About
Our Mission
Houses on the Moon Theater Co. exists to dispel ignorance and isolation through the theatrical amplification of unheard voices. We help communities come together and make meaningful connections through the public sharing of their untold stories. Through original performances, post-show discussions and pre-and post- performance issue-based creative workshops, Houses on the Moon is able to offer communities a powerful tool to educate and offer support around the complex issues of our time.
History
Houses on the Moon Theater Company was founded in the fall of 2001.
Founders and co-artistic directors Jeffrey Solomon and Emily Weiner met while working together as teaching artists in the NYC public schools. They discovered they shared very similar ideas about theater being singular in its ability to portray aspects of the human condition in a dynamic, accessible way and to engender complex discussion and lasting and meaningful connections. They began to conceive of a theater company that could create work that was essential in some way: a theater that could truly serve the needs of the community.
Houses on the Moon incorporated in 2001 and developed their first two projects/plays, which are currently touring nationally. In the spring of 2006 Houses transitioned into a not-for-profit and received its 501c3. The company is dedicated to creating accessible, easily portable work with a wide appeal for multi-generational and multicultural audiences. While productions sometimes appear in traditional theatrical venues, a special emphasis is placed on expanding the theater walls to include the classroom, boardroom, houses of worship, and other community and public spaces.
Partnership, feedback and collaboration with community are integral to every phase of development and performance of our theater projects. At the core of our developmental process are extensive interviews with real people about their lives, and a creative search for those human stories that yearn for a much wider hearing.
The company’s inaugural production “Building Houses on the Moon”, an original play about the lives of gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgendered youth, has been performed for student audiences throughout the U.S. and been used extensively as a diversity training tool for educators and administrators. The play has also appeared at regional theaters such as the City Theatre of Pittsburgh and the Columbus National Gay and Lesbian Theatre Festival where it won the Award for Best Ensemble Production.
“Finding the Words,” a co-production with Enact, Inc. is a documentary theater piece curated from interviews and poetry of young people and educators who were on the front lines of the unprecedented events of September 11th, 2001. The play toured New York City schools on a grant from Time-Warner and Project Liberty and was presented as a training tool on dealing with traumatized youth at the American Group Psychotherapy Conference. It also appeared Off-Broadway at the Lucille Lortel Theatre.
“Tara’s Crossing” was inspired by dozens of interviews with refugees fleeing persecution due to their sexual orientation or gender identity. The play is one of the first ever to deal with political asylum for sexual minorities, a remedy that has been available in this country since 1994. The play had its developmental reading at the Queens Theatre’s Immigrant Voices Project and its world premiere run at the Lower East Side Tenement Theatre in a production underwritten by The American Friends Service Committee Immigrant Rights Program as part of their Ford Foundation mandate to educate the public on immigration detention issues. The Detention Watch Network presented the play in the fall of ’05 at their National Conference at the American University Washington School of Law in Washington D.C. as a training tool for immigration lawyers and service providers.
DE NOVO PART 1 – ‘LIL SILENT, deals with the lives of undocumented youth in U.S. immigration custody and had its world premiere at the Rattlestick Rep in a production underwritten by the American Immigration Lawyer’s Association and New York City’s Department of Cultural Affairs. The Off Broadway Production appeared in the 2010 America’s Off Broadway Festival at 59E59 St. Theaters and a full Spanish translation travelled to El Salvador in June 2011 with a special partnership with photojournalist Donna DeCesare and the Open Society Institute.
The Houses Board:
Tony Errichetti, Jane Dubin, Amy Gottlieb, Jeffrey Rosenstock, William Wang
Houses Community Partners and Presenters:
American Friends Service Committee Immigrant Rights Program, Kids in Need of Defense, Safe Horizon, Amnesty International, Human Rights First, American Immigration Lawyers Association, Detention Watch Network, American University, Columbia Law School, The Sandra Day O’connor School of Law at Law at Arizona State University, Queens Theatre in the Park, 59 E 59 St. Theaters, Passage Theatre, Penguin Rep, Colorado State University Cesar Chaves celebration, Gerald Lynch Theatre at John Jay College, Brooklyn Center for the Performing Arts, Hostos Center for the Arts and Culture, La Guardia Performing Arts Center, Del E Webb Center for the Performing Arts and Palacio Tecleño in El Salvador.
