2014 FRESH FRUIT FESTIVAL Coming Up at The Wild Project This Month

The Wild Project has announced its current and upcoming productions and events for this summer. Check them out below!

Now Playing:

Now - Saturday, July 5
SUMMERWORKS 2014
Produced by Clubbed Thumb
Tickets: $18; Festival Pass $45

16 WORDS OR LESS, by Peggy Stafford, directed by Portia Krieger
Performances at 8pm; July 4 performance at 7pm
A lone and over-helpful flower shop clerk tries to contain the challenges of her customers' lives, but can't do the same for herself.

Coming Soon:

Monday, July 7 - Sunday, July 20
2014 FRESH FRUIT FESTIVAL
Produced by All Out Arts
Tickets: $10 - $18

Presented over the course of two weeks, the FRESH FRUIT FESTIVAL showcases the wide spectrum of the LGBTQ community through a diverse array of artistic expression and artists. This year's festival includes 20 plays, 5 dance pieces, 4 films, 2 musicals, both a comedy and spoken word evening, and a new art retrospective. Over 45 multi-disciplinary pieces and over 100 artists participating!

Fresh Fruit ALL OUT THEATER

Monday, July 7 @ 7pm; Saturday, July 12 @ 7pm
ANGEL IN MY HEART by Bob Ost
A chamber musical romance about love and shopping in the life-and-death time of pre-cocktail AIDS.

Tuesday, July 8 @ 9pm; Wednesday, July 9 @ 9pm
COMING OUT MUSLIM: RADICAL ACTS OF LOVE by Wazina Zondon
A new play capturing the stories and experiences of being at the intersections of Islam and queerness and its relationship to family, lovers, one's sense of self and relationship with their faith.

Tuesday, July 8 @ 7pm; Wednesday, July 9 @ 7pm; Thursday, July 10 @ 7pm
DANCE WITH THE SUN by Scott Ramsey & Stella Hlad (World Premiere)
An autobiographical play about a mother and son's revelatory moments of reflection on his gayness. A must for gay children and their parents.

Wednesday, July 16 @ 8:30pm; Thursday, July 17 @ 8:30pm; Saturday, July 19 @ 2pm
EVERYBODY ELSE'S LIGHT by Kyle Jackson (World Premiere)
Rich storytelling and humor combine in this coming of age story of a young African-American man trying to find his inner light.

Sunday, July 13 @ 12pm. ***FREE EVENT***
JUST HIT ME by Brian O'Neill (Special Reading)
The story of a cross dressing opera singer/electrolysist who causes a domestic crisis when she tries to assert a claim on an elderly lover's estate with David Drake.

Monday, July 14 @ 9pm; Saturday, July 19 @ 9pm
(MARY)TODD by Dennis Bush (World Premiere/Solo Show)
An hilarious and heartbreaking first-person account of the events leading up to and following the murder of (Mary)Todd's partner.

Saturday, July 12 @ 5pm
QUEERSPAWN PROPHET by Emma Tattenbaum-Fine (World Premiere/Solo Show)
A daughter's coming of age journey through the AIDS crisis, suburbia, and life with two moms.

Friday, July 11 @ 7pm; Saturday, July 12 @ 2pm; Sunday, July 13 @ 4:30pm.
SUNSHINE QUEST by William Fowlkes (World Premiere)
A new play set in a social club for senior gay men, where we find that the later in life you come out, the weirder it's gonna be.

Sunday, July 13 @ 7pm; Wednesday, July 16 @ 6:30pm; Sunday, July 20 @ 2pm
THE CONVERSION OF ALICE B. TOKLAS by Carol Polcovar (World Premiere)
The shadowy figure of Alice B. Toklas, played by two time Obie award winning actress Rosina Fernhoff, comes alive as she examines her life and her desire to become a Catholic at the age of ninety-three.

Tuesday, July 15 @ 7pm; Thursday, July 17 @ 6:30pm; Saturday, July 19 @ 7pm
THE PEDDLER'S TALE by Liz Thaler (U.S. Premiere)
A fable with a modern disposition, where sex, death, and magic intertwine-and "happily ever after" starts to lose its meaning.

