Remembering Michael K. Williams

We are heartbroken to learn of the passing of actor Michael K. Williams on September 6, 2021 at age 54. He performed at La MaMa early in his career, as well as the National Black Theatre Company and the Theater for a New Generation. Our thoughts are with his family and friends.

Photo by Demetrius Freeman

In this podcast episode, Marc Maron revisits a conversation with Michael K. Williams from earlier in 2021 where he says the following about La MaMa:

I was blessed to be introduced to the off-Broadway theatre world of New York City. My first play that I did was at a theatre on the Lower East Side called La MaMa Experimental Theatre under Ellen Stewart.

Follow the countdown to TRASH CUISINE's first performance!

The groundbreaking Belarus Free Theatre bring their highly acclaimed TRASH CUISINE to The Ellen Stewart Theatre at La MaMa, in continued collaboration with The Public Theater.

You can follow the countdown on Storify.

Watch the first three entries here:

  Trash Cuisine Trailer from La MaMa on Vimeo.

I Stand with Belarus Free Theatre from La MaMa on Vimeo.

Casey LaBow on Trash Cuisine from La MaMa on Vimeo.

La MaMa presents

TRASH 
CUISINE

Devised and performed by Belarus Free Theatre
Directed by Nicolai Khalezin | Written by Nicolai Khalezin & Natalia Kaliada
Concept, stage direction, costumes, lights by Nicolai Khalezin & Natalia Kaliada

A continued collaboration with The Public Theater in support of Belarus Free Theatre.

Running time: 90 minutes | Performed in English

April 28 - May 17, 2015

The Ellen Stewart Theatre

66 East 4th Street

(between Bowery and Second Avenue)

New York, NY 10003

Tickets: $30 Previews (4/25 & 4/26); $40 Adults; $35 Students/Seniors

For Tickets and Info: CLICK HERE

First Look @ ALL YOUR WANTS AND NEEDS...

“Compelling, engaging and entertaining”

- John Smythe, Theatreview

“The unpredictable theatricality of Playground Collective wins the day”

- Laurie Atkinson, The Dominion Post

“Bursting with ideas, the work provokes a myriad of responses from its audience; most seem divided between reaching for the tissues and laughing hysterically.”

- Sam Philips, The Lumiere Reader

“This is a highly original, carefully-wrought production deserving of high praise.”

- Michael Pohl, Salient

- - - 

La MaMa presents

ALL YOUR 
WANTS AND 
NEEDS FULFILLED 
FOREVER
The Playground Collective

Two Performances Only!
March 28th at 8pm and 29th at 4pm

The 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

NY Times on THE GOLDEN TOAD

Neil Genzlinger reviews The Talking Band's newest music-theater piece THE GOLDEN TOAD for The New York Times:

"'The Golden Toad,' the latest work by the experimental troupe the Talking Band, is a long, often amusing journey of discovery..."

Read the full review HERE

- - - - -

La MaMa presents

THE 

GOLDEN 

TOAD

by The Talking Band

January 23 - February 07, 2015

The Ellen Stewart Theatre

66 East 4th Street

(between Bowery and Second Avenue)

New York, NY 10003

Tickets: $25 Adults; $20 Students/Seniors; ten tickets priced at $10 are available for every performance, in advance only, via web, phone or at the box office - not available day of show.

Because of the configuration of the theater for The Golden Toad, there is very limited ticket availability for every performance.  Advance purchase strongly suggested.

For Tickets and Info: CLICK HERE

6 QUESTIONS: Chris Tanner

Chris Tanner with his mother after performing in The Etiquette of Death at La MaMa

Performer and visual artist Chris Tanner brings his solo show, FOOTBALL HEAD to La MaMa, June 20th - 29th. Here, he answers our six questions.

1. You're a visual artist and a performer. How do those two practices affect each other?
They're very different, and they really use different sides of my brain. But that's the wonderful thing, that they are different, and when I'm immersed in one, I'm not at all in the other one. They feed each other, because when I'm doing theater and I finish, I have a great hunger to get back into the studio. I'll put my hand to the pallet and 
I'll start crying because I'm so happy to be back. But you don't really know until you start. It's the same way with performing. When you're onstage and you're one with the gods, there's nothing like it. It's like you're sailing. It's like you're surfing, actually. It's a high that you cannot achieve in any other way... except for maybe in your private times.

2. What draws you to "tales of shame and humiliation"? What happens when you share them with an audience?
I think we're born all gorgeous and lovely but we learn slowly about shame and humiliation from other people who are filled with shame and humiliation. Doing this piece, I want to inspire people to celebrate their differences and to not be afraid of becoming themselves. I want you open that drawer of shame and just let it out. Let it out, and decorate it! Decorate it and wear it out for everyone to see and enjoy.