Funders: (past and present)
New York City Department of Cultural Affairs, The Alpern Family Foundation, New York State Council on the Arts, Queens Council on the Arts, The Wellick Foundation, Donna DeCesare (through an Open Society Institute grant), the Rainbow Endowment, The Nancy Quinn Fund, American Friends Service Committee (through a Ford Foundation grant), ENACT Inc (through a Project Liberty grant) and many generous individuals.
Timeline:
A selected history of our events, awards, honors and sponsors
- 2/12-Law School Performances of DE NOVO at University of Maryland and American University in Washington DC
- 12/11-Two week developmental workshop at the Flying E Ranch Residency Program of a new Lucy Thurber Play culminating in staged reading at the Del E Webb Center for the Performing Arts
- 11/11-Performance of DE NOVO at Lawrence High School, New Jersey
- 11/11-Performance of DE NOVO at the Puffin Cultural Forum, Teaneck NJ
- 11//11-Performance of TARA’S CROSSING at Rutgers University, Newark
- 9/11- Performances of DE NOVO at Renaissance Charter School and Jackson Heights Public Library in Queens (Sponsored by Queens College and NYC Council-member Daniel Dromm, made possible with a grant from Queens Council on the Arts.)
- 9/11- Run of DE NOVO at Passage Theatre in Trenton, NJ
- 6/11- Tour of Spanish-language version of DE NOVO in El Salvador (made possible with a grant from the Open Society Institute.)
- 6/11- Benefit Performance of Spanish-language version of DE NOVO, Passage Theatre, Trenton NJ (for Latin American Legal Education and Defense Fund.)
- 4/11-Law School Tour of Tara’s Crossing, UCONN/AMERICAN/UMD
- 3/11-Performance of DE NOVO at Ramapo High School, New York
- 2/11 – Performance of DE NOVO at Castleton State College, VT
- 2/11-Performance of DE NOVO at Columbia Law School
- 2/11-Performance of DE NOVO at New England School of Law, Boston MA
- 2/11-NYC High School Tour of Building Houses on the Moon, Respect for All Week
- 11/10 – Artist in Residency Program, Del E Web Arts Center, Wickenburg Arizona
- 5/10 – Run of “De Novo” Americas Off Broadway Festival, 59 E 59 St. Theaters
- 1/10 – Run of “De Novo” TBG Theatre, Manhattan
- 11/09- Performance of DE NOVO, Rockland Community College
- 11/09- Performance of DE NOVO, Berkshire Community College
- 11/09 – Run of “De Novo” Gerald Lynch Theatre, John Jay College, Art of Justice Series
- 5/09 – Performance of BUILDING HOUSES ON THE MOON (Friends Seminary Middle School, Manhattan)
- 4/09- Tour of DE NOVO to University of Arizona, Arizona State University Law School, Arizona State University West for Border Justice Events
- 4/09- Performance of TARA’S CROSSING at Brooklyn College
- 4/09- Performance of TARA’S CROSSING at Richmond Hill High School, New York
- 4/09- Performance of DE NOVO at Hostos Community College, Bronx
- 4/09-Performance of DE NOVO at Harry Truman High School, Bronx (Sponsored by Safe Horizon)
- 3/09- Performance of DE NOVO at NYU (Co-Sponsored by NYU Law School and Lucha)
- 2/09-Performance of TARA’S CROSSING at Lehman Stages, Bronx
- 11/08-Performance of DE NOVO at Charter Oak Cultural Center, Hartford CT
- 9/08 – Performance of DE NOVO at Rutgers Law School, NJ
- 4/08 – Performance of TARA’S CROSSING at NYU Law School
- 4/08- Run of DE NOVO at La Guardia Performing Arts Center and Queens Theatre in The Park, Queens, NY
- 4/08- Performance of TARA’S CROSSING at Penn State University
- 4/08- Performance of TARA’S CROSSING at Bowdoin College, ME
- 3/08- Tour of DE NOVO, Colorado State University (for Cesar Chavez Celebration) and University of Colorado Law School.
