Short Play Lab Seeking Scripts

John Chatterton's Short Play Lab Seeks Scripts for Dec. 18 - 19 -- Cash Prizes!!

The Short Play Lab is still looking for scripts for Dec. 18 - 19. New participants are welcome!

The rules are easy:
Deadline for Dec. 18 - 19 is Nov. 18. (Note the increased lead time.) Get that script in pronto!

Plays should be 1 - 10 pp. in standard playscript format.* (The shorter the better; shorter plays get priority.)

Submit scripts in MS-Word.

You produce the play; the SPL provides the theatre (at the Roy Arias Studios, 300 West 43rd Street, NYC).

Productions must be non-union: no showcases please! (And no Equity waivers, either.)

Keep production values to a minimum: costumes and hand props are okay. We provide rehearsal cubes, chairs, and a table or two.

We provide a board op, box office, and venue management.

There are no fees. The SPL keeps the door.

Tickets are $18. Each playwright and director gets to watch his/her show for free. There are no other comps.

There is a tech rehearsal, on the afternoon of Dec. 18. Plays get either 15 mins of tech (1 - 5 pp.) or 30 mins. of tech (6 - 10 pp.).

Every play gets 2 performances, 1 on Sat. and 1 on Sun.

We don't do staged readings. Be off-book, please! Plays not off-book during tech will be removed from the line-up.

There are usually 2 separate programs of plays; each program is performed twice. THE MOST POPULAR PRODUCTION IN EACH PROGRAM RECEIVES A CASH PRIZE OF $50. Winners are determined by polling patrons at the box office.

*12 pt Times Roman; character names in the middle on their own line; line spaces between speeches and between speeches and stage directions; indented stage directions.

The SPL is a lot of fun and a good way to see your work on its feet in a supportive environment. It's also a great way to see actors and directors at work, so you can recruit people for later productions.

To submit a script, send it as an attachment to john.chatterton@gmail.com. Any questions, just e-mail.

Interview with the Cast and Director of (un)afraid

By Byrne Harrison

The New York Neo-Futurists' latest play, (un)afraid, dealt with fear - what causes it, why we feel it, how we overcome it. I reached out to performers Cara Francis, Daniel McCoy, Jill Beckman, Ricardo Gamboa, and director Rob Neill to find out a little more about how they deal with fear.

Since Neo-Futurism emphasizes being who you are while onstage, rather than creating a character or playing a role, what did you discover about yourself while working on a show about fear?

Cara Francis: I discovered that I am barely able to cope with large, live cockroaches. I just scream and cry hysterically. The witnessing of this reaction is far more compelling than it's description. Fear is unpredictable and in it's truest form, cannot be controlled or scripted. The framework can be created, but what ultimately happens is left up to chance.

What do you fear most about yourself?

Daniel McCoy: That I have the capacity to fail when most needed.

What do you fear most about others?

Ricardo Gamboa: What I fear most about others is their ability to be dishonest. There is a saying in Spanish, "Cada mente es un universo." "Every mind is its own universe." And embedded in that is this truth, this reality that in any individual is this never-ending network of thoughts, spiral galaxies of feelings, black holes of experiences. Each of us has this "universe" within the frames of our flesh, within the borders of our essentially solitary existence. And so, when you think about something like "love." Like the idea of the unconditional breaking down of walls and the wormhole of two connected people into each other's universe--it's a really beautiful thing. And so you can know someone in this really intimate way, spend every night together, share secrets, whatever. But the scary thing is the possibility that that person isn't who you think. That that person is deceiving, hiding, lying and the way that can hurt a person--any one of us--is scary as hell to me. To me, that type of dishonesty, the withholding of whole truth, is the worst. I used love as an example, but it's not just with love: Think about the dishonesty of business, government, etc. It is this way of limiting possibility for the other and usually for selfish reasons. The notion that we could be living a lie, in a psychic cage we don't even know exists with lovers in beds or with fellow citizens on buses, makes me paranoid. It is like, what is real, then? What or who can we trust?

