Ars Nova Announces February Line-up of Development Series, Special Events & More

Ars Nova (Jason Eagan, Artistic Director; Jon Steingart and Jenny Wiener Steingart, Executive Producers) have announced a jam-packed lineup of February programming from its developmental series Out Loud, Tragedy Tomorrow, and Uncharted, as well as Residency Encores and Special Events.

Out Loud:

Out Loud highlights promising emerging playwrights by mounting public readings of exceptional new plays. Each reading provides essential resources for playwrights by drawing on the talents of leading directors and actors, and offering developmental feedback and support from the Ars Nova artistic staff.

Monday, February 2 @ 7pm: Pure

By A. Rey Pamatmat, directed by Lisa Peterson

Alan Turing, the queer, British mathematician whose ideas would usher in the age of computers, works obsessively to complete his great work: an intelligent machine capable of thinking, learning, and - one day - living. But when his life and work are put on trial, Alan must confront the painful connection between his pursuit of artificial life and his first love's death.

Residency Encores:

Residency Encores provide extra fuel to performers on the verge. Ars Nova artists return to our stage to further develop projects with artistic support. Residencies culminate in new shows hot off the presses! By providing space and resources for experimentation, rehearsals, and refined live performances, Ars Nova hastens these artists' eventual world domination before its audience's very eyes.

Saturday, January 31 @ 8pm and Saturday, February 7 @ 8pm:

Jeffery Self: People I Slept With Who Never Called Back

Anyone who's waited by the phone (or avoided it) will enjoy this ode to the crossed lines of the hookup world from hilarious writer-performer Jeffery Self. Those on his personal list would be wise to come see what mud is slung-but prepare to duck! Directed by Shira Milikowsky.

Wednesday, February 4 @ 8pm and Wednesday, February 11 @ 8pm:

Adira Amram Is: An American Idol

She sings, she jazzercises, she eats beef jerky in slow motion! Incomparable talent Adira Amram thrills with this pop comedy spectacle featuring backup dancers, band The Experience, and plentiful spandex. Come let the mind-blowing humor sweep you away. Leotards welcome! Staging by Travis Chamberlain.

Friday, February 6 @ 8pm and Friday, February 13 @ 8pm:

Just Jump!

Only in the world of Just Jump! could a seven-year-old girl standing petrified on a high-dive find the courage to dive into the wisdom of a tranny-hooker. A sexy, nasty, funky, freaky, out-of-this-world, high-speed (and yes, endearing) chase for the secret to Happiness On Earth! Created by and featuring Chad Schiro. Also featuring Francesca Harper and Katrina Yaukey. Directed by Damon Arrington.

Special Events:

Special Events showcase innovative work from exceptional artists at the forefront of live performance. Often times these artists have come through the ranks of Ars Nova and are excited to return to the place they call home, where they have the opportunity to present finished material or try something new in front of a familiar audience.

Saturday, February 14 @ 8pm: Happy F***ing Valentine's Day with TastiSkank

Celebrate Valentine's Day with two of the hottest ladies in town! Armed with horrendous breakup tales, scandalous songs, and some free drinks to unload, TastiSkank wants to be your Valentine, and they won't take no for an answer (seriously, they won't). Come indulge in some true romance!

Friday, February 20 @ 8pm and Saturday, February 21 @ 8pm: Radio Play

In this world premiere, downtown impresarios Reggie Watts and Tommy Smith bring together a group of actors, musicians and sound effects artists to create a sonic entertainment modeled after the radio programs of yesteryear. Bits of text, dialogue, soundscapes, musical themes, songs and stories collide on a non-temporal, quasi-political, pop-cultural, completely-unique wavelength.

Tragedy Tomorrow:

Tragedy Tomorrow brings the raw underbelly of New York's alternative comedy scene to the Ars Nova stage. This ongoing series encourages creative risk-taking by showcasing a wide spectrum of emerging comedic talent.

Thursday, February 5 @ 8pm: Brown Ambition

Carolyn Castiglia hasn't looked back since she left upstate New York, embraced her rap star alter ego on the streets of Harlem, and became Miss CKC, everyone's favorite phat chick. Come kick it with her and Ars Nova favorite Shockwave in this musical-comedy extravaganza. Directed by Baron Vaughn.

Thursday, February 19 @ 8pm: What Philosophy Majors Do After College

From Socrates to Sartre, the greats of Western thought are empirically, profoundly, and unquestionably hilarious. Comedian (and Williamsburg Spelling Bee maven) Jennifer Dziura knows this is so, and now that she's left the confines of Ivy League philosophy classrooms she wants to enlighten everyone! Directed by Evan Cabnet.

Uncharted:

Uncharted blasts through industry blockades, providing a forum for burgeoning composers, singer/songwriters and bands to perform original music. Embracing an eclectic range of styles, this series serves as an incubator for groundbreaking musical talent.

Tuesday, February 3 @ 8pm: Tony Carnevale's Greatest Hits

He spends his days writing Viagra ads and his nights writing nearly Viagra-free songs. But when you hear Tony Carnevale's geektastic lyrics rumble through that sweet baritone, you'll buy whatever stimulating ephemera he's selling. Join Tony, a piano, and his computer for a hilarious evening of music you'll be humming to yourself for hours upon nerdy hours.

Tuesday, February 10 @ 8pm: Miracles of Modern Science

Behold Civil War space-pop, an antique vision of the future, and a pulsing vortex of time-warped sound. Behold MoMS, a Brooklyn-based sextet that delights crowds and burns through cheap spacesuits in an audiovisual, orchestral odyssey that is much, much more than an earthly rock concert. Don't resist! As if you could...

Tuesday, February 17 @ 8pm: .357 Lover Presents Alice Wakeman: A Rock Opera

Brace yourself for raw songs and stories from the self-professed hypothetical nephew of Freddy Mercury and Tiny Tim. Fresh off the success of their EP Your Favorite Hamburger is a Cheeseburger, Corn Mo leads .357 Lover to Ars Nova to rock until they can rock no more.

As New York's premiere hub for emerging artists and new work, Ars Nova is committed to developing and producing eclectic theatre, comedy and music to feed today's popular culture. To that end, Ars Nova strives to create daring collaborations, meld disciplines and give voice to a new generation of artists. Last season, Ars Nova developed and produced critically acclaimed productions of Peter Sinn Nachtrieb's Boom, Liz Flahive's From Up Here (in a co-production with Manhattan Theatre Club), and Nick Jones and Raja Azar's Jollyship the Whiz-Bang. Past productions include Dixie's Tupperware Party, At Least It's Pink, 25 Questions for a Jewish Mother, Holy Cross Sucks!, Freestyle Love Supreme and The Wau Wau Sisters. In addition to its featured productions, Ars Nova supports and develops new work from the most promising emerging artists through its alternative comedy series (Tragedy Tomorrow), music series (Uncharted), public play-reading series (Out Loud), developmental residency program (Residency Encores), writer's group (Play Group) and artist-in-residence program. Ars Nova was founded in memory of Gabe Wiener.

For more information, visit www.arsnovanyc.com

 

Photo Credit: Genevieve Rafter-Keddy

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