Opening Night: Fandango For Butterflies (and Coyotes)

Tony Shalhoub, Anne Hamburger and Brooke Adams 

Post-Opening Reception

Silvia Dionicio with the cast and audience members

Jen Anaya (center)

The cast and audience at the post-show fandango

 All photos by Theo Cote

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La MaMa presents

Fandango for Butterflies 

(and Coyotes)

An En Garde Arts Production 

Directed by José Zayas 
Written by Andrea Thome 
Music by Sinuhé Padilla

February 6 - 15, 2020     

Ellen Stewart Theatre
66 East 4th Street
(between Bowery and Second Avenue)
New York, NY 10003

Tickets: $25 Adults, $20 Students/Seniors

For Tickets and Info: CLICK HERE

New La MaMa Podcast: Albert Poland

In the new episode of the La MaMa Podcast,  La MaMa Director of Audience Development John Issendorf speaks with Albert Poland, whose memoir STAGES looks at his life and 43 year career in NYC theater.

ALBERT POLAND, in his 43 year career in the New York theatre, served as general manager for more than 90 productions including The Homecoming, Talk Radio, Glengarry Glen Ross (Tony Award, Best Revival), Hugh Jackman in The Boy From Oz, Long Day’s Journey Into Night (Tony Award, Best Revival), and Gore Vidal’s The Best Man, Dirty Blonde, The Last Night of Ballyhoo (Tony Award, Best Play), The Grapes of Wrath (Tony Award, Best Play), As Is (Drama Desk Award, Best Play), The Price, the original productions of Little Shop of Horrors (Drama Critics, Drama Desk, Outer Critics Best Musical), Steel Magnolias, and One Mo’ Time as well as Bill W. and Dr. Bob, Steve Martin’s Picasso at the Lapin Agile (Drama Desk, Best Play), Uta Hagen in Mrs. Klein, Eileen Heckart in The Waverly Gallery, Always Patsy Cline, Sam Shepard’s A Lie of the Mind (Drama Critics, Drama Desk, Outer Critics Best Play), Vanities, David Mamet’s A Life in the Theatre, The Neon Woman, Tommy Tune Atop the Village Gate, Let My People Come, Stephen Sondheim’s Marry Me a Little and Tom Lehrer’s Tomfoolery. Mr. Poland operated the Astor Place Theatre from 1977 through 2000, during which time it was host to such long runs as A Coupla White Chicks, The Dining Room, The Foreigner, and Blue Man Group. He is the Co-Editor/Author, with Bruce Mailman, of The Off-Off Broadway Book published in 1972 by Bobbs-Merrill. As a performer, he appeared at Carnegie Hall, La Mama, Judson Poets Theater and the Village Gate. Mr. Poland’s first venture in show business was as the founding president of The Official Judy Garland Fan Fan Club in 1955.
CLICK HERE TO LISTEN TO THE PODCAST

Interview with Andrea Thome of Fandango For Butterflies (and Coyotes)

Playwright Andrea Thome took time out from rehearsals to sit down and talk about her new show, Fandango For Butterflies (and Coyotes) which begins performances on Thursday, February 6, 2020 at The Ellen Stewart Theatre at La MaMa.
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La MaMa presents

Fandango for Butterflies 

(and Coyotes)

An En Garde Arts Production 

Directed by José Zayas 
Written by Andrea Thome 
Music by Sinuhé Padilla

February 6 - 15, 2020     

Ellen Stewart Theatre
66 East 4th Street
(between Bowery and Second Avenue)
New York, NY 10003

Tickets: $25 Adults, $20 Students/Seniors

For Tickets and Info: CLICK HERE

6 Questions for Silvia Dionicio of Fandango for Butterflies (and Coyotes)

Silvia Dionicio is part of the cast of Fandango for Butterflies (and Coyotes), which begins performances this week in the Ellen Stewart Theatre at La MaMa.  Silvia took time out from rehearsals to answer our 6 Questions.  Come join the Fandango beginning February 6, 2020!  There are only 8 performances at La MaMa, so get your tickets now! 

