The OPENING of the PS122 building after years of renovation proved to be worth the wait!
The two new spaces – Derek Lloyd stage and Neilma Sidney Theatre – were utilized for the OPENING NIGHT ‘Avant-Garde-Arama.’
Here are my images and video from the AGA Extravaganza on this night!
Opening the show in the Derek Lloyd Stage was Pat Oleszko and her beautiful inflatables.
The theater was packed for the AGA show in the Derek Lloyd theater.
Salley May and the ensemble players bust open the place with a great song and dance exorcism.
Performer list:
Mediums: Jacqueline Zahora, Pedro J. Rosado Jr.
Pure Evil: Salley May and Tony Stinkmetal
Kid Evil-Slayers: Louise May, Annabel Sexton-Daldry, Graham Greene, Lois Houck, and Logan Martinez.
Ghosts: Heidi Dorow, Laurie Berg, Agosto Machado, Nicky Paraiso, Annie Lanzillotto, Simba Yangala, Audrey Kindred, Jodi Bender, Sarah Trignano, Diana Y Greiner, Ed Boland, Jessie Weiner, Lizzie Donahue, Julian Fleisher, David Thorpe, and Sam Zalutsky
Included are photographs from some of the productions including Karen Finley’s “The Theory of Total Blame”. Presented in 1989 at Pyramid Arts Center, Rochester, NY. The cast included Karen Finley, Tom Murrin, Carol McDowell, Gary Ray, Chazz Dean and Michael Owen. Photograph by Dona Ann McAdams
Here is a video of the last Avant-Garde-Arama performance that was presented at that site.
Here is a compilation video I made from photographs and video I shot at the Friday, June 17th AGA. It has the stills from the show embedded in the video of the finale WRECKING BALL! It was a great show. Murray Hill hosted the evening. Very Funny! The following performers were on hand to add pizazz to the night’s festivities. Tom Murrin (the Alien Comic), Tigger, John Kelly, Lucy Sexton (the Factress), The Dazzle Dancers, Julie Atlas Muz, Hank and Cupcakes. The show finished with a accordion solo by Geo and everyone sang the Ethyl Eichelberger song ‘We Are Women Who Survive”.
In the basement was the Lori E. Seid cafe.
Dixon Place, a non-profit organization, was founded in 1986 to provide a space for literary and performing artists to create and develop new works in front of a live audience. Our mission to support and nurture the development of new work and work in progress from diverse artists and to build new audiences for the work.
Tom Murrin‘s play “Son of Cock-Strong” (1970) was performed as a work-in-progress at The Club @ La Mama on April 26th, 2014.
Here are a few photographs from the evening’s reading with captions by Peculiar Works Project.
“Ralph Lewis led Peculiar Works troupers on a wild ride to the top in Son of Cock-Strong. This non-sequel sequel (originally directed in 1970 by La MaMa bad boy John Vaccaro) follows Arthur Cock-Strong Jr.’s rise to power in a ridiculous musical with new compositions by Spencer Katzman.”
The Son of Cock-Strong, Kevin Percival wins a musical motorcycle race as Mick Hilgers’ villain peddles on.
Mick Hilgers lost the race but is good sport enough to join Kevin’s Cock-Strong, Jr. in a soulful duet, played by Spencer Katzman, Rob Gaines and Rob Mitzner.
Sylvia Milo’s flight attendant gives the boarding announcements—yes, Tom’s play takes a wild turn the airport.
A little girl (Caiti Lattimer) is stalked by a nefarious walkie-talkie puppet.
Arthur Cock-Strong, Jr. (Kevin Percival) pleads his case to Tim Cusack’s evil doctor.
Catherine Porter’s televangelist, St. Love, clowns for the congregation.
The congregation gets whipped into a joyful frenzy by Spencer Katzman’s original music with (l-to-r) Megan Cooper, Rachel Naar, Denis Gawley, Gabriele Schafer and Caiti Lattimer.
Kevin’s Arthur Jr. thinks we hit it on the nose, but St. Love’s hand-me-down protuberance is not long for this world.
Arthur Sr. and Mom died in their sleep, but Stan Baker and Megan Cooper brought them back to life.
In this peculiar play, one character starts as a make-up artist and ends as the President’s exercise instructor – and Joyce Miller made it work.
Cristi Castro as Aphasia struggles to recall the lyrics to a song she can’t sing.
Uncle Charlie sends everyone home happy (Gabriele Schafer, under all the hair, make-up, and Angela Harner’s costume)
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Director: Ralph Lewis
Producer: Barry Rowell
Composer: Spencer Katzman
Musical Director: Megan Cooper
Projection Designer: King Man Ho
Magic Consultant: Tom Klem
Interactivity Consultant: Jeff Wirth
Performers: Stan Baker, Cristi Castro, Megan Cooper, Tim Cusack, Rob Gaines, Denis Gawley, Mick Hilgers, King Man Ho, Spencer Katzman, Caiti Lattimer,Joyce Miller, Sylvia Milo, Rachel Naar, Kevin Percival, Catherine Porter, Gabriele Schafer
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Tom Murrin (1939–2012) was best known as a pioneering performance artist of the East Village scene, turning trash into treasure in his uniquely entertaining shows. But he began as one of the first generation of La MaMa playwrights and continued to write and present plays throughout his life. His influence on generations of artists spanning theater, performance art, and dance was profound and continues today.
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The OBIE award-winning Peculiar Works Project creates, develops and presents original multi-disciplinary performances that are accessible and fun for diverse audiences. Since 1993, we’ve performed in unconventional spaces because we believe unique sites impact our work, the work in turn impacts the site, and audiences then experience both in surprising new ways. We encourage collaboration, experimentation and a rebel spirit in artists by providing them with the tools and opportunities necessary to develop new alternative performances. We have presented site-specific productions in landmark buildings, gutted storefronts and other peculiar sites throughout NYC.
