The Inheritance Theater Project brings creative conversations and collaborative playmaking to Hoboken

On Chicago’s South Side and West Side, the Inheritance Theater Project (ITP) is bringing  together artists, activists and local leaders, sparking a dialogue on First Amendment rights. The goal is to build bridges between the different groups and lay the groundwork for a playmaking process. By fall, this project will culminate in a production that honors the many stories that emerged.

Expulsion and exodus are embedded in the history of Black and Jewish peoples. In Los Angeles, ITP has sought to connect these communities in order to strengthen ties, form friendships and elevate civil discourse. Last fall, many months of public engagement resulted in the production of Guess Who’s Coming to the (Juneteenth) Seder? 

For the past ten years, ITP has undertaken similar projects across the country. More than 15 cities have invited ITP into their communities, including Charleston, South Carolina; Austin, Texas; Detroit, Michigan; Omaha, Nebraska; Cincinnati, Ohio; Palm Beach, Florida and Memphis, Tennessee. ITP’s newest project is in Hoboken, New Jersey, having begun last fall partnering with the City of Hoboken, Mile Square Theater, Hoboken High School, United Synagogue of Hoboken, All Saints Episcopal Parish and the Fund for a Better Waterfront (FBW). 

From its inception, Hoboken has been inextricably bound to the Hudson River. In the 1700s Hoboken was an island surrounded by wetlands. As the  city grew, the wetlands were filled. By the late 1800s maritime industries began to dominate the shoreline, creating a working waterfront that thrived throughout the first half of the 1900s but by 1990, had virtually disappeared. There was an opportunity to transform the Hudson River coastline into new development with a continuous, public park at the water’s edge. Thirty-five years later, this has largely been accomplished. 

During Superstorm Sandy, the Hudson River overflowed its banks, surging into Hoboken and flooding its low-lying areas for days. Flooding in Hoboken is a perennial problem, occuring during major rain events. For this rivercity community, ITP has chosen an obvious theme: Hoboken + Water. 

In February, FBW hosted an event, Hoboken + Water: A Creative Conversation with the Inheritance Theater Project. FBW convened twenty-five local residents at the Hoboken Public Library. ITP’s Rose Ginsberg and Namibia Donadio led a  “devising session,” prompting everyone to share their thoughts and feelings about the city and its relation to water.  

ITP taps local talent to assist with its projects. Rose Ginsberg, a theatre director, workshop facilitator and producer, is a resident of Jersey City. Namibia Donadio grew up in Hoboken and graduated from Hoboken High School. She is co-founder and Executive Director of ART IS Love + Action, an organization that fosters cooperation between people in the spheres of art, education and social justice.