UBU SINGS UBU to Play B.B. Kings on Feb 8th
By: Sally Henry Fuller Jan. 27, 2016
Adapted from a version of the original French text of Alfred Jarry's scandalous play Ubu Roi, and run through the Google TranslateTM engine, Ubu Sings Ubu is fueled by the giddy, angular new wave rock of Pere Ubu, the cult band whose name and style were inspired by the play. Tony Torn, who co-?directs with Dan Safer of Witness Relocation, plays Pere Ubu while Julie Atlas Muz is Mere Ubu, in a sexy, face melting mash up of underground rock show and absurdist theater.
Ubu Sings Ubu's invasion of Times Square co-?insides with King Ubu's campaign to "Bring Filthy Back To 42nd Street." During the run up to the show, King Ubu (Torn) will make a number of personal appearances in Times Square, with his painted breasts exposed in solidarity with the topless Time Square performers excoriated by City Hall. While sharing his freezing nipples with the general public, Ubu plans to announce his candidacy for President. "Ubu no care for electoral college" states the exiled ruler. "But if bear can wrestle me naked, then so can Hillary or Donald Cruz."
Ubu's initial 2014 run at the Abrons Arts Center was known for its riotous atmosphere: audience members rushed the stage to mosh with the ensemble during the curtain call, and liberal consumption of cocktails contributed to the mayhem. The creative team pledges that the show will arrive uptown at the popular mainstream venue with its fangs intact. "Tourists from all 50 states and from around the world come to BB Kings to see the best in live music," says Torn. "If they have the guts to party with Pa and Ma Ubu, we'll be ready to bathe them in sweat, noise and kielbasa juice!"
Ubu Sings Ubu, features Tony Torn (Jay Scheib's The Disinherited, Truman Capote's Breakfast At Tiffany's on Broadway)
Ubu Sings Ubu is adapted and co-?directed by Tony Torn (Door Wide Open, Reverend Billy and The Church Of Stop Shopping); co-?directed and choreographed by Dan Safer (Witness Relocation); produced by Presence Productions; video by Kaz Phillips Safer, sets and costumes by Deb O, and lights by Jay Ryan. Musical Director is Vera Beren, with live sound mixing by Freddie Katz.
Performance Schedule:
Monday Feb. 8th at 8PM
The show runs 90 minutes
Location:
BB King's Blues Club and Grill, 237 W 42nd St, NYC. Via Subway take the A, C, E, N, R, Q, S, 1,2,3,7 to Times Square.
Tickets:
$22 advance sale, $28 at the door, and available at BB King's box office and online.
More info:
www.ubu-?sings-?ubu.com
About Tony Torn (adapter/co-?director/performer):
Tony Torn is an actor and director known for his extensive work with Reza Abdoh and Richard Foreman, and for being the founding director of Reverend Billy and The Church of Stop Shopping. Tony recently made his Broadway debut as Rusty Trawler in Truman Capote's Breakfast At Tiffany's. Other recent credits include Tempest at LaMama, directed by Karin Coonrod; The Church of Warren Buffet with Toxic Dreams, in Vienna, Austria, and Jay Scheib's Platonov, or The Disinherited at the Kitchen. He manages Torn Page, a salon space and classroom in Chelsea.
About Julie Atlas Muz (performer)
is an acclaimed and prolific conceptual performer and choreographer in New York and sucker punches the boundaries between performance art, dance and burlesque with dark, twisted, come-?hither performances that have secured her place in the underworld of nightlife as well as the bastion of the artworld. Muz has presented her work at P.S. 122, HERE, the Performing Garage and Art at St. Anne's Warehouse, chashama, LaMama, the Kitchen, and Dixon Place. Muz has been awarded Artist-? in-?Residency status from Chashama (2002), Joyce Soho (2001), Mondo Conne Artist-?in-?Residency at Dixon Place (2000) and Movement Research Artist-?in-?Residence (1998-?99). 2004 Whitney Biennial Artist and a 2005 Valencia Biennial Artist.
About Dan Safer (Co-?director/Choreographer/Dancing Bear) Safer is Artistic Director of the acclaimed dance/ theater company Witness Relocation and works as a freelance director and choreographer. Recent credits include the world premiere of Chuck Mee's Eterniday with WR at La Mama; an original dance/theater/music adaptation of "Moby Dick" at NYU Abu Dhabi; and choreography for Stravinsky's "Rite of Spring" with Philadelphia Orchestra and Ridge Theater. His work has appeared at venues including the Brooklyn Academy of Music, Theater de Chaillot in Paris, Les Subsistanes in Lyon, and theaters and festivals in Thailand, Poland, Russia, Romania, Australia, and all over the US of A. He was a 2007-? 9 recipient of the Six Points Fellowship (Performance) and has won two NY Innovative Theater Awards. Time Out NY called him "a purveyor of lo-?fi mayhem" and he thought that was really awesome. He used to be a go-?go dancer and once choreographed the Queen of Thailand's Birthday Party. Dan is the Head of Movement Training at NYU/ Playwrights Horizons Theater School and has recently taught at Princeton University and The Norwegian Theatre Academy.
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