Sulfur BottomNew York, NY (August 18, 2025) – Sulfur Bottom invites you to take an exclusive first look at newly released production photos by Austin Pogrob ahead of its September debut. Written by Rishi Varma, the play has been selected as an official event of Climate Week NYC, spotlighting the urgent need for environmental justice. Through the lens of art and storytelling, Sulfur Bottom confronts the challenges of environmental collapse and sparks dialogue about its impact on communities. With performances scheduled throughout the program, the production aims to engage audiences in meaningful conversations about climate change and collective responsibility.

Sulfur Bottom is an eco-gothic drama that explores the quiet devastation of environmental collapse through the eyes of one family over a span of 40 years. Set in a decaying home on the edge of industrial sprawl, the play transforms the slow violence of pollution into something both intimate and unsettling.

For those eager to get a sneak peek at the production, exclusive first-look photos are now available. These photos capture the heart of Sulfur Bottom and give a glimpse into the powerful story coming to the stage this September.

To view the production photos by Austin Pogrob, please click HERE.

During Climate Week NYC, Sulfur Bottom will host four special performances: September 20 at 1 PM, September 24 at 7:30 PM, September 27 at 1 PM, and October 1 at 7:30 PM. This collaboration with Climate Week NYC highlights the vital role that theater can play in promoting climate action. Through these performances, the production invites attendees to reflect on their own relationship with the environment and consider the actions necessary for a more sustainable future.

“Being an official event of Climate Week NYC is an incredible opportunity to bring environmental conversations into a shared space where people can feel their urgency. Theater invites us to confront big issues like climate justice not through statistics, but through empathy. I hope Sulfur Bottom adds a meaningful voice to that collective effort,” said Rishi Varma, playwright.

Each of the special climate week performances will include unique programming such as post-show talkbacks, partnerships with local environmental justice organizations, and community engagement activities (to be announced).

The collaboration between Sulfur Bottom and Climate Week NYC is a timely reminder of the power of storytelling in driving social change.

Sulfur Bottom is set to take the stage at The Jerry Orbach Theater at The Theater Center located at 210 West 50th Street. The play will have previews on Wednesday, August 13th and Sunday, August 16th with an opening date of August 20th, The schedule will play Wednesdays at 7:30 PM and Saturdays at 1 PM.

For tickets to Sulfur Bottom, please click HERE

Rishi Varma writes at the crossroads of comedy and drama, often veering completely into the surreal and absurd. A playwright, screenwriter, actor, and producer based in New York City, whose work has appeared at Theaterlab and Urban Stages. Rishi studied playwriting at Northwestern University, where he led a full production and writer’s room before moving to NYC to become an actor-writer (very original!). His writing mixes humor and heart to dig into the weirdness of how people behave. And sometimes, it can get very weird. Outside of writing and acting, Rishi teaches SCUBA diving in the city (yes, really). He also shares life’s daily drama with his dog, a steadfast companion who remains unimpressed by résumés or curtain calls. For more information on Rishi, please visit www.rishivarma.com and check out his instagram: @sirrishi

Climate Week NYC, presented by Climate Group, is the biggest global climate event of its kind, bringing together tens of thousands of people from across the globe to drive action.  Running September 21-28, 2025, across all five boroughs, Climate Week NYC will be the platform where the big challenges of our time are discussed. The Opening Ceremony and The Hub Live, taking place September 22 and 23, bring together heads of government and leaders from the world of business, all levels of government, tech, academia, and civil society. Together, they share ideas, challenge, create, influence, collaborate and energize. In addition, the Climate Week NYC events program features hundreds of events across the city, from grassroots organizations and community-led gatherings to companies and policy-shapers that come out in full force to drive change.

For more information please visit www.climateweeknyc.org

For more information on Sulfur Bottom, please visit www.sulfurbottom.com

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Photo: Maeve (Feyisola Soetan): Left & Winter (Eric Easter): Right