The Tank Announces Schedule for City Artist Corps Grantee Performances

The Tank announced today the programming schedule for the City Artist Corps Grantee Performances. From now until October 31st, the Tank is presenting FREE in-person programming highlighting the work of 14 City Artist Corps Grantees. City Artist Corps Grants is part of City Artist Corps, a new $25 million recovery initiative designed to help artists who were both hard hit by the pandemic and who may have been left out of other local and federal funding opportunities. The program has offered $5k stipends to thousands of artists across the five boroughs. Money goes directly to the artists of NY who have been disproportionately impacted by COVID-19. These grants provide an opportunity for the public to engage with free live performances, and allow artists in need to continue sustaining their practice and art-form in an in-person setting.

All performances will take place in-person at The Tank NYC (312 West 36th St New York, NY 10018) for limited capacity, fully vaccinated masked audiences or at openairTank (Broadway between 35th and 36th Street). More information about each performance can be found online at thetanknyc.org.

The performance line-up includes:

Tangled Up in Strings: A Celebration Survival Concert

By Tsebiyah Mishael Derry

October 11, 2021 at 3pm

openairTank on Broadway between 35th and 36th Streets

Tangled Up In Strings is a Survival Celebration Concert event. A declaration of resilience, artistry, gratitude & love. An evening of original poetry & music from one of New York's own. An offering of love to a community that came together despite all odds to support each other through unprecedented times.

Collaborators include Tsebiyah Mishael Derry, Hunter, Jon Toscano, Ximena Violante, Tracey Farrar, and Sharaé.

Conjectures of a Guilty Bystander

By Tom Block

October 13-16, 2021 at 7pm

The Tank's 98-seat Proscenium Theater

Conjectures of a Guilty Bystander welcomes you into the world of mystical theatre. They end up in a place waiting for something and so do you. Six is from Bayonne and Chris is from Fort Lee. Pat appears to be in charge and then becomes Madame Thérèse Defarge. Alex and Dubbs cling together against some psychic storm. Jeffrey Dahmer and Ted Bundy. Unicorns. Whatever you think it is, it's something else. But it probably isn't what you expected or didn't expect.

Chuang Tzu said: "If there is existence, there must have been non-existence. And if there was a time when nothing existed, then there must have been a time before that - when even nothing did not exist." So why does Pizza Rat end up in the middle of everything? Well, at least getting a cameo.

Conjectures of a Guilty Bystander was written, directed and produced by Tom Block. Moshe Henderson serves as stage manager and sound designer. Sheila Joon Azim serves as assistant producer and dramaturg. Conjectures of a Guilty Bystander features fight choreography by Victor Vaubaun Junior and voice over work by Emeka Emecheta. The cast includes Grace Chang as Stage Manager/Gaoler, JaneAnne Halter as Alex, Mark Peters as Six, Rachel Halper as Chris, Clara Steeves as Dubbs, Clinton Powell as Bouncer and Te'ena Klein as Pat.

Our Childhood Sucked

By SMJ and Alyssa Samuelson

October 16, 2021 at 3pm

The Tank's 98-seat Proscenium Theater

Our Childhood Sucked follows five former teen stars that are invited back for a Disney+ reunion special and the pilot for the reboot of the show they made famous, "Dating Academy." However, through s'mores, script readings, identical twins, and an ominous church set, they discover that something more sinister (and exploitative) may be awaiting them.

Our Childhood Sucked was created by Ezra Brain (they/them), Ludmila Brito (she/her) , SMJ (they/them), Stephanie Fongheiser (she/her), Talia Frank-Stempel (she/her), Daniel Kunkel (he/him), Danielle Phillips (she/her) and Alizae Powell (she/her). Ezra Brain serves as Dramaturg and Ludmila Brito serves as Director. The piece was written by SMJ. Alyssa Samuelson (she/her) is the production stage manager. The cast of Our Childhood Sucked includes Annie Fang (she/her) as London & Chris, Talia Frank-Stempel as Jade, Nicky Khor (he/him) as "Josh," Evan Moore-Coll (he/him) as Chase, Danielle Phillips as Manny and Alizae Powell as Riley.

