Directed by Estefanía Fadul
Scenic Design by Christopher Ash
Costume Design by LeVonne Lindsay
Lighting Design by Alyssandra Docherty
Sound Design by Daniel Ison
Assistant to the director Hannah Hausen
Production Photos by Mark Garvin
by Lindsay Joelle
November 11 – December 5, 2021
90 minutes, no intermission | For ages 13+ (Contains salty language and adult situations.)
Streaming available until Sunday, December 19 at 11:59PM EST
A Co-World Premiere with City Theatre!
Check out news features and reviews HERE!
Linda & David Glickstein || Laura & Richard Steel
Honorary Producers
Gayle & David Smith
Associate Producers
Danny’s a white, blue-collar mansplainer hiding a heart of gold. Marlowe’s a Black, Ivy League-educated newbie who just joined his route. When these two polar opposites are thrown together on Marlowe’s first day at the city sanitation department, they’re forced to find a steady rhythm, despite their differences. This odd couple starts their 6 a.m. shift trading barbs, but along the route Danny slowly earns Marlowe’s trust by sharing hard-earned tricks of the trade.
How do you spot a standard mattress upgrade from a casualty of a bed bug infestation? When do house rules outweigh union rules? What the hell is “mongo”?! Verb: To Scavenge. Noun: Junk. As Marlowe and Danny’s lives become increasingly entwined, their initial bickering gives way to a reluctant bond over the broken, beautiful things we discard. In Lindsay Joelle’s fresh, off-beat buddy comedy The Garbologists, two essential workers from different worlds discover there’s more that binds them than taking out the trash.
MEET THE PLAYWRIGHT & DIRECTOR
Lindsay Joelle (Playwright) is a playwright and screenwriter drawn to stories of misfits, rebels, and the un-assimilated. Plays include TRAYF (Geffen ’22, Theater J, New Rep), The Messengers (Audible Theater audioplay), A Small History of Amal, Age 7 (Forward Flux/Pratidhwani), and The Garbologists (Philadelphia Theatre Company ’21, City Theatre ’22). She has been awarded an Audible Theatre Emerging Playwright commission, Ensemble Studio Theatre / Sloan Foundation Science & Technology commission, Vital Theatre new musical commission, Irving Zarkower Award, and Goldberg MFA Playwriting Prize. Originally from Chicago, Joelle received her BA from Columbia University and MFA from Hunter, studying under Tina Howe, Arthur Kopit, and Samuel D. Hunter. Alumna of the BMI Musical Theatre Workshop, Nashville Repertory Theatre’s Ingram New Works Lab, and 2017-2018 NNPN Playwright-in-Residence at Curious Theatre. Non-theatrical writing includes restaurant reviews for New York Magazine’s Grubstreet and the prep book Tutor Tells All: ACT Test Strategy. www.Lindsayjoelle.com
Estefanía Fadul (Director) (she/her) is a Brooklyn-based Colombian-American director and deviser of new work. Current and recent projects include Kamloopa by Kim Senklip Harvey (WAM), Carla’s Quince created with The Voting Project (Drama League Award nomination), Noelle Viñas’ Zoom Intervention (Weston Playhouse, NYTimes Critics Pick), Christina Quintana’s Azul (Southern Rep) and Scissoring (INTAR), Stefan Ivanov’s The Same Day (Sfumato Theatre, Bulgaria), and Preston Max Allen and Jessica Kahkoska’s musical Agent 355 (Chautauqua, NYSAF). Estefanía has developed new work off-Broadway and regionally at the Public Theater, Playwrights’ Realm, Long Wharf, Juilliard, Repertorio Español, and more. She is the inaugural recipient of New York Stage and Film’s Pfaelzer Award, and an alumna of the Clubbed Thumb Directing Fellowship, Drama League Directors Project, O’Neill/NNPN National Directors Fellowship, Van Lier Fellowship at Repertorio Español, and NALAC Leadership Institute. Estefanía is an artist with the Center for Performance and Civic Practice, and a member of the Drama League Directors Council, New Georges Jam, Latinx Theatre Commons advisory committee, Lincoln Center Directors Lab, and SDC. B.A. Vassar College. www.estefaniafadul.com.
