Thinking Theater NYC

Trovata una sega! Livorno, Modigliani, and the Legendary Prank of Summer ’84 ( Trovata una sega! Racconto su Livorno, Modigliani e lo “scherzo del Secolo” dell’Estate ’84 ) Written and performed by Antonello Taurino May 17, 2026, at The Rat NYC , 68-117 Jay St., Brooklyn, NYC May 18, 2026, at Casa Italiana Zerilli-Marimò at NYU , 24 W 12 St., Manhattan, NYC   Antonello Taurino in Trovata una Sega! Courtesy Teatro della Cooperativa. Research has shown that people will rate the exact same wine more highly if they believe it to be more expensive. The market, in other words, does not so much reflect as create value and prestige. Trovata una sega! Livorno, Modigliani, and the Legendary Prank of Summer ’84 ( Trovata una sega! Racconto su Livorno, Modigliani e lo “scherzo del Secolo” dell’Estate ’84 ), a solo show from actor, comedian, author, and theater researcher Antonello Taurino, suggests that similar dynamics obtain in the art world. Winner of the Tramedautore Festival Selection...

Patria, The Town of Cain and Abel ( Patria, il Paese di Caino e Abele ) Conceived by Fabio Banfo, Giacomo Ferraù, and Giulia Viana Directed by Giacomo Ferraù Presented by Centro Teatrale MaMiMò and Eco di fondo with the collaboration of the Flamigni Archive May 10, 2026 at Culture Lab LIC , 5-25 46th Avenue, Long Island City, Queens, NYC May 13, 2026 at Casa Italiana Zerilli-Marimò at NYU , 24 W 12 St., Manhattan, NYC May 16, 2026 at The Rat NYC , 68-117 Jay St., Brooklyn, NYC Fabio Banfo in Patria, The Town of Cain and Abel . Photo courtesy of Mamimo Company. Solo show Patria, The Town of Cain and Abel ( Patria, il Paese di Caino e Abele ) brings a narrative of Italian sectarianism and violence in the second half of the twentieth century to NYC at a time when such a story could not seem more relevant to audiences here as U.S. institutions and norms continue to fracture and divisions deepen. As the play's subtitle suggests, Cain and Abel serve as the microcosmic model for the p...

Two-Way Glass Productions, an independent production company that seeks to emphasize the ever-shifting relationship between spectator and spectacle, will present Walter Schlinger’s Romeo and Juliet , written and performed by Sean Gordon and directed by Dixie O’Connell. The production will be presented as part of the 2026 New York City Fringe Festival with FRIGID New York at The Rat NYC (68-117 Jay St, Brooklyn, NY 11201) with performances on Fri April 3 at 9:50pm, Sat April 11 at 8:40pm, Mon April 13 at 6:30pm, and Sun April 19 at 2:00 pm.  Former English undergraduate Walter Schlinger stands alone in a wide, infinite, green field. In this meta-theatrical solo performance, Walter reckons with the role our mentors play in our development and attempts to provide insight into the world's most famous love story. While desperately trying to share his work with anyone who will listen, he grapples with the notions of youth, tragedy, and validation. The creative team include...

A Baby For Me? No Thank You, Please! , written and performed by Bailey Swilley and directed by Desmond Thorne, will be presented as part of the 2026 New York City Fringe Festival with FRIGID New York at The Rat NYC (68-117 Jay St, Brooklyn, NY 11201) with performances on Fri April 3 at 8:10pm, Mon April 6 at 6:30pm, Tue April 14 at 9:50pm & Thu April 16 at 9:50pm.  When everyone in her life pressured Bailey to have a baby, she spent a lot of time questioning, researching, and agonizing over what was wrong with her—until she found the answer, inside her guts—at the gyno’s office. This solo comedy explores what it means to sift through the gunk and finally trust your inner voice! Swilley is a writer and comedian based in Brooklyn, whose stories have been featured on RISK! , Story Collider , Love Hurts ,   and more. She is a Moth StorySLAM winner and her solo shows, Gimme a Sign! and Don’t Tell Our Bosses , were both critically acclaimed at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe. Swil...

 Chaturbox Productions will present The Third Choice written, directed and performedby Tahir “Tai” Chatur as part of the 2026 New York City Fringe Festival with FRIGID New York at The Rat NYC (68-117 Jay St, Brooklyn, NY 11201), with performances on Thu April 2 at 6:30pm, Fri April 3 at 6:30pm, Mon April 13 at 8:10pm & Sat April 18 at 10:20pm. The Third Choice chronicles therapist-comedian Tahir “Tai” Chatur’s journey through identity and belonging, shaped by a lifelong reluctance to choose. From rural Kenya to even more rural Canada, this solo show blends stand-up, storytelling, and therapy, walking with you through culture, faith, and the exhausting life of a chronic yes-man. The Third Choice is a show that lets you be your complicated and multiple identity selves. From Muslims that celebrate Christmas to the New Yorkers that listen to country music this family-friendly show is a welcome home. From viral therapy-sketch storyteller to the Fringe stage, Tahir “Tai” Chatur mak...

A Pot of Basil, or, Thank You for Being a Friend Written by Heather Jeanne Violanti Directed by Jannifer Sandella Presented at The Rat NYC 68 Jay Street, Brooklyn, NYC August 23-31, 2025 Isabel (N. Marie Teagno), Marie Antoinette (Mary Lane Townsend), and Cockroach (Lisa Whitten). Photo by Joe Pacifico How any particular New Yorker experienced the COVID lockdown depended not only on personality and living situation but also on location, field of labor, and other socioeconomic factors. Set during the spring and summer of 2020, A Pot of Basil, or, Thank You for Being a Friend acknowledges the importance of this latter category of differences without minimizing the former and while adeptly evoking the widespread feelings of uncertainty, powerlessness, and isolation that cut across demographic lines. Zooming in (pun absolutely intended) on the experience of one woman in the early months of lockdown, A Pot of Basil , from playwright Heather Jeanne Violanti, employs an absurdist approach to...

Alfredino, Italy in a Deep Well ( Alfredino, l'Italia in fondo a un pozzo ) Written and performed by Fabio Banfo Directed by Serena Piazza Presented by Centro Teatrale MaMiMò at Casa Italiana Zerilli-Marimo’ at NYU (24 W 12th St., Manhattan, NYC), May 6, 2025, and The Rat NYC (68-117 Jay St, Brooklyn, NYC), May 8, 2025 Fabio Banfo. Photo courtesy of MaMiMò With today's decentralized media landscape, it is harder to imagine an entire nation watching a live television broadcast together. It is less difficult to imagine the cultural impact that such moments have had. For Italy, the 1981 coverage of the attempted rescue of a boy named Alfredo Rampi, who had fallen into a deep, narrow well in the village of Vermicino, was the first such shared televisual experience, with millions watching concurrently. Fabio Banfo's multi-award-winning Alfredino, Italy in a Deep Well ( Alfredino, l'Italia in fondo a un pozzo ) transforms these events into a tense, reflective, and affect...