A First Floor Studio Residency Project with HB Studios
Executive Producers Patricia and A.J, Welch, Ed Szylinski

LOWER EAST SIDE SHAKESPEARE'S NEW WORK IN DEVELOPMENT
Written by Sean Michael Welch
Created and Directed by Melanie Erfani

November 4 – 19, 2017
HB Studio
120 Bank Street between Greenwich and Washington Streets, First Floor Studio
Reservations: www.eventbrite.com/e/first-floor-studio-residency-bee-tickets-38636306232

Set Designer – Alex Silva
Costume Designer – Dina El-Aziz
Lighting Designer – Christina Watanabe
Sound Designer – Sasha Hawkins
Asst. Director and Movement Coach – Vida Tayebati
Asst. Director – Melissa Mowry
Choreographer – Ahmad Maaty
Stage Manager – Zuwaib Razzaq
Cast
Ayse Babahan – Dana Hart Lubeck – Muge Karagulle – Brittany Zaken
Gamze Ceylan – Rakel Aroyo – Buket Gulbeyaz – Lareina Bellecour

BEE is a work in development being presented with talk back sessions immediately following the performances. Based on the life of Creator/Director Melanie Erzani's Iranian grandmother, BEE also speaks to the stories of immigrants and refugees in general. Set primarily in the 1940's, the piece jumps back and forth in time, with narrative as recent as the 2000's, and references to today's political climate.

The central character is Izat (Buket Gulbeyaz), a young, abused wife in Iran. Physically and mentally attacked by her husband, she never accepts her fate as inevitable or unchangeable. She challenges the standards of her time and culture and divorces, remarries, but most significantly evolves and grows from her experiences. BEE does include an ongoing storyline about Izat's interactions with and feelings about bees. This is one mechanism to show the arc of her character over time, and to clarify the ways in which she has been able to triumph over oppression.

An interesting aspect of this production is the use of video and audio narrative about the immigrant experience, coupled with the cast's collective movements to create motion on stage in what is otherwise a minimalist set with few props or set pieces. Although not the original concept for BEE, all of the roles are played by women in this production.

It will be interesting to see how BEE continues to evolve, especially given the current debates about borders, walls and refugees. Izat's family, those that emigrated, came to the United States decades ago seeking a better life. In this regard, BEE tells a most universal story.

- Kessa De Santis -