Independence Day will offer more than fireworks for theater lovers, as a screening of Center Stage’s acclaimed digital theater project My America will stream at Fandor.com on the Fourth of July, with a special screening following at New York City’s IFC Center on July 9.
My America was conceived and commissioned in 2012 in celebration of Center Stage’s 50th Anniversary. Leading the charge was Kwame Kwei-Armah, Center Stage’s artistic director. The project consists of a digital collection of 50 monologues by some of the nation’s most innovative playwrights, including Marcus Gardley, Anna Deavere Smith, and Christopher Durang.
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Topics discussed and dissected in the monologues include everything from race to religion to the nuances of The American Dream, and delivering these complex topics are noteworthy actors such as Jefferson Mays (Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder), Kristine Nielsen (Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike), and Tracie Thoms (Rent). Center Stage audiences have been able to view the series from the the Center Stage lobby.
“With My America, I wanted our theater to examine what the next great stages for theatrical artists might be and how we can share those stories in a way that makes the art more accessible,” Kwei-Armah said in a press release. “I think the collaboration with the Fandor platform will continue to support that mission.”
Award-winning director Hal Hartley was the filmmaker behind the My America shorts, and helped weave together 21 of the original monologues in a seamless blend of humor and poignant introspection on American culture.
Hartley has collaborated with Fandor CEO Ted Hope (producer of such films as American Splendor and In the Bedroom) regularly over the past 25 years and looks forward to this new outlook for this critically acclaimed work.
Fandor is a unique streaming service that provides access to thousands of independent films from over 100 countries. Monthly subscriptions run from $7.50 to $10.00. My America can be viewed without charge, under Fandor’s 2 week free trial.
The film’s trailer can be viewed on Fandor. The individual monologues can be viewed on Center Stage’s YouTube channel.
On Wednesday, July 9 at 7 pm, Hartley and Hope will also host a screening and Q&A session for the film at the IFC Center, 323 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NYC. Tickets are $14 and can be purchased online or call (212) 924-7771 .
