Turn to Flesh Productions

11/05/2025

03/01/2024

Thursday, 7 March @ 5 PM

The Shakespeare Institute is honored to host a reading of CASSANDRA by none other than John Barton of

This short play will be paired with two contemporary playwrights' take on the doomed prophetess: Caeden Musser and Chris Rivera!

(Remember those great plays, NYC friends? Woo! They're coming over to this side of the pond!)

02/04/2023

We're just weeks away from bringing you our first live show of 2023 with a vibrant second run of Manny and Diego: Back to You.

Tickets are pay-what-you-can, and if you are able to do so, we hope you will consider giving more in place of those who can't give as much. Space is limited, so reserve tickets online early! (Link in the comments.) Sales will close online a few hours before each performance, but tickets will still be available for purchase at the door.

We're also looking for volunteers. Volunteers will of course be able to watch the show for free and will get a complimentary beverage, to boot! If you'd like to help out, shoot us an email at [email protected].

TTF recognizes the global pandemic is far from over. This will be a masked audience event.

Manny and Diego: Back to You by Chris Rivera
Performs 7:30 pm February 17, 18, 20, 24, and 25
2:30 pm February 19 and 26
Julia de Burgos Theater
1680 Lexington Ave
New York, NY 10029

We are proudly bringing you this production in collaboration with FUERZAfest and the Hispanic Federation.

"Chris Rivera and Joe Montoya’s chemistry is unmistakable and brings to life a story I know well: Growing up q***r in the south is hard. With a truly unique point of view, Back to You reminds us that even once you’ve escaped prejudice, the conditioning follows you into adulthood.

Back to You is a show that is simple in its delivery, but unique and complex in all the right places. Chris Rivera and Joe Montoya are phenomenal.

Well written, beautifully performed. "

- Jeffrey Jay, Riverdale TV Series Assistant Showrunner

12/16/2022

Thank you so much to Zelda Knapp, Actor/Writer. We are incredibly honored to be listed among such amazing company in Zelda's "Best Theater of 2022" list, and we look forward to returning in February with more performances!

Hey, old friends, what do you say, old friends? Another exhausting pandemicky year of theater: vaccine and masking restrictions have mostly ...

09/03/2022

Just two more performances to go of Chris Rivera's "Back to You," so catch it while you can! Join us 7:30 pm tonight or tomorrow at the Julia de Burgos Performance and Arts Center. Eventbrite link in the comments. (Though of course, walk-ins will be welcome, even once online ticket sales close!)

09/02/2022

Opening 7:30 tonight!

More Behind the scene photos from tech of BACK TO YOU by Chris Rivera

Tickets sales have closed online for Friday and Saturday but you can still get tickets at the door and purchase them for Sunday today!

“Rarely have I seen a story so compelling of real-seeming people striving to make healthy choices yet following their hearts. As usual, Rivera takes a very particular story and reveals it to be relevant to the lives of everyone watching, no matter how different our experiences from those on stage.” - Claire Gilligan Rogel, Audience Member

Photos taken on a

08/26/2022

"Chris Rivera and Joe Montoya’ chemistry is unmistakable and brings to life a story I know well: growing up q***r in the south is hard. With a truly unique point of view, Back to You reminds us that even once you’ve escaped prejudice, the conditioning follows you into adulthood.

Back to You is a show that is simple in its delivery, but unique and complex in all the right places. Chris Rivera and Joe Montoya are phenomenal.

Well written, beautifully performed. "

- Jeffrey Jay
Writer / Comedian / Transgender Advocate

Back to You Sept 2-4 Only. Links in Comments

08/22/2022

Happy Monday, friends! We hope you're as excited as we are for Chris Rivera's "Back to You." Chris and co-star Joe Montoya are bound to be fantastic in the show.

We're looking for volunteers for each of the three performances (September 2, 3, and 4), and are especially looking for folks who can make it to the September 2 performance. Volunteers will of course be able to watch the show for free and will get a complimentary beverage, to boot! If you're interested in helping out, shoot us an email at [email protected].

08/21/2022

Back to You by Chris Rivera () a collaboration of and plays Sep 2-4th only!

Link in bio.

You do not want to miss our stunning return to the New York stage.

08/19/2022

We are proud to return to the NY stage with the workshop production of Back to You by in collaboration with and the Hispanic Federation Sept 2-4th only! This promo video features the voice and image of and writer/actor Chris Rivera with original music by . Video was shot for multimedia use in the production by .sachs completely on a and repurposed beautifully by Chris, Joe, and Daryl. More info on our site.

07/13/2022

Hamlet to Hamilton is back! This time taking a sympathetic look at "madness" in Shakespeare's soliloquies. How can we think about what these characters are going through? How can we write things better?

We're back, baby! This time talking about "madness" in Shakespeare's soliloquies. Focusing on King Lear, Lady M, and Ophelia.

How do we redefine what "madness" is? How does what we'll call "disassociative soliloquies" differ from cut or drift soliloquies? How can we widen the worldview of our audience to understand and have pity on those going through troubled times, rather than ostracizing them?

All this and more in this week's episode of

CONTENT WARNING: This episode does discuss disassociation, as well as historical, misguided ideas about "madness" and "hysteria." Mentions of su***de as they pertain to the plots of Shakespeare's plays.

https://open.spotify.com/episode/28zFTbTuQLSPSOkqTkMRPK?si=97ef25c395274d19