Turn Me Loose

First Preview: Apr 16, 2016

Opening Date: May 03, 2016

Closing Date: Jul 17, 2016

Running Time: 01:30

http://turnmelooseplay.com/

Playing @

Westside Theatre Downstairs

407 W 43rd St New York, NY 10036

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John Legend and Mike Jackson present a new comedic drama about the extraordinary and explosive life of Dick Gregory - starring Scandal's Joe Morton - that shines a light on the first Black comedian to expose white audiences to racial comedy.

Turn Me Loose is a new comedic drama about the extraordinary and explosive life and career of Dick Gregory, the first Black comedian to expose white audiences to comedy confronting racial issues.

The play tracks the course of Mr. Gregory's extraordinary personal and professional history, how he forced himself onto the stage at The Playboy Club to discover an audience of southern, white, frozen-food conventioneers, transformed racist heckling to howling laughter and initiated an unprecedented comedy career. Turn Me Loose then reveals Gregory’s struggle between his newfound celebrity and his burgeoning yearning to join the activism of the Civil Rights Movement; how his commitment to equality nearly forced him to reject the greatest television opportunity of his career and his inner struggles facing the demons of his philandering, never-present father and the haunting echos of his mentor, slain civil-rights activist Medgar Evers. The scenes alternate between his early career in the ‘60s and the present day, revealing a life-long, unwavering dedication to the struggle for human dignity and civil rights.

PERFORMANCE SCHEDULE:
TUESDAY thru THURSDAY @ 7:30 PM
FRIDAY & SATURDAY @ 8 PM
WEDNESDAY & SATURDAY @ 2 PM
SUNDAY @ 3 PM

Age Guidance: 16

Show Notes: No Intermission

Audience Advisory:

Strong language

TDF Tickets Offers:

TDF member tickets:

Not currently available for this show

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Accessibility:

Box Office

1st floor. Counter 45".Box office has a wheelchair accessible drawer for distributing tickets

Parking

Garage: 42nd Street between 9th & 10th Aves. No vans. MPG Parking, 475 W. 41st - 200 ft. away,

Curb Ramps

Ramp is available at 43rd St. & 9th Ave

Passenger Loading Zone

Front. Curb 2.5"

Directions Bus

M42

Restroom

Located down one flight of stairs: 14 steps.A wheelchair-accessible (unisex) restroom is located on the lobby level

Directions Subway

1,2,3,7,S,A,C,E,N,R,Q,W to 42nd St./Times Square

Seating

Seats 249

Elevator\Escalator

Only the right rear section of the Downstairs Theatre is accessible via a wheelchair lift from the lobby level. The dimensions of the lift are 36″ wide x 48″ long. Entrance to the lift from the lobby level is through a 33″ wide door on the 48″ side of the lift. Only patrons using wheelchairs or scooters may use the lift. The maximum length for scooters and wheelchairs able to maneuver onto the lift is approximately 44″.

Telephone

None

Entrance

A few stone steps to enter the building from the sidewalk.Ramp is available. There is a wheelchair accessible button that opens the doors to the theatre. There are also four steps to enter the theatre, and an elevator is available for that as well.

Visual Assistance

None.

Water Fountain

Concessions are on 2nd floor.

Assisted Listening System

Theatre is equipped with Senheiser Infrared System. Headsets are available free of charge on a first come-first served basis from the ticket taker. A driver’s license or ID with printed address is required as a deposit. The devices do not operate in rows A, B, and C. If patrons anticipate using the assistive listening system, they should request tickets in row D or behind.