NY Times: Meryl Streep, Diane Lane and Others on the Legacy of Elizabeth Swados

Eric Grode did a fantastic piece on Elizabeth Swados in The New York Times in conjunction with several projects that are currently happening, including productions of Runaways and Nightclub Cantata and the posthumous publication of her novel, Walking The Dog.

Randy Ruiz and Diane Lane in the original Off Broadway production of “Runaways.” 

Credit Martha Swope/Billy Rose Theater Division, NYPL for the Performing Arts      

"Her knowledge and precision in pronunciation of the ancient Greek texts were invaluable to everyone. There were sounds involved that are not part of the English language at all. She had confidence in her gut and in the guttural!" 

- Diane Lane

" For mentors to be truly great, they need to get something out of the relationship as well. And I think she really fed off working with young people. She had the drive and the energy and the curiosity of a teenager in many ways. And unlike many of us directors who sit behind the table and ask others to do crazy [stuff], she would be the first one on her feet doing it. She was the first one to be vulnerable." 

- Trip Cullman

Elizabeth Swados in 1991. Credit Sara Krulwich/The New York Times       

Read the full article HERE. 

Explore the La MaMa Archives Digital Collection

Nice write-up, in The New York Times, by Joshua Barone about the newly expanded Digital Collection of the La MaMa Archives!

"Their names read like a who’s who of the past half-century’s downtown performance scene. Among them: the playwright Sam Shepard, the composer Meredith Monk and the transgender actress and Warhol superstar Candy Darling. Early works by these artists and dozens more are coming to light Monday when La MaMa, the East Village performance space synonymous with the downtown avant-garde, releases an expanded version of its digital collections website."

Click here to read the full article.

And spend some time browsing the La MaMa Archives: Digital Collection!

Reviews Are In For I'M BLEEDING ALL OVER THE PLACE

"A meditation on the process of creation and the weirdness of reception...an exploration of the uncomfortable, potentially hostile gap between artist and audience." 

- Alexis Soloski, The New York Times

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"a visceral, thoughtful, compelling piece that works with the audience to create meaning. A stellar effort that is not to be missed." 

- Adrienne Sowers, The Reviews Hub

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Director Brooke O'Harra's "sly brilliance shines at every moment."

- Helen Shaw, Time Out New York

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La MaMa presents

I'M BLEEDING ALL 

OVER THE PLACE: 

A LIVING HISTORY TOUR

written text by Brooke O’Harra and Casey Llewellyn

with Erin Courtney, Kristen Kosmas and Heidi Schreck 

Original music by Brendan Connelly

Performed by Becca Blackwell, Jane Bradley, Hye Young Chyun, Sharon Hayes, Laryssa Husiak, Anna Kohler, Zave Martohardjono, Greg Merhten, Alexander Paris, and Tanya Selvaratnam

June 16 - June 26, 2016 

Click Here for exact tour schedules

Ellen Stewart Theatre

66 East 4th Street

(between Bowery and Second Avenue)

New York, NY 10003

Tickets: Adult: $25; Student & Seniors: $20

For Tickets & Info: CLICK HERE

La MaMa's Coffeehouse Chronicles

History told by the people who made it!

As the 54th season draws to a close, we look back at La MaMa's Coffeehouse Chronicles.  
Stay tuned for our announcement about La MaMa's 55th Season!

La MaMa Coffeehouse Chronicles

Series Director: Michal Gamily
Educational Outreach: Arthur Adair

First Look: I'M BLEEDING ALL OVER THE PLACE

La MaMa presents

I'M BLEEDING 

ALL OVER 

THE PLACE: 

A LIVING HISTORY TOUR

written text by Brooke O’Harra and Casey Llewellyn

with Erin Courtney, Kristen Kosmas and Heidi Schreck 

Original music by Brendan Connelly

Performed by Becca Blackwell, Jane Bradley, Hye Young Chyun, Sharon Hayes, Laryssa Husiak, Anna Kohler, Zave Martohardjono, Greg Merhten, Alexander Paris, and Tanya Selvaratnam

