Theater for New City Dream Up Festival Begins 8/25 as 12 New Plays Make Debut

Theater for the New City’s Dream Up Festival begins on Sunday, Aug. 25, bringing new plays to audiences at affordable prices.

This year marks the 12th Dream Up Festival “dedicated to the joy of discovering new authors and edgy, innovative performances,” according to a press release. The 2024 lineup includes 16 plays, 12 of which are making world premieres, and one which is making its American premiere.

“The festival does not seek out traditional scripts that are presented in a traditional way,” the organizers stated. “It selects works that push new ideas to the forefront, challenge audience expectations and make us question our understanding of how art illuminates the world around us.”

All 16 performances will take place at Theater for the New City in the East Village (155 First Avenue). Tickets (which range from $15-20) can be purchased online at dreamupfestival.org/shows.

The festival’s lineup and schedule is as follows:

Sunday, Aug. 25:

“The Waiting Room” (World Premiere) — 2 p.m. at the Community Theater ($150

Playwright: Vel Grande

Director: Dennis Oliveira

“Matt, James and Ben in Lord Finnington Bus in The Positively Puzzling Case of the Purloined Pelvis at Vicar’s Gate” (World Premiere) — 5 p.m. at the Cabaret Theater ($15)

Written by: James Sweeney and Matt Tanzosh

Directed and designed by: James Sweeney, Matt Tanzosh and Ben Fletcher

“Babel, Babel, Babel” (American Premiere) — 8 p.m. at the Johnson Theater ($20

Written and Directed by: Søs Banke

“Colder by the Water” (World Premiere) — 8 p.m. at the Community Theater ($18)

Playwright: Bri Madden-Olivares

Tuesday, Aug. 27:

“Colder by the Water” — 6:30 p.m. at the Community Theater ($18)

“Matt, James and Ben in Lord Finnington Bus in The Positively Puzzling Case of the Purloined Pelvis at Vicar’s Gate” — 6:30 p.m. at the Cabaret Theater ($15)

“Babel, Babel, Babel” — 9 p.m. at the Johnson Theater ($20)

Wednesday, Aug. 28:

“Babel, Babel, Babel” — 6:30 p.m. at the Johnson Theater ($20)

“The Void” (World Premiere) — 9 p.m. at the Johnson Theater ($18)

Director: Kristen Keim

Playwright: Jonathan G Galvez

Fight and Movement Director: Emily Anne Davis

“The Waiting Room” — 9 p.m. at the Community Theater ($15)

Thursday, Aug. 29:

“Adulting for Idiots” — 6:30 p.m. at the Cabaret Theater ($18)

Written and performed by: Nikki MacCallum

Directed by: Kelvin Moon Loh

“The Void” — 6:30 p.m. at the Johnson Theater ($18)

“The Waiting Room” — 6:30 p.m. at the Community Theater ($15)

“Babel, Babel, Babel” — 9 p.m. at the Johnson Theater ($20)

Friday, Aug. 30:

“Babel, Babel, Babel” — 6:30 p.m. at the Johnson Theater ($20)

“Colder by the Water” — 6:30 p.m. at the Community Theater ($18)

“Matt, James and Ben in Lord Finnington Bus in The Positively Puzzling Case of the Purloined Pelvis at Vicar’s Gate” — 6:30 p.m. at the Cabaret Theater ($15)

“Adulting for Idiots” — 9 p.m. at the Cabaret Theater ($18)

“If Words Could Talk” (World Premiere) — 9 p.m. at the Johnson Theater ($15)

Writer: Jenn Amelia Martin

Director: Stephanie Stowers

“The Waiting Room” — 9 p.m. at the Community Theater ($15)

Saturday, Aug. 31:

“Babel, Babel, Babel” — 2 p.m. at the Johnson Theater ($20)

“Cafe Munich” (New York Premiere) — 2 p.m. at the Cabaret Theater ($18)

Written by: Anwar N. Suleiman

Directed by: Barbara Schofield Suleiman

“Colder by the Water” — 5 p.m. at the Community Theater ($18)

“If Words Could Talk” — 5 p.m. at the Johnson Theater ($15)

“roller rink death kink sex cult” — 8 p.m. at the Cabaret Theater ($18)

Written by: Skylar J. Beirne

(Content warning: roller rink death kink sex cult contains moments and mentions of violent sexual situations, suicide, drug overdose, abuse, and generalized violence. 18+ strongly recommended.)

