What to see in January 2013

Inflatable Frankenstein
Radiohole

Influenced by James Whale’s Frankenstein films, Radiohole explodes the tumultuous and tragic life of Mary Shelley. Blood chilling and completely strange, Inflatable Frankenstein is brimming with whims, technological absurdity, and bodily fluids. A larger-than-life, Radiohole gothic teen sex dream. With Maggie Hoffman, Eric Dyer, Erin Douglass, Joseph Silovsky, and Mark Jaynes. Also introducing The Creature Without Organs.

Jan 5-19, 2013 

Part of PS122’s COIL Festival @

The Kitchen
512 West 19th Street (Between 10th and 11th Avenues)
New York, NY 10011

For Tickets + Info: Click Here

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When It Rains
2b theatre company

A play in the form of a live-action existential graphic novel. When the improbable happens, two couples are beset with misfortune, communication fractures, relationships crumble, behavior becomes absurd. People sing, get naked, give up, lose control, have sex with strangers. Some kind of God intervenes. Or observes. Or something. Or nothing.

January 10 – January 20, 2013

2b theatre company, Canada
Written + Directed by Anthony Black
Projection Design by Nick Bottomley

LaMama - Ellen Stewart Theatre
66 E 4th St New York, NY 10003

Tickets + Info: Click Here

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Life and Times: Episodes 1-4
Nature Theater of Oklahoma

Life and Times: Episodes 1-4 charts one person's account of their own life from earliest memory through adolescence with music, movement and mystery. It's about you, too! When can the ordinary become extraordinary and the mundane monumental? "Epic stories need epic forms," says Nature Theater of Oklahoma, making their triumphant homecoming with this bold, exuberant 11-hour celebration of the most epic story of all: life.

January 16, 2013 - February 2, 2013

Nature Theater of Oklahoma
Soho Rep + Under The Radar

Public Theater
425 Lafayette Street,
New York, NY 10003

Tickets+ Info: Click Here

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Hamlet in Bed   

Soho Playhouse

by Michael Laurence
directed by Lisa Peterson

From the creator of the wonderful Krapp39 a few seasons ago...Michael Laurence is Michael, a neurotic actor and adoptee obsessed with two things - finding his real mother, and playing the famous Gloomy Dane.  Lisa Emery also stars.

January 16 - March 17, 2013

Soho Playhouse
15 Vandam Street
(between 6th & Varick)
New York, NY 10013

Tickets + Info: Click Here

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The House of Von Macramé

The Management

A pop horror fashion show, The House of Von Macramé is a celebration of stylish European horror films from the 60′s and 70′s, an extravaganza of design and spectacle, and an exploration of iconoclasts.

January 23 - February 9

 
Bushwick Starr
207 Starr Street  Brooklyn, NY 11237 
Tickets + Info: Click Here
 

Radiohole's INFLATABLE FRANKENSTEIN teaser

The first thing to see in 2013 is Radiohole's INFLATABLE FRANKENSTEIN which will premiere at The Kitchen on January 5th and run through the 19th.

We are loving this teaser for the show:
Inflatable Frankenstein Teaser from Performance Space 122 on Vimeo.

Do you know about 53rd State Press?

If you listen to Nature Theater of Oklahoma's OK Radio you would know about 53rd State Press...

53rd State Press publishes new plays and performance texts that interrogate, challenge, renew, and emblazon the language of performance. 53rd State Press is co-edited by Karinne Keithley Syers and Antje Oegel.


Some of their titles Include:

Pig Iron: Three Plays
Hell Meets Henry Halfway, Chekhov Lizardbrain, and Gentlemen Volunteers
by Pig Iron Theatre Company


Ich, KürbisGeist and The Secret Death of Puppets
by Sibyl Kempson
Illustrated by Amanda Villalobos


A Map of Virtue
by Erin Courtney


Soulographie
by Erik Ehn


No Dice
by Nature Theater of Oklahoma


The Mayor of Baltimore
by Kristen Kosmas


And will soon publish Nature Theater of Oklahoma's Life and Times Vol. 1-4!

Individual titles range from $10 - $20 and can be ordered on line here: shop.53rdstatepress.org

20 Favorite Shows of 2012

20 Favorite Shows of 2012:

1. Mission Drift 
(The TEAM/COIL Festival @ Connolly Theater)
The TEAM isn't afraid to tackle big issues, and their epic musical about the history of capitalism and home ownership in the US was no exception.  The fabulous music by Heather Christian was the icing on the already delicious cake! 

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2. The Big Meal 
(@ Playwrights Horizons)
Dan LeFranc's unofficial update of Thornton Wilder's The Long Christmas Dinner was absolutely perfect and the cast and the production equaled it in every way.

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3. We’re Gonna Die 
(Young Jean Lee @ LCT3)
Young Jean Lee did it again, and this time she did it front and center as the lead of a rock band called Future Wife.  The songs complimented the text perfectly. Lee is certainly wise way beyond her years!

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4. What Rhymes With America 
(@ Atlantic Theater)
 Melissa James Gibson's latest play may just be her best to date. Director, Daniel Aukin once again guides another excellent cast through Gibson's unique diologue.

