CATSKILL, NY — Fresh from a sold-out Off-Broadway run, Ripple Effect Artists’ production of Robert Schenkkan’s “Building the Wall” comes to Bridge Street Theatre in Catskill for four performances only, August 20–23, 2026.
Directed by Bridge Street Theatre board member Brent Buell and featuring Cecily Lyn Benjamin and Austin Lightning Carrothers, “Building the Wall” is a dystopian political thriller by Pulitzer Prize- and Tony Award-winning playwright Robert Schenkkan that explores the extreme consequences of anti-immigration rhetoric and policies.
Written in 2016 and set in 2019, the play follows a conversation between Rick, a former private detention center supervisor, facing sentencing for his role in atrocities committed in detention centers, and Gloria, a professor who has come to interview him. Their conversation reveals how a major terrorist attack, the declaration of martial law, and increasingly extreme government policies led to horrifying consequences.
As Gloria attempts to understand how Rick became implicated in those events, “Building the Wall” examines personal responsibility, institutional power, fear, and the seemingly incremental choices through which the previously unthinkable can become reality.
Schenkkan is the author of “The Kentucky Cycle,” winner of the Pulitzer Prize for Drama, and “All the Way,” winner of the Tony Award for Best Play. His extensive body of work for stage, film, and television frequently examines American history, politics, power, and the consequences of individual choices.
Nearly a decade after “Building the Wall” was written, Ripple Effect Artists’ production asks audiences to consider just how dystopian its story remains—and where we as a country may be headed.
Ripple Effect Artists, Inc. (REA) addresses injustice and creates social impact through art, primarily by producing plays.
“Building the Wall” will be performed at Bridge Street Theatre, 44 West Bridge Street in Catskill, NY, Thursday, August 20 through Saturday, August 22 at 7:00pm, and Sunday, August 23 at 2:00pm.
Tickets are $30 for adults and $20 for students in advance. Student rush tickets are $10 at the door until the show sells out.
Tickets and additional information are available at bridgest.org/building-the-
ABOUT BRIDGE STREET THEATRE
Bridge Street Theatre is located at 44 West Bridge Street in the Village of Catskill, NY. For information about upcoming productions and events, visit bridgest.org.
