Staff Picks No. 4
Bill MacKay & Ryley Walker
Somehow it has been over five years since Bill MacKay & Ryley Walker released SpiderBeetleBee. Duo acoustic guitars, two curious virtuosic dudes intertwining their knowledge of Appalachian folk, Ghanian Highlife, American primitivism, jam bands, church licks, and the blues. Keeping it kind and easy on July 30th at Union Pool with brilliant local Wendy Eisenberg opening. Like sitting under a tree on a perfect summer day: Come through!
Staffer: Joshua Dumas
Sitting by a body of water in the dark: Mia Martelli, Nina Guevara and Noa Rui-Piin Weiss
The idea of tossing paper letters into the wind, the ocean, the woods... has always appealed to me. Something about connections I cannot understand but am definitely a part of. Something about knowing there is so much out there that I may never experience. Something about wanting to exist and be found. I am definitely projecting onto what this dance performance may be...check it out and vibe out in your own unique way.
Staffer: Theresa Buchheister
LIFE ON THE THIRD RAIL or, A SUBWAY DELAY TO THE FUTURE
Listen, I spend my free time coming up with fake cities in order to come up with fake metro transit routes... 'nuff said. Of course I'm going to see a free musical in the streets where subway personnel save the day. It's a dream come true, and my hunch is the dream careens towards fantasia. See you there!
Staffer: Laia Comas
DISNEY ADULT: A WIP Showing: Hannah Kallenbach
If you have ever seen a Hannah Kallenbach creation, you know. If you have not, here are 5 things I have seen Hannah do that give you a real sense of the vibe: 1) Squeeze beans out of a bra made of tiny fanny packs while covered in sunscreen in a kiddie pool in a basement, 2) march through tears while singing I'm In The Lord's Army, 3) fill a Vital Joint with SO much trash and do a peanut butter facial on day three of a a compounding durational performance called Trash the Patriarchy, 4) eye choreography on a train, 5) convince an audience member to hole punch her fingernails that she had been growing for a long long time. And that does not even mention the chicken/bathtub performance during Out of an Abundance of Caution! Anyway. I could go on and on about the pure genius, fully unique art and deep humanity of Hannah. But just go see her show.
Staffer: Theresa Buchheister
How I Disappeared: Tianding He, Qingan Zhang, Jiaoyang Li, Yuexing Sun
After a 30-year run, Ice Factory is coming to a close. What else can we say? Go show this festival some love at New Ohio Theatre as it approaches its final month. This new piece, "How I Disappeared," is a multimedia object-performance centering on six female Asian immigrant artists who paint a mosaic of contemporary urban life.
Staffer: Billy McEntee
Between the ages of 18-20, my favorite book was Italo Calvino’s Invisible Cities. It's a great book, but it was also my favorite because I barely read any other books. So, 20 year old me is excited to see this. Current day me (who is curious about AR puppetry) is excited to see this too.
Staffer: Hillary Gao
A devised, techy, multimedia performance taking inspiration from Italo Calvino's Invisible Cities, exploring the experiences of Asian new immigrant artists in NYC. Get an in-person ticket or purchase a link to the livestream!
Staffer: Travis Amiel
Meow: Matthew Antoci, Meaghan Robichaud
I love triple bills. I love drag. I love shows that explore spirituality (probably because I wish I was spiritual), and I love sitting back and letting a show wash over me. See you there!
Staffer: Hillary Gao
Creepy Theater Double Feature: THE SPINNER (Foreshadow) and YOU ARE CORDIALLY INVITED TO ELIKA STRAUSS'S BIRTHDAY CELEBRATION (Hannah Weisz")
I've been eagerly waiting for an opportunity to see Hannah's work because they are THE coolest up-and-coming theater drag funko buddy and this show is going to rock AND ON TOP OF THAT we're also getting shadow puppetry myth-adaptation creepiness. Creep it out.
Staffer: Laia Comas
Ghetto Hors D'oeuvres 2023: Ode to New York City & Hip Hop!
Performances by Nick E Finn, Eric Acevedo, Laur, Saidu Tejan-Thomas Jr., Meliki Hurd, Jason 'J Tom' Tomlinson, David Hong, Roya marsh, Joel Francois, Modesto Flako Jimenez
Live Mural Painting by Giannina Gutierrez
Live Band: First Life Music
Composers: Marcus 'Lateeef Dameer" Bowers, DJ Dre Mayes, Adam Lomeo, Emilio Guarino aka Hot Wobble
All y'all New York implants *better* be celebrating the 50th Anniversary of Hip-Hop in it's l i t e r a l birthplace at this bomb festival.
Staffer: Marissa Joyce Stamps