Waterwell to Present 7 Minutes, New Drama by Lehman Trilogy Playwright

The off-Broadway company Waterwell will present the US premiere of Stefano Massini's 7 Minutes, which will begin performances at HERE on March 17 and play through April 10.

The play is described this way: "Based on actual events, 7 Minutes depicts an urgent meeting of the 11 women elected to the union council of their rural Connecticut textile factory. Changes at the factory seem inevitable when new owners take over, giving the council only 90 minutes to vote on a decision with serious consequences for everyone at the factory. Tempers flare and anxieties boil over as individual needs, perspectives and suspicions vie for position while the clock runs down."

Massini, who focused on the drama of capitalists in his hit play, The Lehman Trilogy, now turns his attention to labor. The Waterwell production marks the English-language premiere of 7 Minutes, with a translation by Francesca Spedalieri. Mei Ann Teo directs.

"In working on Stefano's plays, I've been deeply inspired by his ability to craft riveting, emotional stories about how global economic forces affect everyday people," said Waterwell artistic director Lee Sunday Evans. "7 Minutes lets audiences in on a thorny debate among unionized workers facing both employers and a culture that have worn down the power of many unions since the 1970s. Our shared cultural understanding of collective action is in a state of flux; workers across the U.S. are asking, 'How much can we risk? What will we tolerate? What could we accomplish together?'"

7 Minutes will feature scenic design by You-Shin Chen, costume design by Asa Benally, lighting and sound design by Hao Bai, and props design by Patricia Marjorie.

Casting will be announced at a later date.