FIAF to Present Justin Vivian Bond's LOVE IS CRAZY, 9/25

The French Institute Alliance Française (FIAF), New York's premiere French cultural center, presents the New York premiere of Justin Vivian Bond's Love Is Crazy, a raucous and seductive evening of songs and stories about love.

Declared a "cabaret messiah" by Time Out (London), Bond premiered Love is Crazy in Paris earlier this year in celebration of St. Valentine's Day as the final performance of the Théâtre National de Chaillot presentation of Krzysztof Warlikowksi's Cabaret Warszawksi.

Under the musical direction of Matt Ray, the evening consists of original songs from Mx Bond's records Dendrophile and Silver Wells along with songs associated with v's stage and film appearances including John Cameron Mitchell's Short Bus.

Joining Bond are Nathann Carrera (guitar) and Claudia Chopek (violin) along with special guest Miguel Gutierrez.

Justin Vivian Bond's Love Is Crazy will take place on Thursday, September 25 at 7:30pm at FIAF's Florence Gould Hall, 55 East 59th Street (between Park and Madison Avenue). Tickets are $30 ($20 FIAF members) and can be purchased by visiting fiaf.org/ctl or calling 800.982.2787.

Mx Justin Vivian Bond is a writer, singer, painter, and performance artist. Mx Bond is the author of the Lambda Literary Award winning memoir TANGO: My Childhood, Backwards and in High Heels, published by The Feminist Press and Susie Says... a collaboration with Gina Garan (Powerhouse Books, 2012). V's debut CD DENDRPOPHILE was self-released on WhimsyMusic in 2011 and was followed by SILVER WELLS in 2012. In 2011 Justin Vivian's art exhibition The Fall of the House of Whimsy was presented at Participant Inc. in New York City. Mx Bond was nominated for a Tony Award for Kiki and Herb Alive On Broadway in 2007. Other notable theatrical endeavors include starring as Warhol Superstar Jackie Curtis in Scott Wittman's production of Jukebox Jackie: Snatches of Jackie Curtis as part of La Mama E.T.C.'s 50th Anniversary Season, originating the role of Herculine Barbin in Kate Bornstein's groundbreaking play Hidden: A Gender, touring with the performance troupe The Big Art Group and appearing in John Cameron Mitchell's film Shortbus. Other films include Sunset Stories (2012), Imaginary Heroes (2004), and Fanci's Persuasion (1995). Mx Bond is a recipient of The Ethyl Eichelberger Award, The Peter Reed Foundation Grant, and The Foundation for Contemporary Arts Grants to Artists Award for Performance Art/Theater, an Obie and a Bessie.

About Crossing the Line - Crossing the Line is the French Institute Alliance Française (FIAF)'s annual fall festival, presenting interdisciplinary works and performances in New York. The festival explores the dialogue between artist and public, and examines how artists help re-imagine the world as critical thinkers and catalysts for social evolution. Crossing the Line is initiated and produced by FIAF in partnership with leading cultural institutions. The festival's seventh edition takes place this year from September 19-October 13, 2013.

Since its inauguration in 2007, Crossing the Line has cultivated an increasingly large and diverse following, and received numerous accolades in the press. The festival has been voted "Best of 2009," "Best of 2010," and "Best of 2012" by Time Out New York, Frieze, The New York Times, and the Wall Street Journal. Events at the festival have won several Bessie awards, and 2012's Habit received an Obie award for creators David Levine and Marsha Ginsberg. The New York Times states, "For terrifically unusual, unpredictable, unnameable performance, we've come to expect a lot from ... the curators of the French Institute Alliance Française's interdisciplinary festival," and Time Out New York says, "This interdisciplinary festival...is one of the season's great joys ... Forget about categories; this is a whirlwind of art." Visit fiaf.org/ctl for more information.

About the French Institute Alliance Française (FIAF) - The French Institute Alliance Française (FIAF) is New York's premiere French cultural center. FIAF's mission is to create and offer New Yorkers innovative and unique programs in education and the arts that explore the evolving diversity and richness of French cultures. FIAF seeks to generate new ideas and promote cross cultural dialogue through partnerships and new platforms of expression. Visit fiaf.org for more information.

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