Jay Michaels Global Communications and the New York institution, the Drama Book Shop, join forces once again to bring you an enlightening and entertaining chat with a prominent member of the NY arts community.

Robert Viagas, author of nearly two dozen books on the arts including his latest, “Right This Way: A History of the Audience” will speak at

The Drama Book Shop

266 West 39th Street New York Cityon Tuesday, October 24 · 7:30 -8:30 pm EDT

RSVP

Did you ever imagine YOU were part of theatre’s rich history… as an audience member?

Join an engaging discussion with the acclaimed author,Robert Viagas, creator of the fascinating book “Right This Way: A History of the Audience.”

When you take your place at a theater, cinema, concert hall, or even engage with screens of all sizes, you’re participating in a time-honored human tradition — the act of being an audience. Robert Viagas, former Playbill editor, paints a vivid portrait of “audiencing” – the art of being a member of the viewing public.

“Right This Way” offers a pop history look at audiences through the ages and stages spanning arts and genres), exploring how audiences have evolved from colosseums to modern technology.

Robert Viagas takes us on a trip through history and types of audience behavior. From the impact of technology on audiences to the extraordinary choices made during challenging times, Viagas examines the profound and timeless connection between performers and those who applaud from the shadows.

Robert Viagas is a luminary with over 40 years of diverse experience as a writer, editor, lecturer, broadcaster, and professor. Having been present in the audience for over 2000 Broadway shows, in addition to countless movies, television shows, concerts, and cultural events worldwide, Viagas brings unparalleled insight into the world of audiences. With 21 published books on the performing arts and significant involvement in prestigious awards committees, his influence resonates deeply in the realms of theater, literature, and beyond.

Go “audiencing” at this event with a true authority in the field. You’ll never sit in a public seat the same way again.

The event is FREE with the purchase of “Right This Way: AHistory of the Audience.”

The store will begin welcoming guests at 7:15 pm.

For further questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to reach out at info@jaymichaelsarts.com

The Cockettes Second Cumming at Joe’s Pub reviewed by Jim Catapano

After a Long Time Coming, The Cockettes Return to Conquer

“The Cockettes have withstood the test of time,” declared John Waters many moons ago, but his words are preserved for us today on celluloid. “Their legend is cemented in America’s lunatic history!” And in a time where we need them more than ever, the legendary San Francisco hell-raising, drag-pioneering troupe are back with a vivacious vengeance. 

Taking the stage on a steamy night at a packed Joe’s Pub, the group blew kisses to the past and dazzled everyone present. The night celebrated the work of original Cockette Scrumbly Koldewyn, who was there in the glittery flesh as Musical Director. Scrumbly’s songs, while lively and bawdy, have a lot of astute things to say about life and how to live it, and today’s Cockettes were about to deliver those musical messages with dazzling deftness.

A little time travel interlude: The troupe was founded in 1969 by George Edgerly Harris III, known to all as Hibiscus. (History buffs will also know him as one of the protesters putting flowers into the gun barrels of soldiers at the 1967 March on the Pentagon.) “Why don’t we take Rockettes and just change one letter?” Mr. Koldewyn recalled Hibiscus declaring, and thus the troupe was born. Though Hibiscus passed in 1982, he was there this night—not only in spirit, but in the form of a moving film clip narrated by his sister Mary Lou.

After an introduction by Producer Dan (“DJ Dank”) Karkoska, Scrumbly appeared resplendent in a flower-adorned blue blazer, pink shirt, yellow tie and matching cummerbund. Three Cockettes joined him on stage to get things started while three more emerged from the wings to sashay through the audience.

The multi-talented Ellie Stokes took over on piano while Scrumbly serenaded us regarding “The Perfect Banana,” eventually joined by Matt Bratko and Steven Satyricon wielding two large cardboard simulations of the titular fruit. Ellie returned to regale us with the poignant “Sideshow,” a tribute to the performers who assert who they are and turn it into gold. “Life is short, Life is sweet/No time for sorrow/no time for defeat,” she emoted. “It’s a game, so don’t come unglued/beside there is someone who’s worse off than you.”

Bonni Suval, magnificent in full Marie Antoinette regalia, commanded the stage to declare “Let Them Eat Cock.” Matt and Steven, dressed in chef’s hats, aprons and little else, joyfully simulated that suggestion. The trio reappeared for “Too Decadent,” this time dressed in S&M finery. Bonni wowed us with her powerhouse vocals and outstanding tap dancing. Matt and Steven also serenaded us with an uproarious “Eat Me,” during which they mooned the audience and declared, ‘This is what most politicians are. READ MY LIPS!”

