'Roughly Speaking,' a Play With Rap About New York's Homeless, Premieres Oct. 29

NOMAD, NY — On the heels of Hamilton, a new play with rap called Roughly Speaking that explores homelessness in New York City is premiering on Oct. 29 in the NoMad neighborhood. The play, written by Shara Ashley Zeiger, is based on over 200 interviews with people who are homeless in New York.

From the play's press release:

Roughly Speaking depicts a world we often walk by through the eyes of Lightning.Bolt, a rapper bound only by his wheelchair on a not so typical day at the soup kitchen. An existential struggle of survival begs questions of love, loss, and what's next. Roughly Speaking is a play with rap about those who are caught in a system which exists more to maintain the status quo, rather than offer a way out.

In the hallway of the Tada Theatre lobby, audiences can see an art installation called WE ARE ALL HOMELESS, by a man who began collecting homeless people's signs in 1993 and discovered all about the people behind the signs.

Roughly Speaking is playing at the Tada Theater at 15 W. 28th St. Oct. 29-Nov. 20, Wednesday-Saturday at 8 p.m. and Sunday at 2 p.m. After every Wednesday and Sunday performances, there will be a post-show talk featuring cast members and the creative team behind the play. Also at the talk will be experts on homelessness, community partners, and volunteer staff of New York City's Xavier Mission's Welcome Table Soup Kitchen.

The cast of Roughly Speaking includes Franz Jones (Broadway's Big River), Danny Bolero (Broadway's In the Heights & Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dream Coat), Christopher Michael McLamb, Steven J. Michel, Michael Twain (European Tour of West Side Story), Madeline McCray, Troy Valjean Rucker (National Tour, Jesus Christ Superstar), Shara Ashley Zeiger, and Joanie Anderson.

Tickets for Roughly Speaking are $25. Three dollars from each ticket sold go towards purchasing backpacks for the homeless. For reservations, call 212-868-4444 or go to www.theplatformgroup.org.

Photo credit: Courtesy of Roughly Speaking