Taylor Mac News

WHY WON'T YOU LET ME BE GREAT!!! is a group show inspired by Kanye West's ground-breaking, 'Thom Yorke in the Strip Club' crossover pop album 808s & Heartbreak. Conceived by Brendan Kennedy and presented by Neal Medlyn and Catch in association with Performance Space 122, the evening-length performance will feature work by a vast array of downtown superstars showing pieces inspired by each song from the album, much as the Joffrey Ballet's (in)famous Billboards choreographed the songs of Prince.

The Fordham University Alumni Theatre Company announced the details of its second annual production, ONCE THERE WAS A BOY, a new play by Jason Pizzarello. The production is a collaboration of thirty Fordham University alums, including Pizzarello and director Aaron Rhyne, and will begin its special limited engagement on August 1, 2009 at Fordham University's Pope Auditorium (113 W. 60th Street, NYC).

WHY WON'T YOU LET ME BE GREAT!!! is a group show inspired by Kanye West's ground-breaking, 'Thom Yorke in the Strip Club' crossover pop album 808s & Heartbreak. Conceived by Brendan Kennedy and presented by Neal Medlyn and Catch in association with Performance Space 122, the evening-length performance will feature work by a vast array of downtown superstars showing pieces inspired by each song from the album, much as the Joffrey Ballet's (in)famous Billboards choreographed the songs of Prince.

Sundance Institute today announced the five projects chosen for the 2009 Sundance Institute Theatre Lab to be held July 7 -22 at the Sundance Resort in Utah. Under the stewardship of Sundance Institute Theatre Program's Artistic Director Philip Himberg, the projects and participants selected for this year's residency are: Diagram of a Paper Airplane (Carlos Murillo); An Iliad (Denis O'Hare and Lisa Peterson); The Lily's Revenge (Taylor Mac); Ngwino Ubeho (Come and Be Alive) (Odile Gakire Gatire); and Palomino (David Cale).

Sundance Institute has tapped Eric Rosen, artistic director of Kansas City Repertory Theatre, to direct Diagram of a Paper Airplane by Carlos Murillo for the 2009 Sundance Institute Theatre Lab, July 7-22, at the Sundance Resort in Utah.

Performance Space 122 announced Vaginal Davis, one of New York's most influential drag performers, as winner of the 2009 Ethyl Eichelberger Award, a commissioning award given to an artist who exemplifies Ethyl's larger-than-life style and generosity of spirit; who embodies Ethyl's multi-talented artistic virtuosity, bridging worlds and inspiring those around them.

PERFORMANCE SPACE 122 presents the world premiere of 'CRACKED ICE or The Jewels of the Forbidden Skates' BY Jennifer Miller Winner of the 2008 Ethyl Eichelberger Award April 25 - May 10 In this glittering theatrical extravaganza, the infamous juggling duo, The Liberty Sisters, have been fleeced by an evil ponzi schemer

Sundance Institute today announced the five projects chosen for the 2009 Sundance Institute Theatre Lab to be held July 7 -22 at the Sundance Resort in Utah. Under the stewardship of Sundance Institute Theatre Program's Artistic Director Philip Himberg, the projects and participants selected for this year's residency are: Diagram of a Paper Airplane (Carlos Murillo); An Iliad (Denis O'Hare and Lisa Peterson); The Lily's Revenge (Taylor Mac); Ngwino Ubeho (Come and Be Alive) (Odile Gakire Gatire); and Palomino (David Cale).

PERFORMANCE SPACE 122 presents the world premiere of 'CRACKED ICE or The Jewels of the Forbidden Skates' BY Jennifer Miller Winner of the 2008 Ethyl Eichelberger Award April 25 - May 10 In this glittering theatrical extravaganza, the infamous juggling duo, The Liberty Sisters, have been fleeced by an evil ponzi schemer

terraNOVA Collective is set to host an evening to benfit terraNOVA Collective Thursday, April 2 at DR2 Theatre and D-Lounge 103 East 15th Street. This extra special evening will begin with a Welcome Reception at 7pm in the DR2 Lobby with chocolate and desserts from some of New York?s finest bakeries including Magnolia Bakery & Tonnie?s. The Mainstage Performance will begin at 8pm in the DR2 Theatre. Performances will include Roger Bonair-Agard (HBO's Def Poetry Jam) and previews from the upcoming 2009 soloNOVA Arts Festival, including: Preston Martin (Fun Design with Svelte) and magician Jeff Grow (Creating Illusion). Concluding the performances, packages will be up for sale including tickets to some of the hottest Broadway shows as well as NY & NJ sporting events.

Five years ago (on March 26, 2004 to be precise) 'Accidental Nostalgia' premiered at St. Anne's Warehouse to enthusiastic reviews and packed houses. The show's star, Cynthia Hopkins, became a celebrated figure in New York's alternative theater community, and the success of the show gave rise to 'The Accidental Trilogy,' which includes 'Must Don't Whip 'Um' (2007) and the forthcoming 'The Success of Failure (or The Failure of Success),' the third and final show in the trilogy which plays at St. Ann's Warehouse May 22 - June 7, 2009.

