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White Whale Tale Coming To Red Hook Barge

By Nikhita Venugopal | October 16, 2015 10:51am | Updated on October 18, 2015 4:00pm
 The Lehigh Valley Barge #79 (right) escorted by the tugboat Pegasus.
The Lehigh Valley Barge #79 (right) escorted by the tugboat Pegasus.
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Etienne Frossard

RED HOOK — A new play that's set aboard a Red Hook barge will let you relive Captain Ahab's journey through the seas in search of his nemesis, Moby Dick.

"or, The Whale," an adaptation of Herman Melville's classic novel, (formally titled "Moby-Dick; or, The Whale,") will be staged on the Lehigh Valley Barge No. 79, docked at 290 Conover St. near Fairway Market, Threadbare Theatre Workshop announced Thursday.

The production will kick off the Brooklyn-based group's inaugural season with the opening performance scheduled for Oct. 22 at 7:30 p.m.

"It's a real departure from a conventional theater-going experience," said Kate Russell, Threadbare's founder and artistic director. She also wrote the play's script.

Set aboard the Red Hook barge — which Russell describes as the audience's own version of Ahab's whaling ship "The Pequod" — the play in its own way invites attendees to take part in the seafarers' expedition.   

A cast of eight actors will play almost every role in the original book.

Through the play, Russell hoped to stay as true to the original narrative as possible while maintaining the group's core mission to "illuminate epics in a simple way through the magic of resourceful storytelling," according to the announcement. 

Performances will be held Oct. 22 to Oct. 24 at 7:30 p.m. on the barge, which is home to the Waterfront Museum. There will also be a matinee Saturday Oct. 24 at 2 p.m.

Tickets are priced at $18 and are available online.