What do you do to overcome your fears?

Jill Beckman: Well, that's the real question, I guess. I don't know if I've ever successfully "overcome" any of my fears. There are certain things of which I am no longer scared, but that is mostly due to time and age and experience. Most of the fears or anxieties that I haven't just "grown out of" have a tendency to stick around, no matter how many times I confront them. One of the scenes in (un)afraid involves me confronting my visceral fear of knives by conversing with a knife that is being puppetted by Ricardo. He taunts me with this big, sharp, scary knife by holding it near my face and rubbing it on my skin. I thought that, by confronting one of my biggest fears over and over during the run of the show, it would start to get less and less scary and help me to dissolve it of its strength. But that has actually not been the case. That scene remains just as frightening as ever. I saw Dan holding a knife to cut a tomato with in another scene just tonight and felt the same panic that I always do. I think maybe anxieties can be more successfully overcome, but real, deep fears... I'm not sure they can be overcome once and for all. I think our task as adults is to identify those fears that hold us back and address them head on. And hopefully, it gets easier to address them. But I'm not sure the fear itself ever goes away entirely. At least, that hasn't been my experience.

Do you think fear stifles creativity or channels it?

Rob Neill: I think that in our country we have the luxury of being able to have fear stimulate our creativity. We don't always chose to do that--put that on stage or into what we create, but with (un)afraid we have. not that what we do in this show is just about freaking people out, it is more about delving into what we as Neo-Futurists fear and how we can approach or experiment with fears uniquely in each night's show.

MTWorks Presents Underworld IV Benefit Featuring Broadway Understudies

MTWorks is pleased to announce UNDERWORLD IV: Broadway Understudies & MTWorkers will be held Monday, November 8th at 9:00pm at The Triad NYC (158 West 72nd Street between Columbus and Amsterdam).

The annual benefit event headlines Broadway understudies performing their favorite songs and sharing their most intimate career changing stories. This year under the musical direction of Sonny Paladino (Billy Elliot, Mamma Mia, Dirty Rotten Scoundrel's, Grease), the skillful Broadway performers will take the stage with MTWorks' very own troop of seasoned actors from previous main stage shows.

"What a show. All of them, the young and the not-so, all with stars in their eyes. But then, their audience was equally afflicted. It was worth it. Had a couple of stars in my own eyes"
- Gene Paul, Theater Scene

UNDERWORLD IV will include Broadway understudies Alicia Albright (Wicked), Brad Bass (Memphis), Kristin Bracken (Wicked), Kathy Calahan (Mary Poppins), Anthony Galde (Wicked), Michael Hunsaker (Ragtime), and Kristen Beth Williams (Promises, Promises). With MTWorkers Alex Bond (A Home Across The Ocean, Barrier Island), Sarah Chaney (The Oath), Mark Emerson (A Home Across The Ocean, Barrier Island), Adi Kurtchik (Look After You), and Susan Wallack (Good Lonely People). This year will include performances by special guest Dathan B. Williams both a Broadway performer (Show Boat) and MTWorker (A Home Across The Ocean), and Tym Moss from QNation & TalkRadio's Artists Exposed.

All proceeds from Underworld IV go to MTWorks current 2010-11 Season, which includes the upcoming world premiere of award-winning playwright David Stallings' new play The Family Shakespeare, directed by Nicole A. Watson in April 2011 at The June Havoc Theatre.

All tickets are $30 (+2 drink minimum, cash bar) and are available online at www.BrownPaperTickets.com. Tickets may also be purchased in-person at The Triad NYC half hour prior to Showtime, cash only.

Fore more information visit www.mtworks.org. You can also visit www.triadnyc.com for driving/subway information.

Win Two Tickets To "The Divine Sister"

By Byrne Harrison

Want to win tickets to The Divine Sister, Charles Busch's latest play? Click here to find out how you can win two tickets to the show in their Hidden Habits Contest. Hurry, because the contest closes tomorrow.

