The Conductor (2023)

Theater for the New City, New York City

A two act play by Ishmael Reed

Directed by Carla Blank

March 9 – 26, 2023

Thursday, Friday, Saturday at 8:00PM, Sunday at 3:00 PM

Running Time: 1 hour 15 minutes

Tickets $18

Theater for the New City

155 First Avenue (between 9th & 10th Street)

JOHNSON THEATER

In San Francisco, former school board members Alison Collins and Gabriela López were objects of threats because they sought to replace a scandal ridden test system with what they deemed a fairer Lottery system. The neo-liberal corporate press joined extremists groups in their condemnation of the two.

For some, the two are ultra-progressives. To others, they are the Rosa Parks and Dolores Huertas of the school reform movement.

Ishmael Reed, the playwright who took down "Hamilton" and challenged the pro-Warhol corporate version of the relationship between Andy Warhol and Jean-Michel Basquiat, now applies his fiction to the SF Recall Election. His play, THE CONDUCTOR shows why The New Yorker calls Ishmael Reed "American literature's most fearless satirist” and Backstage calls him a "modern-day Moliere.”

Laura Robards – Hedda “Buttermilk” Duckbill

Brian Simmons – Warren Chipp

Imran Javaid – Shashi Parmar

Kenya Wilson – Melody Wells

Monisha Shiva – Kala Parmar

Emil Guillermo – Gabriel Noitallde

Dimitri Dewes, Jr.

Joy Renèe LeBlanc

Ephraim Kofi Asante

Production Coordinator: Rome Neal

Set Design: Mark Marcante

Light & Sound Design: Alexander Bartenieff

Costume Design: Diana Adelman

Stage Manager: Michael Durgavich

Video Documentation: Miles Shebar

As of September 26th, 2022, we are no longer requiring proof of COVID-19 vaccination for our audience upon entry.