Noah Hayden sang spectacular solos throughout the show, each time in a different colored (but always fabulous) glittering evening gown. “Midnight in Manhattan” was particularly fitting as the subways rumbled under the theatre, symbolizing the Cockettes’ triumphant return after a 52-year absence. In a later heartfelt musical moment, Noah declared “I am you, and this song is all I have ever known.”

Ellie returned for a smoky “late-night at the lounge number” called “Sublimatin’”, where she reminded us to always grab life by the you-know-what’s. “There’ll be plenty of time to lay around when you’re dead!” she reminded (I want that on a T-Shirt.)

Special guests Anthony Wayne and original Cockette pianist Peter Mintun joined the fun to perform “Jaded Lady.” Anthony was majestic in a royal purple robe and dazzled us with miraculous high notes, while Peter tickled the ivories in a smart tan suit and tie. The performance was dedicated to original Cockette Sylvester, subject of Anthony’s “Mighty Real” musical.

The Mega-funny Birdie-Bob Watt (Assistant Director) took the stage to tell us “A Crab on Uranus Means You’re in Love,” dressed hilariously as the crustacean of the moment. He also lamented the lives of emotionally endangered feces on a hysterical “Just a Lonely Little Turd.” Sang Birdie, “Will we simply be squeezed out/and them just left to float about?” (A disturbing image indeed!)

The entire company gathered onstage to take us all home with a rendition of the sinfully sly ‘Hades Lowdown,” before encoring most appropriately with “Curtain Call.”

“What are you waiting for?” sang the gang. “There still might be time for rewrites.” And how!

Welcome back to New York, Cockettes. And as Mr. Waters observed, “Cockettes then, Cockettes now, and Cockettes forever!”

Brian Alejandro – “Autumn Changes: Sometimes” review by Jim Catapano

While summer was still hanging on with a vengeance, the spectacular vocalist Lord Brian Alejandro rang the changes and sang the praises of Autumn on a sold-out September evening at Pangea.

The popular dinner club boasted a full house as an enthusiastic crowd awaited the arrival of the legendarily charismatic crooner. In a gold vest and bow tie to match, Brian emerged from the back of the house crooning “This Could Be the Start of Something Big.” To rapt applause he made his way to the stage to join his band, including his longtime director, the multitalented Darnell White, on piano. We were embarking on an enjoyable evening of classic mid-20^th century standards, delivered by someone who makes them as fresh and alive as if they were written yesterday.

In between songs Brian regaled us with witty, astute, and moving observations on life and art.

“Life changes and sometimes it throws you a curveball,” noted Brian, reflecting on the theme of the evening. “And you don’t always catch it…but you might catch it later.”

Brian mesmerized all in attendance with his rich, soulful emoting and beguiling stage presence.

On “Love Me or Leave Me,” popularized by Doris Day in the film of the same name, he treated the crowd to a round of flawless scat singing punctuated by his uncanny imitation of a trombone, followed by a stirring hi-hat-heavy drum solo by percussionist Mitch Bowers.

Following a swinging version of Cole Porter’s “(You’d Be So) Easy to Love,” there was a poignant discussion of change at a higher, more important level. Brian reminded us that social progress has historically been a slow, uphill battle—and one that we will always be fighting. “Back in the day, so many talents such as myself and others who proceeded me were not always able to enter through the front entrance of restaurants and hotels,” he said, namechecking greats like Sammy Davis Jr. and Ella Fitzgerald. “Things are changing, but they need to change a little bit more. If something doesn’t affect you, don’t think it’s not happening.”

Before launching into the bossa nova beat of “I’m Always Chasing Rainbows”, Brian namechecked the most legendary artist to tackle that theme. “’I tried my damnedest to get over the rainbow but I couldn’t! No one can!’” Brian quoted Judy Garland lamenting. He explained how that has always stayed with him. “In life we seek out these things we thinkare going to make us happy,” he observed. “And sometimes they don’t, but you have to have hope. So, I’m still chasing rainbows!”

For Nat King Cole’s “Let There Be Love”, we were treated to a melodic solo by Sean Murphy on the upright bass. After the lyric “Someone to bless me whenever I see sneeze,” Brian let out a comedic “achoo!”

The familiar opening notes to “The Autumn Leaves” were met with recognition and applause from the audience. After a flawless verse in French, at the song’s climax Brian showered the crowd with actual fall-colored leaves he had skillfully concealed in his hands throughout the song. Then he turned things over to Diva LaMarr, prodigious stage star of Dream Girls and Jersey Boys, who appeared from the back of the room (“How do I get up there?” Diva laughed, eyeing the packed rows impeding the way to the stage). Diva wowed those enthralled throngs with a bluesy rendition of Ruth Brown’s “If I Can’t Sell It, I’ll Keep Sittin’ On It.” (Words to live by indeed.)

