Staff Picks No. 45
Sea Gull: Adult Film
Rutgers Presbyterian Church
May 10th - May 26th 2024
This "Sea Gull," not seagull, is two words, two modes: theater and film. The subtitle to this new translation from John Christopher Jones is "a chaos of images and dreams." Hooked! Adult Film is always creating intriguing works, and I suspect this Chekhov will be more tantalizing than, well, some more staid Broadway ones. Check out the trailer: it's spry, sexy, and brims with life.
Staffer: Billy McEntee
Jo Andres: Liquid TV: Jo Andres, Stephanie Acosta, Laurie Berg, Miriam Gabriel, Lena Engelstein
The Old School
Saturday, May 11th 2024
Stoked for this performance lecture salon, hosted by Issue Project Room and Spring/Break Art Fair, exploring the groundbreaking 1980s and 1990s work of multidisciplinary performance artist Jo Andres. I had the great pleasure of seeing a collection of works from Andres’ archive at last year’s Spring/Break and I’m looking forward to learning more from brilliant choreographer/director/ installation artist/dramaturg Stephanie Acosta with artist/choreographer Laurie Berg, performance artist Miriam Gabriel, and Staff Picks own amazing mover/maker Lena Engelstein! Come through!
Staffer: Joshua Dumas
Face Eaters: Alex Romania
Chocolate Factory Theater
May 17th - May 25th 2024
From the clips I've seen of this piece in process, there will be a lot of elated whispers of "WTF" and delightful assemblage costumes. That the piece deals with grief and the instability/insanity of life, I am so ready for the twists of this show.
Staffer: Travis Amiel
Geraldine Realigned Drives from Gay Place to Gay Place and You’re in the Car Too: Cam Cronin and Billy McEntee
The Brick Theater
May 8th - May 18th, 2024
I missed this the first time around, but am so so excited that I can catch it again, now that it's coming back to the Brick! What a phenomenal team, and with a description like: "part communion, part road trip, and a full-out pilgrimage-turned-presentation-turned-performance", I just know it's going to be a really fun time.
Staffer: hillary gao
Foreign Experiences: An Opera by Robert Ashley
Roulette
May 9th - May 11th 2024
Singers: Gelsey Bell, Kayleigh Butcher, Bonnie Lander, Brian McCorkle, Paul Pinto, Dave Ruder, Aliza Simmons
Music Director and Sound Design: Tom Hamilton
Stage Design and Lighting: David Moodey
Producer: Mimi Johnson
Created by Robert Ashley
The last time I saw much of this ensemble together for a Robert Ashley opera was Crash in 2015, also at Roulette. And I have never stopped thinking about it. Somehow, I feel certain I am going to be moved and transformed again, but I do not know how. Says part of the description - "Too many broken dreams. Too much vodka. Too many esoteric books. Too much loneliness. Too much California." Replace vodka with bourbon and California with New York...
Staffer: Theresa Buchheister