Video Preview: Meet DARKMATTER: Janani Balasubramanian & Alok Vaid‐Menon

  Dark Matter from La MaMa on Vimeo

Darkmatter returns as part of the Queer NY International Arts Festival @ La MaMa!

Darkmatter (Janani Balasubramanian & Alok Vaid‐Menon) is a trans, South Asian spoken‐word duo “hivemind flipping the scantron on your model minority narrative, returning that basic gayze, and spitting anti‐colonial futures.” They perform regularly at universities across the country and venues in New York City. Individually, they have done social justice work at local organizations such as the Queer Detainee Empowerment Project and the Audre Lorde Project. Balasubramanian is also a writer at Black Girl Dangerous (an online forum for QTPOC).


La MaMa presents 
DARKMATTER
Janani Balasubramanian & Alok Vaid‐Menon

Part of the Queer NY International Arts Festival 
in partnership with Helix Queer Performance Network 

One Performance Only! 
Friday, September 26, 2014 @ 10pm 

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

Tickets: $18 Adults; $13 Students/Seniors; ten tickets priced at $10 are available, in advance only, via web, phone or box office – not available day of show. 

Tickets & Info: CLICK HERE

6 QUESTIONS: Catherine Filloux

Catherine Filloux is the author of SELMA '65, opening at La MaMa this month.  Catherine took time out of rehearsals to answer 6 Questions:


1. What inspired you to write about the Selma march of 1965?

Marietta Hedges, the actress in SELMA '65, brought me the story. After I did extensive research, and after much contemplation, I became very excited about the idea of writing a one-woman show in which Marietta would play both the activist Viola Liuzzo and the FBI informant Tommy Rowe. Many people watched Bloody Sunday in 1965 on their televisions as Viola Liuzzo did, and were passionate about going to the Selma Voting March. The movie that was interrupted on their televsision sets on Bloody Sunday was JUSTICE AT NUREMBERG. A student of Marietta's, Carrie Klewin, whom I know through Theatre Without Borders, said to both of us: you two have to meet! Marietta and I are both activists. The past meets the present. We start rehearsals today. See you at SELMA '65.

2. Why is this topic relevant to audiences today?

The Supreme Court made a decision last year which gravely damaged the Voting Rights Act. It reminds me of Raphael Lemkin's Genocide Convention. Lemkin like Viola is dear to my heart. Such joy and hope are originally at the core of both of them. What does hope mean? How do we capture it? Well, you can re-capture it on stage, in the theater.

3. When did you know you wanted to be a playwright?

In high school my first role onstage was the Fortuneteller in Thornton Wilder's SKIN OF OUR TEETH. I was hooked. It's a heart, mind and body experience. I'm typing my answers to you right now on a keyboard--I wasn't an actress. I also took a typing class in high school. It was a "pre-class," a class before the usual classes started, so it was at around 7am. I graduated a year early from high school so I could get my French Baccalaureate in France. Yes, that was actually my idea. So I packed in the classes. I loved that typing class. The teacher was so good. She even taught us how to type to music. It was lovely, typing to music at dawn.

4. What is the last good book your read?

BENDING TOWARDS JUSTICE by Gary May. Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg cited the book in her dissent.

5. Who or what inspires you?

La MaMa.

6. What does working at La MaMa mean to you?

That's a great segue. Home, family. Melissa and Kiku were ordering an ice cream cake for someone in the office yesterday. Today is her birthday. :-) I liked listening to their decision-making regarding the many flavors of ice cream they were choosing. One of their last concerned questions before they placed the order was: "Is that enough?"

La MaMa presents
SELMA '65
A New Play by Catherine Filloux
Starring Marietta Hedges 
Director by Eleanor Holdridge 

September 26, 2014 - October 12, 2014 

Thursday & Friday at 7:30pm
Saturday at 2 & 7:30pm
Sunday at 2pm 

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

For Tickets and Info: CLICK HERE

NY Times Fall Preview 2014

The NY Times just posted their Fall Theater Preview and had some very nice things to say about La MaMa and TEMPEST 3: THE TIDE IS RISING!

