The Great America Desert

Harlem’s newest theater company presents its inaugural show, Joel Oppenheimer’s The Great American Desert. First performed in 1961 as the official opener of The Judson’s Poets’ Theatre, The Great America Desert is getting its first New York performance in over 43 years. Written by Black Mountain poet Joel Oppenheimer and directed by Garrett Ayers, this multi dimensional play follows three cowboys on the run from the law after a bank robbery. Oppenheimer’s first dramatic work interrogates the truth behind the romantic mythology of the American West through frequent interruptions of dance, music and commercials read by a chorus of Old West Heroes including Wild Bill Hickock, Wyatt Earp, Billy The Kid and Doc Holliday who comment on the unfolding action. This new production of The Great American Desert fuses elements from Oppenheimer’s script, Dante’s Divine Comedy, classic American Western cinema, vaudeville and musical theater. Garrett Ayers directs.

Pre-show begins at 7pm/Show begins at 8pm/Post-show begins at 9:00