NY Neo-Futurists 2nd Annual Benefit on Monday, November 8th

By Byrne Harrison

Here's where I'm going to be tomorrow. If you're smart, like to have a good time, and want to support Off-Off Broadway theatre, you'll be there, too.



The New York Neo-Futurists'
2nd Annual Benefit
Monday, November 8th at 7:00PM

Fatty Crab Uptown
2170 Broadway
New York, NY 10024
(The 79th St. stop on the 1 train is the nearest station)

7:00pm-10:00pm

Click here to purchase tickets

A Benefit for the New York Neo-Futurists

Honoring Original New York Neo-Futurists and Chicago Neo-Futurist Alums Greg Kotis (Tony Award Winner and Creator of Urinetown - The Musical) & Ayun Halliday (Author of The Big Rumpus and No Touch Monkey!)

Join us for drinks, East Asian fare, a scintillating auction and of course the New York Neo-Futurists doing what we do best: performing live theater for you!

The Benefit Host committee is:
Brooke Joslyn, Carl Riehl, Casey Larose, Elan Barish, Jamie Heinlein, Jori Jayne Emde, Kendra Souder, Leanne Diamond, Michael Reynolds, Rhiannon Sharpe, Richard Garvey, Robbyn Footlick, Robert Phillips

The NYNF Board is:
Brad Rolston, Kyle Spencer, Gary Belsky, Cory Greenberg, Severn Taylor, Alan Blum, Jill Beckman, Eevin Hartsough

For questions, to make a donation, or if you'd like to join the host committee, please contact Eevin Hartsough (eevin(at)nynf(dot)org)

*New York Neo-Futurists is a 501(c)3 organization. All contributions are tax-deductible to the extent provided by law. A copy of the latest annual report filed by the New York Neo-Futurists may be obtained upon request from the New York State Department of Law, Charities Bureau, 120 Broadway, New York, NY 10271, or from the New York Neo-Futurists, c/o Rob Neill, Managing Director, 475 W. 57th St #6A-3, New York, NY 10019.

RIP Oscar Brockett (1923-2010)

By Byrne Harrison


If you studied theatre history in college, chances are you used Oscar Brockett's "History of the Theatre" as your textbook (I have three different editions on my shelf, one from my undergrad studies and two from grad school - I still refer to them from time to time).

Brockett passed away today at the age of 87 after suffering a stroke.

http://www.austin360.com/blogs/content/shared-gen/blogs/austin/outandabout/entries/2010/11/07/oscar_brockett.html

Review: (un)afraid (New York Neo-Futurists)

By Byrne Harrison

Here is a very short (and by no means exhaustive*) list of things that make me anxious:

Forced audience participation
Confrontation
Violence
Being brought on stage
Gore
Facing my own mortality and that of my loved ones
Being touched by strangers
Uncomfortable silences
Being unable to see

I list these not just because (un)afraid is about fear and what causes it, but because I had to confront all of these personal demons during the performance. And if you share any of these particular phobias, you may have to face them, too.

As with most performances by the Neo-Futurists, it's difficult to offer a simple review. By design, the performances are never the same twice. (un)afraid is broken into four sections, each section framed by a meditation on fear (some funny, some poignant, some disturbing). Each of the four sections features a short piece written by one of the performers. Only one of them will perform their piece in any given section. The other three go unperformed. So out of a possible sixteen short pieces, the audience only sees four.

That's why it's always worthwhile to see a Neo-Futurist show more than once.

Each of the short plays is drawn from the performer's own life. In the performance I attended, the most affecting was Daniel McCoy's piece on homophobia and bullying. Couched in terms of a boxing match, McCoy attempted to repent for the times as a teen when he stood by and let other kids get bullied for their sexuality. While primarily wrapped up in a fear of physical confrontation, McCoy also deals with the fear of being different, the desperate need to be "us," rather than "them," and ultimately, the fear of a part of oneself that is too painful to admit. Powerful and disturbing stuff.

That was just one of four well-performed pieces.

