Off The Rails, Part 1: Departing Philadelphia

On March 8th, 2018, the Pig Iron/UArts class of 2019 boarded a train in Philadelphia. For five days they traveled across America, making stops in Chicago, Omaha, and San Francisco. They met and collaborated with the adventurous creators of Theatre Unspeakable. They interviewed fellow passengers on the train, and observed the train itself: its sounds, the way time passed, the landscapes that sped by, the rhythms of America outside the windows. Our students gathered the raw materials for an original performance, attempting to take a 'snapshot' of America as it is right now: its landscapes and cities, its people and their stories. 

In this first installment, the students depart Philadelphia, full of trepidation and excitement for what they might see along the way.

Photos and video by John Chandler Hawthorne.