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In The New Colossus, The Actors’ Gang members tell their ancestors’ stories, their struggles and their journeys from oppression to freedom. The play celebrates the courage and great character of the refugees who came to this country throughout the last 300 years. The ensemble of twelve reflects the great diversity that has defined who we are as a nation; The New Colossus is a celebration of our diversity.

Set somewhere between the 19th century and now, the play tells the story of forced migration and the constant struggle for survival and dignity in an uncertain and hostile environment. The members of the acting company are from different parts of the world; they tell their stories, each in a different language, and each in different dress.

Director Tim Robbins said, "It's so fascinating seeing the audience reaction to The New Colossus, learning where our audience comes from and hearing so many stories of their families journeys to the United States for a safer life. Every evening, after the performances, we hear moving testimony from the audience, from a woman born in a Displaced Persons Camp for holocaust survivors in Norway to young people who spent the past 4-5 years in Refugee Camps, before receiving asylum in the US. The New Colossus and the power of the true stories being told in this piece bring people together in such a inspiring way. It is a beautiful surprise to all of us and we want to extend our run to keep hearing these testimonies and telling the story of our ancestors’ courage and resilient humanity."

The New Colossus shares a title with the sonnet written by poet Emma Lazarus in 1883 for an exhibit to raise funds for the pedestal for the Statue of Liberty, which opened in 1886. Even though the Statue of Liberty was not conceived as a symbol of immigration, Lazarus’ “The New Colossus” reinvented the statue's purpose, turning Liberty into a welcoming mother, a symbol of hope to the outcasts and oppressed of the world.

Give me your tired, your poor,

Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,

The wretched refuse of your teeming shore.

Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me,

I lift my lamp beside the golden door!

At the end of each performance the actors will engage the audience and ask them to share either their experience of immigration or their family’s experience. On several of our workshop performances of this piece we found people from all over the world in our audience; a true representation of the character and make up of this country we share.