Monday, July 7 @ 9pm
VGL 5'4" TOP by Lucas Brooks (Solo Show)
One man's struggle with online dating and its effects on his body image. Funny and Smart.

Sunday, July 13 @ 9pm
ALL OUT SHORTS I: TEN-MINUTE PLAYS
We present the finalists of our 2014 Fresh Fruit Festival Short Play Contest-Chalk in the Pocket by Lavinia Roberts: What kind of witchcraft are those lesbians doing in their apartment?: Rooftop Project by MF Shyer How far will a gay couple go to get the co-op of their dreams? :You Looked Hot in that Dress You Stole From Walmart,by Catherine Weingarten Walmart, Shoplifting and ..... , Ruskala by Ashlee Mundy Why be a Lesbian activist and what is the price? and Happy & Gay by Mary Steelsmith What are those two church ladies on the decorating committee doing in the Church Fellowship Hall.

Friday, July 18 @ 7pm; Sunday, July 20 @ 3:30pm
ALL OUT SHORTS II: WHAT ARE FRIENDS FOR?
Three plays dealing with the meaning of friendship in the lgbtq community: THE UNUSAL ENGAGEMENT OF CHESTER PRINGLE by Jonathan Pearson (World Premiere/Musical) A musical about a young man's confession of true love to his mother. + JEREMY AND by Andy Ottson (World Premiere) A gripping short about the struggles of coming out as a transgender person in a society still coming to grips with its own intolerance. + READY by Joan Lipkin (NY Premiere) A play examining lesbian romance in middle age.

Friday, July 18 @ 9pm; Sunday, July 20 @ 12pm
ALL OUT SHORTS III: LEGENDS THROUGH A GLASS QUEERLY
Three short works dealing with the queer and mythical: ECHO, NARCISSUS, NARCISSUS, ECHO by Brandon Monokian (World Premiere) A work about unrequited love through the lens of mythological characters in present day. + THE BLUE DJINN by Tom Rowan(NY Premiere) A tender, funny, sexy, and mysterious play about learning to trust between a composer and a go-go boy. BROTHER LOVERS by Zave Martohardjono (World Premiere) an experimental play and multimedia performance that takes as its subjects queer desire, self-hood, and loss of homeland.

ALL OUT MUSIC

Friday, July 11 @ 9:30pm
ALL OUT MUSIC I: PHOEBE LEGERE
An amazing evening of avant garde music by renowned experimental composer, painter, media, installation and performance artist and star of Toxic Avenger Part II, Phoebe Legere.

Saturday, July 19 @ 4:30pm
ALL OUT MUSIC II: Two song-cycles by dynamic LGBTQ artists: DR. HARRIS' DEPRESSION by Alexandre Ramses (World Premiere)
A musical look inside the world of a gay male psychiatric patient's emotional condition as it refers to love, loss and acceptance. + Acid JazzRazzMatazz by London Bridgez (World Premiere) Acclaimed artist London Bridgez rocks the house with an evening of queer neo-soul.

Tuesday, July 15 @ 9pm
REV. YOLANDA'S OLD TIME GOSPEL HOUR by Roger Mapes
A sincere celebration of faith, joy and LGBT Spirituality by drag queen Interfaith minister and Gospel singer through the story of how a young gay boy from Alabama grew up to be Rev. Yolanda.

Fresh Fruit ALL OUT DANCE

Saturday, July 12 @ 8:30pm
ALL OUT DANCE
Our always popular evening of five queer themed dance pieces. PLANT B by Ilona Roth (US Premiere) A relationship between two women unfolds dramatically and tragically. +ECLOSION by Junichi Fukuda (NY Premiere) An interpretation of the transformation of insects and our selves. +NOT A BODY BUT A BUILDING: AREA UNDER DECONSTRUCTION by Rachel Pritzlaff(NY Premiere) A movement and text-based dance aiming to question assumptions about the divide between 'men' and 'women.'. + IF ONLY I KNEW by Bethany Disque (NY Premiere) A piece that plays with the elapse of time, showing the transformation of relationships and emotions. + ALL I DIDN'T SAY by Angelica Vessella (NY Premiere) A true representation of the soloist's experience living with the AIDS virus.