“The Void” — 8 p.m. at the Johnson Theater ($18)

“The Waiting Room” — 8 p.m. at the Community Theater ($15)

“Colder by the Water” — 2 p.m. at the Community Theater ($18)

“Pulling It All Into The Current” (World Premiere) — 2 p.m. at the Cabaret Theater ($20)

Written by: Letta Neely

Created by: Greg Allen and Letta Neely

“Cafe Munich” — 5 p.m. at the Cabaret Theater ($18)

“The Void” — 5 p.m. at the Johnson Theater ($18)

“If Words Could Talk” — 8 p.m. at the Johnson Theater ($15)

“Matt, James and Ben in Lord Finnington Bus in The Positively Puzzling Case of the Purloined Pelvis at Vicar’s Gate” — 8 p.m. at the Cabaret Theater ($15)

“Tongs and Bones Shakespeare: Tempestuous Amusements, Interludes, Noises, and Drollery” (World Premiere) — 8 p.m. at the Community Theater ($18)

Playwrite: Bob Shuman

Director: Frank Farrell

Monday, Sept. 2:

“roller rink death kink sex cult” — 6:30 p.m. at the Cabaret Theater ($18)

“Matt, James and Ben in Lord Finnington Bus in The Positively Puzzling Case of the Purloined Pelvis at Vicar’s Gate” — 9 p.m. at the Cabaret Theater ($15)

Tuesday, Sept. 3:

“Colder by the Water” — 6:30 p.m. at the Community Theater ($18)

“Pulling It All Into The Current” — 6:30 p.m. at the Cabaret Theater ($20)

“The Void” — 6:30 p.m. at the Johnson Theater ($18)

“roller rink death kink sex cult” — 9 p.m. at the Cabaret Theater ($18)

Wednesday, Sept. 4:

“Adulting for Idiots” — 6:30 p.m. at the Cabaret Theater ($18)

“The Coming Storm - the legacy of Nazism endures” (World Premiere) — 6:30 p.m. at the Johnson Theater ($15)

Written and directed by: Stephan Morrow

“Tongs and Bones Shakespeare: Tempestuous Amusements, Interludes, Noises, and Drollery” — 6:30 p.m. at the Community Theater ($18)

“Leaving Kiev: Coming Full Circle” — 9 p.m. at the Cabaret Theater ($20

Playwrite: Mila Levine

Director: Lissa Moira

Thursday, Sept. 5:

“Pulling It All Into The Current” — 6:30 p.m. at the Cabaret Theater ($20)

“Cafe Munich” — 9 p.m. at the Cabaret Theater ($18)

“The Void” — 6:30 p.m. at the Johnson Theater ($18)

Friday, Sept. 6:

“Leaving Kiev: Coming Full Circle” — 6:30 p.m. at the Cabaret Theater ($20)

“Tongs and Bones Shakespeare: Tempestuous Amusements, Interludes, Noises, and Drollery” — 6:30 p.m. at the Community Theater ($18)

“Apocalypse Truck” (World Premiere) — 9 p.m. at the Community Theater ($18)

Written by: Kyle Giller

Directed, choreographed, and designed by: Sarah-Ofélia Cosgrove

“The Coronation of Queen Jaguar” (World Premiere) — 9 p.m. at the Johnson Theater ($15)

Runtime: 75 minutes

Writer/director/designer: Christine Stoddard

Assistant writer/director/designer: Aaron Gold

Saturday, Sept. 7:

“Attorney-Client” (World Premiere) — 2 p.m. at the Community Theater ($20)

Written by: Alex Ladd

Directed by: Pat Golden

“Cafe Munich” — 2 p.m. at the Cabaret Theater ($18)