MEET THE CAST OF THE GARBOLOGISTS
Ngozi Anyanwu (Marlowe) most recently appeared at the Atlantic Theater Company in her play The Last of The Love Letters, which she starred in with Daniel J. Watts. She is a staff writer on AMERICANAH for HBOMax and Plan B, and recently developed a pilot with Juvee Productions and ABC Signature. In theater, she has commissions with NYU, The Old Globe and The Atlantic Theatre. Previously, her play Good Grief (Kilroys List 2016, semi finalist Princess Grace, Humanitas Award), in which Anyanwu also starred, recently ran Off-Broadway at the Vineyard Theatre and was produced at Center Theatre Group in Los Angeles in Spring 2017. Nike… (Kilroys List 2017) was recently workshopped at The New Black Fest in conjunction with The Lark and The Strand Festival in conjunction with A.C.T and Space on Ryder Farm. The Homecoming Queen (Kilroys List 2017, Leah Ryan Finalist) recently had its world premiere and a sold out run at the Atlantic Theater. Anyanwu has also received residencies from LCT3, Space on Ryder Farm, the Djerassi Resident Artists Program, The New Harmony Project, New York Stage and Film and Page 73. She attended Point Park University (BA) and received her MFA in Acting from University of California, San Diego.
Steven Rishard (Danny) was last seen in Describe the Night, at the Wilma Theater. Here in Philadelphia, his other credits include work with Azuka Theater, Boycott Esther, and The Arsonists. With the Arden Theatre, Cabaret, and Doll’s House 2; Straight White Men at Interact Theatre, The Few at Theatre Horizon, and Detroit at Philadelphia Theatre Company. At the Wilma Theater, where he has been a HotHouse member since 2014, he has been in several plays including When the Rain Stops Falling, Adapt!, Romeo and Juliet, and The Hard Problem. His New York credits include The Bacchae for The Public Theater’s Shakespeare in the Park, In the Penal Colony at Classic Stage Company, Luz at LA Mama Theatre, and with Division 13 Productions, Cascando. Also Journeys Among the Dead at H.E.R.E Art Space, and Act Without Words 1 at the Brooklyn Can Factory. TV credits include Law & Order, Treme, Law & Order: SVU, Kings, and The Americans. Film: Shelter (6 Souls), Joy D.Vee, and Hal Hartley’s Meanwhile. Look him up on Instagram @srishard.
Steven is grateful and thrilled to make his return to PTC, and thanks you for coming out to support live theatre.
MEET THE CREATIVE TEAM
Christopher Ash (Scenic Design) Philadelphia-based Designer and Filmmaker. Previous PTC productions include Sweat, Having Our Say, and Rizzo. Christopher Ash’s work has been seen in 13 countries and been recognized for 15 awards. Equally at home designing projections, scenery or lighting for theatre, opera, and dance as well as direction and cinematography for film. Broadway credits include, Sunday in the Park with George, Saint Joan, Network, The Prince of Broadway, The Crucible, and On The Town. His opera designs have been seen at The Met, Lyric Opera of Chicago, Canadian Opera, and Houston Grand Opera, and Christopher holds an MFA in design from the Yale School of Drama.
LeVonne Lindsay (Costume Design) is the Costume Shop Manager and Adjunct Assistant Professor at The University of the Arts in Philadelphia. Education: B.S. in Fashion Design from Philadelphia University, M.F.A in Costume Design from the University of Maryland, College Park. Recent work: Ragtime, Gem of the Ocean, Arden Theater; Sweat- Philadelphia Theater Company; Kill, Move, Paradise- Wilma Theater. Awards/Honors: Barrymore Award for Outstanding Costume Design (2019), Allen Lee Hughes Fellow at Arena Stage (2001-2003).
