Experiments: Brother Play
By Ananda Long
Brother Play follows estranged twins Earnest and Wayne as they reconnect over a spaghetti dinner. After they both experience major loss in their careers and relationships, the brothers look to rehash old wounds in hopes of being a part of each other’s futures. An exploration of queerness and troubled sibling dynamics, this is a two-hander in real time.
Ananda Long is a playwright, director, and producer who currently resides in Brooklyn, NY. They have written two full length plays, a feature length film, and most recently directed a staged reading of the contemporary play Grandma at Rattlestick Playwright’s theater. Hailing from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Ananda is heavily influenced by Black metropolitan life, and as a Lesbian, wishes to investigate the intersection of race, queerness, and class within her work. Their formal creative education began at New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts, where they studied Dramatic Writing with a concentration in playwriting. Separate from theater, Ananda also has a passion for film, television, comedy, and prose. They are heavily inspired by the works of playwrights Maria Irene Fornes, Suzan-Lori Parks, Caridad Svich, as well as thought leaders Audre Lorde, bell hooks, and the late photographer Ren Hang.
Experiments Play Reading Series
For the 23rd season of La MaMa Experiments we will focus on theatrical works in progress addressing mental health issues. No one is more familiar with the need to create greater access to mental healthcare than our New York audience, who come face to face with this crisis on a daily basis. After 3 years of a global pandemic, all of us are feeling the upsurge of anxiety and depression, but these trends have been on the rise long before Covid-19. The works this season shed light on important, personal stories and deal with this subject matter in many different and unique ways. From tongue in cheek comedies to absurdist tragedies, Experiments hopes to create a season that will destigmaify, enlighten and, yes, even entertain.