100 YEARS AGO, New York City experienced its most devastating workplace tragedy before 9/11. In the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire, 146 immigrant girls, mostly Jewish and Italian, died trying to escape flames that roared through the upper floors of a garment factory near Washington Square. Trapped behind locked doors, many never had a chance to escape. Others jumped out the windows, some hand-in-hand, their hair and clothes aflame. The Triangle Fire became an unparalleled catalyst for social reform. Public outrage over the event galvanized the progressive movement, women's suffrage, and instigated many of the reforms of The New Deal. The Centennial commemoration of the fire presents a unique opportunity for New Yorkers to honor those who lost their lives at Triangle and provides an important moment for the city and the country to reflect on the legacy of "The fire that changed America."

From the Fire, an award-winning and critically acclaimed new work created by the Tony nominated composer, Elizabeth Swados, writer/director, Cecilia Rubino, the poet, Paula Finn, and produced and set designed by Bonnie Roche-Bronfman, dramatizes the history of the Triangle Shirtwaist Fire and brings the event into the 21st century.

After a critically acclaimed and sold-out world premiere run at the Judson Memorial Church in March 2011, From the Fire made its international debut at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe 2011. The critics immediately took note, and backed by a consistent stream of four-star reivews, From the Fire had the distinct honor to close out a Pick of the Fringe showcase hosted by the inimitable Mervyn Stutter. The string of positive critical acclaim and strong word-of-mouth reviews for From the Fire culminated with nominations for every musical theater award with wins in three categories.