- 3/08- Performance of DE NOVO, Fox Lane High School, NY
- 3/08- Performance of DE NOVO at Lehman Stages, Bronx, NY
- 3/08- Performance of TARA’S CROSSING, Elizabeth Irwin High School, NYC
- 2/08- Performance of BUILDING HOUSES ON THE MOON, Ramapo HS, NY
- 1/08- Performance of BUILDING HOUSES ON THE MOON, Clarkstown South HS, NY
- 11/07 – Performances of “Building Houses on the Moon” for 9th Annual Prideworks Conference for LGBT Youth (GLSEN Hudson Valley, White Plains, NY)
- 6/07- World Premiere of “De Novo - Part 1: Lil’ Silent,” Rattlestick Rep, NYC (sponsored by the American Immigration Lawyers Association, Human Rights First, The Door, and the American Friends Service Committee Immigrant Rights Program.)
- 6/07 – Awarded a grant by the NYC Department of Cultural Affairs for NYC tour of “De Novo – Part 1: Lil’ Silent.”
- 4/07 – Performance of “Building Houses on the Moon” White Plains, Sponsored by GLSEN Hudson Valley
- 5/07- DE NOVO Developmental Reading Series, Everything Goes (Staten Island), Pratt University (Brooklyn), Queens Theatre in the Park
- 1/2/07- Research Trip to Arizona, Colorado and California to interview undocumented youth, and advocates for newest work, “De Novo – Part 1: ‘Lil Silent”
- 11/06 – Professional Development: Combating Homophobia and Creating a More Inclusive Campus (Hastings on Hudson school district, Hastings on Hudson, NY)
- 10/06 – Workshop on Immigration Detention, National Grant Maker’s Conference, Chicago, Ill.
- 10/06 – Performance of “Tara’s Crossing,” sponsored by CT Trans Advocacy, Hartford, CT
- 9/06 – Workshop on Immigration Detention, “Community Dialogue on Migration, Human Rights & Development,” New York City
- 6/06 – Performance of “Tara’s Crossing,” a benefit for Bee’s Fund, Lucille Lortel Theatre, NYC
- 3/06 – Performance of “Building Houses on the Moon,” Hastings on Hudson High School, Hastings, NY
- 10/05 – Performance of “Tara’s Crossing,” American University, Detention Watch Network Conference, Washington DC
- 10/05 – Performance of “Tara’s Crossing,” University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT
- 10/05 – Performance of “Tara’s Crossing,” University of Massachusetts, Amherst MA
- 10/05 –Professional Development Performance of “Building Houses on the Moon,” North Hunterdon High School, NJ
- 06/05 – World Premiere Run of “Tara’s Crossing,” Tenement Theatre, Lower Eastside Tenement Museum, NY, NY (Cosponsored by the American Friends Service Committee Immigrant Rights Program.)
- 4/05 – Preview Performance of “Tara’s Crossing,” Lucille Lortel Theatre, NYC, Benefit Performance for American Friends Service Committee’s Queer Immigrant Rights Group (Cosponsored by Amnesty International, Human Rights First, International Lesbian and Gay Human Rights Commission)
- 4/05 – Performance of “Tara’s Crossing,” Berkshire Stonewall Community Coalition LGBT Festival, Lenox MA
- 3/05 – Community Performance of “Building Houses on the Moon,” East Lyme High School,East Lyme, CT
- 3/05 – Student Performance of “Building Houses on the Moon,” Norwich Free Academy, Norwich, CT
- 1/05 – Public Reading of “Tara’s Crossing,” Queens Theatre Immigrant Voices Project, Queens Theatre in the Park, Queens, NY
- 11/04 – Performance of “Building Houses on the Moon,” 10th Annual Multicultural Conference, SUNY New Paltz, NY
- 10/04 – Community Performance of “Building Houses on the Moon,” Vorhees High School,Glen Gardner, NJ
- 10/04 – Performance of “Building Houses on the Moon,” Lucille Lortel Theatre, Off Broadway, NYC(Benefit for Bee’s Fund.)