3. Who are Lance Cruce and the Doo-Wop Girls?
Lance Cruce is my collaborator. We have been working together for about twenty years now. We've made many plays... it began with us working with Cyndi Lauper, her remake of Girls Just Want to Have Fun. We traveled all over the country with Karen Finley together. We've done many many shows here at La MaMa and it's great to be working with him as always.

The Doo Wop girls - One is Gina Bonati and she is fabulous. I've only known her for a year. We did a workshop of Football Head at Dixon Place together. The other one is Kaylin Clinton. I've been playing opposite her in Ildiko Nemeth's New Stage Theatre Company for, I guess, the last six years. She's a great star and a wonderful singer and I'm so honored to have both of these women in my company

4. Which artists have inspired you while you've worked on this show?
The artists that have been inspiring me on this journey are the artists I'm working with. Every day they bring something new and incredible to the piece and I am just so elated to be coming to rehearsal every day.

5. You've worked with Maria Irene Fornés. She's had an influence on a number of artists. Can you tell us a little about working with her?
We worked together on a play called A Visit. It was at least 25 years ago, at Theatre for the New City, and I think the music was by Galt MacDermot. She is a huge genius. It was one of my favorite theatrical experiences I've ever had. Going to rehearsal was like dessert. She was so interesting and exciting and fresh... I had an aunt that was an Avon lady, and I told Maria Irene Fornés, 'Please, write me a part for an Avon Lady.' And she said, 'Yes, yes, I'm going to have you be the Avon Lady next time, in my next play, and you're going to get all dressed up and you're going to be waiting there by the door from the beginning of the play, and past intermission you're going to be waiting, and actually you'll be waiting throughout the whole play to ring the doorbell, but you never will.' So I've just always seen myself by this door, backstage, waiting to go on, waiting to sell my make-up, and never going on, and nobody ever seeing me or anything. "Hey Irene, I'm still waiting, can I press the buzzer now?"

6. What does working at La MaMa mean to you?
Working at La MaMa means I'm home, and I can do no wrong because anything I do, Mama is going to throw her arms around me and protect me and love me. Every day I come to my studio, I look at Ellen Stewart's portrait on the stairs. I say hello to her in the morning, goodbye to her at night, and I know I am safe here at La MaMa. This is my home.

La MaMa presents:

FOOTBALL HEAD

By Chris Tanner
Directed by Daniel Allen Nelson

June 20th – 29th, 2014
Friday - Saturday @ 10pm / Sunday @ 5:30pm

The Club @ La MaMa
74a East 4th Street
(between Bowery and Second Avenue)
New York, NY 10003

Tickets: $18 Adults - $13 Student/Senior; ten tickets priced at $10 are available, in advance, for every performance via web, phone or box office as part of La MaMa's 10@$10 ticketing initiative. 10@$10 tickets not available day of show.

For Tickets and Info: CLICK HERE

A Night At The Bum Phillips Opera

There is a great writeup of BUM PHILLIPS ALL-AMERICAN OPERA by Mike Tanier at Sports On Earth: 

"This is not your typical night at the opera. Bum Phillips All-American Opera is not about Teutonic gods or Shakespearean kings, but a football coach who never reached the Super Bowl and whose team no longer exists. Instead of legendary battles, the characters reenact the 1979 AFC playoffs. Instead of Siegfried, there's backup quarterback Gifford Nielsen."  

Read the full article: HERE

---

La MaMa presents 
Monk Parrots' 

Bum Phillips 

All-American Opera 

Concept, Direction, Production Design by Luke Leonard (Monk Parrots)
Libretto by Kirk Lynn (of Rude Mechs)
Music by Peter Stopschinski (of Rude Mechs)

Commissioned and produced by Monk Parrots (New York) 

March 12 – March 30, 2014 
Thursdays – Fridays – Saturdays @ 7:30pm Sundays @ 2:30pm 

Tickets: $25 Adults; $20 Students/Seniors; a limited number of $10 tickets are available IN ADVANCE as part of La MaMa's 10 @ $10 ticketing initiative. But hurry, these tickets are only available in advance and the sell quickly! 

A special benefit performance on Thursday, March 20! 

For Tickets and Info: Click Here

Flashback Friday: Jackie Curtis at La Mama (1970)

Jackie Curtis sings "Blood Red Roses" at La Mama circa 1970. 

You can glimpse La MaMa founder Ellen Stewart as well as Salvador Dalí (!) in the above video, too. It is so amazing that this clip exists!