June 2007: Salon Series: Inaugural Event
At War: American Playwrights Respond to Iraq

Photos by Han Shan

In June 2007, THE FIRE DEPT presented our first salon, comprising original theatrical material written by noted and emerging American playwrights: JESSICA BLANK and ERIK JENSEN, BATHSHEBA DORAN, CORY HINKLE, RAJIV JOSEPH, RYAN KELLY, PETER MALONEY, JOSE RIVERA, LYNN ROSEN, and JONATHAN SCHAEFER, woven together to present a kaleidoscope of views on the war in Iraq. 

Directed by ERICA GOULD and produced by AUDREY ROSENBERG , the staged presentation was performed by JASON ANTOON, JESSICA BLANK, DAVID CALVITTO, MICHAEL CERVERIS, JUDITH HAWKING, LAURA HEISLER, SAL INZERILLO, ERIK JENSEN, TY JONES, HASKELL KING, AASIF MANDVI, HEATHER RAFFO, AUDREY ROSENBERG, PETER SARSGAARD, JONATHAN SCHAEFER, JEREMY SCHWARTZ, PAUL SPARKS, DAVID STRATHAIRN, MATHER ZICKEL.

Our guest speakers for the evening were Iraq war veteran, activist, and writer Paul Rieckhoff (Executive Director of Iraq & Afghanistan Veterans of America (IAVA) and author of the book Chasing Ghosts), Mark Crispin Miller (Professor of media studies at New York University and the author of the books Mad Scientists (a study of war propaganda), and Fooled Again, the Real Case for Electoral Reform), and Marla Bertagnolli, Associate Director of CIVIC (Campaign for Innocent Victims in Conflict).

A portion of the proceeds from AT WAR were donated to CIVIC (www.civicworldwide.org), which provides humanitarian aid to civilian victims in Iraq.

October 2006: SpeakEasy

Outside, strange and unfamiliar streets; inside, the SpeakEasy: a magical world long-dormant, where nothing is as it seems.  The audience enters, the doors shut, and the ride begins.  In a New York City something like our own, a performance space awakens and sees itself. Strongmen, snake charmers, showgirls, and musicians turn neo-vaudeville on its head and surround the audience with things strange, unexpected, and full of odd delight. But other forces are at work tonight…

Our launch production, SpeakEasy, played in October 2006 at Joe's Pub at the Public Theater to sold-out houses. Innovative environmental staging, original music, and compelling new writing by FIRE DEPT founding members ROB ACKERMAN, SUZANNE BRADBEER, STEFANIA DE KENESSEY, ANTON DUDLEY, NICK HALLETT, BRIAN KEITH JACKSON, RAJIV JOSEPH, LAURENCE KLAVAN, CARSON KREITZER, NEIL LABUTE, EDWIN SANCHEZ, THERESA REBECK, and SHERI WILNER combined to create an exciting evening of cutting-edge performance.  

Directed by ERICA GOULD, presented by Joe’s Pub and produced by AUDREY ROSENBERG, the 80-minute show featured an exciting cast of well-known performers and outstanding NY actors: JESSICA BLANK, LUCAS BLONDHEIM, JIM BRACCHITTA, AMELIA CAMPBELL, CARLA CANTRELLE, KATHLEEN CHALFANT, CHUCK COOPER, NADIA DAJANI, JANEANE GAROFALO, ARJUN GUPTA, JUDITH HAWKING, SARAH HAYON, ANTOINETTE LAVECCHIA, JOSH LUCAS, DORIAN MISSICK, JASPER PATTERSON, ALICE PLAYTEN, STEVEN RATTAZZI, JAKE ROBARDS, AUDREY ROSENBERG, JEREMY SCHWARTZ and TONY TORN.     

Costumes were designed by JESSICA TREJOS, sets by MICHAEL KERNS, and lights by NATHAN ELSENER.