The Legend of the Waitress and the Robber comes to Dixon Place May 25-29 (photo by Stefan Hagen)
Who: Playfactory Mabangzen, Concrete Temple Theater
What: Cross-cultural theatrical collaboration
Where: Dixon Place, 161A Chrystie Pl. between Rivington & Delancey Sts.
When: May 25-29, $20-$25
Why: The Seoul-based Playfactory Mabangzen and the NYC-based Concrete Temple Theater have teamed up to present a unique mashup of two Robin Hood–style tales, Friedrich Schiller’s 1781 play, The Robbers, and the Joseon dynasty Korean novel The Story of Hong Gildong. Written before the pandemic by Renee Philippi and directed by Philippi and Eric Nightengale, The Legend of the Waitress and the Robber takes place in a dystopian society fighting for justice for seniors and freedom from cellular devices. The opening song explains, “Imagine, if you will, there’s a world much like ours. Maybe in the future. Maybe even now. A world where every human lives separate and alone. The only interaction allowed — is on a phone.”
The seventy-five-minute show will be performed by Carlo Adinolfi, Hye Young Chyun, Lisa Kitchens, Anthony Simone, Ju Yeon Choi, Nam Pyo Kim, Won Kyongsik, Joo Youn Park, and Noh Yura, with sets by Adinolfi, costumes by Laura Anderson Barbata, an original score by Lewis Flinn, and musical direction by Jacob Kerzner and Hee Eun Kim. The New York City premiere runs May 25-29 at Dixon Place; tickets are $20-$25.