Two River Theater Festival Featuring Stories On The 'New Normal'

RED BANK, NJ — Two River Theater's annual celebration of new plays by Latinx theater artists, Crossing Borders (Cruzano Fronteras), is kicking off on Monday and running through Oct. 10.

This year playwrights explore stories about family history, computer science, teens navigating the "new normal" and a makeshift family arriving at the cusp of the 22nd century.

Curator of the festival and Two River Theater's long-time collaborator José Zayas said the stories speak to the "difficult" moment many of us are going through.

"Everyone has met the challenge of creating during the pandemic with such surprising results and I'm very excited to share this with the world," Zayas said. "These plays matter because they want change, they demand to be heard, they show us moments of crisis that transcend boundaries and they suggest possible ways forward into uncertain but thrilling futures.”

For the first time in the festival’s history, readings will be presented virtually, allowing free access to all nationwide and around the globe. All readings will be available with captioning.

To reserve access to the free online festival visit this page. An email with the access link will be sent to all who register in advance on Monday.

Here is the list of readings:

Ciertas Astillas/ Certain Shards

By Paz Pardo,
Directed by José Zayas
Run Time: 1 hour 27 minutes

A splintered playwright tries to find a way to tell her story; two wanderers walk away from their memories—or lack thereof; two private investigators search for a missing person in a warehouse of boxes slowly filling with chinchillas.

Machine Leraning

By Francisco Mendoza
Directed by José Zayas
Run Time: 1 hour 55 minutes

When his estranged, alcoholic father is diagnosed with liver cancer, computer scientist Jorge dreams up a nursing app to manage the disease in his stead. As the machine's capabilities grow, however, the possibility of leaving it in charge of the treatment becomes more real, forcing Jorge to reckon with his responsibilities as a son—and as a creator.

Syzygy or, The Ceasing of the Sun

By juliany f. taveras
Directed by Dominique Rider
Run Time: 39 minutes

On the cusp of the 22nd century, in a city (or whatever it is that's left), a star-crossed, makeshift family of five is born. A meditation on how love and chaos behave when it feels like the world is falling apart—what does it mean for us if, in fact, the world has always been ending? how do we love? how do we fight?

Optional Boss Battle

By Nick Malakhow
Directed by Rebecca Martínez
Run Time: 1 hour 40 minutes

Like teens all over the world, Alonso and Ruben are forced into remote learning in March of 2020 due to the COVID pandemic. Icy acquaintances at their bougie prep school, they forge an unlikely friendship when new-in-town, grieving Ruben realizes he lives just around the corner from agoraphobic Alonso in Hackensack, NJ. A story about processing grief, forging connection, coming to terms with identity, and caring for one’s mental health in tumultuous times.