Nighthawks

Nighthawks offers a glimpse behind the canvas of one of America’s most iconic contemporary paintings. Edward Hopper’s 1942 work Nighthawks is brought to life in Douglas Steinberg’s new comedy-laced American tragedy.

Restaurant owner and fading flower, Mae, regular customer Sam, and Mae’s husband/waiter, Quig, ponder the identity of the diner’s new regular — the mysterious man whose back is portrayed in the famous artwork. What is he hiding and why won’t he speak? Or is he, as Mae suspects, an artist capturing their image? The once simple picture develops into an exploration of human nature that questions the role of the artist, the audience and the deceptively simple act of observation.