The ensemble is particularly strong, featuring Jill Beckman, Cara Jane Francis, and Daniel McCoy, all of whom are writers/performers in the Neo-Futurists' long-running Too Much Light Makes the Baby Go Blind, and Ricardo Gamboa, who is making his Neo-Futurist debut. Overall, the four work well together (and with their Minions - Jonathan Herzog, Mike Puckett, and Nicole Strawbridge), though at times Gamboa seems just slightly out of sync. Perhaps it is a matter of the other three performers having been fully imersed in the Neo-Futurist style for some time, while Gamboa is a newcomer. Rob Neill's direction is strong, and his use of the performance space (marvellously designed by Liz Jenetopulos) is excellent. In fact, all of the production values of (un)afraid are outstanding, due to longtime Neo-Futurist Technical Director Lauren Parrish.

If you are the kind of person who is really uncomfortable being forced to go from audience member to participant, I encourage you to push through the discomfort and join the show. It is an amazing and challenging experience.

(un)afraid
Written and Performed by Jill Beckman, Cara Francis, Ricardo Gamboa, and Daniel McCoy
Directed by Rob Neill
Set and Prop Design: Liz Jenetopulos
Costume Design: Hunter Kaczorowski
Lighting Design/Technical direction: Lauren Parrish
Sound Design: Christopher Loar
Video Design: Adam Smith
Stage Manager: Laura Schlactmeyer
Producer: Jennie Miller
Minions: Jonathan Herzog, Mike Puckett, and Nicole Strawbridge

The Living Theatre
21 Clinton Street
Through November 6th

*An exhaustive list would have to include being buried or trapped, drowning, snakes, and zombies. Being trapped in a small space with snakes and zombies while it fills with water would probably cause my head to explode.

This Month's Title Photo

By Byrne Harrison

This month's title photo is by Rhys Harper and comes from the APAC (Astoria Performing Arts Center) production of Joshua Conkel's MilkMilkLemonade, playing at the Good Shepherd United Methodist Church, 30-44 Crescent St (@30th Rd) in Astoria.


Emory is an effeminate 11-year-old boy who lives on a farm with his chain smoking Nanna and his only friend, a depressed chicken about to be processed. Nanna wishes Emory would get his head out of the clouds, stop choreographing ribbon stick dance numbers, and be more like Elliot, the boy down the road with a penchant for burning things. But Emory and Elliot have a relationship — just not one Nanna would expect or approve of. With absurd, poignant dialog and brutal characterizations, MilkMilkLemonade is a bitterly funny exploration of gender, sexuality, life, death, and the human body.

For more information on MilkMilkLemonade visit APAC's website. For more about Rhys Harper, click here.

Review - Stinky Flowers and the Bad Banana (WTE Theatre)

By Byrne Harrison

The mark of good children's theatre is its ability to entertain (and hopefully engross) the kids, while still being palatable to the adults. Playwright Croft Vaughn's Stinky Flowers and the Bad Banana, adapted from his one-man show, succeeds admirably. It is a charming, and somewhat bittersweet play about life and growing up, that will entertain children and adults and do it well.

Sinclair (Michael J. Connolly) is a dreamer with a wildly active imagination. The attic is his playroom, full of magical delights, including his imaginary friend, Russell (Chuck Blasius), and Russell's imaginary friend, Elizabeth (Dorothy Abrahams). When Sinclair's rambunctious siblings, Stu (Robert James Grimm III) and Sam (Lauren Sowa), intrude, Sinclair is shocked to find out that they can see Russell and Elizabeth. Even more alarming, the attic now contains an audience full of people. Fearing that the audience might be made up of cannibals, Sinclair and crew begin telling stories. And that's when the play really gets good.

Vaughn's stories are terrific, and bring to mind Aesop's fables or the Brothers Grimm. Full of stinky flowers, hidden truths, warring tribes of monkeys, and gunk-destroying fudge, his tales are delightful, energetic, and have some nice life lessons.