June 16 - June 26, 2016 

Click Here for exact tour schedules

Ellen Stewart Theatre

66 East 4th Street

(between Bowery and Second Avenue)

New York, NY 10003

Tickets: Adult: $25; Student & Seniors: $20

For Tickets & Info: CLICK HERE

Interview with Director Brooke O'Hara

AXS Contributor Meagan Meehan spoke with director Brooke O'Hara about her new piece, I'M BLEEDING ALL OVER THE PLACE: A LIVING HISTORY TOUR - coming to La MaMa June 16 - 26, 2016.

"The best thing about the industry is that theater happens live and that it has quirky conventions that form a kind of shared language. I love that it takes so many people to realize an event for an audience and those people have to work incredibly hard to be both collaborative and distinct. And then some guy from wherever (or maybe your best friend or lover) shows up and has an experience right there in the room with everybody."

Read the full interview: HERE

Space for each tour is limited, so advance purchase recommended.

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La MaMa presents
I’m Bleeding All 
Over the Place: 
A Living History Tour 
written text by Brooke O’Harra and Casey Llewellyn, with Erin Courtney, Kristen Kosmas and Heidi Schreck.
Original music by Brendan Connelly. 
Performers include Becca Blackwell, Jane Bradley, Hye Young Chyun, Sharon Hayes, Laryssa Husiak, Anna Kohler, Zave´ Martohardjono, Greg Merhten, Alexander Paris, and Tanya Selvaratnam.

June 16 - June 26, 2016

Ellen Stewart Theatre
66 East 4th Street (2nd Floor)
New York, NY 10003

Tickets: Adult: $25;Student & Seniors: $20

For Tickets & Info: CLICK HERE

Vivien Goldman speaks with Sukhdev Sandhu about CHERCHEZ LA FEMME

On Sunday June 5, 2016 we held a post-show conversation between Cherchez La Femme co-author Vivien Goldman and Sukhdev Sandhu, Director of the Colloquium for Unpopular Culture at New York University,  immediately following the 4pm performance.

Post show conversation with Cherchez La Femme from La MaMa on Vimeo.

In case you missed it you can watch it above!

La MaMa presents

CHERCHEZ 

LA FEMME:

The Musical

Book by: August Darnell and Vivien Goldman

Music and Lyric by: August Darnell and Stony Browder Jr.

Directed by: Angie Kristic

Choreographed by: Kyndra 'Binkie' Reevey

Now - June 12, 2016

The Ellen Stewart Theatre

66 East 4th Street

(between Bowery and Second Avenue)

New York, NY 10003

Tickets: $35 Adults; $30 Students/Seniors

For Tickets and Info: CLICK HERE

 .

Meet the cast of I'M BLEEDING ALL OVER THE PLACE

Becca Blackwell

 Jane Bradley

Hye Young Chyun

Sharon Hayes

Laryssa Husiak

Anna Kohler

Zave Martohardjono

, Greg Merhten

 Alexander Paris

 Tanya Selvaratnam

La MaMa presents
I'M BLEEDING 
ALL OVER 
THE PLACE: 
A Living History Tour
Created by Brooke O’Harra

Text by Brooke O’Harra and Casey Llewellyn, with Erin Courtney, Kristen Kosmas and Heidi Schreck.

June 16 - June 26, 2016

Tours start every 30 minutes
(7:00, 7:30, 8:00 and 3:00, 3:30, 4:00 on Saturdays and Sundays)

Ellen Stewart Theatre

66 East 4th Street

New York, NY 10003 

Tickets: Adult: $25; Student & Seniors: $20

Tickets and Info: CLICK HERE

BroadwayWorld looks at DARK NIGHTS BRIGHT STARS

BroadwayWorld previews Yara Arts Group's Dark Nights Bright Stars, now playing at The First Floor Theatre at La MaMa, through June 19th.

