New York, NY
Downtown Stories: Dreams From New York's Oldest Streets - We The People (Not The Bots)
A fictional walking tour following an accidental time-traveler with a warning from the future.
A fictional walking tour written and performed by Eric Lockley (Co-Founder Movement Theatre Company) Directed by Morgan Green (Co-Artistic Director Wilma Theatre) Beginning at Zuccotti Park In We the People (Not the Bots) Javel Washington, an accidental time-traveler, arrives in present day NYC with a warning from the future. In a race against the Bots of his time, Javel hopes the stories of New Yorkers will offer insight into the value of resilience. With the help of the audience through song, Javel may discover that what makes us human will always be our secret weapon. We the People (Nots the Bots) departs from Zuccotti Park Wednesdays – Saturdays at 1:00pm and 6:00pm. Saturday performances will be ADA compliant with extra time built in for those with mobility issues. Tickets for We the People are $20 each which will provide audience members with a food voucher that can be redeemed at a local area restaurant. To learn more about participating restaurants, click here. Extremely limited capacity - advance tickets required. Exact meeting locations will be communicated to ticket holders closer to event date. Proof of Covid-19 vaccination required and masks optional, as the tour will take place outdoors.
Audience Role
Audiences will be encouraged to sing along with the cast.
Ages: All ages
Content Advisories
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Mobility Advisories
About Downtown Stories: Dreams From New York's Oldest Streets
Put on your walking shoes with Downtown Stories, a series of theatrical pieces by some of New York’s most inventive artists as they embark on uncovering the stories embodied by the people that live and work in the oldest neighborhood in New York City. It’s art meets anthropological expedition as these artists discover new or little-known facts about downtown that become a springboard for inventive storytelling that provides a fresh perspective on the city that surrounds us. Downtown Stories brings together award-winning playwright Rogelio Martinez (Born In East Berlin) and director Johanna McKeon (Hedwig and the Angry Inch, American Idiot) for a documentary theatre piece inspired by interviews with small business owners in Lower Manhattan. Their stories are the stories of the United States, immigrants coming to this country to avoid religious persecution, racial prejudice or simply to pursue a better life. Additionally, the program will include two fictional walking tours that will use the rich history of the neighborhood’s landmarks as a springboard for imaginary trips into our past to connect with the people who once lived there. The fictional walking tours are written by Mona Mansour (Vagrant Trilogy, Public Theatre) and Eric Lockley (co-founder Movement Theatre Company), and directed by Jessica Holt (Ironbound, Sense and Sensibility) and Morgan Green (Co-Artistic Director, Wilma Theatre), respectively. Each 45-minute walking tour will be composed of a fictional story juxtaposed against the reality of history and will bring audiences to a series of sites that represent a significant moment from the city’s past, transforming into a fictional moment enabling us to imagine the future. The tours will conclude at neighborhood restaurants where audiences can pick up a meal. En Garde Arts’ month-long series Downtown Stories renews their collaboration with the Downtown Alliance, which launched last May for Downtown Live, a festival that brought 36 live performances to three different sites across Lower Manhattan.