Third Rail Projects

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Third Rail Projects
Company type Immersive theater, dance, site-specific art, multimedia
Industry Performing Arts
Founded2001
Headquarters
New York City
,
USA
OwnersZach Morris, Tom Pearson, Jeannine Willett
Website thirdrailprojects.com

Third Rail Projects is a multi-disciplinary American performing arts company that creates site-specific work, immersive theater, experiential performances and more. [1]

Contents

Among more than 50 productions and projects, Third Rail Project's long-running show Then She Fell ran for 4,444 performances in New York City from 2012 to 2020.

Under the co-direction of Zach Morris, Tom Pearson and Jeanine Willett, the company has received two Bessie Awards, a Chita Rivera Award for Dance and Choreography, and a Drama Desk Award nomination for Unique Theatrical Experience. [2] [3] [4] [5] Third Rail Projects was recognized as part of the creative team of the Peabody and Emmy Award-winning virtual reality adaptation of Wolves in the Walls . [6] Morris, Pearson, and Willett were named among the "100 most influential people" in Brooklyn Culture by Brooklyn Magazine for their work with Third Rail Projects. [7]

History

Founded as Third Rail Dance in 2001 by Tom Pearson, Brian Weaver and Jennine Willett, the company was renamed Third Rail Projects following Weaver's relocation to Milan, and developed a more multi-disciplinary focus when Zach Morris joined the group as co-artistic director with Pearson and Willett in 2005. [1] [8]

In 2008, Third Rail Projects' Vanishing Point, an evening-length dance exploration of family histories presented by Danspace Project, won Bessie Awards for choreography and music. [9] [2]

In 2012, Third Rail Projects presented Then She Fell, an immersive, site-specific work that incorporated dance and theater, drawing from the life and work of Lewis Carroll. It won a Bessie Award for outstanding production, [3] was named as one of the “Top Ten Shows of 2012” byThe New York Times [10] and acclaimed as one of the best theater experiences of 2013 by Vogue. [11] As of 2019, it had over 4000 performances; [12] production was suspended in March 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. [13]

Other notable productions include Sweet & Lucky, commissioned by Denver Center for the Performing Arts (2016); [14] Learning Curve with Albany Park Theater Project (APTP) (2016); [15] The Grand Paradise; [16] Between Yourself and Me presented by Dance Films Association (2017); Ghost Light, which won the Chita Rivera Award for Dance and Choreography (2018); [4] the Peabody and Emmy-winning virtual reality adaptation of Wolves in the Walls by Fable Studio and Oculus, for which Third Rail Projects provided the choreography (2019); [6] Midsummer: A Banquet, which was nominated for a Unique Theatrical Experience Drama Desk Award (2020); [5] and Port of Entry, also with APTP (2023). [17]

Productions

Since 2005, First Rail Projects has produced over 50 shows and projects. [18]

Highlights of productions and projects 2005-present

  • True Love Forever (2025)
  • Yours to Lose (2024)
  • Calder Moves (2023)
  • UN-[TITLED] (2023)
  • Port of Entry (2023)
  • The Night Garden (2022)
  • Return the Moon (2021)
  • Adventure Lab (2020)
  • Ikaros (2019)
  • Midsummer: A Banquet (2019)
  • Confection (2019)
  • Stanzas (2019)
  • This Between Shadow (2019)
  • Oasis (2019)
  • Behind the City (2018)
  • Medicine Show (2018)
  • Wolves in the Walls (2018)
  • Back Apartment Residency (2018)
  • Libraría (2018-2019)
  • Grove (2017)
  • Between Yourself and Me (2017)
  • Ghost Light (2017)
  • Learning Curve (2016)
  • Sweet & Lucky (2016)
  • The Last Boat (2016)
  • As Time Goes By (2016)
  • The Grand Paradise (2016)
  • Genuine Plastic Reliquaries (2015)
  • Midnight Madness (2015)
  • House No. 17 (2014)
  • Yolk (2014)
  • Anthem (2014)
  • Recess (2014)
  • Roadside Attraction (2014)
  • Marrow (2013)
  • Fountain (2013)
  • Bathing Aiperi (2013)
  • Then She Fell (2012-2020)
  • Looking Glass (2011)
  • Undercurrents & Exchange (2010)
  • Drifting Encyclopedia (2010)
  • The One You Love is Sick (2010)
  • Beautiful Dreamer (2010)
  • Steampunk Haunted House (2009-2011)
  • Vanishing Point (2008)
  • Strangers on Tong Chong Street (2007)
  • Rub the Sleep (2007)
  • REEL (2005)
  • Screaming Shrubbery (2005)

