'Sound Society' Series and More Slated for OBERON This November/December

OBERON, the American Repertory Theater's (A.R.T.) Second Stage and club theater venue on the fringe of Harvard Square, announces events to be presented at OBERON during November and December - including OBERON Presents, Visiting Artists, and Usual Suspects.

In support of the A.R.T.'s mission to expand the boundaries of theater, OBERON is committed to expansive programming and innovative works. Through non-traditional performances and cutting-edge artists, OBERON is an incubator for artistic expression.

Sound Society at OBERON, premiering this 2016/17 season, enhance OBERON's dedication to fostering local and national artistry and aim to connect audiences with inventive, contemporary arts experiences.

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SOUND SOCIETY:
OBERON Presents
Tickets from $25

As a part of OBERON Presents, Sound Society is a new music series co-curated by local producer and musician Sam Kassirer (Lake Street Dive, Josh Ritter). These one-night only events will feature exceptional musicians, bands, and special guests in performances designed for OBERON's unique club-theater setting. Spring 2017 dates to be announced later.

Thursday, November 17 at 8PM
Parsonsfield - Blooming Through the Black
OBERON Presents is thrilled to welcome Parsonsfield back to Cambridge for a special night of music and visual art to celebrate the release of their stirring new album "Blooming Through The Black." During A.R.T.'s 2013/14 Season, Parsonsfield performed their critically acclaimed original songs written for The Heart of Robin Hood and recorded on their debut release 'Poor Old Shine'. The band followed the production to Canada, where the songs for 'Blooming Through The Black' first came to life. Produced by Sam Kassirer and recorded in an abandoned axe factory in Collinsville, CT, the new songs were nurtured and reworked, resulting in a collection chock full of the most infectious, emotionally mature songs of their career.

Sunday, December 4 at 8PM
Side Project - Featuring members of Lake Street Dive
Three of the four members of the celebrated band Lake Street Dive break from touring their recent release, Side Pony, to share their individual projects and new musical pursuits - for one night only at OBERON. The evening features Mike Calabrese and Lyle Brewer as Baby Uncle, Bridget Kearney and Robin MacMillan, and Rachael Price and Vilray.

Thursday, December 15 at 8PM
The Sweetback Sisters - Country Christmas Sing-a-long Spectacular
For eight years running, The Sweetback Sisters have been selling out theaters across the Northeast with their signature take on the holiday sing-along: The Sweetback Sisters' Country Christmas Singalong Spectacular. This wildly popular show requires a bit of audience participation and a love for all genres of holiday music (Fear not! Songbooks are provided). Add in a healthy dose of trivia, prizes, and matching outfits and we think it's safe to say you've got yourself a bona fide spectacular!

ADDITIONAL PROGRAMMING FOR NOVEMBER AND DECEMBER:

MORTIFIED
Friday, November 4 at 8PM
Tickets $15

Hailed as a "cultural phenomenon" by NewsWeek and celebrated for years by the likes of This American Life, The Today Show, The Onion AV Club, & Entertainment Weekly, Mortified is a comic excavation of teen angst artifacts (journals, poems, letters, lyrics, home movies, schoolwork) as shared by their original authors -- in front of total strangers.

PROCLAMATION 4: BORDERS/BOUNDARIES
Sunday, November 6 at 7:30PM
Tickets $5

Proclamation 4: Borders/Boundaries explores the consequences of our choices and what keeps us apart. Their generation will inherit a world divided - haves and have-nots, heroes and cowards, belonging and alienation - and they have something to say about it. Proclamation 4: Borders/Boundaries is a soulful, funny, frightening and original devised theater piece that will make you question how far you'd go to break down the walls - willing or unwilling. Proclamation is the A.R.T.'s annual performance and writing program for area high school students.

OUR CARNAL HEARTS
OBERON Presents
November 9 - 12
Tickets from $25

Written and Performed by Rachel Mars
With Original Music Composed and Arranged by Louise Mothersole

The creation of UK-based performance artist Rachel Mars, Our Carnal Hearts is a passionate act of exorcism. The show calls envy-in all its personal and political guises-into the spotlight through a medley of folk tales, Tweets, contemporary personalities, and Sacred Harp singing. This East coast premiere is presented in association with Lucy Jackson (Roosevelvis) and Arch 468.