“Whenever you come to see me, you never know what you’re going to get,” said Brian after the warm and boisterous response to Diva’s powerhouse number. “But you’re going to get something, and it will be worth it!”

After a swinging “’Tis Autumn” continued the evening’s theme, Brian announced, “We’re going to do something a little in-ter-es-ante.” He turned lead vocal duties over to Darnell, who sang “Lush Life” while Brian sauntered from table to table adding hilarious asides after each lyric. After Darnell crooned “I used to visit all the very gay places/Those come-what-may places,” Brian quipped, “You’ve been there, and I have too darling!”

The crowd was singing along to a brisk “The Lady Is a Tramp”, when trumpeter Lauren Reilly, sporting a black bowler hat, suddenly appeared from a front table for a rousing solo, taking the already spirited proceedings up another notch.

The too-soon encore of “That Old Black Magic” brought down the house, fittingly for an evening where Brian Alejandro had the entire crowd under his spell.

IFTNetwork, Inc. in association with Jay Michaels Global Communications announces the launch of a new coalition of independent theatrical companies with the purpose of creating visibility for underrepresented voices in the arts.

The Independent Theatre Coalition

IFT Network, whose overarching mission has always been to create myriad spotlights for underrepresented stage & film artists and whose work bears powerful messages; along with JMGC, whose mission has always been to create visibility for independent artists — will foster a community of theatrical organizations whose messages are unique and necessary to the arts community in New York and around the world.

Visit us at https://www.iftnetwork.com/coalition

The founding theater companies of the Independent Theater Coalition include:

Good Light Productions
https://www.goodlightproductions.com/

Good Light Productions (GLP) equips and encourages the telling of stories that have been in the dark for too long. Many untold stories – if shared- contain the power to birth new possibilities.   

Eagle Project Arts
http://eagleprojectarts.org/

Eagle Project is a multidisciplinary New York-based Native American artistic laboratory working to unpack the contemporary Native American experience. We utilize theatre, music, dance, spoken word, and film to investigate and understand the American identity. Eagle Project is inter-tribal and multicultural. 

PBH Creative
http://pbhcreative.com/

Though based in NY, our team comes from around the country, bringing unique perspectives of the entertainment industry and how we relate to the business of show. Take some New England smarts, add a hint of LA luxury, a sprinkling of southern charm, a dash of midwestern values, and you’ll get the idea.

Jay Michaels Global Communications (Media Sponsor)
https://jaymichaelsarts.com
creating visibility and galvanizing independent theater, film, music, and literary communities has been the battle-cry of this boutique promotion & production consultation firm for over 20 years. Through a diverse internal multi-media platform (including nonprofit institutions), this communications organization is able to promote and produce events and cover thousands of emerging artists and their work nationally while growing its external promotional network.

IFT Network
https://www.iftnetwork.com/

IFT Network is a creative platform dedicated to Independent Filmmakers and Theater Producers. From development, to distribution, our mission is to be the one-stop solution no matter where you are on the creative journey. IFT Network offers a streaming app, a free development space for writers, and a creative marketing agency. 

The coalition will work on Black Culture; Indigenous Culture; LGBTQ+ Stories; Women Stories; LatinX Culture Stories; Performance Poetry; Immersive and Experimental plays.

Calendar of Events:

October 2, 2023

Eagle Project Arts presents
A special stage reading of
PLEASE DO NOT TOUCH THE INDIANS
A play written by Joseph A. Dandurand
OPEN JAR STUDIOS
1601 Broadway 11th floor, NYC
This fundraising event will support the 2024 stage production.

https://pleasedonottouchtheindians.eventbrite.com/

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Good Light Productions celebrate GIVING TUESDAY
(visit https://www.goodlightproductions.com/ for details)
Donate today for their season fundraiser ending November 28, 2023
Donations to support the following events:

Good Light Productions presents
The Real Life Writers Poetry Project
In association with Goddard Riverside Community Arts – Artist Residency 2023-2024
The Real Life Writers Poetry Project will offer workshops for two cohorts this season. There will be a youth cohort (high school aged students) and a young adult cohort (ages 18 & up).
Poetry Workshops Oct/Nov/Dec 2023
Live Performance and Taping Dates: Jan 2024
Make a Donation Online
https://fundraising.fracturedatlas.org/good-light-productions/general_support

Good Light Productions presents
In Association with The Episcopal Actors’ Guild of America
OPEN STAGE Grant
A SPECIAL READING with excerpts from
“DEEP $H*T” A play by Liz Morgan
“BLACK AMERICAN WORKING WOMAN” by Paula Ralph-Birkett
February 2024 (dates TBA)