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5. Ich Kurbisgeist 
(Big Dance Theater@ The Chocolate Factory)
It seemed like the cast of  Ich Kurbisgeist was having just as much fun as the audience at The Chocolate Factory.  This production was magical.

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6. 3C 
(Rattlestick Theater)
You either loved  David Adjmi's 3C, or you hated it.  We loved his brutally honest and hilarious interpretation of the famous 70s sitcom, Three's Company.

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7. Broke House 
(Big Art Group @ Abrons Arts Center)
Originally presented as part of the American Realness festival, Big Art Group's Broke House actually got better upon second viewing when it was re-staged in the Spring.  We can't think of a more accurate portrayal of life in 2012 America.

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8. Three Seagulls or MASHAMASHAMASHA! 
(Theater Reconstruction Ensemble @ HERE Arts Center)
This Chekhovian mashup was smart and funny, our two favorite attributes.  John Kurzynowski is a director to watch. 

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9. Rapture, Blister, Burn 
(@ Playwrights Horizons)
Gina Gionfriddo's latest play was a sober look at several generations of women, feminists if you will, and the unintended ways in which life choices have a way of sneaking up one.  It was a pleasure to see Amy Brenneman back on stage.

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10. Uncle Vanya 
(Target Margin @ HERE Arts Center)
David Herskovits' wide open take on Uncle Vanya make you feel as though you were watching a brand new play.  The terrific cast  played gamely along, most notably Edward O’Blenis as Astrov.

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11. David Gordon: The Matter 
(@ Danspace Project)
Whether it was watching Valda Setterfield dance along with a video of her younger self, or watching dozens of NYU students simultaneously perform The Chair with Ms. Setterfield, David Gordon: The Matter may have been the most moving evening we spent in the theater this year.

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12. The Past is a Grotesque Animal 
(@ The Public)
This Argentinian import that was part of both Under The Radar and COIL festivals was a pure theatrical delight.  Performed on a continuously rotating turntable, the nimble cast of four portrayed multiple characters as smoothly as the set spun.

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13. Natasha, Pierre and the Great Comet of 1812 
(@ Ars Nova)
Natasha, Pierre and the Great Comet of 1812 was more fun that any musical adaptation of War and Peace has any right to be.  It was thrillingly theatrical turn performed by the best ensemble this year.

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14. Through The Yellow Hour 
(@ Rattlestick Theater)
Adam Rapp's dystopian portrayal of a near-future Manhattan never wavered in its commitment or intensity.  From the moment you entered the theater, the set cast, sound and lighting and text grabbed you and never let go.

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15. You Better Sit Down 
(The Civilians @ The Flea)
Sub titled Tales From My Parents Divorce, The Civilians made and uncomfortable topic both touching and funny.  The cast of four, recounting their own stories, were perfect.

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16. Uncle Vanya 
(@ Soho Rep)
The second Vanya on this list couldn't have been more different that the Target Margin version.  But Annie Baker's casual adaptation worked perfectly in this quiet and intimate production.  Reed Birney, Maria Dizzia and Georgia Engel stood out in this tight ensemble.

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17. Mies Julie
(@ St. Ann’s Warehouse)
Hot, is the first word that comes to mind when thinking about Mies Julie.  Hilda Cronje and Bongile Mantsai were the steamiest couple on the NYC stage this year, and Yael Farber's production, set in South Africa, made Strindberg's play supremely contemporary.

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18. Five Lesbians Eating A Quiche 
(@ FringeNYC)
This Chicago import was probably the outright funniest play of 2012.  The ensemble was hilarious and Five Lesbians had, hands-down, the best stage effect or the year!

19. Gob Squad’s Kitchen (You’ve Never Had It So Good) 
(Under The Radar @ The Public)
Winner of the Drama Desk Award for Unique Theatrical Experience,  Gob Squad’s Kitchen hilariously recreated the famous Andy Warhol films Kitchen, Sleep and Screen Test until the actors invite audience members to take their place on stage and on screen.  We usually hate audience participation, but Gob Squad almost makes us want to reconsider.

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20. Port Out, Starboard Home
(@ LaMama)
A creepy cruise may either sound oxymoronic or redundant depending upon your point of view.  In a way Port Out, Starboard Home by Sheila Callaghan makes a case for the latter but definitely letting you laugh (often) throughout.

Very Honorable Mentions for 2012

We'll be posting our 20 Favorite Shows of 2012 in the coming days. In the meantime, here are 14 shows we saw in 2012 that deserved recognition.

The Honorable Mentions List for 2012:
(in alphabetical order)

1. The Agony and the Ecstasy of Steve Jobs
(Mike Daisey @ The Public)
Controversy aside, Mike Daisey's monologue about his love/hate relationship with Apple was a powerful piece of theater, expertly performed.

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2. Barbicide
(The Theatre Project @The Players Theater)
Sean Pomposello's hard-boiled riff on the legend of Sweeney Todd was given a first-class production by director Christian Amato and a quartet of excellent actors.

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3. Charlie Victor Romeo - CVR (3LD)
No less effective then when it was first presented, Charlie Victor Romeo may be even more intense post-911. The feature film version will premiere at Sundance in January 2013.

