Asking for Trouble
Oct
11
to Oct 12

Asking for Trouble

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ASKING FOR TROUBLE 2025

The biggest and wildest theater festival in New York is BACK!  ASKING FOR TROUBLE has more than ONE HUNDRED of your favorite (and future favorite) theater artists in one epic explosion of insanely creative, boundary-pushing short plays. The early-career playwrights of Youngblood have just ONE WEEK to write a brand new play, custom-built for actors and directors they pulled from a hat.

This year - we're doing ASKING FOR TROUBLE as a gigantic FUNDRAISER and community event!  It's happening TWICE - on Saturday and Sunday, October 11 and 12.  All proceeds go to support the Youngblood program and all of Ensemble Studio Theatre’s year-round play development work.  We’re using PAY-WHAT-YOU-WANT pricing, starting at just $20 a ticket, so you can make as large a contribution as you like.  Buy early, buy often, help EST do our vital work!

ASKING FOR TROUBLE has four parts - you can buy tickets for just one, all four parts, or anything in between. Each of the TWENTY – count ‘em TWENTY – plays has a custom ASKING FOR TROUBLE baseball card – attend all four parts to collect them all!

Make sure you're getting a ticket for the right part - double check the shows and artists before completing your purchase!

Part I
Part II
Part III
Part IV
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Nov
6
3:00 PM15:00

Fear Less by Jacquelyn Reingold

Ensemble Studio Theatre/Alfred P. Sloan Project present a First Light Reading of

Fear Less

a new play by Jacquelyn Reingold

Fear Less examines the role of fear in two different women's lives over 25 years.

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Jacquelyn Reingold is a playwright, TV writer, teacher, advocate. “Fear Less” was first read in the First Light Festival 2024, and was a 2025 O’Neill finalist. Other plays in New York seen at EST, MCC, Naked Angels, Axial Theater; Actors Theater Louisville, Portland Center Stage, PlayLabs Minneapolis; London, Dublin, Berlin, Lima. Honors include: Lilly Award, Kennedy Center, EST/Sloan Commissions, Yaddo, Hermitage, Susan Smith Blackburn finalist. Published: “Best American Short Plays,” DPS, French, Smith & Kraus, Applause. Member: EST, Tent Theater, New Dramatists alum, mentor Young Playwrights Ukraine, founding member of Honor Roll! TV writing includes “The Good Fight,” “Grace & Frankie,” “In Treatment.” www.jacquelynreingold.com

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Nov
17
to Dec 14

A Bodega Princess Remembers La Fiesta de los Reyes Magos, 1998

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Ensemble Studio Theatre with the Lucille Lortel Theatre and the Latinx Playwrights Circle present

written and performed by Iraisa Ann Reilly
directed by Estefanía Fadul

Every January 6th, the Latine community of Egg Harbor City, NJ gathered in the basement cafeteria of St. Nicholas School for a celebration of the Feast of Los Reyes Magos, or Three Kings Day. Writer-performer Iraisa Ann Reilly invites the audience to celebrate and reclaim that date, introducing the audience to her family, her hometown, and her epiphany at the 1998 Feast that changed her life forever. Featuring music, storytelling, and good old 90s nostalgia - a show for everybody's holiday season.

November 17 - December 14, 2025

$20 Early Bird Tickets available for purchase through november 16

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about the playwright & director

Iraisa Ann Reilly is a writer, actor, and educator originally from New Jersey (and proud of it). She recently performed her solo show, A Bodega Princess Remembers La Fiesta de los Reyes Magos, 1998 as a workshop production with Simpatico Theatre in Philadelphia. The play was also supported by a Lucille Lortel Micro-Commission and recently performed as part of Teatro Circulo and Latinx Playwrights Circle’s Inaugural One-Act Festival, Sol Project’s Sol Fest, and the New Harmony Project Alumni Reading Series. As a writer, her work has been developed and recognized by Teatro del Sol, Atlantic Theatre Company, La Jolla Playhouse, Two River Theatre, Arkansas New Play Festival, Bay Area Playwright’s Festival, Theatre Exile, The New Harmony Project, Texas A&M University, Michigan State, Latinx Playwrights Circle, Art House Productions, and the Yale Drama Series. She is currently under commission with Arden Theatre Company and is a member of Soho Rep’s Writer/ Director lab, 2024-2025. Acting Credits include: Off-Broadway: According to the Chorus (Mallory, New Light Theatre Project) Regional: The Wolves (#14, Philadelphia Theatre Company). Iraisa Ann is an adjunct professor of Dramatic Writing at NYU Tisch and is a teaching artist with Roundabout Theatre Company, ESPA Primary Stages, and Dreamyard Inc. MFA in Dramatic Writing from NYU. BA in Theatre and English from the University of Notre Dame.

Estefanía Fadul is a Brooklyn-based Colombian-American director, and co-Artistic Director of Ensemble Studio Theatre. Recent projects include the world premieres of Hotel Happy by Camilo Almonacid (Houses on the Moon), Eva Luna by Caridad Svich (Repertorio Español), The Garbologists by Lindsay Joelle (Philadelphia Theater Company), and Carla’s Quince created with The Voting Project Ensemble (Drama League Award nomination). Estefanía has developed new plays and musicals off-Broadway and regionally at the Public Theater, INTAR, Playwrights’ Realm, NYTW, Chautauqua, Audible, Juilliard, and more. She is the inaugural recipient of NYSAF's Pfaelzer Award. Affiliations: Drama League Board of Directors, Latinx Theatre Commons advisory committee, Lincoln Center Directors Lab, New Georges Affiliated Artist, SDC. B.A. Vassar College.

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Dec
11
3:00 PM15:00

Superquiz! by Mikaela Berry

Ensemble Studio Theatre/Alfred P. Sloan Project present a First Light Reading of

Superquiz!

a new play by Mikaela Berry

SuperQuiz! follows the exciting, sometimes confusing, and extremely nerdy road to victory for an academic decathlon team of tenacious teenagers in Harlem.

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Mikaela Berry is a multi-hyphenate artist, licensed social worker, and restorative justice facilitator based in Harlem whose passion lies in working with people in detention.

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Jan
15
3:00 PM15:00

APPLE BOTTOM by Karina Billini

Ensemble Studio Theatre/Alfred P. Sloan Project present a First Light Reading of

APPLE BOTTOM

a new play by Karina Billini

When a humble neighbor, Andrea, and a high-strung influencer, Belinda, arrive as patients for their post- BBL recovery, Apple Bottom Spa struggle to keep both women afloat.

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Karina Billini is a Brooklyn-bred playwright. She is a proud alum of EST's Youngblood, Public's EWG program, among others. MFA: Juilliard, New School.

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Feb
1
to Mar 31

The Reservoir

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Ensemble Studio Theatre with The Alfred P. Sloan Foundation & Atlantic Theater Company present

The Reservoir

written by Jake Brasch
directed by Shelley Butler

Josh’s life is a mess. He’s moved home to Denver to get sober, but after years of drinking, the fog in his brain won’t lift. Struggling with memory loss, confusion, and shame he finds himself strangely in step with his four aging grandparents. The Reservoir is a funny, human play about memory, recovery, and the joys of cross-generational connection.

February-March, 2026

Dates to be announced, performances to be held at The Atlantic Theater Company Linda Gross Theater.

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