OPEN JAR STUDIOS, 1601 Broadway 11th floor, New York City
Full Production scheduled for July/Aug 2024

Good Light Productions presents
“Precious Metals: Beauty In Brokenness” by C.E. Harrison
In association with Goddard Riverside Annual Women’s History Artist Month (W.H.A.M.) Festival Celebrating Female Artists And Perspectives
Goddard Riverside Community Arts – Artist Residency 2023-2024

March 2024 (dates TBA)

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PBH Creative presents
In Association with IFT Network
a SPECIAL READING of
MY SPACE THERAPY by Nate Raven
May 2024 (Date TBA)
OPEN JAR STUDIOS
1601 Broadway 11th floor, NYC

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IFT Network International Film & Theater Festival 2024
May 6 – 8 2024
QUAD CINEMA
34 W 13th St, New York City
This dynamic festival will focus on Underrepresented Voices in forms of the lively arts. Indie Films under consideration includes Local, National, and International Documentaries; Short Films; Animated Films; Web Series (Complete & Pilots); and Micro Shorts.

Scrumbly Koldewyn Interview by Jen Bush

Are you ready for The Cockettes because they’re ready for you!  You can see this one-of-a-kind show at Joe’s Pub on September 9^th.   The Cockettes were an avant garde psychedelic hippie theater group founded by Hibiscus (George Edgerly Harris III) in 1969. Their brand of theater was influenced by The Living Theater, John Vaccaro’s PlayHouse of the Ridiculous, the films of Jack Smith and the LSD ethos of Ken Kesey’s Merry Pranksters. The troupe performed all original material, staging musicals with original songs inspired by classic Hollywood movie musicals. They gained an underground cult following that led to mainstream exposure with JOHN WATERS and DIVINE that continues today.  The lead Cockette himself, Scrumbly Koldweyn graciously took some time out of his busy artistic schedule to have a chit chat with us about the Cockette experience.

Being a Cockette has been a positive experience for Scrumbly.  “As a founding member, it was pretty glamorous back in the day. People recognized you when you went out, groupies wanted to get next to you… Today it’s still fun being a bit gay-famous, especially in the Bay Area. But people in traditional theater are a little wary of your ‘wild reputation’.”

Scrumbly has graced the New York stages before.  “Since our big 3-week run in 1971, besides some industrial shows, I’ve appeared at Town Hall for the Cabaret Convention with my vocal trio, The Jesters, in 1990, performed in drag in Terry Baum’s, “Baum For Peace” at the Fringe Festival in 2007, had a Cockettes reunion courtesy of Robert Croonquist in 2008, performed a Martin Worman retrospective at the Lincoln Center Library of the Performing Arts’ auditorium, and ran the revival of the Cockettes’s “Vice Palace” at the HOWL festival in 2011.”

Scrumbly is anticipating a fabulous evening at Joe’s pub.  There will be lots of old friends and surely some new ones to be made.  “I expect a sort of mini Cockettes reunion of a few originals from back in the day, and many of our East Coast friends, and with those who follow the Cockettes. In other words, a great party at Joe’s Pub.”

Scrumbly’s no dummy but he’s got an upcoming show about one.  As for The Cockettes.  Joe’s Pub is just the beginning!  “I’m looking forward to mounting my collaboration with Cab Covay, a musical about a ventriloquist and his ‘dummy’ in the Vaudeville era, called “Jugular Vanities”, and doing more Cockettes musical reviews and full-show revivals.”

I’ll place my bets on The Cockettes!  Get your tickets now!

COCKETTES: THE SECOND CUMMING

Joe’s Pub at the Public Theater, Saturday, Sept 9 @ 9:30pm, 425 Lafayette St, New York City.

Returning to NYC after a 50-year absence, San Francisco’s legendary,  underground-breaking, gender-bending theatrical troupe, The Cockettes, are bringing their bawdy, colorful, cabaret show to Joe’s Pub celebrating the music of original Cockette Scrumbly Koldewyn. Event produced by Dan Karkoska featuring Matt Bratko, Noah Haydon, Kitten on the Keys, Steven Satyricon, Ellie Stokes, Bonni Suval, Birdie Bob Watt and the “original Cockette,” composer and performance artist Scrumbly Koldewyn.

 TICKETS AVAILABLE NOW
LEARN the history of this Underground-breaking troupe!
Visit them on FACEBOOK and INSTAGRAM and here’s a SNEAK PEEK

Veteran character actor, Boris McGiver will create the titular role of “The Interpreter,”  an innocent translator who gets caught in a web of intrigue involving world affairs, in Catherine Gropper’s drama, THE MEETING:THE INTERPRETER.

