We're thrilled to formally invite all MadShaggers to NOT HER (AND OTHER EXILES), a new 50-minute evening of short plays we're producing at the beautiful, new multi-million dollar theatre complex at Dixon Place. The cast is extraordinary, the designers are on the top of their game, and the plays are stunning glimpses at what it means to be an outsider in America.

Reservations are easily made at http://www.dixonplace.org for either of our two performances. Let us know you'll be attending, so we can make sure to find you there!

Labels: MadShag News, New York City, Not Her

We are very excited to announce two new projects currently in development at MadShag, both of which will be making their premieres in the months to come. One is an adaptation, one an inspiration...and both firmly rooted in the collaborative ethos of MPG.



Having just experienced the extraordinary presidential campaign of Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton, playwright Gretchen Michelfeld uses the lens of Samuel Beckett to explore the struggles of her candidacy, defeat, and the implications for women who rail daily against the barriers of gender. This solo performance is currently in development, and will be staged in 2009...when the electoral frenzy will have given way to some serious contemplation.



Twelve playwrights from around the country will join forces to adapt the earliest masterpiece of creative fiction -- The Epic of Gilgamesh, the legendary series of Sumerian and Babylonian poems about the magnificent hero-king, who may have been an actual ruler in the 27th century BC. THE SLEEPING AND THE DEAD is a massive collaboration project shared among two dozen amazing artists in total, who together will explore the themes of gender, friendship, ritual and power – and the humanity that persists when ambition exceeds its grasp. This piece is being developed and workshopped for an early 2009 production, conceived and directed by Gabriel Shanks with lead dramaturg Kay Mitchell.

Labels: MadShag News, New York City

We're thrilled to finally share with the MadShaggers the new premiere that Gabriel has been directing this month -- Charles Borkhuis' PRESENT TENSE, May 23rd and 24th at The Brick Theater. It's a clever and mind-stretching new play; we'd love to get your feedback and thoughts on this multiple-dimension, wormhole-stretching new work about actors, audiences, and the infinite space between the two. It's part of the Tiny Theatre Festival, co-produced by the Ontological-Hysteric and The Brick; there are six short plays in total, 90 nonstop minutes. Come enjoy!

Labels: drama, New York City, Present Tense

The premiere of Dennis Blackwell and Jason Hart: In Concert is less than a week away at The Metropolitan Room, and we couldn't be more excited that so many of you are coming to see it! As a special treat, Dennis and Jason recently went into the studio and recorded one of the songs, the unforgettable Lerner/Lane classic "Come Back To Me", just for the blog listeners! You can now hear and download the track for FREE for a limited time.

And if you haven't made your reservations yet, call (212) 206-0440 right away (no credit card necessary). Seats are going very rapidly for both performances. I can't wait to see you there!

Labels: Dennis Blackwell and Jason Hart, MadShag News, New York City

We're proud to finally announce our casts for SUMMER IN THE GARDEN, our staged reading series happening next month. MadShag is presenting two classic British comedies that break out of their rooms and hurl themselves headlong into their well-manicured lawns -- comedy so big, it can't stay in the living room! Both plays are celebrations of wit, laughter, and family dysfunction...a most entertaining afternoon, wouldn't you say? Gabriel and Kay are directing, and best of all, they're FREE! Plus drinks and nibbles! Put it on your calendar now, and remember to RSVP by phone (646-220-2520) or by e-mail, because seating is limited.

Labels: comedy, New York City, Summer in the Garden

Conquest of the Universe (at the OFF STAGE Festival) closed last night, and if you missed it...you really missed out! Each night, on the corner of Bowery and 4th in the East Village, our intrepid group of interstellar drag queens, kabuki maids and glitter kings -- Madshag veterans Oscar Castillo (Stealing Pears) and Lars Preece (The Madness of Lady Bright), along with newcomers Jason Martin and Matthew Cummings -- held court on the streets of New York, battling the equally fabulous Barbarella-meets-Xena cast of Chris Mirto's version (Trish, LeShay, Jesse and Carter rock!). In addition to across-the-board rave reviews for the event, we enjoyed the Bowery's gawking tour buses, overly sexual homeless people, threats of rain, Canadian honeymooners, tranny chasers, Gay Pride celebrants, and more drunk NYU frat boys than one should ever see in one lifetime. But we also had over 1,000 enthusiastic audience members who laughed, screamed, and clapped along with our zany street theatre. Thanks to our producers, Peculiar Works Project, for the unforgettable experience. (But now, we'd like to do a play inside a theatre again, thanks!)

Labels: Conquest of the Universe, New York City

We're thrilled to note that our frequent producers and longtime artistic collaborators, Peculiar Works Project, received an OBIE Award Grant yesterday in honor of last October's The Village Fragments. We're doubly thrilled, because the Fragments included a MadShag play, The Madness of Lady Bright by Lanford Wilson, in its run. Which means we kinda, sorta, halfway-won an OBIE too! Huzzah for us, huzzah for Peculiar Works, and huzzah to Gretchen, Steve, Lars, Kay and Gabriel, who created such an marvelous (and apparently, award-worthy) piece of theatre!
MadShag is gearing up for a second run in The Village Fragments next month, in the East Village this time...where we'll be presenting Charles Ludlam's whacked-out intergalactic drag comedy Conquest of the Universe or When Queens Collide. Director Gabriel Shanks will be collaborating with our talented buddy Christopher Mirto to bring two totally different productions to life...and then have the two ensembles throwdown in a theatrical street brawl! It's all loosely inspired by historical facts from the 1960's, and will be a lot of fun. The event begins on June 14th (and Kay is directing a separate piece, too!). For tickets and other info, check out Peculiar Works' website next week.

Labels: Conquest of the Universe, New York City

Labels: elsewhere, New York City

Labels: New York City, other theatre

The premiere of Charles L. Mee's latest play, GONE, begins February 1st at 59E59 Theatres, under the direction of MadShag buddy Kenn Watt and co-produced by Kenn's company The Fifth Floor. Mee is one of the most interesting playwrights of our era, and this piece, featuring Proust, Ginsberg, obituaries and made-for-TV movies, promises to be truly exceptional. They've put up a You Tube trailer for the play (so cool!); watch it and grab tickets at TicketCentral.

Labels: New York City, other theatre

Finally, we've got pictures to share of our incredibly fun, site-specific, outdoor production of Lanford Wilson's The Madness of Lady Bright from last fall (part of Off Stage: The West Village Fragments, produced by Peculiar Works Project). For those of you who didn't get a chance to see the performances, you can relive the cold weather, the street traffic, and the yellow pasty street lamps lining Cornelia Street. (And to the resilient, dedicated cast -- Steve Hauck, Gretchen Michelfeld, and Lars Preece -- we miss you very much!)

More photos, reviews, and other goodies about Lady Bright can be found on our Productions page. Seeing these images again, we can't wait to start working on the East Village Fragments, coming in June 2007.

Labels: drama, New York City, The Madness of Lady Bright