THEATER FOR THE NEW CITY
Executive Director, Crystal Field
Presents
Woman on a Ledge
November 7 – 24, 2024
Thursday, Friday, Saturday at 8:00 PM, Sunday at 3:00 PM
Tickets: $18, Students & Seniors $15
Not recommended for children under 12
Run Time: 1 hour 20 minutes
CABARET THEATER
THEATER FOR THE NEW CITY
155 First Avenue (between 9th and 10th Street)
New York, NY 10003
Directions
World Premiere of “Woman on a Ledge,” starring celebrated harpist Rita Costanzi
What happens when a sensitive artist, a woman destined to become an acclaimed world-class musician, has her journey of self discovery and liberation cruelly interrupted by old world Italian Catholic Patriarchal ideas of female place and obligation, and by her own obsessive all-consuming love for a man she meets on his one way street? You get “Woman on a Ledge,” a story of Life, Art, Love, Beauty, Devotion, Betrayal, Conflict and Loss- all told and acted through spoken word and the glorious strains of her heart and soul- her harp. Will she jump or will she break free and fly? Come see “Woman on a Ledge” and find out.
The play includes musical excerpts by: Debussy, Tournier, Bach-Gounod, Puccini, Albinoni, Liszt, Paganini/Mchedelov and Traditional Irish and Scottish Folk Songs.
“Rita Costanzi’s performance of Woman on a Ledge during the Sunflower Music Festival 2021 was easily one of the best theatrical performances I have seen in my life. The depth of emotion conveyed by Costanzi throughout her performance had me by my soul during the entirety of the show, and her distinctive features are delightful and necessary for the full effect of the piece. The plight of an artist is conveyed so honestly, with the struggle of art versus family versus one’s own fulfillment presented passionately, yet entertainingly, that I can’t imagine anyone not completely going on this journey with Costanzi. Interestingly, the premiere was in front of an incredibly diverse crowd of all sorts of demographics, a near perfect focus group, and the entire crowd was full and into it. Absolutely riveted by the performance. As I was there for the entire festival, for days after the performance I heard many people praising all different aspects of Woman on a Ledge. By far the most discussed performance.
Do not miss this!”
-Matthew Nyquist
Filmmaker and Assistant Professor – Department of Mass Media, Film and Video
Executive Director of the WIFI Film – Washburn University
CAST
Rita Costanzi and her Harp Maria
PRODUCTION
Writer: Hershey Felder
Director: Lissa Moira
Set Design: Lytza Colon
Lighting Design: Marsh Shugart
Stage Manager: Rachel Drummer
Assistant Stage Manager: Alisa Ermolaev
Light and Sound Op: Marsh Shugart
BIO
Rita Costanzi is an internationally recognized and award-winning classical harp soloist, teacher, actor and writer. Formerly Principal Harp of the Vancouver Symphony and CBC Radio Orchestra, she relocated to New York City in 2007 and worked with Hal Prince’s Associate, Arthur Masella, on a One-Woman Show with Harp that was presented in New York, Canada, Australia and Brazil. She has taught and performed at Music Festivals in North and South America and Europe. Winner of the Hershey Felder Presents Arts Prize (2020) for her Covid Documentary, her latest CD, Amoroso, (2023) streamed two million times in its inaugural year.
www.ritacostanzi.com
PLAYWRIGHT BIO
Hershey Felder is a pianist, actor, producer, playwright and director. He is known to audiences for his “composer plays,” Chopin, Debussy, Tchaikovsky, Gershwin, Bernstein, Berlin, Beethoven, and Rachmaninoff. He has directed and produced plays in the United States and the United Kingdom focusing on great music and musicians. In 2020, Hershey Felder established LIVE FROM FLORENCE, An Arts Broadcasting Company that broadcasts high quality musical programming throughout the world, directly from his studios in Florence, Italy.