DELIVERY BOY written by Jaden Alvaro Gines and directed by Ryan Henry, will return to Philadelphia this fall in the Philadelphia Fringe Festival, following a successful New York premiere this past February with Kitchen Sink Theatre Company in Crown Heights, Brooklyn (Katie Royse Ginther, Artistic Director). DELIVERY BOY previously premiered as a workshop through the now-closed University of the Arts, in their 2023 Equinox New Play Festival. The production is slated for a limited run, with evening performances set for September 5th and 6th at the MAAS Studio Theater. This production is being produced through the Cannonball Festival.
DELIVERY BOY is a unique seriocomedy that focuses heavily on the lower middle class of America, giving perspective on the families who are stuck in a never ending struggle of spending every last bit of money to stay exactly where they are. The play deals with the slow, clawing nature of depression, mental illness, and generational trauma, with a heavy emphasis on the hefty burden of the college admissions economics—all seen through the eyes of a teenager on the cusp of securing a college experience. With two hours to midnight on New Years Eve, Delivery Boy (Kathleen Salazar) is stuck delivering pizzas on his old, rusty bicycle in the center of working class suburbia. With no goals, no plans for the future, and his aspirations for college being far gone, Delivery Boy must come to terms with those he’s lost, who he wants to be, and what lies ahead of him in the new year, all while the clock ticks down to midnight.
“To some, this may sound all too familiar,” shared playwright Jaden Alvaro Gines. “To others, Delivery Boy’s story may just sound like another statistic that gets added onto a growing number at the end of every passing year… We need to understand that this is a real problem. This story isn’t just for those who have to deliver pizzas on their bike in order to find salvation—it’s for anyone willing to stop and listen for just a moment, to see this cycle that must be broken told through the story of a character who can be seen in any home in America. And to be able to bring it back to where it all started, is just another dream come true.”
Gines, a former student of the now defunct University of the Arts, had been preparing for their upcoming Junior year at the University prior to its closure. Said Gines following the events, “This piece would not be here without the friends, colleagues, and administrators that had believed in this story’s message from the very beginning. To be able to have it return to Philadelphia after such a horrific turn of events is a testament to us all, and our continued resilience. And to have so many former students and faculty as a part of this year’s festival is something I could only have dreamed of.”
Returning for the production will be Kathleen Salazar (Delivery Boy) who previously played the title role in the New York City premiere production. Along with them will be Elizabeth Muriel taking on the role of Mrs. Gonzalez.
The production includes sound design and promotional materials by Em Hausmann and Kitchen Sink Theatre Company.
Cannonball Festival, produced by Almanac Dance Circus Theatre, is a curated performance series taking place at the MAAS Building beginning in early September, concurrent with the Philadelphia Fringe Festival. This satellite festival is all about building community and creating a hub of energy so we can make this fringe season a splash! With over 130 events spanning theater, dance, circus, and film, including indoor and outdoor mainstage shows, nightly cabarets, events, workshops, and more, Cannonball has something for swashbucklers of all ages and inclinations. Learn more at www.cannonballfestival.org.
SEPTEMBER 5TH-6TH, 2024 – MAAS Studio Theater @ 1325 N. Randolph St. 19122
$25 general admission
$50 supporter level tickets
$5, $15, and $20 sliding scale / pay-what-you-can
Buy tickets: https://phillyfringe.org/events/delivery-boy/
Running time: 60 min, no intermission
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