Unusual Stories, Unusually Told celebrates some of the boldest contemporary American voices with seven plays from Clubbed Thumb's Summerworks . Spanning 2001 to 2019 and accompanied by artist interviews and reflections on the work, this anthology presents a vital survey of formally inventive 21st century playwriting, and is a perfect collection for study and performance. U.S. Drag by Gina Gionfriddo A serial killer named Ed stalks the city, luring his victims by asking for help. To protect themselves, a group of New Yorkers form SAFE, “Stay Away From Ed.” The first rule: don't help anyone. It's a matter of urban survival. Slavey by Sigrid Gilmer In which Robert and Nora, a couple on the rise, get a big promotion, a bigger house, and a brand new slave. Dot by Kate E. Ryan In which old Dot and the weird kid from the neighborhood become friends. Set in that kind of Florida town that makes you wonder: is this TV, a book, or maybe even a cabaret? Baby Screams Miracle by Clare Barron In which a freak storm knocks down all the trees in town and a prodigal daughter is taught a new way to pray. But the weird weather's not over yet. Men on Boats by Jaclyn Backhaus Ten explorers. Four boats. One Grand Canyon. Men On Boats is the true(ish) history of an 1869 expedition, when a one-armed captain and a crew of insane yet loyal volunteers set out to chart the course of the Colorado River. Of Government by Agnes Borinsky The adventures of Barb the Teacher, Deb the Seeker, Heidi the Helper, Tawny the Addict and a host of others. With songs! Presented by Miss Marjorie Blain, her students, and members of the community. Light refreshments will be provided. Plano by Will Arbery Tonight, and later, and earlier, three sisters (no, not those ones) are stricken with a series of strange plagues. Let's talk about family nightmares. I mean, uh, memories. “ I've discovered so many of my favorite playwrights thanks to Clubbed Thumb, and I keep going back to their shows because I want to know who the most exciting new artists are. Theater in this country would be much less interesting without Clubbed Thumb. ” ― Heidi Schreck, writer and star of What the Constitution Means to Me (which originated in Clubbed Thumb's Summerworks). “ Clubbed Thumb is where the American theater is headed – it just doesn't know it yet. ” ― Amy Staats, playwright & actor “To your cherished list of warm-weather city pleasures, you should think about adding Summerworks. Now 23 years old, this staple of the East Village culturescape…allows you to say you knew certain rising playwrights before your friends did.” ― Ben Brantley, New York Times “A perfect summer show, a trick Clubbed Thumb seems to have mastered. The Summerworks home at the Wild Project in the East Village, with its garage-door entry open to the street, makes seeing the plays seem like a friendly invitation instead of a cultural duty.” ― Jesse Green, New York Times “ As has become customary at Clubbed Thumb's Summerworks Festival, the cast, direction and design are top-notch, though it only costs a pittance to get in. In terms of dollars per laugh, the value here is extremely high. ” ― Helen Shaw, Time Out NY Gina Gionfriddo is an American writer whose plays include Rapture, Blister, Burn ; Becky Shaw ; After Ashley ; US Drag and Guinevere . She has won an Obie Award, the Susan Smith Blackburn Prize, the Helen Merrill Prize for Emerging Playwrights, and a Guggenheim Fellowship. In addition to writing, Gionfriddo has taught playwriting at Brown University, Providence College, and Rhode Island College. Clare Barron is a playwright and performer from Wenatchee, Washington. In addition to Dance Nation , her plays include You Got Older , which received its world premiere with Page 73 Productions and later appeared at Steppenwolf (Obie Award for Playwriting, Drama Desk Nomination for Outstanding Play, #1 most-recommended play on The Kilroy's List, and Susan Smith Blackburn finalist); I'll Never Love Again , which premiered at The Bushwick Starr in 2016 and was a New York Times Critics' Pick, and Baby Screams Miracle , which premiered at Clubbed Thumb and subsequently was produced at Woolly Mammoth. She won the James Tait Black Prize for Drama in 2019 and was a finalist for the Pulitizer.