Catherine Gropper, an international playwright, documentary filmmaker, and fine artist, had a chance meeting with an actual global government interpreter. He divulged details to her about a meeting in Trump Tower (prior to the 2016 election) involving Russian Nationals and Don, Jr.

What was discussed there could have changed the course of history.

Boris McGiver is a familiar face to TV and film audiences for decades. Recent work includes M. Knight Shyamalan’s SERVANT (Apple TV), Taika Waititi’s Our Flag Means Death, and D.A. Glen Maskings on ABC’s For Life. He also turned in a commanding performance as Tom Hammerschmidt, Editor-in-Chief of The Washington Herald, on NETFLIX’S House of Cards (Beau Willimon, DavidFincher).  He is also a familar face on stage wth credits that include New York Theater Workshop (Lydie Breeze, The Devils); Theatre for New Audience (Cymbaline, Andorra), and appearing in nine Shakespeare productions at the historic Public Theater to name a few.

In addition to long-recurring roles on CBS’s Evil as Monsignor Matthew Korecki and on Boardwalk Empire as the conflicted but decent Sheriff Lindsay, he also appeared as Hersh, the highly efficient and deadly assassin on Person of Interest and as smarmy Lt. Marimow, brought in to dismantle the unit on David Simon’s The Wire.

Viewers will also remember Boris in Steven Spielberg’s LINCOLN where he played “Coffroth,” the bumbling Democratic member of the House of Representatives who goes head-to-head with Tommy Lee Jones. Other film credits include Killing Kennedy, Pink Panther (w/Steve Martin), Taking Woodstock (Ang Lee, dir.), Dark Matter (w/Meryl Streep), Fur (w/Nicole Kidman), Taxi (w/Jimmy Fallon), Connie and Carla, Ironweed, and others.

“The play is currently in development for a run Off-Broadway,” says playwright Catherine Gropper; “we are energized by the presence of Boris,” she continued, “now we’re finalizing the theatre and the run.” “This necessary story must be brought to life before it’s too late,” she added added – possibly alluding to next year’s presidential election

Visit us at https://meetinginterpreterplay.com

Catherine Gropper, acclaimed for her work as a painter, sculptor, and playwright, boasts accolades from Scotland’s national newspaper, the Scotsman (four-star review) and a rave from Anita Gates in the New York Times – both for her play, Embers; and great praise in DC Theatre Scene for her play, Miss Crandall’s Classes, which explored racism in the education system. Ms. Gropper is also the author of several short stories, a book of poetry, and is also working on a pair of comedies – both having a controversial bent. She is also an international award-winning filmmaker

Peter Mintun Interview by Jen Bush

On September 9^th, Joe’s Pub will be presenting a show like no other.  Welcome to the wonderful world of The Cockettes!  The Cockettes were an avant garde psychedelic hippie theater group founded by Hibiscus (George Edgerly Harris III) in 1969. Their brand of theater was influenced by The Living Theater, John Vaccaro’s PlayHouse of the Ridiculous, the films of Jack Smith and the LSD ethos of Ken Kesey’s Merry Pranksters. The troupe performed all original material, staging musicals with original songs inspired by classic Hollywood movie musicals. They gained an underground cult following that led to mainstream exposure with JOHN WATERS and DIVINE that continues today.  You’ll be hearing some wonderful piano melodies that night courtesy of Peter Mintun.

Peter Mintun is a master pianist and music historian.  He favors music of the early 1900’s.   Born into a musical household, Peter Mintun was already a proficient pianist by the age of three.  Growing up he played piano for every conceivable type of performance from parties to silent films at museums.  Dignitaries and fellow musicians alike have been fortunate to enjoy Mr. Mintun’s performances.  He has played in the most esteemed venues and concert halls including Carnegie Hall.  We had the honor and delight of talking to him about his journey as a musician and his experience with The Cockettes.

To paraphrase Mr. Mintun, his history with The Cockettes has been thoroughly documented in interviews with the BBC, Amazon Prime and in three books.  The James Hormel Library in the San Francisco Public Library houses documents, recordings and photos pertaining to The Cockettes and deceased founding member, Sylvester.

Mr. Mintun’s musical tastes were a good fit for The Cockettes.  “I was 20 when I was asked to play for a Cockettes show. The early shows were so loosely constructed their previous pianist fled and no one could remember his name. The audience’s attention was always on the stage, not the accompaniment, but I was behind the scenes. Even before I was a teen, I was obsessed with old records, sheet music and films. For the Cockette shows, from 1970-1972, I had this rare opportunity to share my 1920s and ‘30s songs with those who appreciated them. The songs worked well, some in hilarious and ironic ways. Before Scrumbly Koldewyn created all-original scores, we dusted off old classics and revived some neglected songs from way before our time. These songs could range from operettas, old movies, vintage Broadway, and Tin Pan Alley. My collection of vintage sheet music was put to use in many shows.” 

