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Paradise Square

Opening Date: Mar 15, 2022

Closing Date: Jul 17, 2022

Running Time: 02:35

Paradise Square
https://paradisesquaremusical.com Show Site Icon

Playing @

Ethel Barrymore Theatre

243 W 47th St New York, NY 10036

View theatre details
New York City. 1863. The Civil War raged on. An extraordinary thing occurred amid the dangerous streets and crumbling tenement houses of the Five Points, the notorious 19th-century Lower Manhattan slum. For many years, Irish immigrants escaping the devastation of the Great Famine settled alongside free-born Black Americans and those who escaped slavery, arriving by means of the Underground Railroad. The Irish, relegated at that time to the lowest rung of America’s social status, received a sympathetic welcome from their Black neighbors (who enjoyed only slightly better treatment in the burgeoning industrial-era city). The two communities co-existed, intermarried, raised families, and shared their cultures in this unlikeliest of neighborhoods. 
 
The amalgamation between the communities took its most exuberant form with raucous dance contests on the floors of the neighborhood bars and dance halls. It is here in the Five Points where tap dancing was born, as Irish step dancing joyously competed with Black American Juba. But this racial equilibrium would come to a sharp and brutal end when President Lincoln’s need to institute the first Federal Draft to support the Union Army would incite the deadly NY Draft Riots of July 1863. 
 
Within this galvanizing story of racial harmony undone by a country at war with itself, we meet the denizens of a local saloon called Paradise Square: Nelly Freeman (Joaquina Kalukango), the indomitable Black woman who owns it; Annie O’Brien (Chilina Kennedy), her Irish-Catholic sister-in-law and her Black minister husband, Rev. Samuel Jacob Lewis (Nathaniel Stampley); Owen Duignan (A.J. Shively), a conflicted newly arrived Irish immigrant; Washington Henry (Sidney DuPont), a fearless freedom seeker; Frederic Tiggens (John Dossett), an anti-abolitionist political boss, and Milton Moore (Jacob Fishel), a penniless songwriter trying to capture it all. They have conflicting notions of what it means to be an American while living through one of the most tumultuous eras in our country’s history. 
 
The world premiere of Paradise Square was produced in January 2019 by Berkeley Repertory Theatre (Artistic Director, Tony Taccone; Managing Director, Susan Medak). The musical is based on Hard Times, conceived by Mr. Kirwan, which was originally presented at the intimate Off-Broadway theatre, Nancy Manocherian’s the cell, in 2012. 
 
With visceral and nuanced staging and choreography that captures the pulsating energy when Black and Irish cultures meet, Paradise Square depicts an overlooked true-life moment when hope and possibility shone bright.

COVID Safety Information:
Masks required through June 30. As of July 1, masks are optional but encouraged. While we are doing our best to keep each show's COVID-19 protocols up to date, rules vary and change. Before purchasing tickets, please double-check the COVID-19 rules on the show's official website.
Age Guidance

Age Guidance: 12

Performance Schedule:

TUESDAYS-THURSDAYS @ 7 PM
FRIDAYS @ 8 PM
SATURDAYS @ 2 PM & 8 PM
SUNDAYS @ 3 PM

Music

Jason Howland, Nathan Tysen, Masi Asare, Larry Kirwan and Stephen Foster

Book

Christina Anderson, Marcus Gardley, Craig Lucas and Larry Kirwan

Director

Moisés Kaufman

Choreography

Bill T. Jones

TDF Tickets Offers:

TDF member tickets:

Not currently available for this show

Listed atTKTS

Never

Full-price tickets

$49 - $225

Accessibility:

Box Office

There are two steps into the theatre. Waiter service for wheelchair patrons is available. Theatre is not completely accessible.

Parking

Central Parking System, 257 West 47th St, (Broadway and 8th Ave); (212) 262-9778 225 West 49th St, 5 pm to 5 am. Port Parking Corporation, 235 West 48th St, (Broadway and 8th Ave);  (212) 245-9421

Curb Ramps

NW corner of 47th St. & Broadway; NE corner of 47th St. & 8th Ave.

Directions Bus

M104, M10, M27, M50, M6, M7, or M42 bus.

Restroom

Unisex in Ticket lobby. Door 32". Stall 129" x 61.5". Commode 18". Grab bars. Another restroom is located up 2 flights of stairs.

Directions Subway

N, R, W to 49th St or the 1, 9 to 50th St, walk south to 47th St and west to the theatre. Take the C, E to 50th St, walk south to 47th St and east to the theatre.

Seating

Seats 1,096.Orchestra on ground level. Lower lounge, front mezzanine and rear mezzanine reached only by stairs.

Elevator\Escalator

There are no elevators or escalators at this theatre.

Entrance

Double doors in series: 1st set (each 27.5") has one pair of automatic doors from 47th Street to ticket lobby with push button control; 2nd set (each 27", attended by ushers) to Orchestra.

Visual Assistance

Vision seats in the front of the orchestra for purchase in person or on the phone.

Folding Armrests

Eleven row-end seats with folding armrests.

Water Fountain

Ticket lobby. Spout 36".

Assisted Listening System

Infrared listening system. Reservations are not necessary. Drivers license or ID with printed address required as a deposit. Occasional sign language interpreted performances are scheduled.

Wheelchair Info

Orchestra: Seating is accessible to all parts of the Orchestra without steps. Wheelchair seating is located in the Orchestra only. Mezzanine (second level): 3 flights of stairs up 30 steps. Please note, once on the Mezzanine level there are approximately 2 steps per row. Entrance to Mezzanine is behind row E of the Front Mezzanine. Wheelchair Seating: 11 aisle seat with folding armrest, 5 wheelchair viewing seats, 4 companion seats.

Telephone

In lobby, accesible at 54" with utilitiy outlet

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Public Transportation

Subway Icon

By Subway:

N, R, W to 49th St or the 1, 9 to 50th St, walk south to 47th St and west to the theatre. Take the C, E to 50th St, walk south to 47th St and east to the theatre.

Bus Icon

By Bus:

M104, M10, M27, M50, M6, M7, or M42 bus.