The Center at West Park Presents
or do it explode?
Presented as part of the CWP Evolution Festival
Thursday, October 1, 2026 @ 7:00 PM
Venue to be announced
or do it explode? takes place in the portal that is Spanish Harlem, New York City- right on the intersection of all our timelines. Our characters teeter on the edge of unfulfilled dreams and battle rainstorms of memories as they prepare for their championship stickball game. Absurdism, music, and movement take us through our day as we battle gentrification, grief, and love.
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or do it explode? takes place in the portal that is Spanish Harlem, New York City - right on the intersection of all our timelines. Our characters teeter on the edge of unfulfilled dreams and battle rainstorms of memories as they prepare for their championship stickball game. They realize quickly that there's more at stake than just bragging rights as they work to save the neighborhood they know and love. Surrealism, music, and movement take us through our day as we battle floods of gentrification, grief, and love.
Cast & Creative Team
Playwright: Bri Madden-Olivares
Director: Kamilah Mariam
About the Lead Artist
Bri Madden-Olivares is a storyteller from Spanish Harlem. She works to honor her craft by highlighting the rituals and blessings found in everyday life. Bri enjoys “street corner theater,” which she uses to describe the type of theater that happens whether someone is watching or not. She is passionate about theater accessibility, believing that it should be as easy and diverse as stumbling upon the type of drama you find on a “street corner.” Bri Madden-Olivares enjoys writing snapshots of life in Harlem through plays and poetry. The New York City neighborhood receives more than half of her love letters from Madden-Olivares.