Sylvester was a founding member of the group.  Mr. Mintun shared some memories of Sylvester with us.  “I met Sylvester on stage, probably August of 1970, at an early rehearsal at the Palace Theatre in North Beach. He sat next to me on the bench and noodled a little bit on the keys with me. He requested a few songs that I happily played, and he sang. At the time I naively thought Sylvester was a tall girl with short hair covered by a wool cap. On his arms were many 1940s bracelets that clacked when he played the piano. In San Francisco at this time, gender and sexuality were not important to the young gay community. Our audiences were mixed and nobody could tell, or even care, what your orientation was. Later, after someone told me his name I came to my senses. We became a team and exchanged song ideas and worked up some numbers for each show. I would play piano for all the vintage songs, and he would accompany himself on his gospel numbers. For “Pearls Over Shanghai” I collaborated on one bluesy song, “Jaded Lady,” that became almost a theme song for Sylvester, who could channel the legendary torch singers of our parents’ generation: Mamie Smith, Bessie Smith, Lena Horne. It was not unusual for Sylvester to “stop the show.” He took pride in his elegant and flashy costume ideas, and audiences encouraged him to do more, so we had a few outside engagements. Of course, what we did was so far from mainstream, it was clear we could not afford to maintain the old song format. So he and I went in different directions while maintaining a warm friendship until he died. We both became nationally respected in our chosen fields – he with his Hot Band and me with my repertoire of vintage music.”

It’s possible on some level that underground theatre may have influenced commercial theatre.  Mr. Mintun weighs in on that topic.  “Having been “in” underground theatre, I can’t begin to explain how it influenced commercial theatre. The element of “sexually shocking” theatre was daring fifty years ago, but now everybody has been exposed to it and now nothing is surprising in the theatre except wit and originality.”

On YouTube, Peter Mintun’s Melody Museum currently contains 508 videos of songs mostly from yesteryear.  You should check it out and be exposed to music you may have never heard before.  “Over a decade ago a friend recommended I make videos of some of my favorite songs for YouTube. My plan was to record a song a day, but that became a little too strenuous, so I tapered off. But I still get messages from around the world thanking me for preserving old songs that are hard to hear anywhere else.”

Mr. Mintun is more than content to preserve the legacy of music from a bygone era.  It would behoove you to catch him in one of his rare appearances at Joe’s Pub on September 9^th.  “I occasionally play a concert or special event (like the twice-annual Jazz Age Lawn Party on Governors Island), but otherwise I spend most of my time doing what I have always loved: researching and playing music from the early 1900s.”

COCKETTES: THE SECOND CUMMING

Joe’s Pub at the Public Theater

 Saturday Sept. 9 @ 9:30pm

425 Lafayette St, New York City.

Returning to NYC after a 50-year absence, San Francisco’s legendary,  underground-breaking, gender-bending theatrical troupe, The Cockettes, are bringing their bawdy, colorful, cabaret show to Joe’s Pub celebrating the music of original Cockette Scrumbly Koldewyn. Event produced by Dan Karkoska featuring Matt Bratko, Noah Haydon, Kitten on the Keys, Steven Satyricon, Ellie Stokes, Bonni Suval, Birdie Bob Watt and the “original Cockette,” composer and performance artist Scrumbly Koldewyn.

 TICKETS AVAILABLE NOW
LEARN the history of this Underground-breaking troupe!
Visit them on FACEBOOK and INSTAGRAM and here’s a SNEAK PEEK

Egg Frame Review by Jen Bush
Written by Nicholas Kennedy and Jim Grant
Directed by Lauren McAuliffe and Nicholas Kennedy
Cast: Joshua Koehn, Dayna Michelle Kurtz, Brian Mendoza, Jim Grant, Sara McAuliffe, Gillian Britt, Madelyn Stewich, Abhishek Ojha, Brendan Roque

Nicholas Kennedy is a talented New York based theatre artist and filmmaker.  His latest play Egg Frame had its world premiere at the esteemed American Theatre of Actors.

The ATA describes Egg Frame in this way: A surreal fragmented comedy about memories and losing the ones you love. Egg Frame is told as if it was like listening to a broken record.

In Egg Frame we meet the main character, Allen.  Allen is a locksmith.  There is a particularly troublesome door in the building where he lives.  He can’t seem to get it closed, even with the help of his son-in-law to be and protégé, Jack.   His wife Delores who is suffering from early onset dementia is at home working on her Great Barrier Reef puzzle.  Allen’s daughter Janey will soon be deployed to Afghanistan which the whole family is dealing with in their own way.  Allen’s friend Michael, a drunk police detective with a crumbling marriage comes to investigate a possible break in at the building.  Allen also interacts with the smart mouthed teenage neighbor, Elaine.  During the course of the play, multiple characters face adversity.

