StrangeDog Theatre's Inaugural production was Eric Bogosian's Suburbia. Remounted and re-envisioned from a student production StrangeDog company members were involved in at Montclair State University, the production changed drastically to fit its surroundings. StrangeDog's SubUbria was set in a dilapidated, unfurnished factory floor of the Jersey City powerhouse district. Lit with only natural light and played to an audience just a few feet away, this space allowed the young performers to exhibit the bare bones nature of the script and raw energy of the characters in a strikingly realistic way. The harshness of the cold, concrete floors and stark metal bay doors of this forgotten warehouse in a redeveloping city created an ideal setting for the story of these lost characters struggling to stand the heat of the melting pot. Suburbia was the first play to ever be staged at 150 Bay Street in Jersey City, and live music followed each performance to invite the audience into the world of the play and the characters, giving a celebratory feel to both the run of the show, and the warehouse itself.
Powerhouse arts center to debut its first play tonight
The Jersey Journal, June 5, 2008
Download the program (4 mb)