“The Coming Storm - the legacy of Nazism endures” — 2 p.m. at the Johnson Theater ($15)

“Apocalypse Truck” — 5 p.m. at the Community Theater ($18)

“If Words Could Talk” — 5 p.m. at the Johnson Theater ($15)

“The Coronation of Queen Jaguar” — 8 p.m. at the Johnson Theater ($15)

“Pulling It All Into The Current” — 8 p.m. at the Cabaret Theater ($20)

Sunday, Sept. 8:

“Apocalypse Truck” — 2 p.m. at the Community Theater ($18)

“The Coronation of Queen Jaguar” — 2 p.m. at the Johnson Theater ($15)

“Leaving Kiev: Coming Full Circle” — 2 p.m. at the Cabaret Theater ($20)

“Colder by the Water” — 5 p.m. at the Community Theater ($18)

“The Coming Storm - the legacy of Nazism endures” — 5 p.m. at the Johnson Theater ($15)

“Pulling It All Into The Current” — 5 p.m. at the Cabaret Theater ($20)

“If Words Could Talk” — 8 p.m. at the Johnson Theater ($15)

“Tongs and Bones Shakespeare: Tempestuous Amusements, Interludes, Noises, and Drollery — 8 p.m. at the Community Theater ($18)

Monday, Sept. 9:

“Attorney-Client” — 6:30 p.m. at the Community Theater ($20)

“roller rink death kink sex cult” — 6:30 at the Cabaret Theater ($18)

Tuesday, Sept. 10:

“Attorney-Client” — 6:30 p.m. at the Community Theater ($20)

“Leaving Kiev: Coming Full Circle” — 6:30 p.m. at the Cabaret Theater ($20)

“roller rink death kink sex cult” — 9 p.m. at the Cabaret Theater ($18)

Wednesday, Sept. 11:

“Attorney-Client” — 6:30 p.m. at the Community Theater ($20)

“Leaving Kiev: Coming Full Circle” — 9 p.m. at the Cabaret Theater ($20)

“Tongs and Bones Shakespeare: Tempestuous Amusements, Interludes, Noises, and Drollery” — 9 p.m. at the Community Theater ($18)

Thursday, Sept. 12:

“Cafe Munich” — 6:30 p.m. at the Cabaret Theater ($18)

“The Coming Storm - the legacy of Nazism endures” — 6:30 p.m. at the Johnson Theater ($15)

“Attorney-Client” — 9 p.m. at the Community Theater ($20)

Friday, Sept. 13:

“Attorney-Client” — 6:30 p.m. at the Community Theater ($20)

“The Coronation of Queen Jaguar” — 6:30 p.m. at the Johnson Theater ($15)

“Leaving Kiev: Coming Full Circle” — 6:30 p.m. at the Cabaret Theater ($20)

“Apocalypse Truck” — 9 p.m. at the Community Theater ($18)

Saturday, Sept. 14:

“Adulting for Idiots” — 2 p.m. at the Cabaret Theater ($18)

“Attorney-Client” — 2 p.m. at the Community Theater ($20)

“The Coming Storm - the legacy of Nazism endures” — 2 p.m. at the Johnson Theater ($15)

“Apocalypse Truck” — 5 p.m. at the Community Theater ($18)

“Cafe Munich” — 5 p.m. at the Cabaret Theater ($18)

“The Coronation of Queen Jaguar” — 8 p.m. at the Johnson Theater ($15)

“roller rink death kink sex cult” — 8 p.m. at the Cabaret Theater ($18)

Sunday, Sept. 15:

“Adulting for Idiots” — 2 p.m. at the Cabaret Theater ($18)

“Apocalypse Truck” — 2 p.m. at the Community Theater ($18)

“Attorney Client” — 5 p.m. at the Community Theater ($20)

“Cafe Munich” — 5 p.m. at the Cabaret Theater ($18)

“The Coming Storm - the legacy of Nazism endures” — 8 p.m. at the Johnson Theater ($15)

“roller rink death kink sex cult” — 8 p.m. at the Cabaret Theater ($18)