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4. Finding Elizabeth Taylor
(FringeNYC)
A fantastic coming-of-age-with-a-famous-name story was given an excellent production at the Fringe this summer.

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5. Jukebox Jackie:Snatches of Jackie Curtis
(LaMama)
Scott Wittman's enormously fun salute to Warhol's Superstar with superb turns by Mx. Justin Vivian Bond and Cole Escola.

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6. The Lady From Dubuque
(Signature Theater)
Director David Esbjornson made a case for The Lady From Dubuque to be re-considered as one of Edward Albee's great plays with help from Laila Robins breathtaking performance.

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7. Night of the Auk
(FringeNYC)
A Broadway flop in 1956 was given the full-parody treatment at the Fringe this summer and the results were hilarious.

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8. Restoration Comedy
(The Flea)
Director Ed Sylvanus Iskandar's and the Bats turn Amy Freed's play into a delightful party. This one's still running thru December 31, so go!

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9. Roman Tragedies
(Toneelgroep Amsterdam @ BAM)
Ivo van Hove took on all three of Shakespeare's Roman plays and freed the audience by letting us/them move about the theater, including on to the stage.

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10. Space//Space
(Banana Bag & Bodice @ Collapsable Hole)
Banana Bag & Bodice's latest was a quirky and disturbing little gem.

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11. Title and Deed
(Signature Theater)
Will Eno's latest was a smart and funny and slightly sad solo play wonderfully performed by Conor Lovett.

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12. The Ugly One
(Soho Rep)
Alfredo Narciso, Steven Boyer and Lisa Joyce were  delicious in this nightmarish satire of physical beauty.

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13. We Are Proud to Present a Presentation About the Herero of Namibia, Formerly Known as Southwest Africa, From the German Sudwestafrika, Between the Years 1884-1915
(Soho Rep)
Jackie Sibblies Drury's play was given a great production that made audiences wonderfully uncomfortable.

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14. World of Wires
(Jay Scheib @ The Kitchen)
The awesome Jay Scheib did it again with World of Wires and proved why he's in a class by himself.

Brick Retro

The resourceful Brick Theater in Williamsburg is celebrating their 10th Anniversary by bringing back a few of their popular offerings, among them: Bouffon Glass Menajoree and NECROPOLIS 1+2: World Gone Wrong/Worth Gun Willed.

BOUFFON GLASS MENAJOREE
Ten Directoins
Gentlemen callers beware: The Wingfields are crawling back out of your nightmares for a limited return engagement! Like a recurring sore, the award-winning Bouffon Glass Menajoree is back after their critically- acclaimed runs in New York, Minnesota and Dublin. Amanda, Tom, and Laura plume their nest with broken glass, twisted morals, and perverted minds. Each night a new audience member plays the role of Jim, the gentlemen caller. The Wingfields claim no responsibility for hurt feelings and offended sentiments. Why would anyone do this to an American Masterpiece?

NECROPOLIS 1 + 2: WORLD GONE WRONG/WORTH GUN WILLED
Gemini CollisionWorks
A world where the leaders lie, cheat, steal and murder. A world where Art and Science and Beauty and Reason are no longer valued. A world where survival means selling out, and trying to do the “right thing” means failure as a human being. A familiar place? Yes, of course, it is the fictional, 1940’s world of film noir, nothing like our own present world at all, right? Right? Or has noir come true, and we’re all living in a world gone wrong?

For Tickets and Info: Click Here

2013 COIL Festival

January has become THE most important month for contemporary performance in NYC.  Under The Radar, COIL and American Realness festivals have made January hot.

Let's take a look and what COIL is serving up this year.

Radiohole
INFLATABLE FRANKENSTEIN

Influenced by James Whale’s Frankenstein films, Radiohole explodes the tumultuous and tragic life of Mary Shelley.

Half Straddle/Tina Satter
SEAGULL (THINKING OF YOU)

Writer/director Tina Satter draws on Chekhov’s letters, translations, and perverse sense of comedy to consider anew the darkness, beauty, and history of Chekhov’s iconic play The Seagull.

Kristen Kosmas
THERE THERE
More Chekhov! Christopher Walken, on tour in Russia with a solo show inspired by everyone’s favorite Chekhovian sociopath, mysteriously falls off a ladder and is unable to perform. Karen, who apparently proofread the script once, is asked to go on in Walken’s place. A precarious bilingual performance duet ensues between Karen and her Russian interpreter, Leo.

Peggy Shaw
RUFF
Peggy Shaw's tribute to those who have kept Shaw company over the last 68 years, a lament for the absence of those who disappeared into the dark holes left behind by her recent stroke, and a celebration that her brain is able to fill the blank green screens with new insight.

Annie Dorsen/Anne Juren
MAGICAL
Magical, a collaboration between Juren (performer) and Dorsen (director), places the canon of historical feminist performance into the context of a magic show. Through the rituals of illusion, trickery, and transformation the audience is shown the contradictions of contemporary feminism, contemporary art by women, and the contemporary female body.

PS122 presents
COIL 2103
Various Venues
For Info, Tickets and Festival Passes: Click Here