By Amiri Baraka/ LeRoi Jones
Directed by Erica Sutherlin
TIMES:
Wednesdays and Thursdays @ 7pm
Friday & Saturday Evenings @ 8pm
Saturday and Sun Matinees at 2pm
PRICES:
Wednesday and Thursday Preview, June 29, “Pay What You Can” at the door or $20 in advance
Wednesday and Thursday Evenings & Saturday Matinees, $47
Opening Night, July 1, $75
Single Tickets July 2-31, $45
The prolific Amiri Baraka once said, “There is no depth to education without art.” America experienced a racial awakening in 2020 as the Black Lives Matter movement forced the country to examine its complex relationship with race. Although “Dutchman” premiered almost 60 years ago during the height of the Civil Rights movement, this Obie Award winning masterpiece is a timeless play about race and identity in America focused on the political and psychological struggle between African Americans and White Americans… a story that is more timely now than ever before. Set in New York City, this provocative story challenges us to think about the part we all play in America’s problems with race. The New York Times said, “‘Dutchman’ endures because it resists simple allegory,” and The New Yorker said, “[Dutchman] remains as seditious today as it [ever] was.” American Stage is proud to present a contemporary, fresh interpretation of this soul-stirring American classic.
* Appearing through an Agreement between this theatre, and Actors’ Equity Association, the Union of Professional Actors and Stage Managers in the United States.
“Actors’ Equity Association (“Equity”), founded in 1913, is the U.S. labor union that represents more than 51,000 actors and stage managers, Equity fosters the art of live theatre as an essential component of society and advances the careers of its members by negotiating wages, improving working conditions and providing a wide range of benefits, including health and pension plans. Actors’ Equity is a member of the AFL-CIO and is affiliated with FIA, an International organization of performing arts unions. www.actorsequity.org
A little rain certainly won’t stop us, but should weather conditions look serious enough to cancel or abruptly discontinue a performance, ticket-holders will be able to exchange their tickets for another performance. If a call to cancel a performance is made prior to the show starting we will make the announcement on our facebook page. If you have any questions you can call the Box Office at 727.823.7529 or email boxoffice@americanstage.org
Need something to eat, stop by the concessions or drinkery. We will have charcuterie boards (vegan options available), snacks, popcorn with a commemorative Ragtime bucket for purchase. As well as a selection of beers and wines from local vendors.
Demens Landing Park is located on the waterfront right in the heart of Downtown St. Pete. Below are the two closest parking options: Southcore Garage 101 1st Avenue South St Petersburg, FL 33701. Al Lang parking Lot # 1 230 1st Street South St Petersburg, FL 33701. For more downtown St. Pete parking visit DiscoverDowntown.
Chairs with no legs will be allowed in the Premium or General Blanket area. All other chairs will be sat in the General Chair section.
June 19, 2022 at 1pm
Take a peek behind the curtain before the opening of each production with a presentation by American Stage staff. They provide insight into the history and central themes of the play, as well as a discussion with members of the creative team who provide an insider’s perspective on their process.
Pricing: $10 for General Public.
Free for American Stage Subscribers and Act 1 Club Members
July 3, 7, 14, 21, 28 (Directly following select performances)
After experiencing the performance, join American Stage, for a conversation exploring and reflecting on the themes, connections, and ideas that ignite us. Guest panelists include relevant voices from the St. Petersburg/Tampa Bay community and beyond.
Free for performance ticket holders.
Join American Stage and partner organizations for our Beneath the Surface conversations to discuss the impact of our summer show The Dutchman and the real-world impact and inspiration it has on Pinellas County today.
Conversation #1
Title - Through the Lens: Amiri Baraka, the man behind the words
When: June 7th, 7PM
Where:
The Factory
2622 Fairfield Ave. South, St Petersburg, FL 33712
Conversation #2
Title - Forbidden Fruit: an exploration of themes in Dutchman
When: June 14th, 7PM
Where:
Allendale United Methodist Church
3803 Haines Rd. North, St Petersburg, FL 33703
Conversation #3
Title - The Gorilla, the Ape, the Super-predator: black men in American
When: June 21st, 7PM
Where:
The Studio@620
“It’s my party and I’ll cry if I want to,” intones Leslie Gore just before perky Jamaican chanteuse, Millie Small, reminds us that “My Boy Lollipop” is “as sweet as candy.” We’re firmly in 1964 where LBJ is about to sign the sweeping Civil Rights Act.
The stage floor’s sunk into the ground, covered in shadowy hues of blues and grays. It looks as though it were the depths of the sea floor. All around the stage, large jagged wooden planks jut up from the ground as if they were pieces of a ship that broke apart and sank.
Potent. Stinging. Infuriating. Grab-your-collar-and-shake-you-awake. Rattling. Terrifying. Pummeling. Scalding, like hot coffee splashed in the face. These are some of my first reactions after watching the remarkably staged and still timely DUTCHMAN at American Stage.
American Stage is presenting “Dutchman” for its last production of the season. And because it is being directed by Erica Sutherlin, the production makes history for American Stage as its first mainstage production directed by a Black woman.
It’s a Tuesday night at The Factory St. Pete and Erica Sutherlin, who is making “herstory” as the first Black woman director at American Stage, has brought together a panel to discuss Amiri Baraka, the man behind the upcoming play “Dutchman.”
or call American Stage’s Box Office
at 727-823-PLAY (7529)