 It’s important to take heed of the description.  The first half of Egg Frame is linear and straightforward.  The second half was slightly murky and went off the rails a bit.  That’s ok because you won’t be able to connect the dots with every piece of theatre you see.  Theatre is an artform.  Visual art runs the gamut from realistic portraiture to the abstract.  We can think of Egg Frame as a little abstract.

You’ll go on a roller coaster ride with Egg Frame.  It’s emotionally moving.  There’s a lot of humor and a lot of sadness.  There’s even a little bit of Science Fiction thrown in via the Time Door.  There are themes of love, loss, and illness.  What you might find fractured and confusing could be construed as an artistic manifestation of tragedy.  When there’s a tragedy, life doesn’t make sense.  Everything is out of sorts and gray areas become grayer.  We see this during the course of the play.

There are plenty of opportunities to laugh.  Some characters broke the fourth wall and had some lighthearted interactions with the audience.  Out of nowhere there was a very well-choreographed group disco dance number which was incredibly fun and gave us a break from the heaviness. 

The skilled and talented cast worked well together to bring the story to life.  Having seen Joshua Koehn in a short film, I was already exposed to his acting expertise.  He was simply brilliant in the role of Allen.  He carried the burden of several long monologues and pulled them off without a hitch.  He deftly conveyed a wide spectrum of emotions while possessing a gift for comedy.  Dayna Michelle Kurtz was both endearing and heartbreaking as Delores.  She had a strong ability to connect with the audience on a deep level.  Brian Mendoza gave a comical yet very  powerful portrayal of the detective Michael.  His performance was impactful especially in scenes where he was faced with his own demons.  Real life couple, Gillian Britt and Jim Grant had wonderful chemistry for obvious reasons.  Gillian Britt was skilled at conveying emotion in the absence of dialogue for some scenes.  Jim Grant did well balancing humor with pathos.  He displayed great empathy in his portrayal.  Kudos to  Madelyn Stewich who pulled double duty as the sassy neighbor Lexi and as the mysterious Time Door complete with a Russian accent.  Time Door acted as a portal for the characters to move about through time.  The two characters could not have been more different from each other, and she distinguished them perfectly.  Her comedic timing is also spot on.  You would never know that this is Sara McAuliffe’s first professional role and her Off-Broadway debut as Elaine.  She was just as skilled as everyone else up on stage.  If this is what she’s capable of now, she’s got a bright future ahead of her on stage and screen.  Rounding out the cast were Abhishek Ojha and Brendan Roque as the death messengers.  Just like the soldiers they were portraying; they were in perfect unison with one another.  They were very intense, and they both busted some great moves during the dance sequence.

Under the expert direction of Lauren McAuliffe and Nicholas Kennedy, Egg Frame was a unique and compelling production.  They brought the best out of their actors and successfully executed their vision of the piece.

A really nice touch was having  the super enthusiastic writer/director Nicholas Kennedy address the audience before AND after the show.  He expressed a deep appreciation toward his cast, crew and the audience.  He put us in the right “frame” of mind!

Play It By Ear Web Series Review by Jen Bush

Karen Twins Productions presents Play It By Ear.  This web series examines the challenges of a long-distance relationship.  Mila and Lukas are college sweethearts.  Their plans to move in together after graduation are upended when their respective careers take precedence.  They try to make things work from afar before they will be permanently reunited in a year. 

Play It By Ear is a 6-part romantic comedy web series consisting of short episodes no longer than 19 minutes.  The series is shot somewhat out of sequence.  Episode two takes place six months before episode one.   Mila, who is a native Californian, was planning to move to Amsterdam with Lukas who secured a position as a writer for a magazine there.  He was born in Amsterdam but raised in the U.S.  At the last minute before the planned move, Mila was offered a spot in a prestigious screenwriting program based in her hometown for a year.  The couple agreed to try to make it work on separate continents.  This web series was filmed both in California and Amsterdam.  Some scenes have the actors speaking in Dutch with subtitles.

In episode 1 (Mis Je, Mean It) Mila and Lukas have been apart for several months and both have busy work schedules.  They also have healthy libido!  Folks, if you like masturbation and dirty talk, this is the episode for you!  Right out of the gate after the opening credits the two main characters are engaging in bi-continental mutual masturbation over the phone.  Of course they injected plenty of humor into it like when Lukas’s mother calls in the middle of the pleasure fest.  This scene might be a little jarring for the prudes of the world but it’s a realistic way couples keep the drive alive when they’re miles apart.

