Photo Flash: First Look at LOVE, CONNIE, Playing Provincetown's Afterglow Festival & NYC

After successful runs in Los Angeles, John Cantwell's LOVE, CONNIE - a multi-media dance comedy thriller - makes its east coast debut as part of Provincetown's Afterglow Festival on September 15 with an additional show in New York City on September 17 at the newly re-opened Slipper Room on the lower east side. Preview the show in the production photos below!

Written by, choreographed and starring Cantwell as "Connie Slocum," LOVE, CONNIE is inspired by the films of Brian DePalma and Dario Argento as well as their respective soundtracks by Pino Donaggio, Bernard Herrmann and Ennio Morricone. It features Jennifer Dohn (Invincible: The Legend Of Billie Jean) as Connie's cat, "Vickie", and a special guest appearance by Kelly Mantle (LOGO's DragTastic NYC, Ryan Murphy's The New Normal, and the band Tranzkuntinental) as the revenge crazed "Bambi". The filmed portions of LOVE, CONNIE were directed by Michael Bodie (Sundance Institute), produced by Loretta Ramos (How Do I Say This: I'm Gay) and executive produced by Bryan Fuller (NBC's upcoming Mockingbird Lane and Hannibal; Pushing Daisies; Dead Like Me).

Connie Slocum (a sketch character Cantwell originated with legendary NYC comedy trio The Nellie Olesons) is a loveable, albeit hirsute, ramshackle flashdancer who wants nothing more than to entertain an audience with her wild choreography and pageantry skills. When a nemesis from Connie's past threatens to derail her show by putting her beloved pussycat, Vickie, in jeopardy, Connie has to fight and dance to the death in order to rescue the cat she loves more than life itself. Fear and cheer for Connie in this non-stop, 80's pop, psycho-slasher, dance-a-thon!

In its second year, The Afterglow Festival honors Provincetown, Ma. as the birthplace of Modern American Theater, presenting staged works from critically acclaimed, renowned and under-the-radar innovative artists across a wide spectrum of forms. Conceived by John Cameron Mitchell (Hedwig and The Angry Inch)and Quinn Cox, Afterglow renews the centennial artistic bond between Greenwich Village and Provincetown and celebrates the cultural heritage of this great Cape Cod hamlet.

The Slipper Room is an intimate 200-seat proscenium theatre with state of the art lighting and sound featuring acts ranging from traditional burlesque to down and dirty stand-up. Recently re-opened and housed in a brand-new, two-story venue in the heart of the Lower East Side, The Slipper Room is NYC's premier palace of variety. Joining Connie in the pussy riot will be choreographer Robin Carrigan's big and busty go-go trio Nan and Her Boys in a Siegfried & Roy-inspired whip number to the classic hit "Born Free," as well as I Don't Mean To Brag: Adrienne Truscott's One Lady Rape About Comedy Starring Her Pussy and Little Else, performed by Wau Wau Sister, Adrienne Truscott.

John Cantwell hails from the small town of Tallulah, LA. After receiving a music degree from a Southern Baptist college, he moved to New York and began performing in Off- and Off-Off Broadway productions, including Ronnie Larsen's Making Porn and Jim Fall's Blood Orgy Of The Carnival Queens. In 1997, John joined The Nellie Olesons (Will & Grace, LOGO's Wisecrack) and with them created over ten critically acclaimed shows, garnering The Nellies a loyal cult following throughout North America. After moving to Hollywood in 1999, he began working in film (Legally Blonde, Nick & Norah's Infinite Playlist), television (Pushing Daisies, Nip/Tuck, The Riches, Norm) and theater (Saltine Crackers, his debut as a playwright, was performed at Highways in 2005). Currently, John is hard at work on LOVE, CONNIE 2: ELECTRIC BOOGALOO, coming in 2013, as well as LOVE, CONNIE: 3D.

 

The Cast of LOVE, CONNIE

The Cast of LOVE, CONNIE

The Cast of LOVE, CONNIE

The Cast of LOVE, CONNIE

The Cast of LOVE, CONNIE

The Cast of LOVE, CONNIE