NYC | www.jeffmcmahonprojects.net

CLICK HERE FOR LOCAL PERFORMANCE VENUES

The DramaBook shop re-opened, thanks to Lin-Manuel Miranda and others. New location near Times Square, 266 W. 39th St. Lots of places to sit, read, have coffee. Lovely!

2024

APRIL

cont. through 7 SWIMMING WITH LESBIANS Marga Gomez at LaMaMa. Directed by David Schweizer "multi-character romp set aboard “The Celesbian” the most notorious cruise ship on the seas."

cont. through May 5 BATHHOUSE.PPTX by Jesús Valles. 2023 Yale Drama Series Prize. Directed by Chay Yew with set by You-Shin Chen. The Flea. "follows Presenter, a gay latiné high school student, who is thrust into the landscapes of queer intimacy, colonialism, and communal spaces for pleasure. Somewhere between lecture, re-enactment, and cruising ground lies a meditation on queer longing, queer grief, and all our queer worlds that will come to pass, that will come to be." Very engaging staging by Chay Yew, and the performance by the narrator, Sam Gonzalez, is particularly strong.

ont. through May 5. OH, MARY! a new play by and featuring Cole Escola. As Mary Todd Lincoln! Directed by Sam Pinkleton. Featuring, in addition to Cole, James Scully, Conrad Ricamora, Bianca Leigh, Tony Macht, Hannah Solow, Peter Smith. Lucille Lortel Theatre.

cont through May 26 SALLY & TOM new work by Suzan-Lori Parks. Directed by Steve H. Broadnax III In Association with The Guthrie Theater Public Theater smart take on that weird relationship, managing to find the pathos and bathos and brutality of it through the romanticized screen. The kind of writing/rewriting of history that brings us closer to something resembling truth. Beautifully performed and staged.

cont. through July 28. THE HARLEM RENAISSANCE AND TRANSATLANTIC MODERNISM exhibition at The Met Museum. Making up for notorious 1969 show that managed to have no Black painters or sculptors.

3-21 NOT NOW by David Ireland. Directed by Max Elton with Matthew Blaney and Stephen Kennedy. 59E59 Theaters. Ireland wrote the very strong CYPRUS AVENUE. Produced by 19th Street Productions and Finborough Theatre.

5-6 THE ABSOLUTE FUTURE Raja Feather Kelly and his company the feath3r theory. NYU Skirball. "a devised dance-theatre performance about a group of friends who attempt to watch The Great American Eclipse and miss it. This passionately human and humorously charged work is furious, sensitive, and pulsates with a heart that is desperate to find a connection in a world evolving to keep us divided. The central question: “Do we make culture or does culture make us?” Raja has done some of the best theatre choreography I've seen in recent plays at Soho Rep and elsewhere. Have not seen his company yet!

10-13 FOR ALL YOUR LIFE Leslie Cuyjet at The Chocolate Factory "a performance event, film, and social experiment that investigates the value of Black life and Black death; scrutinizing the mechanism of life insurance through the prism of the underwriting process. An accompanying website (forallyourlife.com) will serve as both an online archive of the project and a literal marketplace – extending the life of the project beyond the dates of its physical performance"

12-13 NAIL BITER: BETH GILL NYU Skirball

13. DBR LAB PRESENTATION Daniel Bernard Roumain/DBR presents class/collective of young performers and their new works from Arizona State University. 5pm National Sawdust. With guest artists Paola Prestini, Jeff McMahon, Adriannna Mateo

17-June 16 HERE THERE ARE BLUEBERRIES latest work by Moisés Kaufman and Tectonic Theater Project. New York Theatre Workshop Fascinating, intricate and moving study of the power of found photographs, in this case of the flip side of Auschwitz. The play is in line with recent film THE ZONE OF INTEREST in examining the power of denial, of moving the camera away from horror. Very strong media design that emphasizes the very frontal address form of the play.