Episode 2 (College Boyfriend) goes back in time six months.  Friends and family gather to celebrate Mila’s college graduation.  Mila is questioned about moving to Amsterdam which makes for some awkwardness.  Apparently these two can’t keep their hands off each other.  In another scene, they’re kissing and touching heavily in person when Mila tells Lukas about her screenwriting program.

In episode 3 (Crush) there’s trouble in Paradise.  In Amsterdam, sparks fly between Lukas and his co-worker Fenne while in California, Mila is open to exploring her bi-sexual side with Ridley who is crushing hard on her.  The couple agree to date other people, but they don’t want to be told about it.

In Episode 4 (Crushed) Mila and Lukas date and get intimate with Ridley and Fenne.  While they both have fun, they’ve got each other on their minds.

In episode 5 (College Girlfriend) we witness a huge fight between the couple.  Nothing gets resolved.

In episode 6, the finale, (Liefje, Mean It) Lukas has an epiphany and Mila gets a big surprise when she returns home from another date with Ridley.

Play It By Ear is a fun look at aspects of the modern dating world.  Given the plethora of technology that exists today helping people stay connected, long-distance relationships seem more viable now than ever. 

The cinematography was stunning.  There was a delightful merging of artistic vision and technical skill resulting in a flawless visual translation of the script.  Probably the most beautiful visual moment of all was a dream sequence in which Mila and Lukas were on a candlelit boat for two sailing down a canal in Amsterdam.  The lovely, picturesque backdrop of Amsterdam enhanced the ambience of the film.  The production value was so high, it was hard to believe this was an indie film.  It had the look and feel of a generously budgeted studio project.  Producers Brian Reilly and Dillon Bentlage were meticulous in the execution of putting this series together.  Every episode even had a short behind the scenes video where many of the cast and creatives involved discussed the process and experience of making this series. 

Something that came as a huge surprise to me was that the actors playing the leads were not professional actors.  Dillon Bentlage who produced the series and contributed to the writing and editing played Lukas.  Emily Ann Zisko who contributed to the writing and the directing played Mila.  At no point did I feel that the acting was subpar.  Quite the contrary, I thought they both were rock solid, credible and completely competent.  Everybody else in the cast did a fine job of breathing life into these interesting characters. 

The soundtrack was a significant aspect of the film’s identity that complimented the narrative beautifully.

This web series would be appealing to anyone trying to navigate a relationship, long distance or not.  The series deals with themes of monogamy, jealousy, open relationships, sexuality, and bisexuality.  All the hard work everyone involved put into the series is more than evident.  Play It By Ear is AmsterDAMN good!

New Wave Arts presents Baudelaire’s Passion by Henry Keen for a Special Limited Run: September 21-30, 2023, at The John Cullum Theatre of the American Theatre of Actors
314 West 54th Street, NYC.

An international cast brings Keen’s soaring surreal tale to life in a clever and timely way.

The story – taking a page out of Dante – focuses on Charles Baudelaire, 19th-Century French poet, now suffering in Purgatory.

Saint Peter and Satan do battle over the soul of this “enfant terrible,” and – with the aid of a series of flashbacks – examines Charles’ virtues … and vices. Specters from his life, love, and art, pervade their deliberations. Will darkness or light prevail?  

This world premiere directed by Eduard Tolokonnikov with choreography by Eryc Taylor, with an original score by Nate Sassoon and original artwork by Alfred Rechester, is performed in Russian with English supertitles. The cast includes artists from Ukraine, Georgia, Russia, Siberia, Armenia, and the United States. Ukrainian actor, Eugene Beltukov, plays Baudelaire in his American stage debut.  Beltukov fled the Russia/Ukraine conflict to protect his family in 2022. The cast includes Anna Nesterova, Elena Ouspenskaia, Gala Orlovskaya, Roman Freud, Lev Grzhonko,  Badimir, Iryna Malygina, Zeyna Gagne, Karen Hakobian, and Konstantin Mischtschenko.

The design team includes Alyona Mak (costumes); Lev Chesnov (lighting); Alfred Rechester (art direction and poster design) with Mark Rabinovich serving as technical director. Elena Che is assistant director; Victoria Zharova, general manager; Taniya Kot, movement director; Lilly Sassoon is production assistant and set decorator is Maria Miller. Videos by Anzi Debenedetto.

Tickets are $65 for general admission and $100 for the VIP experience, which includes a special meeting with the cast, additional live performances, invitations to art exhibitions and poetry readings,  as well as joining us for a champagne toast, hors d’oeuvres, and more. A portion of the play’s proceeds will go to charities supporting Ukrainian children. For more information, visit www.baudelairespassion.com

watch the TRAILER

learn about the AUTHOR in UKRAINE