“I like too many things and get all confused and hung-up running from one falling star to another till I drop. This is the night, what it does to you. I had nothing to offer anybody except my own confusion.”

Jack Kerouac

In the summer of 2004, the New York State Summer School of the Arts accepted John MacDonald, Patrick Letterii, Haley Rawson and Nick Bonnar to the Theatre Conservatory.  It was there that they took classes cultivating their art and where they would make lasting friendships.  They studied with teachers like James Luse, Peg Denithorne, Landford Wilson, and Jo Twiss that provided them with a solid base for future cultivation of artistic endeavors.  That brought them to the middle of December 2006, while on winter break early in the morning at John’s apartment, they had a cold reading of a play Patrick Letterii had written the previous spring, called “Lights and Music”. With sparse stage direction and ambiguous love scenes, the piece was hardly what it is today, but possessed a certain energy that resonated amongst its readers. The next year, Patrick moved to France for five months and John continued to pursue theatre in New York. In June of 2007, Patrick, Haley, John and Nick met up again, this time in Paris, with a new cast of characters and a film project involving macabre French youth. Here, they begun to develop a realization that creating independent art was possible, and indeed there are passionate people that are willing to help create meaningful projects. As John and Nick gallivanted throughout Europe, and Patrick headed to South Africa, the desire to make important art lingered.

Working as an apprentice at the Barrow Group Theatre Company, and witnessing the fruition of independent theatre on a nearly weekly basis, John decided he ought to try his hand at making theatre that would comment on his generation, a topic he feels very strongly about.  After talking about Patrick’s play a bit more and going over its themes, they began to realize they felt like they grew up in an age of media over-saturation, where people are celebrated not on talent, hard work or achievements but on something far less important. That their generation is constantly being bombarded with images, symbols, and messages, dispensing information but to what relevance? To grow up in these times is really to bear witness to the unpredictability of progression, and it was in this train of thought that Lights & Music started to become something more than just a script.  After making a call to South Africa John asked Patrick if he would be up to the challenge of mounting a production of Lights and Music in New York. After Patrick cemented a date to come back to the States, John attempted to find a theatre willing to house their production. After calls to several theatres, John discovered that he might need some established backing. That’s where Jeremy Quinn came in. Jeremy was John’s high school theatre director who since working with him went on to direct successful regional theatre in Westchester. Jeremy read the script and quickly signed on as the director. After getting a theatre and a director the next step was to cast the other three characters. 

Haley Rawson had been involved with Lights & Music from the very first reading and Patrick felt that she was perfect for the role. Amanda Salane (NYSSSA Graduate) was cast as the character Hope, and Jeremy recruited actor Vincent DiGeronimo to play the role of Man, and the plan was set in motion. After a month of rehearsals at Fordham University and only one day of load-in and tech, Lights & Music opened at the Producer’s Club Theatre to a two-night sold out crowd.  Maggie Maes of the Actor’s Loft Theatre Company was in the audience on the second night and after seeing first hand what these students were capable of she began to sit down with John and discuss taking Lights & Music to the next level. 

In preparation for the Off-Broadway run, Lindsay Teed was cast as Hope, and Nick Bonnar (who had been part of the creative team) as Man.  Lindsay and John had been working together at the Beginnings Workshop, an acting program for kids for a few years.  After talking with her about the play and what it meant she joined the cast.

With additional help from local artists, and the diligence of the cast and crew, we have arrived here. This is the initial effort- through the creation of Tenement Street Workshop, to bring to light the struggles and challenges that face an emerging generation.