"This ambitious event from the always ambitious La Mama is a series of three unique interpretations of Shakespeare’s “The Tempest,” and forms the centerpiece of a busy La Mama season collectively titled “La Mama Earth,” focusing on themes of ecology and social justice."

Read the full fall preview listings: HERE 

TEMPEST 3 PACKAGES are available: See all 3 Tempest productions for one very low price. Buy before 9/15 and see all three TEMPEST 3 productions for only $60 (regular price: $100 if purchased separately). That's only $20 per show if purchased now!

TEMPEST 3 PACKAGES are $75 after 9/15.

Purchase a TEMPEST 3 Package: HERE

Video Preview: Merrie Cherrie & Untitled Queen

La MaMa presents
SISTERS OF THE AGES: 
Merrie Cherrie & Untitled Queen

Part of the Queer NY International Arts Festival in partnership with Helix Queer Performance Network 

One Performance Only!

Saturday, September 28^th, 2014 @ 10pm

The Club @ La MaMa

74A East 4^th Street

(between Bowery and Second Avenue)

New York, NY 10003

Tickets: $18 Adults; $13 Students/Seniors; ten tickets priced at $10 are available, in advance only, via web, phone or box office – not available day of show.

Tickets & Info: CLICK HERE

6 QUESTIONS: Miriam A. Hyman

Miriam A. Hyman plays Miranda in the Karin Coonrod/Elizabeth Swados production of TEMPEST, beginning performances on October 2nd at The Ellen Stewart Theater.  Miriam took some time of from rehearsals to answer 6 QUESTIONS:

1. What about TEMPEST speaks to an audience today? 
There is a storm among us. Our country, the world is in such a violent state and it's people are battling disease, unreliable governments, homelessness, actual storms, teen pregnancy, corrupt police and oh so much more. It's in turmoil like the island of the Tempest and it's surrounding nations. My character Miranda operates from her heart chakra and is pained and sadden by death and loss but rejoices at love. If only we in today's society were more sensitive maybe we could love our kin and neighbors more and have a selfless approach to life. I think she sets a huge example for aspiring to be a more thoughtful, caring individual. Hope I do get justice. Big heart to fill.

2. What other roles in Shakespeare’s canon would you like to play? 
Cordelia and Reagan in Lear, Beatrice in Much Ado, Juliette in R&J maybe ;), Lady M in a full length production of MacBeth. I'm sure I'm leaving out someone.

3. How is doing a play by Shakespeare different than a contemporary role? 
The language is so thrilling to speak . I get goose bumps just thinking about it. Delicious words:)

4. Tell us about the last great book you read? 
It's called I am Not Sidney Poutier by Percival Everett. It's about a young man named I am Not Sidney Poutier who closely resembles Sidney Poutier and the challenges he faces. I highly recommend going on this Journey. It's filled with so much truth but yet it's a fictional comedy.

5. Who or what has influenced your work as an actor? 
Several of my acting and speech coaches in graduate school and professionally. Ron Van Lieu, Beth McGuire, Tina Packer, Andrew Wade, Cicely Berry, Peter Francis James, Evan Yionoulis, Walton Wilson. They guided me and my work to a more precise and specific form giving me freedom and fun with the text. With these "tools, not rules", I've found a constructive way into Shakespeare's great works.

6. What does working at La MaMa mean to you? 
It means, a collective ensemble mentality which I look for first and foremost in a company.

La MaMa presents
TEMPEST
directed by Karin Coonrod
music composed by Elizabeth Swados

October 2nd - November 2nd, 2014

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

Tickets: $40 Adults; $30 Students/Seniors; 10@$10 Tickets are sold out!
TEMPEST 3 Packages are available see all three Tempest productions this fall for only $60 (if purchased before 9/15).  Click Here for TEMPEST 3 Packages.

For Tickets and Info: CLICK HERE