THE CYNTHIA HOPKINS SONGBOOK With Suzan-Lori Parks, Novice Theory, John Hodgman & more! Friday, March 27 at 10:00 PM Five years ago (on March 26, 2004 to be precise) 'Accidental Nostalgia' premiered at St. Anne's Warehouse to enthusiastic reviews and packed houses.

terraNOVA Collective is set to host an evening to benfit terraNOVA Collective Thursday, April 2 at DR2 Theatre and D-Lounge 103 East 15th Street. This extra special evening will begin with a Welcome Reception at 7pm in the DR2 Lobby with chocolate and desserts from some of New York?s finest bakeries including Magnolia Bakery & Tonnie?s. The Mainstage Performance will begin at 8pm in the DR2 Theatre. Performances will include Roger Bonair-Agard (HBO's Def Poetry Jam) and previews from the upcoming 2009 soloNOVA Arts Festival, including: Preston Martin (Fun Design with Svelte) and magician Jeff Grow (Creating Illusion). Concluding the performances, packages will be up for sale including tickets to some of the hottest Broadway shows as well as NY & NJ sporting events.

Five years ago (on March 26, 2004 to be precise) 'Accidental Nostalgia' premiered at St. Anne's Warehouse to enthusiastic reviews and packed houses. The show's star, Cynthia Hopkins, became a celebrated figure in New York's alternative theater community, and the success of the show gave rise to 'The Accidental Trilogy,' which includes 'Must Don't Whip 'Um' (2007) and the forthcoming 'The Success of Failure (or The Failure of Success),' the third and final show in the trilogy which plays at St. Ann's Warehouse May 22 - June 7, 2009.

THE CYNTHIA HOPKINS SONGBOOK With Suzan-Lori Parks, Novice Theory, John Hodgman & more! Friday, March 27 at 10:00 PM Five years ago (on March 26, 2004 to be precise) 'Accidental Nostalgia' premiered at St. Anne's Warehouse to enthusiastic reviews and packed houses.

On Friday, February 20th, The Spotlight Cabaret will present an incredible cast of Broadway and Off-Broadway performers performing new music by Julia Meinwald. Everything is Nice features Manoel Felciano (Broadway's Sweeney Todd, Cabaret, and Jesus Christ Super Star), Nick Blaemire (Broadway's Cry Baby, Things to Ruin at the Zipper), Katrina Dideriksen (Hairspray Las Vegas, Jerry Springer: The Opera at Carnegie Hall), Lauren Worsham (Candide at City Opera, The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Beer, Weston Playhouse's Light in the Piazza) and Dustin Sullivan (Reduced Shakespeare Company, Ann of Green Gables with TheatreWorks), with Liz Carbonell and Mary Ann Shaub.

On Friday, February 20th, The Spotlight Cabaret will present an incredible cast of Broadway and Off-Broadway performers performing new music by Julia Meinwald. Everything is Nice features Manoel Felciano (Broadway's Sweeney Todd, Cabaret, and Jesus Christ Super Star), Nick Blaemire (Broadway's Cry Baby, Things to Ruin at the Zipper), Katrina Dideriksen (Hairspray Las Vegas, Jerry Springer: The Opera at Carnegie Hall), Lauren Worsham (Candide at City Opera, The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Beer, Weston Playhouse's Light in the Piazza) and Dustin Sullivan (Reduced Shakespeare Company, Ann of Green Gables with TheatreWorks), with Liz Carbonell and Mary Ann Shaub.

The nominations for the 2009 GLAAD Media Awards have been announced, BILLY ELLIOT and Road Show were among the New York theatre related show nominees. The Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation also announced that Tyra Banks will receive the Excellence in Media Award and Suze Orman will be awarded the Vito Russo Award. GLAAD also give honors to comicbooks, advertising and journalism. Ceremonies will be held on March 28 in New York at the Marriott Maquis, April 18 in Los Angeles at the Nokia Theatre and on May 9 in San Francisco at the San Francisco Hilton.

From January 22 to February 8, 2009, La MaMa will remount the live lesbian soap opera of last season for those who couldn't get in, or who couldn't get enough of it on the 'ROOM FOR CREAM SEASON ONE: THE BOX SET' La MaMa E.T.C. (The Club), 74A East Fourth Street Thursdays through Sundays at 10:00 pm, Sundays at 5:30 pm

The OBIE-winning HERE Arts Center's annual CULTUREMART festival is set for January 7 -February 4, 2009, this year featuring 17 works that blur the lines between dance, theatre, music, new media, puppetry and visual art. Reflecting a core philosophy that it's not possible for any one art form alone to convey the flood of images, data and sound bytes that inundate the senses in today's world of information and communication overload, CULTUREMART's cross-disciplinary presentations embrace and illuminate our modern experience by integrating many forms of media and content into exciting new works.