- 9/04 – Performance of “Building Houses on the Moon,” Columbus National Gay and Lesbian Theatre Festival, Davis Center, Columbus OH (*Winner: Best Ensemble Production.)
- 8/04 – Reading of “Tara’s Crossing,” QUIR (Queer Immigrant Rights), American Friends Service Committee, New York, NY
- 6/04 – Reading of “Tara’s Crossing,” Queens Pride House, Queens, NY (Reading for members of the Queens LGBT community.)
- 5/04 – Community Performance of “Building Houses on the Moon,” Yale University, Off Broadway Theatre, New Haven CT (Co-sponsored by The Larry Kramer Initiative for Lesbian and Gay Studies at Yale & Yale University’s Office of New Haven Relations)
- 4/04 – Reading of “Tara’s Crossing,” International House, Philadelphia, PA(Co-sponsored by Equality Forum, Inc.)
- 02/04 – Community Performance of “Building Houses on the Moon,” City Theatre, Pittsburgh PA(Co-sponsored by GLSEN Pittsburgh)
- 11/03 – Workshop for educators on Bullying and Violence Prevention – 1st Annual Knock Out the Violence Conference, Philadelphia PA
- 11/03 – Performance of “Building Houses on the Moon,” Temple University, Philadelphia, PASponsored by Philadelphia PFLAG, Mazonni Center, Philadelphia Dept. of Human Services & Philadelphia Public Schools
- 10/03 – Performance of “Building Houses on the Moon,” Towson University, Towson Maryland, Oct 03
- 9/03 – Workshop on LGBT Youth and Homophobia - GLSEN Teaching Respect For All Conference, Washington D.C.
- 6/03 – Performance of “Building Houses on the Moon,” National Youth Advocacy Coalition (NYAC) Conference, Washington D.C.
- 6/03 – Performance of “Building Houses on the Moon,” Rockland County Pride Festival, Nyack, NY
- 6/03 – Performances of “Building Houses on the Moon,” Philadelphia Gay and Lesbian Theatre Festival, Mum Puppet Theatre, Philadelphia, PA
- 4/03 – Performance of “Building Houses on the Moon,” 11th Annual CANDLE Conference on Sexual Orientation and Youth, Stony Point, NY
- 3/03 – Student Performance of “Building Houses on the Moon,” Clarkstown South HS, West Nyack, NY
- 3/03 – Performance of “Building Houses on the Moon,” Rockland Community College, Suffern, NY
- 2/03 – Student Performance of “Building Houses on the Moon,” Miss Halls School, Pittsfield, MA
- 2/03 – Workshop for educators and Homophobia, GLSEN Boston Teacher Training - Provincetown, MA
- 1/03 – Student Performance of “Building Houses on the Moon,” Norwich Free Academy,Norwich, Connecticut
- 1/03 – Performance of “Building Houses on the Moon,” Blue Heron Arts Center, New York City
- 10/02 – Performance of “Building Houses on the Moon,” Berkshire Community College,Pittsfield, MA
- 8/02 – Performance of “Building Houses on the Moon,” Exploration Program, Yale University,New Haven CT
- 3/02 – Student and Community Performances of “Building Houses on the Moon,” Belmont High School, Belmont MA (cosponsored by Belmont against Racism.)
- 2/02 – Student and Community Performances of “Building Houses on the Moon,” Brookline High School, Brookline MA
- 1/02 – Workshop, Creative Arts Intensive, Brookline High School, Brookline MA
- 08/01 – Performance of “Building Houses on the Moon,” Exploration Program, Yale University,New Haven CT
- 3/01 – Performance of “Building Houses on the Moon,” Boston GLSEN Conference at Tufts University, Medford MA
- 3/01 – Performance of “Building Houses on the Moon,” Common Threads Youth Empowerment Conference, Fishkill, NY
- 3/01 – Workshop, Creating a Safer School Environment, Common Threads Youth Empowerment Conference – Fishkill, NY
