wild project Names Neil Totton Inaugural Mikéah Jennings Artist-in-Residence
The residency, named for artist Mikéah Jennings, offers two weeks of free access to wild project's 89-seat theater.
wild project has announced that multidisciplinary video, music, and theater artist Neil Totton will be the inaugural recipient of their Mikéah Jennings Artist-in-Residence program.
As part of the Mikéah Jennings Artist-in-Residence program Totton will receive 2-weeks of free access to wild project's 89-seat theater to rehearse, develop, and perform a work-in-progress for a live audience. The Artist-in-Residence receives direct financial support from wild project, empowering them to secure a design team that aligns with their artistic vision. This support fosters greater creative freedom while advancing wild project's mission to generate meaningful employment opportunities in the art
Named for artist Mikéah Jennings, a vital force in wild project's formative years, the Mikéah Jennings Artist-in-Residence program was designed in alignment with wild project's core mission statement, and the program's goal is to increase equity for performance artists, to strongly encourage the work of BIPOC and LGBTQIA+ performers, and to open doors for historically underrepresented artistic communities.
"wild project is thrilled to honor Mikéah Jenning's legacy of boundary breaking performance with our inaugural artist Neil Totton," said wild project board member Linsey Bostwick, who was part of the selection committee for the initiative. "Neil's commitment to the performance field and attention to critical issues of our times mirrors Mikéah in vital ways and a perfect launch of this exciting program."
Neil Totton is a multidisciplinary video, music, and theater artist who creates highly-energetic ritualistic performances grounded in sensibilities that speak to the issues of our times. His recent works, including Fit for Love, Fit for Freedom, Wait For Today, Trouble Of The World, The Fit Prince of New York, Becoming Relevant, and Slave For Love have been developed or performed at Theaterlab, Brooklyn Comedy Collective, The Evolution Festival, Denton Black Film Festival, The Social Distancing Festival sponsored by the General Consulate of Canada, JCC Harlem, New World Stages, Lululemon Hub 17, The inHEIRtence Project, The GloveboXX Collective and Easton Mountain Music Festival. In 2025, he originated a leading role in We The Messiah, a hip-hop remix of Handel's Messiah by Darian Dauchan and has been featured in the musicals Hairspray (Seaweed), A Chorus Line (Richie), and The Color Purple (Bobby/Guard). He has danced as a guest artist with the Ballet Black in London UK, Walkerdance in New York, and Arthur Aviles BAAD Dance Theater. He has choreographed for the Sing Harlem Gospel Choir and has served as assistant choreographer for the North American and International Tours of "Aida" and "Jazz A'La Carte" at The Apollo Theatre in Harlem. He has appeared in the New York Times, Men's Journal, and was selected as one of New York Magazine's Top 10 Trainers for his work in the fitness industry. He has studied at HB Studios, Steps on Broadway, the William Esper Studio, Gotham's Writers Workshop, the International Center of Photography, and the Electronic Music Collective. His EP Movin' On is currently streaming on music platforms and he is humbled to be the Mikéah Jennings Artist-in-Residence. www.neiltotton.com
Mikéah Jennings wild project honors the life, artistry, and enduring legacy of artist Mikéah Jennings, a vital force in wild project's formative years, helping to establish the organization's foundation as their very first Box Office Manager. While performing with the visionary theater company Big Art Group on the European tour of House of No More, Mikéah developed a profound creative kinship with Producing Artistic Director Ana Mari de Quesada. It is through this shared history and personal impact that Mikéah's work and spirit live on in wild project's Artist-in-Residence program. In this program, wild project seeks to support a creative that aligns with the fierce and tireless spirit of Mikéah Jennings as a pivotal force in the downtown performance scenes of New York City and across the world.
wild project is a nonprofit producer and venue which supports the diverse independent theater, film, music, visual arts, and spoken-word artists of New York City. Since 2007, wild project has presented and produced theater that enriches, educates, and unifies its East Village community in an environmentally responsible green space. Located on E. 3rd St. in Manhattan, wild project curates resident companies in its 89-seat theater and devotes specific initiatives toward LGBTQIA+ and BIPOC projects and the work of local East Village artists, to ensure nonprofit theater sustains its roots in the community. wild project places the utmost importance on engendering a climate that supports the artists and cultivates artists who commit to artistic excellence, enrich the community and promote social equity. https://thewildproject.org
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