barebones productions black box theater
May 14 – 31
8 p.m. & 6 p.m. (no late seating)
It seems fitting that actor, director and Pittsburgh native Patrick Jordan chose Miki Johnson’s striking play, American Falls, as the inaugural production for christening his company’s brand new digs in Braddock (read more about that here). Don’t miss this unique theatrical experience that is crafted around a local premiere and new growth on the horizon for both barebones and the Mon Valley town.
Audiences will get a behind-the-scenes look at barebones’ intimate new black box theater, while it’s still under construction, and will be treated to a preview of the soon-to-open Superior Motors restaurant featuring small plates by chef Kevin Sousa and local libations.
Dubbed a “modern day Our Town,” Johnson’s debut play documents the lives of seven people—some living, some dead—in American Falls, Idaho. Says barebones: “From a ghost drinking beer in a lawn chair to a Native American shoe salesman, the population of American Falls is the product of America’s improbable experiment.”
Theater-goers will follow the intertwining paths of multi-dimensional characters in a compelling work that “carries us from Bruce Willis in Moonlighting to the actual moon; from the cool pain of alienation to the warm embrace of belonging.” Audiences and actors alike will confront some of life’s age-old—and perhaps unanswerable—questions: What is it to live? Why do we grow old? What does it mean to die?
Directed by Jordan, American Falls features Cary Anne Spear, Liz Hammond, Leandro Cano, Connor McCanlus, Dave Mansueto, Sarah Silk and John Steffenauer.
A vital voice in contemporary American theatre, Miki Johnson received Houston Theatre’s Best Playwright Award for American Falls in 2012. A graduate of the University of Pittsburgh, she received her MFA from Yale and is a writer for AMC.
Seating is extremely limited, so purchase tickets today.
