Kenyon Phillips' Residency at The Box, Directed by Cady Huffman, Begins Tonight

By: Mar. 11, 2016
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Performance artist, musician and newly proclaimed king of New York, Kenyon Phillips, is announcing his residency and run of his episodic rock opera "The Life and Death of Kenyon Phillips: Songs of Desperation, Betrayal, Addiction, and Redemption."

The follow-up to his well-reviewed and attended show, "The Life and Death of Kenyon Phillips" which has been running in New York City for the past two years, it will be directed by Tony Award-winning actor, Cady Huffman, and feature a rotating cast of characters that includes: ballerina, Kimberly Giannelli; New York City staple and journalist, Michael Musto; along with a supporting cast of aerialists, acrobats and burlesquers.

The show centers around Phillips's character and uses an interactive rock-cabaret-variety show format to tell the story of this colorful New Yorker's death...and resurrection. Each of the four shows will exemplify different emotional states -- desperation, betrayal, addiction, and finally, redemption -- to take the audience on a journey from darkness into light.

"I hope people can see this show and forgive themselves for their sins," said Phillips. "I want to take them on a journey from darkness, fear and death into light, love and life."

Director Cady Huffman is taking a lighter approach to the project. "I'm beating Kenyon up for a few weeks," laughs Huffman. "Then you get to have him."

The show runs tonight, March 11; Friday, March 18; Friday, March 25; and Saturday, April 9 at The Box. For more information, visit thekenyonphillips.com.

Watch a trailer for the show below!

SHOW DESCRIPTIONS:

The Life + Death of Kenyon Phillips: Songs of Desperation

After being resurrected during his own funeral, rocker Kenyon Phillips examines - and displays - the desperation that drove him to become a performer through song, gunplay and acrobatics. Along with Phillips's all-girl orchestral rock band, The Ladies in Waiting, this immersive concert experience features juggling acrobatic duo Kelsey Strauch and Chris Comfort. Directed and choreographed by Tony winner Cady Huffman (The Producers).

The Life + Death of Kenyon Phillips: Songs of Betrayal

After being resurrected during his own funeral, rocker Kenyon Phillips gets Oedipal with his overbearing mother through song, selfies and a TV remote control. Along with Phillips's all-girl orchestral rock band, The Ladies in Waiting, this immersive concert experience features actor Justin Sams (Orange Is The New Black). Directed and choreographed by Tony winner Cady Huffman (The Producers).

The Life + Death of Kenyon Phillips: Songs of Addiction

After being resurrected during his own funeral, rocker Kenyon Phillips struggles with his addiction to sex, food and other addicts by going toe-to-toe with a stripping female preacher. Along with Phillips's all-girl orchestral rock band, The Ladies in Waiting, this immersive concert experience features burlesque performer Pearls Daily. Directed and choreographed by Tony winner Cady Huffman (The Producers).

The Life + Death of Kenyon Phillips: Songs of Redemption

After being resurrected during his own funeral, rocker Kenyon Phillips tries to make up for past wrongs by pursuing a high-flying pizza delivery girl. Along with Phillips's all-girl orchestral rock band, The Ladies in Waiting, this immersive concert experience features aerialist Juanita Cardenas. Directed and choreographed by Tony winner Cady Huffman (The Producers).

Dubbed "the new King of New York" by The Huffington Post and "the love child of Luther Vandross and Steven Tyler" by pop culture commentator Michael Musto, Kenyon Phillips knows how to put on a show. In addition to founding and fronting the bands Roma!, Unisex Salon and Thrill A Minute, Kenyon has written and produced songs for comedienne Amy Poehler and international drag performer Joey Arias; moonlighted as emcee of notorious vaudeville nightclub The Box; performed with renowned "punk ballerina" and choreographer Karole Armitage; appeared as a silhouetted dancer in multiple campaigns for the Apple iPod; DJ'd for runway shows at MILK Studios during New York Fashion Week; and acted in a number of indie films, most recently Fall To Rise with Daphne Rubin-Vega. His songs have been featured on several network and cable television programs, including Shameless on Showtime, Eleventh Hour on CBS, and The Mighty B! on Nickelodeon. His debut solo EP Fire in the Hole was released in September 2013, and was helmed by multi-platinum award-winning producer, mixer and songwriter David Bendeth (Paramore, Papa Roach, Breaking Benjamin, Cowboy Junkies). The last two years have seen Kenyon bring to the stage an autobiographical circus rock opera featuring a cast of 25 and his all-girl orchestral rock band, The Ladies in Waiting. Directed and choreographed by Tony winner Cady Huffman (The Producers), The Life and Death of Kenyon Phillips has been performed to sold-out audiences at Webster Hall, The Box and Joe's Pub. Kenyon is a Phi Beta Kappa graduate of Wesleyan University.



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