The Neo-Futurist Theater

Chalk and Saltwater: The Ladder Project dissects the failure of Edgar Davis’ 1926 Broadway production of The Ladder, the longest running flop in American theatre history. Pierson, Frei and crew re-stage 18 of their own varying versions of The Ladder, putting the original under a magnifying glass to examine the show’s contours, blemishes and birthmarks. Through this process, the ridicule and scorn often aimed at artistic failure is exchanged for an honest exploration to uncover something profound hidden within its soul.