(New York, NY – April 3, 2023) The DOWNTOWN URBAN ARTS FESTIVAL (DUAF), under the leadership of its Artistic Director Reg E. Gaines, and producer Creative Ammo, Inc, today announced that in its 21st season of presenting new works spotlighting contemporary urban culture, the festival will present 16 plays (nine shorts and seven one-acts.)
The festival kicks off on Friday, May 5 and Saturday, May 6 when Savion Glover and Reg E. Gaines (Bring in da Noise Bring in da Funk) make a much-anticipated return to The Public Theater with the centerpiece production If Trane Wuz Here. Celebrating Coltrane’s genius, Glover and Gaines, along with a special guest saxophonist, use his magical melodies as suggestions for improvisation.
Both an homage to Coltrane and celebration of his music, If Trane Wuz Here is an inspirational and educational evening of music, dance and text. The annual multi-disciplinary arts event held each spring at renowned New York venues presents groundbreaking performances and storytelling from America’s burgeoning multicultural landscape, sharing stories that interpret our history and current times.
Following Mr. Glover and Mr. Gaines’ performances in May, the DUAF at large will continue Wednesday, June 7th – Saturday, June 24th at The Peter Jay Sharp Theater (416 42nd Street). Tickets go on sale April 1st, and further information is available at duafnyc.com
The 2023 DOWNTOWN URBAN ARTS FESTIVAL features new works by playwrights from New York, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Texas, North Carolina, and California – all presenting issues that have either woven (or in some cases insidiously penetrated) their way into the daily lives of Americans and our collective American experience. These short plays tackle subject matter that a vast majority of the people around us are currently confronted by or grappling with:
● the impact of unexpected deaths and reflection on human existence
● deeper conversations on religion and colonization
● mental health as it pertains to the perception of weakness and depression amongst young black and brown men
● neo-fascist takeover of public-school boards and resulting book bans
● a spike in anti-Asian hate crimes and how many believe they must behave in order to be the model minority
● a conjunction of police brutality, systematic racism, moderate politics, and overt ignorance and the conversations we need to have around them.
● an untrusting and uncomfortable interaction between an ICE officer and a detained immigrant separated from her young son – all of whom are Latino
● a dementia diagnosis that leads one man’s boyfriend to dump him
● a young couple’s third date forces them to consider what their role is in another person’s mental health
● a rooftop conversation between two young black housemates bonding over their urban trials and tribulations morphs into a modern retelling of the story of the Buddha and his connection to their struggles. The seed of the conversation is hope for freedom from the cyclical constrictions of their environment
● one woman’s exploration of self as comes to terms with her past traumas growing up in a patriarchal strict Puerto Rican household.arguing or “digital debates” with strangers on the internet
● An HIV diagnosis that leads to a severe meth addiction – a new play about self love and acceptance by baring it all.
● subtle and passive racism that exists in the workplace – and how many don’t speak up amidst micro aggressions, offensive moments, or when they feel outright slighted so that they can stay in good graces with their colleagues or keep their job
Over the past 20 years, DUAF has presented nearly 300 new plays by over 200 emerging and established playwrights including Dominique Morisseau, Martyna Majok, Nelson Diaz-Marcano, Carl Hancock Rux, Craig MuMs Grant, and Ming Peiffer.
In 2001, the theater program at DOWNTOWN URBAN ARTS FESTIVAL was founded with the purpose to build a repertoire of new American theater that echoes the true spirit of urban life and speaks to a whole new generation whose lives defy categorizing along conventional lines. That purpose has been realized many times over, as more than 200 writers have created and refined their work for the stage and thousands of inspired audience members have applauded their performances. It has been recognized as “one of the world’s best festivals for new works” and described as “not only prestigious, but a slice of heaven for playwrights who want the chance to freely express themselves.” (Lisa Mulcahy, Theater Festivals, Allworth Press, 2005). DUAF works have been presented at venues including Cherry Lane, HERE, Joe’s Pub, Abrons Arts Center, Wild Project and Nuyorican Poets Café.
Creative. Vibrant. Passionate. These words aptly describe the past performances, as well as the future direction of DUAF. Its founding program is its Theater series, formerly known as Downtown Urban Theater Festival/DUTF, which was created in 2001 with the purpose to build a repertoire of new American theater that echoes the true spirit of urban life and speaks to a whole new generation whose lives defy categorizing along conventional lines. That purpose has been realized many times over, as 200 writers have created and refined their work for the stage and thousands of inspired audience members have applauded their performances. Theater was inaugurated in 2002 at the HERE Arts Center in SoHo to help revitalize the NYC downtown arts scene, which was experiencing a severe downturn due to the WTC disaster. Theater has been recognized as “one of the world’s best festivals for new works” and described as “not only prestigious, but a slice of heaven for playwrights who want the chance to freely express themselves.” (Lisa Mulcahy, Theater Festivals, Allworth Press, 2005)
