Avalanche Theatre Announces World Premiere of “Time is a Color and the Color is Blue”

Avalanche Theatre has announced its Chicago debut with the world premiere of Time is a Color and the Color is Blue by Chicago playwright Melanie Coffey, May 1–24, 2025  at Bramble Arts Loft, 5545 N. Clark Street. This is Avalanche’s first full production following several years developing new plays with Chicago playwrights.

Time is a Color and the Color is Blue—which was originally developed in Avalanche’s new play incubator the Next Draft Series in 2023—is a survival drama exploring climate change, grief, forgiveness, and letting go, all within a theater transformed into an ice cave.

“Avalanche has been dedicated to new play development in Chicago for years, and we could not be more excited to bring Melanie Coffey’s play to life,” says Avalanche Theatre’s Artistic Director Alexander Attea, sound designer for the production. “In a world where it feels more relevant than ever to interrogate how our choices impact our environment and the people around us, Time is a Color and the Color is Blue serves as an incredibly powerful call to action. It’s been a joy to see this play evolve from our first workshop, and we’re honored to present its world premiere as our debut production.”

Set in an ice cave, Time is a Color and the Color is Blue follows a glaciologist, Whittaker, who becomes trapped in the cave while searching for the oldest known cave paintings. As her team waits out the storm in their lab, her mind begins to spiral, memories and guilt melding and folding in on each other just like pressurized ice thousands of feet below the surface. Trapped and losing oxygen fast, Whittaker must confront how she can ask forgiveness—from the Earth, from the ice cave, from loved ones she’s hurt, and from herself.

“Time is a Color and the Color is Blue weaves a story of guilt and love and ice that breaks the surface and snaps as it comes up for air. It could only have been possible with Avalanche Theatre,” says playwright Melanie Coffey. “They helped take the bones of a play and provided the space and time and resources to meld it into what you see on stage. Going from a four-month development workshop into a production with the same theater team is a true luxury.”

The cast of Time is a Color and the Color is Blue features Avalanche Theatre ensemble members Alice Wu, Stephanie Fongheiser, Gabriela Diaz and Martina Logan. The cast also includes Bryan Nicholas Carter, Sabine Wan, Harper McCoy and Mary Mikva. Understudies for the production are Christy Cutts, Michaela Voit, Leslie Huang, Izzi King and Aden Haq.

Time is a Color and the Color is Blue is directed by Avalanche Theatre’s Executive Director Zoe Sjogerman. She is joined by assistant director and dramaturg Maddy Brown, who played a key role in shaping the development of the script during its workshop process. The design team includes scenic designers Ab Rieve and Micaela McCabe, costume designer Martina Logan, lighting designer Nathan Keiller, sound designer Alexander Attea, and stage manager Lois Chermansky. The play features original music by Eva Mattioli.

“I fell in love with this play the moment I read it. Working on this piece—from workshopping an early draft to bringing it to life in a full production—has been an incredibly meaningful and unique experience. Melanie has created a world that is both beautiful and unflinchingly honest in its exploration of intense and complex subjects. Living within this world and these words has truly been an honor,” says Executive Director Zoe Sjogerman, who helms this production after directing the play’s 2023 workshop with Avalanche.

Avalanche Theatre’s world premiere of Time is a Color and the Color is Blue plays May 1–24, 2025, at Bramble Arts Loft, 5545 N. Clark Street in Chicago. Press opening is Sunday, May 4 at 7 p.m. Tickets are now available starting at $15 at avalanchetheatre.com/time-is-a-color. A special edition of the script, published by Avalanche Theatre, will also be available for purchase as a ticket add-on.