Awards

Third Rail Projects has been the recipient of several awards, including two Bessie Awards, a Chita Rivera Award for Choreography; fellowship awards including two CEC Artslink Back Apartment Residencies (Russia), a Theater Fellowship from the Bogliasco Foundation (Italy); and an IllumiNation Award from the Ford Foundation and National Museum of the American Indian, among others. Third Rail Projects was recognized as part of the creative team of the Peabody and Emmy Award-winning virtual reality adaptation of Wolves in the Walls. [6]

See also

References

  1. 1 2 Knopf, Robert (2017). The Director as Collaborator. New York: Taylor & Francis. pp. 148–162. ISBN   9781315656946. We began as 'Third Rail Dance' in 2001, when Tom Pearson, Brian Weaver and I [Jeannine Willett] started self-producing our work and renting theater space to present our repertory dance concerts. Along the way, we met Zach Morris, a director who was making his own multi-disciplinary work in New York... In 2004, Brian moved to Milan and decided to stay permanently. In 2005, Zach officially joined our group in his stead and we changed the name to 'Third Rail Projects
  2. 1 2 Horwitz, Andy (September 16, 2008). "BESSIES!!!". Culturebot. Retrieved November 27, 2022.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  3. 1 2 Peterson, Tyler (October 9, 2013). "THEN SHE FELL Wins Bessie for Outstanding Performance, Celebrates First Anniversary". Broadway World. Retrieved November 27, 2022.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  4. 1 2 Rosky, Nicole (May 20, 2018). "Who Won Big at the 2018 Chita Rivera Awards? - Full List of Winners!". BroadwayWorld . Retrieved November 27, 2022.
  5. 1 2 Seymour, Lee (April 21, 2020). "2020 Drama Desk Awards: Complete List Of Nominees". Forbes . Retrieved November 27, 2022.
  6. 1 2 3 "Congratulations to Fable Studio and 'Wolves in the Walls' on Their Emmy Win for Outstanding Innovation in Interactive Media". Oculus.com. August 23, 2019. Retrieved October 23, 2019.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  7. ↑ Editorial Staff (March 1, 2016). "THE 100 MOST INFLUENTIAL PEOPLE IN BROOKLYN CULTURE". Brooklyn Magazine . Retrieved November 27, 2022.
  8. ↑ Tran, Diep (December 24, 2015). "Immersive Theater's Next Stop: A Sexy '70s Fantasy Island". The New York Times . Retrieved November 27, 2022.
  9. ↑ Sulcas, Roslyn (July 1, 2012). "This Ruminative Funeral Moves to a Country Beat". The New York Times . Retrieved September 21, 2025.
  10. ↑ Brantley, Ben (December 16, 2022). "Ben Brantley's Top 10 of 2012". The New York Times . Retrieved November 27, 2022.
  11. ↑ Editorial Staff (December 12, 2013). "Vogue's Guide to 2013's Best Films, Books, Music, Art, Theater, and TV". Vogue . Retrieved November 27, 2022.
  12. ↑ Fujishima, Kenji (July 1, 2019). "Then She Fell to Celebrate 4,000th Performance on July 5". Theatermania.com. Retrieved June 17, 2020.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  13. ↑ "The Public Extends Hiatus, MCC, Ars Nova, and MTC Cancel Remainder of 2019–2020 Seasons, and More—How NYC's Coronavirus Restrictions Impacts Off-Broadway Houses". Playbill . April 7, 2020. Retrieved June 17, 2020.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  14. ↑ Ostrow, Joanne (May 16, 2016). "Denver native Zach Morris returns with performance art "Sweet & Lucky"". The Denver Post . Retrieved September 21, 2016.
  15. ↑ Reid, Kerry (October 21, 2016). "Teaching Moments in Albany Park's 'Learning Curve'". American Theatre . Retrieved September 21, 2025.
  16. ↑ Brantley, Ben (January 31, 2016). "Review: 'The Grand Paradise' Summons a '70s Pleasure Palace". The New York Times . Retrieved September 21, 2025.
  17. ↑ McClanathan, Emily (August 2, 2023). "A Warehouse Becomes a Home in 'Port of Entry'". American Theatre . Retrieved September 21, 2025.
  18. ↑ "Works". Third Rail Projects. September 21, 2025. Retrieved September 21, 2025.
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