THE ACCLAIMED LONDON PLAY ARRIVES IN NEW YORK 

16 Performances Only
March 19 - April 9
@ Ki Smith Gallery, LES

Immerse Yourself — Gallery and Pre-show Aperitif One Hour Before Showtime!

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Little Engine Theater

TICKETS FOR "COLD WATER" BY PHILIPPA LAWFORD

TICKETS FOR "COLD WATER" BY PHILIPPA LAWFORD

$45.00 USD
$45.00 USD
Sale Sold out

General admission is first come, first serve.
Premium tickets are reserved in the best seats assigned by our production team.

COLD WATER by Philippa Lawford
The Ki Smith Gallery
170 Forsyth Street

Immerse Yourself — Gallery and Pre-show Aperitif One Hour Before Showtime!

After university, Emma moves back in with her parents in Hertfordshire and gets a job at her old school, assisting in the Drama department. Before long, she's spending every day in the studio with Matt, her boss. Matt decides to teach Emma everything he knows, and Emma feels her life starting to change.

Through their relationship we explore workplace power dynamics, self doubt and confusion. Cold Water is about the paralyzing concept of making choices and the never ending dance between impulses and rationality, thoughts and actions.

Cold Water is Philippa Lawfords second play and was originally staged at the Park Theatre in May 2024

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MEET THE TEAM

STEFANIA LAVIE OWEN (Emma)

Known for her portrayal of complex, "wise beyond her years characters", Stefania's numerous feature credits include: Katie Holmes’ directorial debut ALL WE HAD; Hannah Marks' DON'T MAKE ME GO, with John Cho; Harmony Korine’s THE BEACH BUM, starring with Matthew McConaughey, Isla Fisher and Snoop Dog; and PAPER SPIDERS, in which Stefania stars with Lili Taylor as the daughter/caretaker of a woman struggling with mental illness.

Young fans remember her from the cult hit YA series, THE CARRIE DIARIES playing "Dorrit Bradshaw." Her other leading roles in TV series  include the critically acclaimed Netflix series, MESSIAH, where she starred alongside  Michelle Monaghan, and John Ortiz; Hulu's CHANCE with Hugh Laurie, and Showtime’s I’M DYING UP HERE with Jim Carrey and Melissa Leo.  More recently, she starred in the Robert Downey, Jr. produced series,  SWEET TOOTH, currently streaming on Netflix. This marks Stefania’s return to the theatre after debuting alongside Lucas Hedges in Trip Cullman’s YEN.

BEN ROSENFIELD (Matt)

Best known for starring in Hannah Fidell’s breakout feature 6 YEARS alongside Taissa Farmiga, last year Ben starred in Lila Neugebauer and Itamar Moses’s new play THE ALLY at The Public Theater opposite Josh Radnor. Last year he recurred in the final season of Amazon’s hit series THE MARVELOUS MRS. MAISEL. Elsewhere in TV, Ben recurred in FX’s limited series MRS. AMERICA opposite Cate Blanchett and David Lynch’s TWIN PEAKS revival on Showtime.

On the film side, Ben has starred in features such as Hannah Marks' MARK, MARY & SOME OTHER PEOPLE, Annabelle Attanasio’s MICKEY AND THE BEAR, and Bryan Wizemann's YOU MEAN EVERYTHING TO ME, among many others. He’s had scene-stealing roles in Woody Allen’s IRRATIONAL MAN, JC Chandor’s A MOST VIOLENT YEAR, as well as James Schamus’s INDIGNATION.

On stage, he starred in CORNELIA STREET from the Atlantic Theater Company and Neil Pepe. Ben has also starred opposite Amy Ryan in Roundabout Theater’s LOVE LOVE LOVE, from director Michael Mayer, and THROUGH A GLASS DARKLY opposite Carey Mulligan.

Michael Herwitz (Director) is a New York-based director of plays and musicals. He directed the critically acclaimed and pipeline-smashing JOB by Max Wolf Friedlich on Broadway the Hayes Theater after directing the two sold-out Off-Broadway productions at the SoHo Playhouse and Connelly Theater. Michael has developed and staged new plays at Ars Nova, Ensemble Studio Theater, JACK, Williamstown Theatre Festival, Martha’s Vineyard Playhouse, and the Pasadena Playhouse. www.michaelherwitz.com.

Philippa Lawford (Playwright) is a writer-director from London. Her debut play, Ikaria, won a runner-up award from the ATG Playwrights’ Prize and an OFFIE Short Run Commendation, and was named no. 2 on Broadway World’s list of Best Theatre of 2022. Ikaria toured the UK in 2023, culminating in an acclaimed run at the Park Theatre, where it was nominated for the Susan Smith Blackburn Prize. Ikaria was produced by Philippa's company, Tightrope Theatre, and was published by Methuen Drama. Philippa's second play, Cold Water, was staged at the Park Theatre in May 2024 where it received an OFFIE nomination for Best Duo Performance and was also published by Methuen Drama.

The production team is being helmed by Michael Herwitz who will drive the creative team, including Mextly Couzin (Scenographer), Ryan Gamblin (Sound Design), Julia Bailen (Composer), Verity Azario (Costume Design), Cass Fawcett (Stage Manager), Ethan Fuirst (Marketing Manager), June Buck (Marketing Creative Director), with PR from Everyman Agency.

FAQs

We transform unconventional spaces into stages, creating an intimate experience for the audience. We aim to establish an artistic home where creativity flourishes and different cultures are given a platform, representing the unique diversity of New York City.  

‘The Little Engine That Could’ is a  childrens book that teaches the value in believing in yourself and helping those in need when others pass them by. We loved this message of hope, strength and perseverance.

Also..

L (Lilly) E (Elena) T (Theodora)

LET's...

  • Talent Fair compensation for the talent of the actors, director, writer, and full design team.
  • Venue We are taking theater out of the traditional black box, and into intimate, unique spaces around the city. We pick our locations to add layers and emotional complexities to your experience of the play. 
  • Publicity To make sure people hear about the work we’re putting on, being ‘untraditional’ we need people to find us, and that takes marketing. 
  • Running the production Building the set, fitting the costumes, creating the worlds of the play.