World Premiere

November 12 - December 11, 2010

Irondale Center in Fort Greene, Brooklyn

The infamous Atlantic Avenue railway yards are located two blocks away from the theater where The Civilians will tell the story of Brooklyn's controversial land development project. The Civilians' lively presentation of theater, dance, and music takes its inspiration from interviews with the real life players in the story of Brooklyn: residents both old and new, community activists, developers, local business owners, politicos, and many others.

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Polly, a photojournalist, disappears while working in the rainforests of Barro Colorado Island in the Panama Canal. Phyllis, Polly's twin, embarks on an international search for her lost sister that spans the North American continent, from the tropics to arctic Canada. With humor and sincerity, The Civilians weave actual interviews with locals and some of our nation's top scientists into the twins' story, as the sisters struggle to survive polar bears, tundra buggies, snakes, and a Chinese pimp - all while grappling with the harsh and seemingly hopeless realities of climate change.

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Katha and Ryu have become allergic to their fast-paced modern lives. After they meet a charismatic man from a community of 1950's re-enactors, they forsake cell phones and sushi for cigarettes and Tupperware parties. In this compulsively recreated world, Katha and Ryu are surprised by how much they are willing to sacrifice for happiness.

Co-commissioned by The Civilians, Actors Theatre of Louisville, and Berkeley Repertory Theatre

The Civilians presents its next cabaret evening at Joe’s Pub, Let Me Ascertain You: Atlantic Yards. This one-night-only performance is dedicated to The Civilians’ multi-year investigation into the controversial Atlantic Yards development project. Civilians’ artists will perform songs and monologues taken from interviews with Brooklyn residents, business owners, community activists, politicians, students, and many others. Using material gathered for the company’s critically-acclaimed presentation of Brooklyn at Eye Level in 2008, along with new interviews about the most current events, Let Me Ascertain You: Atlantic Yards explores the many voices of an urban community facing industrial-sized growing pains.

September 10, 2010, 9:30PM

Joe's Pub, 425 Lafayette Street, New York

For tickets, click HERE!

Crafted from interviews between the cast and their own parents, YOU BETTER SIT DOWN is a heartbreaking and hilarious account of the parents’ marriages and their subsequent divorces. These delicate parent-child conversations have yielded unique insights into falling in love, falling out of love, and rebuilding a life after the complex experience of dividing a family.

Through The Civilians' new partnership with WNYC, YOU BETTER SIT DOWN has a featured webpage on WNYC's Culture Site with interactive features and media! Watch videos, share your own experiences, and check out other users' stories HERE!

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