologues based on a book by Helen Benedict. The play earned widespread notice and significantly helped the issues of America’s female soldiers to be widely recognized for the first time. His series of plays re: gun violence – GUNPLAYS: Five Plays on Inner City Violence and Guns, was recently published by Applause Books. He is also the author of a series of Pre-K, early reader books re: gun violence awareness – A GUN IS NOT FUN. These early childhood books, written to combat gun violence awareness and prevention, are part of an in-school pilot program that he is developing. (see www.Gunplays.org for his plays and children’s books on gun violence awareness). His NPR interview and NBC Nightly News interview can be see via these links — https://www.npr.org/2015/03/22/394636746/william-electric-black-tackles-gun-violence-in-5-ambitious-plays — https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=42uiaKTOgvU

https://www.americanslaveryproject.org/william-electric-black

https://muppet.fandom.com/wiki/Ian_Ellis_James  —  Electricisthecircle@gmail.com –  

DANIEL QUINTANILLA