Hart Island to Bring New York City's Mass Gravesite to the Gym at Judson

Experiential theater company Mason Holdings will present the world premiere of Hart Island at the Gym at Judson. Performances begin March 8 ahead of an official opening on March 13. The run is scheduled through April 9.

The piece is named after the tiny island at the confluence of New York's East River and the Long Island Sound that has been used since the 19th century as a "potter's field" for New York City: If you die in New York without money for a burial, or family who will take responsibility for your remains, you will be buried on Hart Island.

Press materials describe the experience this way: "Hart Island weaves together six seemingly disparate voices, all connected to Hart Island. As audiences enter The Gym at Judson, they'll be greeted by a scenic installation that suggests the depths of an archeological dig. At first, the characters of Hart Island seem anonymous and alone, locked in their own solitary existence. Gradually, however, the walls that separate them become more porous until every voice is revealed to be intrinsically linked."

Hart Island was written by Mason Holdings founder and artistic director Tracy Weller and created with longtime collaborators, director Kristjan Thor and set designers Christopher and Justin Swader.

The cast includes Julie Asriyan, Nora Cole, Jimmy Crowell II, James Foster Jr., Daniel Kublick, Donald Paul, and Tracy Weller.

The additional creative team for Hart Island includes Natalie Loveland (costumes), Christina Tang (lights), Philip Carluzzo (sound), Yana Biryukova (video/projections), and Liz Nielsen (production stage manager).