Alyssandra Docherty (Lighting Design) is a Philadelphia-based lighting designer originally from northern NJ. After graduating with Honors and a BA in Theatre from DeSales University, Aly continued her training as an Electrics Apprentice at Goodspeed Musicals in Connecticut. She spent five seasons as Philadelphia Theatre Company’s Lighting Supervisor and now tours internationally with both Koresh Dance Company and BalletX. Her work has been recognized with Barrymore and Ostrander Award nominations. www.alyssandradocherty.com
Daniel Ison (Sound Design) is excited to be working on his first show at PTC. Off Broadway: Associate Sound Designer Hot Wing King (Signature Theatre). Broadway: Associate Sound Designer: Skeleton Crew (Manhattan Theatre Club) Regional: Gem of the Ocean, Streetcar Named Desire (Arden Theatre);Wilde Tales, Frankenstein, Julius Caesar, Aesop’s Fables (Quintessence); Box Clever, Our Few and Evil Days (Inis Nua); The Audience Disturbs Marcel (Tiny Dynamite); Collected Stories (Act II Playhouse); Ready Steady Yeti (Azuka Theatre); Othello, All My Sons (Curio Theatre); Tartuffe (Mauckingbird). Film/Television: Howard (Zorinah Juan). Education: BA Music Composition (Eastern University). Awards: Barrymore Winner Sound Design, Gem of the Ocean. Barrymore Nominee Sound Design, Untitled. Barrymore Nominee Original Music, Art of Swimming.
Clare Drobot (Dramaturg) is currently the Co-Artistic Director of City Theatre along with Monteze Freeland and Marc Masterson. She joined the staff at City in 2015 serving as the Director of New Play Development and Associate Artistic Director (since March 2020). A dramaturg, playwright, and producer Clare has worked in various capacities at Premiere Stages at Kean University, Laura Stanczyk Casting, Williamstown Theatre Festival, The McCarter Theatre, The BE Company, Play Penn, and New Dramatists. Her work as a writer has been seen in Ars Nova’s ANT FEST and the New Hazlett Theatre’s CSA Series among others. She serves on the boards of the National New Play Network and Brew House Association. BA/BFA Carnegie Mellon University, member of LMDA.
Alison Hassman (Stage Manager) Alison is thrilled to return to the theater. New York: Hamilton, The Nutcracker (New York City Ballet, Lincoln Center), Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, A Gentleman and his Ladies (Roundabout, with Alan Cumming), Cherry Lane, Westside Theatre, 59E59, the York, 24 Hour Play Company. Regional: McCarter, Two River, Delaware Theater Company, six seasons with Pennsylvania Shakespeare Festival, Theater Horizon, Trinity Rep, Bucks County Playhouse, Bristol Riverside, Premiere Stages. Love to MDT. Be safe.
Jamel Baker (Production Assistant) is excited to be working with PTC on this amazing project! Jamel Baker is a freelance stage manager and has worked with many companies throughout the city including Tribe of Fools (also a company member), Simpatico, Azuka, Passage Theatre and more. Jamel holds a BFA from Millersville University.
Noelle Diane Johnson (she/her/hers) is a multi-disciplinary Artist and Artist Advocate based in Philadelphia, PA. She is thrilled to be joining Philadelphia Theatre Company for their production of The Garbologists, directed by Estafanía Fadul, as EDI Officer. She has worked for multiple venues in different capacities including the Wilma Theater, Theatre Horizon, The Lantern Theater Company, Simpatico Theatre Company, Theatre in the X, Shakespeare in Clark Park, The Bearded Ladies Cabaret, FringeArts, Long Wharf Theatre, and Playbill among many others. Noelle is also the Founder & Owner of ARTISTS HEAL™, a company designed to create healing and care spaces for collaborative art-making while centering and providing resources for marginalized artists and vulnerable communities. Noelle believes in servant leadership and offers programming to promote self-liberated, inclusive, and equitable spaces designed for healing and expansion through decolonized artistic practice and process. Learn more at artistsheal.org. IG: @warmweathernoelle/@artistsheal
J. Alex Cordaro (Movement and Fight Consultant) has spent the last 30 years studying, practicing, teaching, and directing theatrical violence in the US and Europe. He has Fight Directed over 100 Union shows including 12 Premieres with EQUITY and AGMA (World, United States, and Philadelphia.) When not working in the theater he enjoys cooking dinner with his family, hiking, camping, yard work, and sitting around a campfire telling lies with old friends. Alex currently runs the stage combat progression at the University of the Arts, across the street in both directions.