The Tank to Present DARK FEST - Two Weekends of Shows Using Alternative Power Sources, 8/21-31

The Tank, a non-profit arts presenter located in the heart of midtown, will present the second annual Dark Fest: two weekends of eclectic performances in which no power is provided by the theater, and all light and sound must designed by the artists using alternative energy sources. Programming is centered around the Shots in the Dark: interdisciplinary variety shows that include new plays, dance, magic, clowning, improv and sketch comedy, live music, and storytelling. Power sources will include iPhones, flashlights, battery-operated analog music devices, and more. The Festival features both new works and audience favorites returning to The Tank for limited, performances. It runs August 21-31, at The Tank, 151 West 46th Street, 8th Floor, NY, NY 10036.

THEATER:

A Simple Art: A one-man piece in the oral narrative tradition examining the divide between fact and fiction, utilizing verbatim interviews and excerpts from Raymond Chandler's nonfiction work.

Written, directed, and performed by Alex Vlahov (Shakespeare Theater of New Jersey, Richard II at Secret Theatre)

August 22 (as part of Shots in the Dark) & 29 at 7pm

Magic by Nelson Lugo: Nelson Lugo -- magician, sideshow artist, writer, burlesque producer, and Batman enthusiast -- will astound your senses with magic tricks in the dark.

August 21 & 28, 9pm (as part of Shots in the Dark)

The History of DNA Exchange: A solo show presenting the history of sex as told by a sex-positive feminist alien.

Conceived, directed and performed by Lavinia Roberts (To Dream of Trees at Theater for a New City)

August 21 & 28, 9pm (as part of Shots in the Dark)

Things Unseen: A new play exploring the relationship between two women as they share their deepest truths in the dark.

Written by Mary-Anne Wright.

August 28 & 29, 9pm (as part of Shots in the Dark)

COMEDY:

Red: Red's life couldn't go any less according to plan in this clowning showcase exploring the intricacies of human behavior.

Performed by Ben Mann.

August 22, 7pm & August 29, 9pm (as part of Shots in the Dark)

Haunted Rave Party (show): It's up to the audience to lift the curse of Old Man Ecstasy and have the party of their lives in this comedy show. It's a party AND a show.

Hosted by Jake Keefe (The PIT). Featuring Danny Skinner (CollegeHumor) and Morgan Phillips (UCB), with music from That Shuffle. Devised by Alex Dayan, Jake Keefe, and Anthony Bentrovato.

August 22, 10pm

Fear Corner in the Dark: Improv actors face their fears in front of a live audience for a night of risky, intense, and hilarious comedy.

Featuring Team Humphrey (The PIT) and Team Haxo (The Magnet Theater).

August 23, 7pm

7 Minute Workout in the Dark: Sketch comedy troupe 7 Minute Workout invites you to a casually sublime evening of live music, live comedy, and some spectacular variety.

August 23, 9pm

DANCE:

Refresh: A movement exploration of technology's effect on our relationships, with only light and sound effects provided by an iPhone.

Conceived and directed by Chad Chenail (The Family Continues at La Mama ETC). Featuring Maggie Borlando (Redrum on Investigation Discovery, The Skriker at HERE Arts Center) and Brett Marco-Glauser.

August 21, 28, & 29 at 9pm; August 22 at 7pm (as part of Shots in the Dark)

freEntity: A multicultural dance piece blending Jazz, Contemporary, Modern, and tradition Caribbean dance to explore human behavior.

Performed by CeDan Dance Company (Cecilia Daninthe, Artistic Director; Best Dance Artist award recipient, Black Genius Festival 2013)

August 28 & 29, 9pm (as part of Shots in the Dark)

STORYTELLING:

Stories from the Dark: Lit only by two flashlights, four storytellers huddle together to tell tales of the ghostly, the ghastly, and the totally real.

Featuring Nelson Lugo, Emma McMullin, Aaron Wolfe (Moth StorySLAM winner), and Erin Barker ("The Story Collider," podcast).

August 21, 7pm

I Wish Someone Told Me: After 10 years, 11 apartments, 15 jobs, and too many memorable subway moments to count, one man looks back and wonders why we move to and stay in New York City.

Performed by Asher Novek ("Abe Lincoln's Top Hat," podcast). Directed by Nisse Greenberg (The Moth).

More information and ticket links can be found here: http://thetanknyc.org/series/darkfest_2014/.

The Tank is a Manhattan-based non-profit arts presenter. We serve emerging and established artists engaged in the pursuit of new ideas and forms of expression. Our goal is to foster an environment of inclusiveness and remove the burden of cost from the creation of new work for artists working to launch their careers and experiment within their art form. The heart of our services is providing free performance space in the 62-seat black box that we operate in Manhattan, and we also offer a suite of other services such as free rehearsal space and promotional support. We present performances across a range of disciplines: theater, music, dance, comedy, film, and public affairs. We keep ticket prices affordable and view our work as democratic, opening up both the creation and attendance of the arts to all and positioning the arts within civic and socio-political discourse.

Founded in 2003 by nine emerging artists, The Tank has since provided an artistic home for thousands of New York City-based performers. Artists who have presented work at The Tank early on in their careers include Alex Timbers (Tony-nominated theater director), Reggie Watts (theater performer/ comedian/ musician currently on the IFC TV show Comedy Bang! Bang!), Amy Herzog (Pulitzer Prize- nominated playwright), Lucy Alibar (whose one-act play Juicy and Delicious premiered at The Tank and was adapted to be the Oscar-nominated Beasts of the Southern Wild), and We Are Scientists (rock band). The Tank has been honored with an official City Council proclamation, chosen for the WNYC *STAR* initiative, and featured on CNN, BBC, ABC World News Now, the NY Times, and more.