1. What does the word fandango mean to you?
This is actually my first experience with Fandango! Til the beginning of rehearsals I’d never actually been to one. And as of now I’ve been to 3 and I love them. They are a welcoming, warm, fun and a symbol of cultures. And it’s nice to speak mostly if not completely Spanish for once.

2. How do you describe your role in Fandango for Butterflies (and Coyotes)?
I think my character in this play represents: the “audience” (she’s an “outsider”) she’s never been to a Fandango, she doesn’t really know what it is. Yet she is welcomed with open arms and in a matter of minutes she becomes part of this family! And I think that’s what we are doing! We are opening up to the audience, telling them who we are who Latin Immigrants really are, sharing a little piece of us, our music and our stories.

3. What is the experience of performing in both English and Spanish?
It’s been great to play back and forth with the Spanish and English, in an honest, not forced way! It’s really interesting because rehearsals were the same way, a non stop back and forth of Spanish and English. And it was nothing but heartwarming.

4. How would you describe the music by Sinuhé Padilla in Fandango?
BEAUTIFUL AND HAUNTING! I would literally go home unable to stop singing his lyrics.

5. What have you learned from these stories of undocumented immigrants from Latin America living in New York?
I’ve learned a LOT about how hard the whole process of crossing can be, how scary, how haunting! Is just so shocking and beautiful how far people will go to create a better future for themselves and their family (as well as safety).

6. What does working at La MaMa mean to you?
Oh this is definitely an “Acting Goal” from my bucket list! Plus I get to tell a story that is so close to me with such amazing people!

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La MaMa presents

Fandango for Butterflies 

(and Coyotes)

An En Garde Arts Production 

Directed by José Zayas 
Written by Andrea Thome 
Music by Sinuhé Padilla

February 6 - 15, 2020     

Ellen Stewart Theatre
66 East 4th Street
(between Bowery and Second Avenue)
New York, NY 10003

Tickets: $25 Adults, $20 Students/Seniors

For Tickets and Info: CLICK HERE

6 Questions for Hideki Noda of ONE GREEN BOTTLE

Renowned Japanese theater artist Hideki Noda comes to La MaMa with ONE GREEN BOTTLE.  Hideki wrote, directs and stars in the show that begins performances on February 29, 2020.  Hideki took time out from rehearsals in Japan to answer our 6 Questions about that show and working at La MaMa.


1. What inspired you to write ONE GREEN BOTTLE?
I wrote a sort of portrait of a disconnected family on a self-destructive course. It parallels to a portrait of our society that faces the issue about over consumerism and too much technology in a ‘selfie’ community.

2. What does the title mean?
The song of “One Green Bottle” shows that Ten green bottles hanging on the wall becomes no green bottle by accidentally falling one by one. When I listened to this song for the first time, I thought that it symbolizes our community all over the world. In an environmental way, a spiritual way and a physical way how many bottles are we diminishing form ten bottles to?

3. Who do you play in ONE GREEN BOTTLE?
I play a role of Boo.(the wife of this family)

4. Why is cross-gender casting important to the show?
Male actor can think of a role of female in a family and a society through a role of female he plays. And female actor vice versa.

5. What is the most difficult thing about directing a show you are also acting in? 
For instance, when I’m performing as an actor, I come up with the new idea as a director. I can’t stop the show. Then after the show, I totally forget the fantastic new idea as if you realize that you forget everything after you wake up when you believed you dreamt an amazing dream.

6. What does working at La MaMa mean to you?
My legend of the theatre, Shuji Terayama (Japanese director)’s production was performed at La MaMa. I have known the name of La MaMa since I was in my teens. Also, the name of La MaMa has been a legend for a long time. I feel so honored to perform at La MaMa.

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La MaMa in association with

Tokyo Metropolitan Theatre and NODA・MAP 

presents 

ONE GREEN BOTTLE 

Written and Directed by Hideki Noda 

English Translation adapted by Will Sharpe 

Featuring: Hideki Noda, Lilo Baur and Glyn Pritchard 

February 29 - March 8, 2020 

Ellen Stewart Theatre 

66 East 4th Street 

(between Bowery and Second Avenue) 

New York, NY 10003 

Tickets: $35 Adult; $30 Student/Senior Tickets 

For Tickets and Info: CLICK HERE