Wine in the Wilderness

He tried to paint her. She transformed the canvas.

Harlem, 1964. As riots unfold outside, painter Bill Jameson is inside his apartment putting the final touches on a portrait series about Black womanhood. When Tommy is brought in to model, her presence begins to reveal the quiet hierarchies shaping the evening. As drinks are poured and conversation loosens, the group is forced to reckon with how easy it is to repeat the very judgments they hope to rise above.

By turns funny, intimate, and piercingly intelligent, Wine in the Wilderness is a landmark work. Directed by Jordan Laffrenier, whose searing production of Slave Play was a highlight of last season, this revival brings fresh urgency and emotional precision to Alice Childress’ razor-sharp portrait of seeing and being seen.

Talkback

Looking for some bonus programming to go with your ticket to Wine in the Wilderness? We've got you covered! You're invited to attend a talkback following the performance on Thursday, October 1st.

Childress’s play proves that the ways we see ourselves…and what we value in ourselves are reflective of where we are in the path toward progress – The New York Times

Attending this play—written in 1969 and rarely staged since…feels like entering a post office or library or bank and spotting a genuine Picasso on the wall. – New York Theatre Guide

Wine in the Wilderness

He tried to paint her. She transformed the canvas.

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