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NYC Tourist Spot Becomes Stage for Play on Witness Trauma
4 Aug
Summary
- Play 'The Vessel' highlights trauma faced by attraction workers.
- It's inspired by suicides at Manhattan's 150-foot tall structure.
- The performance focuses on the devastation to bystanders.
A new play titled "The Vessel" at 59E59 Theaters in Manhattan centers on three "parks ambassadors" working at the 150-foot tall "Vessel" structure in Hudson Yards. Their unofficial duty involves preventing visitors from self-harm, a grim reality inspired by the structure's history of suicides.
Between February 2020 and July 2021, four young individuals, aged 14 to 24, died by suicide at the attraction. The play, directed by Peter Charney, intentionally avoids exploiting these tragedies, instead focusing on the psychological toll on those who witness such events.
The narrative follows Drake, Missy, and Viggo as they navigate their roles, answer tourist questions, and grapple with the collective trauma of a suicide on Viggo's first day. They develop a bond, looking out for each other.
The production critiques the slow response to safety concerns, noting that mesh netting was only added in 2024, years after the initial deaths and a subsequent three-year shutdown of the attraction. The play implicitly questions how long it took to implement safety measures after the first death.
