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St. Michael's Church, 2nd fl.
225 W. 99th St. NY, NY 10025
(between B'way and Amsterdam)
Saturday, December 18, 7pm
Sunday, December 19, 7pm
TICKETS: 30. General 20. Students/Seniors
(audience members must show proof of vaccination)
We hope you will join us for the full length version of, Escape from the House of Mercy.
Taking place in the unique space of St. Michael's Church recital hall, this dance/theater work integrates a layered movement language with vocal components both spoken and sung. The work features nine performers who have melded artistry and research to embody the buried stories of the women and girls of the workhouse. After cancellations in 2020 the company continued to transform the project through outdoor events and virtual showings.
Choreography: Catherine Gallant in collaboration with
Dancers: Abra Cohen, Erica Lessner, Charlotte Hendrickson, Cecly Placenti, Kelli Chapman, Megan Minturn, Halley Gerstel, Jessie King
Costumes: Ivana Drazic
Video Design: Erica Lessner
Lighting Design: Paige Seber
The House of Mercy, once located in Inwood Hill Park, New York City, was a home for “abandoned and troubled women.” In fact, it was closer to a prison or workhouse to which most women and girls were brought against their wills. Here a young woman could be locked up for years for an offense such as dancing in public or walking alone at night. Inhabitants were subjected to inhumane and demoralizing treatment in the guise of rehabilitation during an era when the rights of the poor, especially women, were completely denied.
How do the ghosts of this story haunt the imagination and connect us to the legacy of female oppression and restriction? We invite the audience to wonder why this place, submerged in history, is relevant now.
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