locker 4173b

by Joey Rizzolo & Christopher Borg

Christopher Borg and Joey Rizzolo bid on the contents of a foreclosed storage space and, through a rigorous process through which they catalogued over 1000 items, reconstructed the lives of its former owners. That reconstruction is Locker 4173b, told through the lens of amateur archaeologists amid a gallery of mundane artifacts. The result is a profile of economic insecurity, a story about how heroic legacy is determined not so much by feats of greatness, but by whether or not your hero can afford rent.

Ensemble: Joey Rizzolo, Christopher Borg, Yeauxlanda Kay, Nicole Hill

Director: Justin Tolley

Costume & Props Designer: Ashley Rose Horton

Video Designer: Sydney Buchan

Sound Designer: John Emmett O'Brien

Lighting Designer: Lauren Parrish

Archaeological Consultant: Dr. Zoë Crossland

Gallery Designer: Joe Basile

Dramaturg: Amy Jensen

Stage Managers: Ashley Nelson & Aliee Chan


Smart and altogether satisfying...Rizzolo and Borg push the limits of docudrama, indirectly revealing psychological character portraits of themselves. Comic yet poignant, the production is dense with witty dialogue and comedic banter, and the two actors play their dashing adventurer roles to the hilt.
— Jason Zinoman, The New York Times
In sifting through these items that once belonged to someone else, Borg and Rizzolo beckon us to consider our legacies, and what we would be leaving behind if we died tomorrow. What would we want to leave behind? What would make us ashamed? What sort of evidence of a life once lived would we choose to fill up our own storage spaces? Their brand of theatre is resonant, powerful, and must-must-must see.
— Christine Schmidt, The New York Theatre Review
...a fascinating probe into the hidden meanings behind everyday items that seem more apt to be discarded than preserved. But such things do tell a story — or perhaps more accurately, in Borg and Rizzolo’s capable hands, they lend themselves to a compelling theatrical narrative.
— Dan Bacalzo, TheaterMania
There’s something moving about the premise that, if we look closely enough, our junk can tell our story.
— The New-Yorker
Locker 4173b is a powerful and thought-provoking production which explores the story of possession, presenting a more personal side to the tragedy of poverty and default. Regardless of whether your heart is bleeding for a poor Bronx family or whether you are shocked by the modern demise of privacy, be prepared for an unforgettable emotional joyride.
— Haytham Elhawary, Theatre is Easy
Scholarly precision, Sherlock Holmes-like conjecture, and the quick, dry wit of what might be deemed really smart vaudeville.
— Woman Around Town

Produced by the New York Neo-Futurists
Opened: April 28, 2011 at The Monkey, NYC (world premiere)