Crawlspaceblog

By Rebecca Kane

October 17, 2021 7pm

The Tank's 98-seat Proscenium Theater

"Before you read any more of this post, I want you to keep something in mind. Above all, you and I, in the end, are not so different. Have you ever been at a friend's house for a dinner party and took a quick peek in the medicine cabinet? Did you pretend you were getting a headache, then not bother to take one of the Advils? You're here because I'm here, and I'm going to do more than open the medicine cabinet."

Meet Claire. She runs a super hip Airbnb for budding writers in a beautiful forest. She gets her coffee from the farmer's market. She's a good listener, and she'll always give you as many extra towels as you need. Then as you're getting ready for bed that night, she'll watch you in your most private, mundane moments, and she'll tell the world all about every little detail on her blog. Crawlspaceblog is a new play in development following Claire as she follows her renters, until she gets a special new guest whose unexpected bond with her may threaten more than just her livelihood and her weird little nighttime hobby.

Crawlspaceblog was written and produced by Rebecca Kane and directed by Cameron Collier. The cast includes Kelsey Bowens as Claire, Mateo Moreno as Brad, Tara Nicole Murphy as Jenna, Christian Neely as Stoopkid01 and stage directions by Josephine Pizzino.

Dummy Me

By Bailey Maceja

October 18 - 20, 2021 at 7pm

The Tank's 98-seat Proscenium Theater

LEISTER starts a band with MAX, and FOGGY's hired as their new bassist. They tour, and battle drug addiction, suicidality, isolation - but they also find friendship in the backs of shitty clubs, singing too-loud to songs in the van, and sharing a quiet jam session in a garage. It's a story for young artists, for them to see the struggle and come out stronger on the other side.

Bailey Macejak (she/they) is the playwright and producer and features in the cast as FOGGY/KURT. Carl Holder (he/him) is the producer and director. Felix Teich (he/him) appears as MAX.

What Will Become of Kaaron?

By Kaaron Briscoe

October 21, 2021 at 7pm

The Tank's 3rd Floor Theater

What Will Become of Kaaron? A Slideshow of Possibilities explores fears of the unknown, as writer & performer Kaaron Briscoe discusses what could happen to her future after her divorce.

What Will Become of Kaaron is written and performed by Kaaron Briscoe and directed by Patricia Marjorie with Danielle Villela as the associate producer. The set design, costume design, and prop design are by Patricia Marjorie, with lighting and sound design by Rodrigo Fischer, and the graphic and slide design is by Yasmin Santana. The voice overs feature Linette R Freeman and Sandro Isaack, with production photography by Clovis Gomis.

The Sun Never Rises in Harding, Missouri

By Jack Calk

October 22, 2021 at 7pm

The Tank's Studio 2

Just as it seems their lives are about to finally begin, best friends Benjamin and Nathan receive a prophecy that shows them the way to lift the generational curse hanging over their hometown: One must leave forever, and one must cut out his own heart. And if they wait too long, they may just bring about the end of the world.

The Sun Never Rises in Harding, Missouri was written by Jack Calk and is directed by Lillian Meredith. James Smart is the composer and star.

Durra Leung's Lullabies for Motherfuckers Vol 1.

By Durra Leung and Jason Aguirre

October 22, 2021 at 9:30pm

The Tank's 98-seat Proscenium Theater

He loves rom-coms. He writes rom-coms. Well, he lives in a rom-com, though the meet-cute never happens. From surviving the dating(-app) scene in NYC as a Chinese gay man, to finding self-love through a lifelong frenemy and a new hot neighbor, join award-winning composer-lyricist Durra Leung as he comments on the hidden episodes of his life with original songs. Performed by Leung and a small ensemble of performers, this 60-minute musical event is part cabaret, and part fabulous self-exposé.

Lullabies for Motherfuckers Vol. 1 is created and performed by Durra Leung (he/him) and directed by Jason Aguirre (he/him). Music direction is by Adam J. Rineer (they/he). The cast also features Ellis Gage (he/they).

Tanya's Lit Clit

produced by Experimental Bitch Presents

conceived by Emma Goldman-Sherman and Tatiana Baccari

October 24, 2021 at 7pm

The Tank's 3rd Floor Theater

Tanya's Lit Clit (TLC) is a modern-mythic play about Tanya, a white ballerina with a burning in her clitoris (a word she can barely utter!) and Dr. Violet, a Black uro-gynecologist with her own autoimmune diseases. In an epic journey led by a chorus of womxn+, Dr. Violet and Tanya embark on a wild investigation of the female body and the herstory of its treatment. TLC shows medical bias in action through humor, visceral physicality, and dissonance to wake us from our complacency and guide us to our healing. Director Tatiana Baccari and playwright Emma Goldman-Sherman, who are over twenty-five years apart in age, conceived TLC based on mutual struggles with autoimmune disorders.

