Staff Picks No. 16
MAXlive 2023: Where is My Body?: Peter Mills Weiss and Julia Mounsey
National Sawdust
Wednesday, November 8th 2023
A festival of works expanding performance with science and technology? Sounds nifty. And some great names attached! A highlight: Matt Romein’s 'Bag of Worms,' Julia Mounsey and Peter Mills Weiss move in motion capture suits with their avatars transposed into new environments. They are joined by a tyrannical disembodied head named Matt who leads the audience in a disarming satire of video games, violence and American internet culture.
Staffer: Billy McEntee
VISA - Mon Amour: Karuna Shinsho, M. Can Yasar, Lianne Elsouki, Rawya El Chab, HanJie Chow, John Phillip Faienza
Prelude (The Segal Center)
Thursday, October 19th 2023
This is a panel AND a performance, with each of these amazing artists presenting a slice of what they do before talking about how they came to do that in the US, having had to get a VISA by going through various gauntlets. I adore each of them and moderator, Karuna Shinsho, is one of the coolest people I have ever met.
Staffer: Theresa Buchheister
THE BUS IS FUCKING LATE (AGAIN): BY: Peter BD
STARRING: Daniel Kolpin, Eliane Yeung, Henry Trueheart, Lily Chambers, Ladson Shaello-Johnson, Robert Noble, Daniel Holzman, Nola Latty, Sam DeLong, David Fishkind, Jem Bonilla, Francis Louvis, Joseph Brock, Ivy Pham, Jesse Prado, Alinca Hamilton, Ralph Moffetone & Ashley Guzman
Wednesday, October 18th 2023
The Kraine Theater
Leave it to Peter BD to have an 18-person play during a time when I can't seem to get 3 people to find a time to talk on the phone. In his classic wildly-ambitious-yet-casual way, Peter has gathered this deep and eclectic group of actors for a show whose simple description is as follows: "The bus is late and no one knows when it will come. Shenanigans ensue." Not to be missed. I'm sure the play will heckle us all in a most delightful way, and I certainly feel like being laughed at right now.
Staffer: Lena Engelstein
SCARIEST PARTS OF MOVIES: Will Niedmann, Sarah Wilson
Cloud City
Saturday, October 21st 2023
ITS THE ANNUAL SCARIEST PARTS OF SCARY MOVIES SHOW! You've been feeling the chill in the air. You've seen leaves on the ground. You've noticed how the quality of the evening has shifted and the darkness of night is darker. You may not even know it, but your body is ready for halloween. Your mind is getting closer to a state of constant trickery—was that a shadow or a man? Was that a dog or a wolf? Is my roommate home or a ghost? This show is all of that turned up to 1000000000x! Sarah and Will, two Halloween-savants, will bring you to the brink of total fear...then pull you back from its void with the devil's enemy: laughter and joy (and cupcakes).
All proceeds from the show support our friend Tay, a friend in Springfield, Illinois who is rebuilding his life after incarceration.
Staffer: Lena Engelstein
BRICKFLIXOWEEN: Phil Hartman, Toney Brown, Alyse Lamb, Two Boots Pizza
The Brick Theater
Tuesday, October 24th 2023
Obviously Halloween is the best holiday and October is the best month and pizza is the best food. I think we can all agree. So, bring them all together plus a spooky music set by the incredible Alyse Lamb and a film that has haunted me for years... PLUS, my parents will be there! I don't know why you would want to be anywhere else on October 24th.
Staffer: Theresa Buchheister
Gillian Walsh: Wilderness
Danspace Project (St. Mark’s)
Friday, October 13th 2023
Co-produced by the New York City Players—with whom Gilian Walsh recently performed at PRELUDE in a show that there was a lot of excitement about—Wilderness is straight-up Gillian's world. The promo for the show is unassuming; a small photo of some Jesus on the cross imagery and a short blurb about wilderness, longing, love, and god. I find that when work doesn't work so hard to sell itself, it is usually because it has integrity. It knows itself, and it knows that the right people will find it. I'm only here to point it out because some of the right people might be rightfully distracted right now, and have missed this show's calling.
Staffer: Lena Engelstein
Shadows Later: Ayano Elson, Amelia Heintzelman, Jade Manns, Liz Charky, Matt Evans
Pageant
October 18th - October 20th 2023
I keep thinking the word deep as I go to write this little blurb. I've only seen Ayano's work once and I recall feeling that it is deep work; as in, the work occurs deep within the body. Deep states are shifting and sliding. I can't even be sure I am right about this feeling, but I have a suspicion about the work. And Jade and Amelia are two performers who can swim in the deep end of performance with ease and commitment.
Staffer: Lena Engelstein
HEBEL: PALISSIMO Company
La Mama
October 19th - October 22nd 2023
"vanity, futility, and ephemerality" are three of my favorite themes to watch explored in performance. i am attending this show to see how the little abstract movements and dances in the trailer add up to a grand revelation.
Staffer: Travis Amiel
Paul Singh told me about this one, which is a high rec. I haven't seen Pavel's work but I know Masha. Masha is a genius with light. She can transform a room, play tricks on your eyes, make you squint and then help you see the light. And that's just the creative team: these dancers.....talk about seeing the light!!!!
Staffer: Lena Engelstein
CEREMONIA: Antonio Ramos and the Gangbangers
Abrons Arts Center
October 19th - October 21st 2023
Well...... you know this one is going to be fun. Antonio makes me laugh every time I see him. Makes me laugh like we are old friends but we don't really know each other. Go see a queer dance.
Staffer: Lena Engelstein