WHAT NOW?: AN A.R.T. RESPONSE EVENT
Special Events
Sunday, November 13 at 7PM
Free Admission, please RSVP

An especially grueling and harrowing election season is coming to a close, but voices of hate and violence ring loudly in our ears. How do we, as citizens, have productive conversations that cross ever-widening rifts? As artists, what is our role in that conversation? The American Repertory Theater invites you - artists and friends - to join us at OBERON as we respond to the challenges of the hostile rhetoric that's fueled our national conversation over the past year. Guests are welcome to bring a small work (reading, poem, etc) to contribute to this evening of sharing, or to respond to other guests' offerings and help us begin the process of discussion, understanding, and activism. For those interested in sharing, we ask that you keep your contribution to 2-3 minutes. We hope that this convening, the second response event we have held at OBERON, will foster opportunities for future sharing and connection.

WHITE RABBIT RED RABBIT
November 14 - 16 at 7:30PM
Tickets $20 - $30

A metaphorical work by Iranian playwright Nassim Soleimanpour, WHITE RABBIT RED RABBIT has been performed in many cities, but is always unique, thanks to Soleimanpour's rules: Each night of the performance, the audience arrives to a stage set with only a script in a sealed envelope. Every night, a different actor takes the stage, opens the envelope, and reads the script aloud for the first-and last-time.

OLD SCHOOL GAME SHOW'S CARDIOVASCULAR SPECTACULAR
Saturday, November 19 at 7PM
Tickets $15 - $30

Are you ready to get hot and sweaty? Then get those buns of steel to OBERON on November 19th for Old School Game Show's Cardiovascular Spectacular! It's the OSGS aerobics workout special and you can bet your baby-oiled abs that it's Crystal Light Championship approved! Check your heart rate because the Cubic Zirconia Dancers are back with Terrortits along with Honey Pie and Jolie Lavie of the Lipstick Criminals! WIth special guest singer Mary Widow from Walter Sickert and the Army of Broken Toys joining the taut and toned grooves of the Swinging OSGS house band, you'll be sweatin' to the beat in no time! You can even join in the games when you play to win fabulous prizes from amazing local sponsors. With comedy, dance, live music, and a surprise Spandexed guest or two, this episode of OSGS is not to be missed!

PHOENIX ORCHESTRA: THE STREETS
Monday, November 21 at 7:30PM
Tickets $10 - $35

Kick off Season 3 with Phoenix! Phoenix Orchestra's third season is all about folk music from around the world. Phoenix Orchestra's first concert at OBERON, The Streets, features Boccherini's amazing String Quintet, "Night Music of the Streets of Madrid," as well as Bach's Brandenburg Concerto No. 4, Florence Price's Negro Folksongs in Counterpoint, and, of course, some Phoenix-style surprises! Come, bring a friend, grab a drink, and celebrate as Phoenix Orchestra kicks off their third season.

THE MOTH
Tuesday, November 22 and Tuesday, December 20 at 8PM
Tickets $10

The Moth StorySLAMs are steadily spreading all over the map, gathering people and stories from all over the country. New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, and Boston have multiple shows each month. The Moth is open to anyone with a five-minute story to share on the night's posted theme. The brave of heart, or those with stories they're aching to tell, prepare personal, true tales. When the doors open, storyteller hopefuls put their names in The Moth Hat. A half hour later, names are picked, and one by one, storytellers take the stage. Each person has just five minutes! The ten featured stories are scored by teams of judges selected from the audience. Each StorySLAM generates a StorySLAM winner. After ten SLAMs, the winners face off in our GrandSLAM Championships. Come sign up to tell a story, or just enjoy the show!

5TH ANNUAL 'OH YOU PRETTY THINGS' AKA 'David Bowie BLACK FRIDAY'
Friday, November 25 at 8PM and Saturday, November 26 at 7PM
Tickets $15 - $45

Rather than pushing through the market square on Black Friday and running wild in search of Christmas bargains, you should instead spit in the eyes of fools, put on your red shoes, and run to the centre of things - OBERON, that is - where each table offers a seat with the clearest view, and femme fatales emerge from shadows, disrobing to the best of Bowie, all night long. Niki Stardust and her Total Blam Blam David Bowie Band (aka Niki Luparelli and The Gold Diggers) bring back their lascivious tribute to the Thin White Duke and the female form.

GHOSTBUSTED
Sunday, November 27 at 6PM & 9:30PM
Tickets $13 - $20

When you're looking for strange in your neighborhood.... Who you gonna call? Award winning spooky Boston burlesque troupe The Slaughterhouse Sweethearts! After six years of haunting and flaunting their recognizable and beloved brand of pastie popping, this is the Sweethearts last OFFICIAL show! But cry naught.... They're going out with a show fun enough to raise the dead! Follow your ghostbusting hosts as they guide you through spooky striptease in horrific honor of the silver screen's most infamous ghosts and ghouls!

