CONFIDENCE (AND THE SPEECH)

On July 4, 1979 President Carter cancelled an important energy policy speech he was scheduled to give the next day and disappeared to Camp David. Ten days later, he emerged from his impromptu domestic summit and gave a new speech, the Crisis of Confidence speech, which many now view as unprecedented, farsighted and insightful. Others think it may have ultimately cost him the White House. Forty years later, college professor Cynthia Cooper is approached by a stranger, a young man, and asked to recall her time with the Carter Administration during the days before the now infamous “malaise” speech. If she is going to tell her story of that time, she is going to play the President. And the young man who wants to know her story? Well, he is going to play her. This unique cross-gender play explores the confidence of a president, a nation in chaos and women in politics.
About the Company: Old Kent Road Theater

The Old Kent Road Theater situates idiosyncratic ensemble pieces against the chaos and concrete of New York City, seeking authentic, evocative performance committed to the comedy of desire, the physicality of loss, and the possibility of new open spaces. Founded in 2005 by Eric Bland and Scott Eckert, the Old Kent Road Theater has been invited to perform at various downtown theaters including The Ontological-Hysteric Theater, The Brick, Dixon Place, and The Bushwick Starr.   OKRT plays have been noted for their ‘vibrant characters…heartfelt passion, and spirited volleys of non sequiturs’ (Village Voice) and described as ‘downtown theatre at its best’ (New York Cool.com).  Martin Denton of nytheatre.com recently noted, ‘Eric Bland is turning into the Woody Allen of his generation, possibly.’ www.oldkentroadtheater.com