"Communication without translation is at the heart of the show created by Virlana Tkacz and her cast, which paradoxically, also places focus on the word, providing it with great depth and multidimensionality. The characters exchange only a few important words - revealing the multiplicity of meanings which usually escapes us in ordinary speech. Words like "mama" "Ukraine -Little Russia" "home" "portrait" and "friend" acquire the kind of depth of meaning only found in poetry."

Read the full preview: HERE

La MaMa and Yara Arts Group present
DARK NIGHTS 
BRIGHT STARS

Conceived and Directed by Virlana Tkacz

NOW through June 19, 2016
Thursday - Saturday at 7:30pm; Sunday at 2pm

The First Floor Theatre @ La MaMa
74A East 4th Street
(between Bowery and Second Avenue)
New York, NY 10003

Tickets: $18 Adults; $13 Students/Seniors

For Tickets and Info: CLICK HERE

Lots of News About Liz Swados

Elizabeth Swados Inspiration Grant Launches with Help from Diane Lane
Academy Award nominee and soon-to-be Broadway lead Diane Lane has committed $20,000 towards a four-year, $5,000 annual grant for NYC-based female educators vested in music in honor of composer Elizabeth Swados.

Created in partnership with the Ziegfeld Club, the Elizabeth Swados Inspiration Grant is open to any NYC-based female music educator with a minimum of five consecutive years of teaching experience and at least 20 teaching hours per week during a full school year.

Read the full article HERE

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Encores! Off-Center will present Liz Swadows' hit show from 1977, Runaways from July 6 - 9, 2016 at City Center.  Tickets start at $25!  Don't miss this rare opportunity to see this great show!

For Tickets and Info: Click Here

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Walking The Dog: Barnes & Noble Union Square

Join Meryl Streep and Taylor Mac reading excerpts from Liz Swadows' final novel, Walking The Dog, at the Union Square Barnes on June 20th!

Walking The Dog: Barnes & Noble Union Square

Monday, June 20, 2016

7:00pm - 8:45pm

Barnes & Noble Union Square

33 E 17th Street 

New York, NY 10003

Bedford & Bowery on CHERCHEZ LA FEMME

Cherchez La Femme

Continues through June 12 at La MaMa, 66 E 4th Street, East Village. 7pm (Sundays at 4pm), tickets are $35 ($30 for students/seniors). More info here. 

Classic experimental theater hub La MaMa isn’t exactly known for churning out toe-touching tunes and sweeping glitzy dance routines. But it is known for bringing surprises, so I guess it has made a wise choice in its new production of musical Cherchez La Femme. Written by August Darnell, Bronx-bred leader of 1980s Latin-Caribbean-disco music group Kid Creole and the Coconuts, and NYU professor of punk and reggae Vivien Goldman, this show places King Creole songs of yore and new compositions alongside infectious dancing and a story that alternates between New York and the Caribbean. It sure sounds like a lot of fun.

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La MaMa presents

CHERCHEZ 

LA FEMME:

The Musical

Book by: August Darnell and Vivien Goldman

Music and Lyric by: August Darnell and Stony Browder Jr.

Directed by: Angie Kristic

Choreographed by: Kyndra 'Binkie' Reevey

May 20 - June 12, 2016

The Ellen Stewart Theatre

66 East 4th Street

(between Bowery and Second Avenue)

New York, NY 10003

Tickets: $35 Adults; $30 Students/Seniors

For Tickets and Info: CLICK HERE

Audiences Are LOVING Cherchez La Femme

Join the Party @ Cherchez La Femme!

La MaMa presents

CHERCHEZ 

LA FEMME:

The Musical

Book by: August Darnell and Vivien Goldman

Music and Lyric by: August Darnell and Stony Browder Jr.

Directed by: Angie Kristic

Choreographed by: Kyndra 'Binkie' Reevey

May 20 - June 12, 2016

The Ellen Stewart Theatre

66 East 4th Street

(between Bowery and Second Avenue)

New York, NY 10003

Tickets: $35 Adults; $30 Students/Seniors

For Tickets and Info: CLICK HERE