One story, however, stands out. This is the story about two birds and it directly relates to the loss of the children's grandfather. It creates a sublime moment in the play, especially through its use of drawings, and while a little too quiet for the youngest children, it is very touching.

Connolly, Sowa and Grimm are excellent as the siblings. Grimm in particular is outstanding as the rough and tumble Stu. He captures the manic energy of a particularly physical child. Connolly excels in the quiet moments, especially when dealing with the loss of Sinclair's grandfather. Sowa is just a delight, but never more than when Sam is exasperated or annoyed. Blasius and Abrahams are terrific as Russell and Elizabeth, at times acting as silly as the kids, at others acting like adults (or more often as adults seen through the eyes of kids).

Director David A. Miller does an outstanding job with the play, keeping the pacing tight (very important in children's theatre), but allowing the nuances of the script to shine through. Production elements are strong, with particular praise going to Scenic Designer Jennifer Varbalow. She skillfully transforms the small stage at Under St. Mark's into a jammed-to-the-rafters attic, full of items to fuel a child's imagination.

My only issue about Stinky Flowers and the Bad Banana is the timing of the shows. 8 PM is not an easy time to get children to the theatre. I wish I could have attended one of the Sunday matinee performances to see if there were more children, and as a result, if the interactive portions of the play worked better.

With luck, Vaughn's play will be brought back for a longer, and hopefully earlier run.

Stinky Flowers and the Bad Banana
By Croft Vaughn
Directed by David A. Miller
Stage Management: Barbara T. Dente
Assistant Director: Lauren Heirigs
Scenic Design: Jennifer Varbalow
Costume Design: Bradley Erickson
Lighting Design: Kate Ashton with Sam Gordon
Music: Alana McNair
Animation: Matt Burnett with Double Blind
Video Design: Jeff Heyman
Press Representation: Emily Owens PR

Featuring: Michael J. Connolly (Sinclair), Lauren Sowa (Sam), Robert James Grimm III (Stu), Chuck Blasius (Russell), Dorothy Abrahams (Elizabeth)

Under St. Marks
94 St. Marks Place

Closed October 24th

Be A Broadway Star!

By Byrne Harrison

Do you have what it takes to be the next big Broadway star?

Find out with Be A Broadway Star!, a new board game from BroadwaySpace.com.

You'll start out in acting school and work you way up to the top, buying pictures and resumes, earning your "Equity" card, getting an agent, going to auditions, going to more auditions, and maybe even winning a Tony Award®!

But this isn't your typical board game. This is a Broadway board game! And that means you'll have lots of chances to show off your stuff along the way, with interactive "make or break" cards that just might have you singing and dancing on your turn!

A great Christmas idea for the Broadway fan in your life.

Meet Kelsey Grammer and Douglas Hodge of La Cage Aux Folles, Thursday, November 4th at Lord & Taylor

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 4TH, 12:30-1:30PM

LORD & TAYLOR, FIFTH AVENUE, AT 39TH STREET

Meet Kelsey Grammer and Douglas Hodge, stars from the Tony-Award® Winning Best Musical Revival, La Cage Aux Folles.

Receive a complimentary signed copy of the soundtrack CD, with your $50 cosmetic or fragrance purchase*. Plus, receive two free tickets to the show, with any $300 cosmetic or fragrance purchase*.

*One gift per customer, please; while supplies last . Quantities are limited. Event subject to change or cancellation.

John Willis Memorial Set for National Arts Club on Monday, November 22nd

By Byrne Harrison

The Theatre World Awards Board of Directors has announced a Memorial Celebration for the life of John Willis, founder and former editor of the Theatre World and Screen World Annuals, and founder and longtime producer of the annual Theatre World Awards. The event will take place at The National Arts Club, 15 Gramercy Park South, on Monday, November 22, 2010. There will be a cocktail hour from 7 p.m. to 8 p.m. (cash bar), with the Memorial itself slated to begin at 8 p.m. Admission is free, however seating is limited, and a reservation is required. Reservations can be made at rsvp@theatreworldawards.org. (Dress code is business casual.)

