Travis Russ

Life Jacket Theatre Company presents an industry reading of its new musical, The Gorgeous Nothings, at New York Live Arts on February 12, 2024 at 3PM and 7PM.

Life Jacket Theatre Company has announced that C. Quintana (CQ) is the inaugural recipient of the 2023-2024 commission created exclusively for Trans+ playwrights, which includes gender non-conforming, gender-expansive, and nonbinary individuals.

Life Jacket has launched a new $10,000 commission for a Trans playwright to create a new, full-length verbatim play based on in-depth interviews with Trans people from across America.

These are the artists who help the artists. They make sure the person standing on the stage can relax and focus on the storytelling, instead of all the other details, and without them a lot of people would be lost.

Musical theater and cabaret maestro Joe Kinosian has been busily creating new musicals - this time for the under-18 set.

Life Jacket brought queer songs of the 1920s and 1930s back to life for a one night only event at Joe's Pub.

The cast, the music, the history all under the adept direction of Russ made extra beautiful by the music from Kinosian's fingers made THE GORGEOUS NOTHINGS: IN CONCERT one of the finest nightclub outings so far this year and, because Bobby CANNOT wait to see this flower bloom, we give this Work In Progress a full 5 Out Of 5 Rainbows and encourage all out there who love Lavender tales from the past to support Life Jacket Theatre Company.

The full cast has been announced for Life Jacket Theatre Company's The Gorgeous Nothings: In Concert to be held at Joe's Pub on February 17th at 9:30 PM.

This winter and spring, Joe's Pub a?" a program and venue of The Public Theater a?" is honoring new voices in musical theater through a variety of shows. From Broadway performers in concert to new musicals presented in the concert setting, there's something for every fan of musicals happening this season. Audiences are invited to celebrate the art of musical theater in non-conventional yet intimate ways with returning artists and new faces alike at Joe's Pub.

Described by the New York Times as 'Our Town with sex offenders', this daring play with music is based on hundreds of hours of interviews with the inhabitants of Miracle Village, a rural American community of sex offenders. America is Hard to See blends verbatim text with Methodist hymns and original folk music to tell the stories of the villagers in their own - not necessarily 100% true - words. The show explores the lives of individual members of the community as they try to lead normal lives, forming a band at their local church under the Pastor Patti, a cleric who is determined to give the men a second chance. Focusing on the consequences rather than the transgression, the show asks if redemption is possible, and takes an uncomfortable look on what it means to put forgiveness into practice.

Before a performance of the play America is Hard to See, audience members have the opportunity to wander across a canvas map of Miracle Village. What appears as a gridded crisscrossing of rural living quarters is home to a community of men - sex offenders - who are finding a way to move forward. Travis Russ, artistic director at Life Jacket Theatre Company, calls this Southern Florida community one of many "little dots" on a map, where real people have stories to tell. In his case, Russ decided that the stories within Miracle Village should be told onstage. In a phone interview with BroadwayWorld, Russ discussed bringing the residents' true stories to the theatre.

The music-infused play AMERICA IS HARD TO SEE from Life Jacket Theatre Company will have its opening performance tonight, Friday, February 2nd. From Life Jacket artistic director Travis Russ and songwriter Priscilla Holbrook, the production will run through February 24th at HERE (145 6th Avenue). Get a first look at the production ahead of opening!

New York City based theatre podcast, Your Program Is Your Ticket, takes you behind the scenes with theatre artists from New York City, as well as national and international artists. Award-winning playwright, Sean Chandler, hosts the podcast which features a wide range of artists. From producers, actors, lighting designers, stage managers, ushers, writers, understudy's, and directors, Sean is on a mission to give a voice to all theatre artists.

Life Jacket Theatre Company (Travis Russ, Artistic Director) is proud to announce the world premiere production of America is Hard to See, a new play with music written and directed by Travis Russ (Gorey: The Secret Lives Of Edward Gorey) with music and lyrics by Priscilla Holbrook (from the band, Susan Jane). Performances begin January 30, 2018 at HERE (145 6th Avenue). Opening night is set for February 2, 2018, with a limited run through February 24, 2018.

Life Jacket Theatre Company presents GOREY: THE SECRET LIVES OF Edward Gorey, a new play written and directed by Travis Russ, in a strictly limited Off-Broadway engagement from tonight, December 14, 2016, through January 14, 2017 at The Sheen Center for Thought & Culture (18 Bleecker Street).

Life Jacket Theatre Company will present GOREY: THE SECRET LIVES OF EDWARD GOREY, a new play written and directed by Travis Russ, in a strictly limited Off-Broadway engagement from December 14, 2016 - January 14, 2017 at The Sheen Center for Thought & Culture (18 Bleecker Street).

On Monday, September 26, 2016, The New York Innovative Theatre Foundation, the organization who for the past 12 years has been dedicated to celebrating Off-Off-Broadway, announced the 2016 recipients at its annual awards ceremony, The IT Awards. Hosted by a crowd favorite, Jason Kravits and directed by award winning director and sound designer, DeLisa White the ceremony took place from 7pm to 10pm at the Kaye Playhouse at Hunter College.

On Monday, August 8, 2016, The New York Innovative Theatre Foundation, the organization who for the past 12 years has been dedicated to celebrating Off-Off-Broadway, announced the 2016 nominees at its annual event, The IT Party, celebrating 12 years and thousands of nominees at 42West. Scroll down for the full list of nominations!

Life Jacket Theatre Company presents GOREY: THE SECRET LIVES OF EDWARD GOREY, a new play exploring the life of Tony Award-winning artist, author, and designer Edward Gorey. GOREY will run now through May 22 in a limited three-week engagement at HERE as part of the SubletSeries@HERE, located at 145 Ave of the Americas (6th Ave). Click below to meet the stars of the show!