Fresh Fruit ALL OUT SPOKEN WORD

Thursday, July 10 @ 9pm
ALL OUT YOUTH OPEN MIC
Join us for an evening of open mic, featuring participants from All Out Arts' queer youth program.

Fresh Fruit ALL OUT FILM

Sunday, July 13 @ 2pm
ALL OUT FILM I: SHORTS
An afternoon of four queer-themed shorts dealing with body image: REPLACE CLOTHES WITH PAINT by Michael Fequiere, CHANGE OVER TIME by Ewan Duarte, UNFINISHED by Law Siufung, + WHEN YOU AUDITION FOR LESBIANS YOU ALWAYS ALREADY HAVE THE PART by Katherine Fisher.

Fresh Fruit ALL OUT COMEDY

Monday, July 14 @ 7pm.
ALL OUT COMEDY: TOM RAGU
Tom Ragú Presents: "Sorry, We're Funny!" the lovable host of "The Tom Ragú Sit-Down Comedy Show" & "Tom Ragú & Friends" presents an outrageous show that features a fabulous blend of NYC's most-hilarious LGBTQIA comedians; it is a show that features all stripes of The Rainbow, and makes no apologies!

Monday, July 21 - Sunday, July 27
BETWEEN THE SEAS FESTIVAL

Between the Seas, the only festival in New York celebrating Mediterranean performance, returns to the Wild Project for its fourth year!

Between the Seas DANCE PROGAM:

Tuesday 7/22 at 8pm; Friday, 7/25 at 8pm; Sunday 7/27 at 8.30pm
What Dreams may come, choreographed by Nejla Y. Yatkin
Produced by Nejla Y. Yatkin Dance (NY2Dance)
Country of origin: Turkey

What Dreams may come is a new multi media solo dance piece by award winning Turkish choreographer Nejla Yatkin, supported in part by the Turkish Cultural Foundation. Set to music by Turkish composers Ahmed Saygun and Kamran Ince, this new solo dance explores the intersection and connection between East and West through movement, space, form, light and shadow. All movements are structured around, through and against the symbol of infinity (?) within the body, through light and within architecture of space. Through the combination of multiple elements and cultures, What dreams may come connects identity, the personal with the historical, as well as the contemporary with the traditional.

Ms. Yatkin has received the DC Mayors Arts Award for Outstanding Emerging Artist, 6 Metro DC Dance Awards, a 2008 Princess Grace Choreography Award, a 2009 Princess Grace Special Project Award, 4 Artist Fellowship Awards from the D.C. Commission on the Arts and Humanities for her excellence in Dance and Choreography. In 2005 she was selected as one of Dance Magazine's "Top 25 To Watch."

Tuesday 7/22 at 8pm; Thursday 7/24 at 7pm
Aragosta (Lobster), choreographed by Moreno Solinas
Produced by ASMED-Balletto Teatro di Sardegna
Country of Origin: Italy

ASMED Balletto di Sardegna carries on its exploration of the great non-conformist Italian stylist of the thirties Elsa Schiaparelli, in a new World Premiere production. This time, the reflection takes shape with surprising concepts and abstract expression codes. The new choreography stems from that unstoppable pulse to create and express oneself at all costs and despite everything; in spite of the imposed cultural roles, the crushing social conventions and the timeless conflict between the natural and social being.

Between the Seas Performance Art /Theater Program

Monday 7/21 at 8pm; Saturday 7/26 at 8.30pm
Hôtel Méditerranée adapted from Chuck Mee's Matisse's Self Portrait and directed by Nadia Foskolou
Produced by Regina Vorria and Between the Seas
Country of Origin: Greece/USA

Based on Chuck Mee's play Matisse's Self Portrait and the film documentary Yiannis Moralis by Stelios Charalampopoulos, Hôtel Méditerranée is an original new performance by acclaimed Greek director Nadia Foskolou. A collage between live performance and video, this devised piece follows the lives of two renowned painters-a fictional Henri Matisse and the real Yiannis Moralis. By interrogating the negotiation between the everyday burden of making a livelihood and the creative process, Hôtel Méditerranée explores the angsts and pleasures behind all great creativity and behind all human existence. A bilingual ensemble of Greek and American actors will perform this world premiere.

