I Heard Sex Noises At Roosevelt Island Garden Club - New Play From ARS Nova February 5 - 7

You're not going to believe this one - but it's true.

Sex Parties, adultery, drug and alcohol benders, arson, intrigue and more at the Roosevelt Island Garden Club (RIGC) are the subject of a new play called I Heard Sex Noises presented by ARS Nova February 5- 7.

mockumentary look at @Rooseveltisland @NatlGardenClubs I HEARD SEX NOISES @arsnova FEB 5–7 http://t.co/HMcXXmHGWy @CRock85 @thatsajellyfish
— David Syner (@DavidSyner) February 3, 2015

According to ARS Nova:

I HEARD SEX NOISES
FEBRUARY 5 – 7 @ 8PM

Created by Andrew Farmer, Claire Rothrock, Ryann Weir • Directed by Annie Tippe

ABOUT THE SHOW

Orgies. Drugs. Arson. Lawn Gnomes. Best in Show meets The Crucible in this mockumentary look at the Roosevelt Island Garden Club’s descent into chaos. Inspired by true events covered in The New York Times. The rest we made up. First presented as part of ANT Fest 2014.

This performance comes to you as part of Ars Nova’s Project Residency initiative to help artists get unique projects off the ground....

ARS Nova describes itself as:

NYC’S PREMIER HUB FOR NEW TALENT

Ars Nova is committed to developing and producing theater, comedy and music artists in the early stages of their professional careers. Our unique development programs are designed to support outside-the-box thinking and encourage innovative, genre-bending work. By providing a safe environment where risk-taking and collaboration are paramount, Ars Nova gives voice to a new generation of artists and audiences, pushing the boundaries of live entertainment by nurturing creative ideas into smart, surprising new work.

Ars Nova provides an artistic home for emerging talent by cultivating a hive of creative activity, both on stage—through developmental programs and performances—and off—through the support and cultivation of a thriving artist community. Read up on our various programs below!

Do you remember the Spring 2013 Great Roosevelt Island Garden Club Controversy? Former RIGC President April Ward was ousted as President after trying to increase the number of plots available for new members and making allegations that some long time RIGC members used:

... RIGC money for their parties which are often visited by NYPD and Public Safety for various violations,continue to pay their friends for "work" in the garden that members think they are doing as volunteers and keep the status quo of the former President as dictator deciding who gets a plot, whether on the wait list or not or whether plots are given out at all and which projects get done, all by himself instead of having committees of members work on projects.

Ms Ward also reported:

...The shed in the back had been fixed up with a bed where people spent the night and were seen by members and the public, exiting with partners early in the morning.

Several members reported hearing "sexual noises" coming from the back pond area.

Many families did not feel safe bringing their children to the garden because of erratic, odd goings on.

Several woman reported feeling "unsafe in the garden" because of sexual remarks made to them or alcohol fueled behavior they had witnessed.

The garden was used for people to go on drug and alcohol "benders", spending consecutive days there, while toilets were locked at dusk. The garden became their toilet as they stumbled around drunk in the dark looking for places to pee or more....

The Roosevelt Island Garden Club Controversy

Image of Disputed RIGC President April Ward In Garden From Ángel Franco/The New York Times 

even made the front page of the March 13, 2013 NY Times:

It started with the accusations of sex behind the back pond. Of late-night parties that begot stitches and adultery. Favoritism. Misspending. Bullying...

... So goes life these days at the Roosevelt Island Garden Club, where palace intrigue surrounding the garden presidency has grown as abundant as the daffodils, organic vegetables and lazy cats that populate this speck of earth in the middle of the New York City map.

This is no garden-variety garden dispute. After all, in a neighborhood where most people are renters, a patch of flowers and shrubbery to call one’s own is no insignificant thing — especially when the waiting list for such a plot can outstrip the lines for the most coveted kindergartens....

The RIGC removed Ms. Ward as President in March/April 2013 claiming that as an Associate Member, her election was invalid based upon the bylaws of the organization which provide that only full members may be elected as President.

I heard Sex Noises is the second theatrical play performed about a facet of Roosevelt Island life. AVAC Memories was a muscial about the Roosevelt Island pneumatic tubes underground garbage system.

You can buy your tickets to I Hear Sex Noises for $15 here.

I can't wait for the movie to come out.