ABOUT THE PLAY
Things aren't great. The oceans are rising. Venice has been underwater since 2029. And, worst of all, Liv Raines has to sell her family's orchard upstate — her family's famous orchard. But it's fine! She's going to save the orchard, save her family, save herself, and maybe save the world too (or at least try). A future-tinted explosion of Anton Chekhov's heartrending + gutbusting social satire for 2020 about generations, greenhouse gases, class, hope, and how we reckon with the inevitable.
read the new yorker article that inspired HG
Read vox’s responses to jonathan franzen’s article
THE VOICE CAST
The Brooklyn In Person Cast
The Manhattan In Person Cast
THE CREATIVE TEAM
Sound Designer: Joseph Palermo
SAFETY PROTOCOLS & FAQ
Wait… so how does this work?
Question of the year. How does one produce theatre when shared close experiences are taboo? Enter: panto-theatre. While indoor experiences are kuput, we’re sharing Homeless Garden in a safety-driven, outdoor, immersive experience created with you, the audience, in mind.
What is panto-theatre?
Think mimes, but classier. The actors you *see* performing will not be the actors you *hear.* You and the performers will be listening to an audio version of the play, complete with talented voice actors, sound effects, and music curated and edited together for an immersive outdoor experience. By using a broadcast with silent disco headphones, we’ll be able to control the audio for everyone, so you and the actors will always be on the same page.
What safety measures will there be for audience members?
We are committed to the health and wellness of the Refracted Family: that includes both the artists we employ and the audiences we serve. Everyone will be seated six feet apart. Masks are required. Hand sanitizer will be available on location. Programs will be available online via email and QR code. Read more about our Audience Safety Protocols.
But what if I don’t want to use public transportation?
There will be two chances for you to experience this show: Oct. 10 in Brooklyn and Oct. 17 in Manhattan. We chose these locations to accommodate the limited travel between boroughs in hopes that more people will be able see the show without taking the subway. And for those not within walking or biking distance, the audio version of Homeless Garden will be available to stream soon after! More details to come.
What safety measures will there be for the actors?
The health and safety of our performers are of the utmost importance as we venture back into in-person experiences. We’ve created Third-Party Hire Safety Protocols for all third-party hires to address any health, safety, and Equity concerns. Before any in-person rehearsals or performances, our actors and management team will be required to take a COVID-19 test, self-report their temperature, and wear masks at all times.
Do I need to bring anything?
We’ll provide the headphones, so all you have to do is bring something to sit on! Blankets and lawn chairs are highly encouraged.
Our Partners
East New York Farms!
East New York Farms! is a project of the United Community Center, which is a social justice driven community center that has been serving the East New York neighborhood of Brooklyn for over 60 years. ENYF's mission is to organize youth and adults to address food justice in East New York's community by promoting local sustainable agriculture and community-led economic development. ENYF will be at our Brooklyn performance of Homeless Garden where audience members will be able to learn more about their organization and volunteer opportunities.
NYCC (New York Community for Change)
New York Communities for Change has been building grassroots political power with low income communities of color since 2010. Their mission is to resist fascist and racist policies that affect our most vulnerable communities. NYCC will be at our Brooklyn performance of Homeless Garden where they will be gathering signatures on a petition along with organizing people for a protest/rally that is happening in Brooklyn the following weekend.
Sunrise Movement
Sunrise is a youth movement to stop climate change and create millions of good jobs in the process. They are committed to building an army of young people to make climate change an urgent priority across America, end the corrupting influence of fossil fuel executives on our politics, and elect leaders who stand up for the health and wellbeing of all people. Sunrise Movement will be at our Manhattan performance of Homeless Garden where audience members will have the opportunity to sign up to phonebank for congressional seats, in support of the Green New Deal, and handing out information about becoming a new member of Sunrise Movement.
LES Ecology Center
The LES Ecology Center provides unique e-waste and composting services, environmental stewardship opportunities, and educational programming to all New Yorkers who want to learn about environmental issues and take responsibility for creating solutions through action. LES Ecology Center will be at our Manhattan performance of Homeless Garden where audience members will be able to learn more about their organization and sign-up for volunteer opportunities, including our own Refracted Volunteer Day. On November 7th, we will gather to clean up East River Park on the Lower East Side.