Wednesday 7/23 at 8pm; Thursday 7/24 at 9pm
The Sacred Way: Protagonist and Hero? Created by Adonis Volanakis, Sara Galassini, Kristina Colovic
Produced by UNGUARDED
Country of Origin: US/Croatia, Italy, Greece

Inspired by the story of Varis Miahel, a ten year-old child from Afghanistan who travelled alone to Greece, the first border of the European Union. The Sacred Way: Protagonist and Hero? asks us to consider the refugee's journey.

The Sacred Way uses performance to address issues of security for refugees/immigrants and chronicles their journeys for survival. The Sacred Way asks: How visible are immigrants in our daily lives? What are the assumptions when we look at them? How often do we recognize their human difficulties until they reach their destination? What and where is a better life?

Wednesday 7/23 at 8pm; Thursday 7/24 at 9pm
Shameful Occurrences, Disturbing Facts, Light And Darkness written and performed by Mica Dvir
Country of Origin: Israel

An interdisciplinary one-woman show, that combines theater, video and performance art to deal with the Israeli occupation of the Palestinian territories of the West Bank. The work brings up criticism towards Israel regarding its progression within these territories and self-criticism regarding the performer's personal passivity towards the occupation.

Between the Seas Special event:

4x4: NYC meets the Med.
Free reading series

This year BETWEEN THE SEAS is especially proud to inaugurate 4x4, a new program of stage readings, free and open to the public, that bring together American directors and actors with Mediterranean playwrights. Tamilla Woodard, Ana Margineanu, Doug Howe, and Noelle Ghoussaini will direct the work of four of the most powerful voices in Mediterranean theater: Esteve Soler (Catalonia, Spain), Jeton Neziraj (Kosovo), Lena Kitsopoulou (Greece), and Mohammad al Attar (Syria). In this vibrant artistic meeting audiences and artists will be able to join in talk back panels and discussions, find out about the current trends in contemporary Mediterranean drama and get inspired for further dialogue and collaborations between NYC-based and Med-based artists.

Saturday 7/26 at 2pm: One Flew Over the Kosovo Theater by Jeton Neziraj (Kosovo), directed by Doug Howe. Followed by a discussion on contemporary Balkan theater.

Saturday 7/26 at 6pm: The Price by Lena Kitsopoulou (Greece) and A Chance Encounter by Mohammad Al Attar (Syria), directed by Noelle Ghoussaini

Sunday 7/27 at 2pm, 4pm and 6pm: Against Progress/Against Democracy/Against Love by Esteve Soler (Catalonia, Spain), directed by Tamilla Woodard and Ana Margineanu. The readings will be followed by discussions with the playwright, directors and translator.

Between the Seas Visual artist in focus:
Elias Wakeem (Madam Tayoush)
Elias Wakeem, also known as Madam Tayoush, is an emerging queer Arab Palestinian performance and visual artist living and working in New York City. Through performance, she examines the reaction of the audience to her personal story of the place she grew up, with its geographical, historical and political situations. Over the past few years, Madam Tayoush created a series of monthly radical queer drag ball parties in Jerusalem called "Jerusalem is Burning." Her work will be exhibited at the Wild Project Gallery during the run of the festival.

All performances are at The Wild Project (195 E. 3rd Street, between Avenues A & B). Tickets can be purchased from OvationTix on 212.352.3101 or online at www.thewildproject.com. The Box Office opens one hour prior to curtain.

The Wild Project is a production company and venue for contemporary theater, film, and visual art. The Wild Project creates community by inspiring and entertaining art from emerging artists, exploring green technologies, and finding innovative ways to help our world and each other.