Content Advisory: This play discusses intimacy and pain, along with strong language.

Tanya's Lit Clit is produced by Wednesday Derrico. Amelia Fowler appears as Dr. Violet.

Everyday Charlie

By Julie Johnson

October 24, 2021 at 8pm

The Tanks' 98-seat Proscenium Theater

Everyday Charlie: A cool musical about fifth graders - a new musical for young actors about a fifth grader named Charlie who finds out he has to switch schools in the middle of the school year. He's nervous to fit in at his new school since he tends to be excluded for being "nerdy". Charlie decides to reinvent himself at his new school, but then quickly learns that doesn't work so well. He finds new friends who encourage him to be himself and the overall moral of the story is this: we are all so different, and our differences aren't a bad thing. Let's find creative ways to play, learn, and live together while celebrating our differences!

Everyday Charlie was created and composed by BROCRISP (Michael Johnson). Summer Dregs serves as music producer and engineer. Chris Williams is the guitarist. Everyday Charlie features vocalists Jack Roden, Lucy Grunden, Kaleb Wong, Maddie Pilla and Claire Pilla.

Forever IN Between

By Sishel Claverie

October 30, 2021 at 3pm

The Tank's 98-seat Proscenium Theater

In this multimedia concert of vocal chamber music, Mezzo-soprano Sishel Claverie explores the immigrant experience and what it is to be always straddling two countries: going from separation and loss to the search of identity and belonging. She combines compelling visuals with powerful musical works of living composers from (or relocated to) the United States, and also from Mexico, creating a bridge between her current home and her childhood home. The show features works by Melissa Dunphy, Clarice Assad, Ellis Ludwig-Leone, Joy Tamayo, Jorge Lockward, among others.

She is joined by a group of amazing musicians including Yana Davydova in guitar, Martin Néron at the piano, violinist Artie Dibble, Mariana Ramirez in percussion, Mezzo-soprano Eliza Bonet, and Tenor Christopher Sierra, among others.

Forever IN Between is music directed by Artie Dibble, with projection design and editing by Sishel Claverie with projection design assistance by Jacob Maximillian Baron.

Past works in this series included:

The Comfort Illusion

By Nic Adams

August 13, 2021 at 7pm

The Tank's 98-seat Proscenium Theater

An over-educated, underachieving thirty-something earns a living stocking the snack room at a high-end hedge fund. The protagonist, named You, lives their life as if everything is disposable. Jumped one night by an extremist sect of eco-warriors, You awaken to the imminent catastrophe that awaits our planet. Slowly, You begin to build your moral code, at home and at work, but the more personal sacrifices You make for the sake of the planet, the more You become plagued by feelings of futility. Want to save the planet? Hold your breath.

The Comfort Illusion is a darkly comedic solo performance charting one person's descent into eco-psychosis. Created and performed by Nic Adams, and presented as a work-in-progress showing in collaboration with director Angel Desai and sound artist JU-EH.

Marielle: A Musical

By Jenna Chrisphonte, Josanna Vaz and Priscila Santana

September 25, 2021 at 7pm

The Tank's 98-seat Proscenium Theater

Black+Brazilian+Lesbian+Favelada+Revolutionary=Marielle Franco

Marielle: A Musical was composed by Martinho Da Vila and written and executive produced by Jenna Chrisphonte. Direction is by Raelle Myrick-Hodges, with musical direction by Priscilla Santana. Suzane Sena serves as producer, with Josanna Vaz as lead actor and producer.

Something Old, Something New

By Kev Berry:

September 28 & 29, 2021 at 7pm

The Tank's 98-seat Proscenium Theater

In his intimate two-evening reading series, Something Old, Something New, Tank resident artist Kev Berry presents an established, completed project of his, Harsh Cacophonies I & II, alongside a very rough draft, very in-process reading of selections from his new furious Fire Island fantasia, When It Was Adventurous.

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