The life and legacy of John Willis, will be joyfully celebrated in tributes and performances, in an evening co-hosted by Tony, Drama Desk, and Theatre World Award winner Brian Stokes Mitchell and Theatre World Awards’ host, journalist, and author, Peter Filichia. Alex Rybeck will be the musical director.

John Willis, died on June 25 at the age of 93 from complications of lung cancer. The marquees of Broadway theatres were dimmed in his memory on Wednesday, June 30, at exactly 8:00 p.m. for one minute. At that time Charlotte St. Martin, Executive Director of The Broadway League, commented: “John Willis was THE archivist for Broadway for a half a century, and ‘father’ to hundreds of Theatre World Award winners. He was a true gentleman who tirelessly supported and encouraged the theatre industry worldwide by nurturing new talent.” On behalf of Theatre World, Mr. Willis received a 2001 Tony Award for “Excellence in the Theatre” and the 2003 Broadway Theatre Institute Lifetime Achievement Award in addition to having received a Drama Desk Award, a Lucille Lortel Award and the National Board of Review William K. Everson Award.

For more information about the Theatre World Awards, please visit: theatreworldawards.org or go to the Theatre World Awards fan site at Facebook.

Fight Fest Announces Participating Shows

By Byrne Harrison

The Brick Theater will present Fight Fest: A celebration of Fight Theater December 2-22.

Fight Fest is a theater festival dedicated to showcasing the art of Stage Combat. Created in 2009 by The Brick (creators of The Kung Fu Importance of Being Earnest, The Ninja Cherry Orchard and Macbeth Without Words), Timothy Haskell (Nightmare, the haunted house sensation) and Abby Marcus and Qui Nguyen of Vampire Cowboys Theatre Company (Soul Samurai and Alice in Slasherland), Fight Fest returns in December 2010 beginning on December 2nd with a free preview cabaret.

Preview Cabaret

Fight Fest Preview Cabaret features scenes and battles from the upcoming festival followed by the opening night party.

Thu Dec 2 @ 9pm - FREE!

Small amount of reserved tickets for the cabaret will be reservable. First Come, First Served after those are gone.

Participating Shows:

Bandage
Written by Kit Bihum
Directed by Snehal Desai
Fight Directed by Stephanie Willing
www.wix.com/mzbihun/payaso

The story of the Payaso-Gumi (The Clown Yakuza) and the epic battle that ended the war and began the journey. The play incorporates storytelling, dance, stage combat and classical clowning to tell a fast-paced tale of grudges, battles and slapstick. Costumed to accurately portray the tribal history of Jesters, Harlequins, and Augustes, Bandage dares to ask the question -- “What happens when clowns go bad?”
65 minutes
Sat Dec 4 @ 10:30pm
Sun Dec 5 @ 8pm
Fri Dec 10 @ 8pm
Sun Dec 12 @ 5pm
Sat Dec 18 @ 6pm


Bethlehem or Bust: How the Three Kings Teamed Up to Deliver the World’s Very First Christmas Presents
Company: Piper McKenzie Productions
Written by Jeff Lewonczyk
Directed by Hope Cartelli
Fight Directed by Adam Swiderski and Alexis Black
www.pipermckenzie.com

Everyone knows about the Three Kings and their gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh, but not so many people know about the adventures they had on their way to the manger. Bethlehem or Bust, Piper McKenzie’s first-ever family show, envisions the Wise Men as swashbucklers on an action-packed journey where they need to brave all sorts of robbers, monsters, Roman soldiers – and the occasional shepherd – on their way to meet one of history’s most famous babies. (Great for kids age 7 and up!)
75 minutes
Sat Dec 11 @ 2pm
Sun Dec 12 @ 2pm
Wed Dec 15 @ 8pm
Fri Dec 17 @ 8pm
Sat Dec 18 @ 2pm
Sun Dec 19 @ 2pm


