The Classical Theatre of Harlem (CTH), Producing Artistic Director, Ty Jones, is proud to present a special edition of Person Place Thing with host Randy Cohen and guest Andrea Patterson on Wednesday, June 4, 2025, at 7:00 PM at Harlem School of the Arts. The event will feature a live interview, audience Q&A, and musical performance by Taharqa, all recorded for public radio broadcast.
The evening’s featured guest is Andrea Patterson, Obie Award winner who plays Helen in CTH’s upcoming summer epic MEMNON (July 5–27, Marcus Garvey Park), where she reprises her celebrated role as Helen of Troy.
Event Details:
WHAT: Person Place Thing with Randy Cohen and Andrea Patterson
WHEN: Wednesday, June 4, 2025 | 7:00 PM (Doors at 6:30 PM)
WHERE: Harlem School of the Arts, Dorothy Maynor Hall
ADDRESS: 645 Saint Nicholas Avenue, New York, NY 10030
TICKETS: Free and open to the public – RSVP recommended
Audiences will enjoy a 45-minute live interview, audience Q&A, and special musical interludes from Taharqa. The event will be recorded for future broadcast on Northeast Public Radio and additional public radio stations nationwide.
“Storytelling is at the heart of what we do at CTH,” said Ty Jones, Producing Artistic Director of The Classical Theatre of Harlem. “Whether it’s on stage in a full-scale production, in the classroom with our youth programming, or through intimate conversations like Person Place Thing, we are committed to uplifting voices, preserving cultural legacy, and sparking dialogue that resonates beyond the performance. Events like this allow us to explore the artistic journey behind the scenes and remind us that every artist, like every character, has a story worth telling.”
“This collaboration with Randy Cohen offers our audiences a unique chance to hear from Andrea Patterson—not only as a performer but as a person. It’s the perfect prelude to her powerful performance in MEMNON this summer.”
A Year Ahead of Discovery and Celebration
The 2025 season marks an important milestone for The Classical Theatre of Harlem, as it continues to build on its mission of bringing new voices, stories, and perspectives to the forefront of American theatre. The organization is committed to providing a platform for artists of color and engaging with the Harlem community in meaningful ways.
East Coast Debut of MEMNON
CTH is proud to bring MEMNON, a powerful new work that explores the intersection of mythology, identity, and legacy, to New York audiences. After a successful run at The Getty Villa in Los Angeles, this groundbreaking production will make its New York Premiere with CTH in the summer of 2025. Written by celebrated playwright Will Power and directed by CTH’s own Carl Cofield, MEMNON brings to life the story of Ethiopia’s powerful king as he answers the call to defend Troy. This Homeric episode, once a staple of the ancient Greek and Roman epic tradition, had been forgotten—until now. Weaving a narrative that is at once epic and intimate, MEMNON tells the story of a man caught between past and present, myth and reality. With its striking visuals and poignant performances, MEMNON promises to be a landmark production for the CTH stage. The performance will be held July 5th through 27th, 2025.
About Randy Cohen
Randy Cohen is the creator and host of Person Place Thing, a public radio show based on the idea that people reveal their values through the things they hold dear. A four-time Emmy Award winner, Cohen previously wrote for Late Night with David Letterman and TV Nation and penned “The Ethicist” column for The New York Times Magazine for over a decade.
About Andrea Patterson
Andrea Patterson is an Obie Award-winning and Drama Desk-nominated actor known for her acclaimed performances in cullud wattah (The Public Theater), Confederates (Signature Theatre), and CTH’s Seize the King. She originated the role of Helen in MEMNON at The Getty Villa in 2024 and returns to the stage this summer in CTH’s East Coast premiere of the production.
About The Classical Theatre Of Harlem
The Classical Theatre of Harlem (CTH) is an American theatre company that tells stories through the lens of the African diaspora. CTH combines original adaptations, music, and dance to present great classics of world literature and contemporary works that will stand the test of time. Since its founding in 1999, CTH has presented works ranging from traditional classical playwrights (Sophocles, Euripides and William Shakespeare) to established 20th-century playwrights (August Wilson, Langston Hughes and Jean Genet) to new plays by emerging playwrights. CTH also proudly provides theater-based training and live theater experiences to Harlem youth and their families through its arts education program, Project Classics. The organization incorporates other theater-related programming including Future Classics, Playwrights’ Playground, and Revisited Classics to engage new audiences, invest in artistic development and give exposure to emerging creators.
The company serves over 30,000 live audience members per year. Its online offerings have drawn over 500,000 viewers. To learn more, visit https://www.cthnyc.org/.