Performance Space 122 Presents The Escape Artist 4/15-30

Performance and visual artist John Kelly explores the character of creative genius as it occurs in the gradations between the ephemeral and the tangible. His past creative work runs the gamut from mixed media dance theatre works to vocal concerts and exhibitions.

John Kelly completed work on The Escape Artist after being awarded the Ethyl Eichelberger Award in 2010. The Escape Artist traces the story of a man who has a trapeze accident while rehearsing a theatre piece based on the life of Italian Baroque painter, Caravaggio. Stranded on a gurney with a broken neck in the hospital emergency room, he finds refuge in the images that flood his mind - the sinners and saints, prostitutes and gods that populate Caravaggio's paintings. The Escape Artist contains 7 original songs by John Kelly & Carol Lipnik, as well as covers of songs by Claudio Monteverdi and John Barry.

Specific past projects by John Kelly have pondered Egon Schiele, Caravaggio, Antonin Artaud, Joni Mitchell, Barbette, Jean Cocteau; autobiography, the Berlin Wall, the Troubadours, the AIDS epidemic, and Expressionistic Film. These works have been performed at The Kitchen, PS 1, the Warhol Museum, the Whitney Biennial, The Tate Modern, and the Brooklyn Academy Of Music's Next Wave Festival. Paintings, drawings, photographs and video works have been exhibited in galleries and museums. He has sung the music of John Cage at the San Francisco Symphony, and collaborated and recorded with Laurie Anderson, David Del Tredici, Natalie Merchant and Antony and The Johnsons.

Writings include an autobiography 'John Kelly', published by the 2wice Arts Foundation, in association with Aperture. Acting credits include the Broadway production of "James Joyce's The Dead", and films by John Turturro and James Franco. Awards and Fellowships include 2 Bessie Awards, 2 Obie Awards, an Alpert Award, the 2010 Ethyl Eichelberger Award, a Visual Aids Vanguard Award, 2 NEA American Masterpieces Awards, and an Eliot Norton Award. Fellowships include NYFA, Art Matters, Inc., The Guggenheim Foundation, The Radcliffe Institute for Advanced Study, The Civitella Ranieri Foundation, and the Rome Prize at the American Academy in Rome. Archive: www.johnkellyperformance.org

The Escape Artist
Script & Visual Concept: John Kelly
Original Songs: John Kelly & Carol Lipnik
Additional Songs: Claudio Monteverdi; John Barry
Arrangements: Piano, Accordion, Flute: John DiPinto
Co-Direction & Dramaturgy: Dudley Saunders
Video Design: Jeff Morey
Cello: Nioka Workman
Violin: Justin Smith

The Escape Artist was developed, in part, by The Sundance Institute Theatre Program with ongoing support from the Time Warner Storytelling Fellowship; the Music Theatre Group's Here-See Residency Series; the Dixon Place HOT! Festival; The 2wice Arts Foundation; The Civitella Ranieri Center; The Rome Prize at the American Academy in Rome; the Armory Artist in Residence Program at the Park Avenue Armory; and a commission from the 2010 Ethyl Eichelberger Award created by Performance Space 122 and made possible with generous support from the Gesso Foundation.

The Escape Artist runs on the following schedule:
Wednesday, April 15 - Saturday, April 30.
Performances Wednesday - Friday at 8PM, Saturdays at 8 + 10PM.
Tickets: $25, $15 (students / seniors), $11 with a PS122 Passport
Purchase online: http://www.ps122.org/performances/the_escape_artist.html
By phone: 212-352-3101
In person at the box office in Performance Space 122 (150 1st Avenue at East 9th St.)

Performance Space 122 is one of New York's ultimate destinations for cutting-edge theatre, dance, music, live art and multi-media. Now celebrating its 30th Anniversary Season, PS122 is dedicated to supporting and presenting artists who explore innovative form and provocative content, rigorously challenging the boundaries of contemporary performance. PS122 is committed to a steadfast search for pioneering artists from a diversity of cultures, nations and beliefs. www.ps122.org

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