Theater for the New City’s Street Annual Street Theater Tour’s, “It’s the Economy Stupid! or The Turning Point,” will be playing free performances on streets, parks and playgrounds throughout the borough.
The show is described as a rip-roaring musical recounting the New York-ization of the misfit angel Gabriel, who rides earthward on a bad dream to warn the inhabitants that the fate of their planet is in their hands. He must overcome the villainous Electric Man, messenger of the Dark Force, and save the world.
TNC’s award-winning street theater always contains an elaborate assemblage of trap doors, giant puppets, smoke machines, masks, original choreography and a huge (9’ x 12’) running screen or “cranky” providing continuous movement behind the actors.
The company of 27 actors, twelve crew members, two assistant directors and five live musicians shares the challenge of performing outside and holding a large, non-captive audience. The music varies in style from Bossa Nova to Gilbert & Sullivan. Complex social issues are often presented through children’s allegories, with children as the heroes, making these free productions a popular form of family entertainment.
The play becomes a saga of Gabriel, who feuds with Electric Man (a Dark Force Messenger, who disrupts the earthlings’ desire for life, peace and health) and attempts to enlighten the three American leaders: a fireman, a cop and a teacher.
He is dumped into the middle of a fire fight in Iraq and witnesses anti-war protests in New York. He even spends a night in a city jail. In a surprise ending, this trumpet playing loudmouth, chatterbox, windbag of an Angel co-opts the Dark Force Messenger and brings him home to Heaven.
The show plays Brooklyn August 10 at 2 p.m. at Herbert Von King Park at Marcy & Tompkins avenues; August 15 at 8 p.m. on the Coney Island Boardwalk at West 10th Street and August 23 at 2 p.m. in the Prospect Park Concert Grove.
For more, visit www.theaterforthenewcity.net or call 212-254-1109.
