Freewheelers
The invention of the bicycle and the industrialization of the corset collide.
A corset-factory wife and a working-class cyclist collide in a story about freedom, labor, and the bicycle as a social engine.
To stage Freewheelers, we transformed a neglected warehouse on Chapel Street into a fully functioning performance space.
Bicycle Invented Nearby
Pierre Lallement invents the safety bicycle in nearby Ansonia, setting off a new era of mobility and social change.
Photos
Support Work Like This
Original productions rooted in New Haven history only happen because people invest in the work behind them.
Make a donationBicycle Invented Nearby
Pierre Lallement invents the safety bicycle in nearby Ansonia, setting off a new era of mobility and social change.
Sponsors & Community Support
Partners
- Department of Economic and Community Development
- Stage Directors and Choreographers Foundation (Denham Fellowship)
- Olympia Properties
Press & Reviews
View all coverage →Feature on Freewheelers, its Arts & Ideas premiere, and the New Haven history connecting bicycles, corsets, and women’s freedom.
A Broken Umbrella Theatre spins a uniquely New Haven tale in 'Freewheelers'
“Broken Umbrella Theatre shows in this work that its artistry is as great as any major theater in Connecticut.”
Hartford Courant review of Freewheelers
Arts Paper feature on Freewheelers and A Broken Umbrella’s history-driven approach to turning New Haven places into performance.
A freewheeling way with history