Readings of Tom Murrin’s short and hilarious plays “Whores on the Range” and “Hide The Baloney”.
Read by (not in order) Kate Benson, CD Clifford, Cary Curran, Anne Iobst, Lucy Sexton, Karen Finley and Reno.
Lucy Sexton introduces the evenings festivities.
Cary Curran performs a sexual psychic.
Kate Benson performs.
CD Clifford does a private eye monolog.
Reno performs a ‘BIG’ football game monolog.
Lucy Sexton and Anne Iobst are high kickin gals in “Whores on the Range”.
Lucy Sexton, Kate Benson, Anne Iobst and Cary Curran behind the bar.
CD Clifford and Reno performing.
Cast members take a well deserved “Curtain Call”.
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Readings of Murrin's short and hilarious play "Whores on the Range". Directed by Lucy Sexton. The Tom Murrin Full Moon Performance Festival was held at La Mama from April 17th thru 27th.
Andrew Schneider is a multimedia artist, designer, and performer living in New York City. He is the co-founder and Associate Artistic Director of the Chicago-based theatre company, BigPictureGroup. His solo performance work has been seen at P.S.122, The Prelude Festival, Monkey Town, and The Tank. His multimedia devices have been featured in Wired, TimeOut NY, Maker Faire, SIGGRAPH, The Telfair Museum of Art, and at the Center Pompidou in Paris. His Solar Bikini has been featured internationally. His current projects include Experimental Devices for Performance (.com) and Acting Stranger (.com). Andrew Holds a Masters Degree in Interactive Telecommunications from NYU. Find out more at http://andrewjs.com
Gary Ray (director) introduces the illustrious cast.The gang reminisce about an outstanding orgy at church last Wednesday nite.The hosts of the swingers get-together Zeroboy(Tal) and Kiki Flynn (Jan).Mike Amato (Pete)cringes as his wife Celest Villanueva (Geri) explains the joys of good firm balls!Michele Carlo (Marie) does not like Diane’s accusations one bit.Mike Amato, Celest Villanueva and Michele Carlo love the sport of swinging!Penny Arcade is not happy that a few swingers are breaking the rules by kissing.Matthew Wells read the stage directions with glorious enthusiasm!Walter Novak (Bill) watches as Penny Arcade demonstrates on her husband Regge Allan Bruce (Cal).The swingers relax for a moment while Bill and Rev.Bone enjoy each other in the bed room.Gary Ray (Rev. Bone) testifies that fuck, suck & run amok were the true first 3 commandments.Celest Villanueva (Geri) the experienced swinger.Penny Arcade (Diane) discusses the health benefits of swinging!Kiki Flynn (Jan) says let’s get this party started right!!!
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Sport-F*ckers looks at the world of suburban swingers and the issues that arise during an intense sex party! First produced in 1999 at Theatre For The New City, it’s back as a staged reading for the Tom Murrin Festival with a hilarious cast of downtown notables including; Kiki Flynn, Penny Arcade, ZeroBoy, Celest Villanueva, Mike Amato, Michele Carlo, Regge Allan Bruce, Walter Novak, Matthew Wells and directed by Gary Ray.
I often spoke with Tom Murrin over the year about his work in context of visual art. A writer, an entertainer, performance artist, actor, provocateur, itinerant hit0and-run showman, and in the loosest sense community organizer and teacher. Tom never wanted to differentiate between the various aspects of his creative practice and engagement with the world. As long as it was understood that everything- Luna Macaroona, The Alien Comic, Tom Trash and Jack Bump, be it Balloon Theater or Avant-Garde-A-Rama, playing Punk Rock clubs, playgrounds and theaters alike, playwriting or journalism, where he supported many generations of younger performance artists- was of one entirety. If I told him that the effects and artifacts of his craft would be fitting, even appropriate, in an art gallery, he could be both chuffed and humbled by the compliment. A man who envisioned “audience” in the broadest possible terms, including even the unsuspecting passerby, Tom Murrin was totally fine with however anyone chose to read his work. This show, an opportunity to see how a selection of Tom Murrin’s costumes, props, masks, and ephemera functions in the domain of fine art, is a continuation of that ongoing conversation. Tom defined performance art as ‘anything done with purpose and style,” which seems as fitting a description as any for how he invested in everything. He had the motives and meanings that made it art.
Carlo McCormick, April 2014
Magical Ridiculous Legacy of Alien Comic is an assembly of objects, costumes and ephemera from the Tom Murrin archive. This collection is largely focused on the Los Angeles-born Murrin’s longterm tenure in the New York performance art scene that had its heyday in the 1980s. Murrin’s frequent Full Moon Shows, dedicated to his muse Luna Macaroona the Moon Goddess, are in evidence, as well as ephemera from his around-the-world tour in the 1970s. A collage of Alien Comic video clips compiled by filmmaker Larry Fessenden will play during the exhibition.
6 East 1st Street, NYC 10003 – Wed thru Sun 1-7:30pm
Opening the show in the Derek Lloyd Stage was Pat Oleszko and her beautiful inflatables.
The theater was packed for the AGA show in the Derek Lloyd theater.
Salley May and the ensemble players bust open the place with a great song and dance exorcism.
Performer list:
Spiderwoman Theater (Muriel Miguel & Gloria Miguel) had some stories to tell.
Murray Hill was on hand hob-nobbing with the crowd in the hallway.
Lois Weaver and Holly Hughes having a drink together.
Hanging out near the bar before the performance was Patti Spliff.
James Godwin (performing in the Neilma Sidney Theater) and Gary Ray.
The sound and lighting crew did a great job running the shows in both theaters.
