Tarhearted.

IT HAS A GOOD BEAT AND YOU CAN DANCE TO IT.

I'm crushing super hard on this Gordon Voidwell single, Ivy League Circus. If there's any justice in the world this song will blow up right away.

A mix of Prince, The Tom Tom Club and old school Madonna, Gordon Voidwell manages to skewer the culture of privilege with a dance beat. The fact that he's adorable doesn't hurt his cause either. If I were a twelve-year-old girl I'd be writing his name on my trapper keeper right this instant.

BEING THERE IN 2011.

(Cross posted to the Youngblog.)

In the spirit of being there, I thought it would be nice to lay out who exactly I'd be showing up for in 2011. Who are the artists and companies I love? Whose shows do I recommend following in 2011? The writers of Youngblood, obviously, but also these:

The Debate Society
http://thedebatesociety.org/

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Debate Society is made up of actors Paul Thureen and Hannah Bos as well as director Oliver Butler. Buddy Cop 2 was one of my favorite shows of 2010, and its ironic title (and marketing image) belie what a smart, funny, natural, and touching piece it is. It's being remounted at The Atlantic in January. Don't miss it!

 

Half Straddle

http://www.halfstraddle.com/

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I love, love, love Half Straddle and the work of their resident playwright, Tina Satter. The girls and gays of Half Straddle combine poetic language with comedy and music and dancing in ways that are surprising and delicious. Tina Satter's Family was another one of my favorite shows of 2010. Their description: "Twenty-year old Lily is about to be impregnated with Rudolf Nureyev’s frozen sperm to make her mother happy. Little sister Frarajaca wants to stage an artistic gangbang. And Mum doesn’t want to deal with anymore goddamn idiots. It’s a family drama. Sort of." Amazing! My beloved Jess Barbagallo (from MilkMilkLemonade) is also a member of this company.

 

Michael Yates Crowley

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I reviewed Michael Yates Crowley's Evanston: A Rare Comedy at PS 122 a while back and have been following his stuff ever since. He runs theater company Wolf 359 and a monthly salon series, Hearth Gods. Wolf 359 "takes a chainsaw to language and pretension to create a new kind of American theater." A to the motherfucking MEN. Michael is in the Soho Rep Writers/Directors Lab this year and I can't wait for his reading.

Joe Tracz

Full disclosure: Joe and I have worked together before. Not that this matters, really, since I'm not a critic. Joe is one of the brightest, funniest, nicest, cutest playwrights I know and a member of Ars Nova's Play Group. He writes plays about gay werewolves and dance parties aboard satellites. Enough said. He is really, really taking off.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Amoralists

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

What can I say about The Amoralists that hasn't already been said? They are probably the single most important theater company downtown and resident playwright Derek Ahonen has a real set of brass balls. This is what mainstream theater would look like if it weren't so boring and dusty.

And finally, Little Lord

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

http://www.littlelord.org/Little_Lord/home.html

I'll confess to being partial to a junky, toy theater aesthetic and the Little Lords have mastered it. Little Lord "manipulates classic texts, pillages faulty nostalgias, and celebrates the homemade as a means to create vibrantly bawdy, offbeat, intelligent, queer, funny (and often musical) theater." I loved, loved, loved their version of Babes in Toyland with David Greenspan and I look forward to their version of the tale of John Smith and Pocahontas.

Happy New Year!

BRUNCH OF THE LIVING DEAD.

 

My play is inspired by 70's teenagers getting scary phone calls a la Black Christmas.

It's going to rule so hard.

More info:

If you think the weather outside is FRIGHTFUL... What better way to spend the very first Sunday of the New Year than cowering under your seat, clutching your bloody mary in abject terror.  Welcome [creaking door noises] to the BRUNCH OF THE LIVING DEAD... Six (it's a bonus pack!) brand new short plays in the horror/thriller/slasher genre.  Laughs, chills, thrills, creepy voices, a new musical -- we've got it all.  Kick baby New Year right in the diaper with the YOUNGBLOOD SUNDAY BRUNCH.   SKIING WITH JESUS by Lydia Brunner directed by Lila Neugebauer with Lucia Brizzi, Darcy Fowler and Nedra McClyde PASS IT ON  by Joshua Conkel directed by John Giampietro with Loren Brown*, Molly Carden and Maya MacDonald THE HORROR by Darcy Fowler directed by Moritz von Stuelpnagel* with Geneva Carr*, Frank Harts and Seth Kirschner BYE BYE VERONICA by Patrick Link directed by Jason Bruffy with Dylan Dawson, Julie Leedes* and Shawn Randall MURDERTOWN a new musical by Eric March directed by Abigail Zealey Bess* with Robert Askins, William Jackson Harper* and Bobby Moreno THE INNOCENT  by Erica Saleh directed by Kel Haney with Jackie Chung*, Jared McGuire and Megan Tusing * member of Ensemble Studio Theatre Five brand new plays, plus our fabulous BRUNCH BUFFET of pancakes, eggs, bacon, pastries and our fiscally irresposible open bar - all for just $18!  Special holiday beverages may be had! Reservations are ABSOLUTELY ESSENTIAL! boxoffice@ensemblestudiotheatre.org or call (212) 247-4982 x105 Sunday, January 2 doors open at 12:30pm for the buffet (food goes fast so get there early!) show starts at 1pm PLEASE NOTE: We usually have a waiting list, so any reservation not picked up by 10 minutes before curtain time can NOT be guaranteed. Ensemble Studio Theatre 2nd Floor 549 West 52nd Street (bet. 10/11)

MARKETING FAIL.

Wow.

I can't with this.