Dar and Matey's Christmas SpectaculARGH!
Written by Larry Pontius
Directed by Robert Ross Parker of Vampire Cowboys

Adventure! Daring! Romance! Pirates Dar and Matey brave the North Pole to rescue their friend, Professor Genius, from the torturous clutches of Old St. Nick, that bastard. Allying with an Eskimo Princess they fight their way through polar bears, the evil sidekick Tiny Tim, and finally, Santa Claus! A throw back to the Golden Age of Drama, where Pirates were Men, Bears were Women, and the Baddies were BAD. Prepare for some Yule Tide YEARGH!
45 minutes
Sat Dec 4 @ 8pm
Mon Dec 6 @ 8pm
Fri Dec 10 @ 10:30pm
Sun Dec 19 @ 5pm
Mon Dec 20 @ 8pm
Wed Dec 22 @ 8pm


Raising Cane: A Family Portrait
Company: Pub Mike Samantha
Written by Stephen Cedars
Directed by Stephen Cedars and Christina Latimer
Fight Directed by Stephen Heskett

In the tradition of early John Waters and Troma Films, Raising Cane: A Family Portrait follows the familial disfunctions of simpleton in-breeds who love nothing more than beating each others brain's out. Camp humor and grotesque combat combine to explore the question of whether we stick with family cause we love 'em or if we love 'em because we can't escape.
70 minutes
Sat Dec 4 @ 5pm
Thu Dec 9 @ 8pm
Sat Dec 11 @ 8pm
Tue Dec 14 @ 8pm
Sun Dec 19 @ 8pm


Rapier Wit!
Company: En Garde Entertainment
Written by Alexandra Hastings (inspired by Shakespeare)
Directed by Alexandra Hastings and David Dean Hastings
Fight Directed by David Dean Hastings
www.engardeentertainment.com

It is 1607, and women aren't allowed to perform on the English stage...seven swordswomen gather to illegally swashbuckle their way through Shakespeare's greatest tragedies--to hilarious end. These smoking hot babes are armed to the teeth with swords, daggers, quarterstaves, whips, and of course Rapier Wit! Throw in some singing, some wrestling, some gender-bending, and some audience participation--and you have one heck of a good time! Join our all female fight troupe The Vixens En Garde in a fast-paced fantastical tribute to the Bard of Avon. Rated R for Violence, Sexuality, & Shakespearean Swearing.
90 minutes
Fri Dec 3 @ 8pm
Sat Dec 4 @ 2pm
Sun Dec 5 @ 5pm
Tue Dec 7 @ 8pm
Mon Dec 13 @ 8pm
Fri Dec 17 @ 10:30pm


Shadow Boxing
Company: Lincoln Company
Written by James Gaddas
Directed by Donald Pulford
Fight Directed by Donald Pulford
te-in.facebook.com/group.php?gid=284936234957

A story of defiance in a quest for dignity and respect. The son of a boxer who couldn't win, Flynn is determined not to end up like his father. He becomes a successful fighter through utter dedication. But is his gruelling training merely an avoidance tactic? A crisis builds as he moves to the title fight and hurtles to a shattering conclusion. James Gaddas's hard-hitting play features an emotionally intense and highly physical performance from Jonny Collis-Scurll, labelled 'one to watch' by the Stage following his performance in Weepie at C venues during last year's Edinburgh Festival Fringe.
50 minutes
Wed Dec 8 @ 7pm
Sun Dec 12 @ 7:30pm
Thu Dec 16 @ 8pm
Sat Dec 18 @ 8pm
Tue Dec 21 @ 8pm


All Fight Fest shows will take place at The Brick (575 Metropolitan Avenue between Union and Lorimer, Brooklyn). Tickets ($15) may be purchased online at www.bricktheater.com or by calling Theatermania at 212-352-3101

Press from Fight Fest 2009
“I had a blast seeing the work of all of these companies. This was truly a successful venture by The Brick, and hopefully something they explore again. Stage combat is an unsung art form, truly a niche market. So, once a year, it would be nice to have a place where, regardless of context, everyone can feel like a badass.”
Katelyn Manfre Time Out New York

Read other press for last year’s festival here.