HARVARD BUSINESS SCHOOL CABARET - MY SECRET IDENTITY
Wednesday, November 30 at 7:30PM & 10:15PM
Tickets $12 - $18
This event is for Harvard Business Students and affiliates only.

From the creators of the HBS Show comes a new and exciting HBS theatrical production! The HBS Cabaret is a 90-minute, one-act show told through 12 individual stories around the theme of "My Secret Identity." Come discover hidden truths, alter-egos and secret desires through song, dance, comedy and more! One night only, two performances and NOT a drag show! This is a night you DON'T want to miss!

SOMETHING STRANGE: A MUSIC AND BURLESQUE TRIBUTE TO THE NIGHTMARE BEFORE CHRISTMAS
Thursday, December 1 at 8PM and Friday, December 2 at 8PM
Tickets $10 - $20

A live music and burlesque tribute to THE NIGHTMARE BEFORE CHRISTMAS by Walter Sickert & The Army of Broken Toys. Boys and girls of every age, wouldn't you like to see something strange? Walter's the one hiding under your bed, teeth ground sharp and eyes glowing red. Army of Toys hiding under your stairs, fingers like snakes and spiders in my hair, in this town, don't we love it now? Everybody's waiting for the next surprise.

CLUB DROSSELMEYER
Sunday, December 11 and Friday, December 16 at 7:30PM
Tickets $45 - $80

It's 1939 and you're on the list for the hottest night club in town, Club Drosselmeyer! Dress to impress and hobnob with friends and swells, drink martinis, dance to the Silver Slipper Swing band and watch the impressive floor show with dancers from around the world! But it's 1939 and there are stories everywhere. Spend a delightful evening in an elegant world of music and dance or... if you choose, find clues, solve puzzles and riddles and go down the rabbit hole of multiple intrigues happening beneath your nose. Your choices will change how the evening unfolds. You never know what the evening holds at Club Drosselmeyer!

A VERY MARY CHRISTMAS!
Monday, December 19 at 8PM
Tickets $20

86 year old Mary Dolan, that batsh*t ol broad with a heart of gold, is back for ONE NIGHT ONLY with a special Christmas show this holiday season. Hold onto your knickers and your tickers - Dig Boston deems this show "heroic defiance of good taste" and we couldn't agree more! Welcome her home with your cold, frigid arms, Boston. Mary needs you. With special guests to be announced soon.

THE DONKEY SHOW NEW YEAR'S EVE 2017
Thursday, December 31 at 9PM
Tickets from $25

Named "Boston's Best Dance Party" by Boston Magazine. The ultimate disco experience - a crazy circus of mirror balls and feathered divas, of roller skaters and hustle queens. The Donkey Show tells the story of Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream through the great 70s anthems. The enchanted forest of Shakespeare's classic comedy becomes the glittered world of retro disco as the lovers escape from their real lives to experience a night of dream, abandon, and fantasy. The Donkey Show is once again opening its doors for a special late night New Year's Eve celebration.

THE DONKEY SHOW
The Long-Running Hit
Presented by A.R.T.
Every Saturday night at 10:30PM
Tickets from $25

Tony Award-winner Diane Paulus' celebrated smash hit continues its 8th Season at OBERON every Saturday night, bringing you the ultimate disco experience - a crazy circus of mirror balls and feathered divas, of roller skaters and hustle queens inspired by Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream. The party rages on the dance floor to all the best 70s hits as the show unfolds around the audience. After the show, the party continues into the night so you can live out your own disco fever fantasy!

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OBERON is located at 2 Arrow Street at the corner of Mass Ave. in Harvard Square, Cambridge. For more info and tickets visit cluboberon.com.

OBERON is the American Repertory Theater's Second Stage, a destination for theater and nightlife on the fringe of Harvard Square. In addition to offering work from the A.R.T's main season, OBERON is also a thriving incubator for emerging artists to imagine new projects that could only exist in this exciting club-theater environment. Thousands of artists and performance groups bring work to the space each year. OBERON regularly features local performers including aerialists, beat poets, food artists, tap dancers, gender-bending sketch troupes, comedians, hula-hooping burlesquers, and pop-and-lock human statues to name a few.