Ars Nova celebrates the official opening of Doctor Ride’s American Beach House, a world premiere by Liza Birkenmeier, in its Greenwich House Theater November 5. The play, directed by Katie Brook, sees the uncharted desires of a group of women in the early 1980s bump up against American norms of sex and power.

Dr. Ride’s American Beach House is set in 1983, the evening before Dr. Sally Ride’s historic space flight. Hundreds of miles from the launch, a group of women with passionate opinions and no opportunities sit on a sweltering St. Louis rooftop watching life pass them by.

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The cast is made up of Susan Blommaert (Grease; Edward Scissorhands), comedian, writer, and solo performer Marga Gomez (Latin Standards), performance artist Erin Markey (Singlet; A Ride on the Irish Cream), and Kristen Sieh (The Band’s Visit; founding member of The TEAM).

The creative team is comprised of scenic designer Kimie Nishikawa, costume designer Melissa Ng, lighting designer Oona Curley, sound designer Ben Williams, and production stage manager Alex H. Hajjar.

Performances of Dr. Ride’s American Beach House began October 21 and are scheduled to run through November 23 (after which Brook and Birkenmeier's next collaboration, Islander, will be seen at Next Door at New York Theatre Workshop in spring 2020).