See last year’s lineup here.

Brooke Shields and John McDaniel To Support Songbook's "Name That Tune" Costume Party

By Byrne Harrison

Brooke Shields and John McDaniel are teaming up for a live auction prize that will have them performing a private concert in an apartment overlooking Lincoln Center for up to 30 friends of the highest bidder. “An Evening with Brooke Shields and John McDaniel” will be a brand new show created by the pair expressly for the occasion. The event supports The American Songbook Project and will be available for bidding at the “Name That Tune” Costume party gala at the Edison Ballroom next Saturday November 6.

Songbook’s “Name That Tune” costume party, which honors singing legend Margaret Whiting and the prolific director Michael Mayer, will feature a juried costume fashion show and live auction hosted by Birdland’s Jim Caruso. Costumes are optional.

The “Name That Tune” costume gala benefits The American Songbook Project, which brings performances by well-known actors and singers to city schools to expose young people to American popular songwriting, one of our country’s most pervasive cultural exports. The evening will feature performances by Jane Kaczmarek, Tony Award-winning librettist and lyricist Dick Scanlan, and the Tony-nominated actress Kate Baldwin. Introducing a special tribute to Ms. Whiting will be the actress Maureen Moore and the young singing sensation Nellie McKay.

The song-title fashion show’s Celebrity Judges Panel includes the five-time Tony Award-winning costume designer William Ivey Long, NY 1 News’s Frank DiLella, Jujamcyn president Jordan Roth, casting director Tara Rubin, jazz vocalist Hilary Kole, Time Out NY’s theater and cabaret critic Adam Feldman, and arts patron Frank Skillern. The grand-prize winner for Best Song Title Costume wins a one-week vacation to Paris and the French Riviera courtesy of Radisson Blu Hotels, including roundtrip airfare.

“The evening’s honorees Margaret Whiting and Michael Mayer emblemize the scope of our organization’s cultural mission,” states Michael Putman Estwanik, who is the president of the board of directors of The American Songbook Project. “It is our belief that American popular songs are our country’s unique contribution to world culture.” Since its founding in 1999, The American Songbook Project has been bringing Broadway and top cabaret talent into New York City schools so that young people can hear great songs, both classic and contemporary, by American songwriters. “With so many music programs in our schools being drastically cut,” Estwanik continues, “our role is becoming essential if we want to foster an appreciation of American popular songs among the young.”

To purchase tickets, or for more information, call 212-362-2115, or visit www.theamericansongbookproject.org.

This Month's Title Photo

By Byrne Harrison

This month's title photo comes from Legs and All, currently at The Kraine Theatre, and features Summer Shapiro and Peter Musante.



After winning the Festival Favorite Award at the 2010 FRIGID New York Festival, an award-winning, sold-out run at the 2009 San Francisco Fringe Festival, and their most recent run as part of the New York Clown Theatre Festival at The Brick in Williamsburg, LEGS AND ALL returns to Horse Trade Theater Group for a limited engagement, October 2-16 at The Kraine Theater.

A man in an attic meets a woman in a box. As they lure one another into their worlds, their curiosity unfolds to expose a hilarious, mind-bending, innovative allegory for the classic man-meets-woman story. Rooted in physical comedy and drenched in imaginative stage illusion, LEGS AND ALL is an inventive exploration of human loneliness set to an evocative tango-meets-bluegrass score.

LEGS AND ALL will play a special limited engagement on Saturday, October 2 at 2pm, Sunday, October 10 at 2pm, Thursday, October 14 at 8pm, Friday, October 15 at 8pm, and Saturday, October 16 at 3pm & 8pm at The Kraine Theater (85 East 4th Street between 2nd Ave and Bowery). Tickets ($20 / $15 for Students & Seniors) may be purchased online at www.horseTRADE.info or by calling Smarttix at 212-868-4444.