20 A PYRAMID HOMECOMING performance and readings by those who were there back when the Pyramid was such a thing. John Jesurun and Company (maybe some new episodes of CHANG IN A VOID MOON???, Holly Hughes, Ann Magnuson, Lydia Lunch, Edgar Oliver, John Kelly and a lot more. 6:30pm at the original location 101 Ave A (now called The Knitting Factory at Baker Falls) All in honor of the new book, We Started a Nightclub: the Birth of the Pyramid Cocktail Lounge as Told by Those Who Lived It. Which will be available for purchase. Ticks

MAY

cont through 26 SALLY & TOM new work by Suzan-Lori Parks. Directed by Steve H. Broadnax III In Association with The Guthrie Theater Public Theater smart take on that weird relationship, managing to find the pathos and bathos and brutality of it through the romanticized screen. The kind of writing/rewriting of history that brings us closer to something resembling truth. Beautifully performed and staged.

cont. through June 16 HERE THERE ARE BLUEBERRIES latest work by Moisés Kaufman and Tectonic Theater Project. New York Theatre Workshop Fascinating, intricate and moving study of the power of found photographs, in this case of the flip side of Auschwitz. The play is in line with recent film THE ZONE OF INTEREST in examining the power of denial, of moving the camera away from horror. Very strong media design that emphasizes the very frontal address form of the play.

cont. through July 28. THE HARLEM RENAISSANCE AND TRANSATLANTIC MODERNISM exhibition at The Met Museum. Making up for notorious 1969 show that managed to have no Black painters or sculptors. Excellent article on the show by Darryl Pinkney "Who Shall Describe Beauty?" in New York Review of Books

1-19 SHIMMER AND HERRINGBONE Talking Band Written by Ellen Maddow and Paul Zimet in collaboration with Olivera Gajic. Directed by Paul Zimet. Choreography by Sean Donovan. Featuring Ebony Davis James Tigger! Ferguson, Ellen Maddow, Lizzie Olesker, Tina Shepard, Louise Smith, Jack Wetherall. MabouMines@122CC, 150 First Ave. "Drawing inspiration from Gajic’s costume designs, Ellen Maddow and Paul Zimet wrote Shimmer and Herringbone (set in a clothing store by that name)... a farce of chance encounters in which people tired of their old selves hope to find the clothes that will fit their new ones."

3-15 JO ANDRES: BEFORE YOUR EYES. A solo exhibition spanning 40 years of Jo's interdisciplinary film/performance/choreographic performance. The Old School, 32 Prince St. Curated by Stephanie Acosta, Laurie Berg, and Christina Massey, and produced by Before Your Eyes with Anna Adams Stark. Opening reception May 2, 6-9pm and closing reception May 15, 6-9pm. Open daily* Mon - Sun, 12-6pm, by appointment only on May 6, 7, and 13

8-June 30 THE FIRES world premiere of a play written and directed by Raja Feather Kelly. Music by Emily Wells. Commissioned by Soho Rep. $25 ticks use FIRES25 for shows May 8-22

16-28 USUS at The Wild Project. 195 E. 3rd St. Written by T. Adamson and directed by Emma Miller. Ugo Chukwu, Annie Fang, Crystal Finn, Yonatan Gebeyehu, David Greenspan, Mary Lou Rosato and Jon Norman Schneider "It’s 1318 and six Franciscan friars are caught between the purity of their beliefs and a Pope who likes stuff."

17 E-MOVES: NORA CHIPAUMIRE—SHEBEENDUB the sound installation alone looks amazing, and chipaumire is renowned for her dance/choreographic/installation work. Harlem Stage, 150 Convent Ave. from 2pm-midnight for radio/opera/installation, DJ set, party.

Also the 18th at 7:30 for performance alone.

18 Sweet Noise Staged Reading Festival. New Perspectives Theatre Company "a theater company composed of only women who are playwrights, dramaturgs, and directors." Bianca Lopez is directing a staged reading of "The Men" by Daphne Greaves, a retelling of Claire Booth's 1936 play "The Women" from the perspective of the men (with a male cast).

19-Sept. 28. LESSONS OF THE HOUR 2019 film/video installation by Isaac Julien. Multiscreen exploration of the great American abolitionist and freedom fighter (and the most photographed man of his time). Frederick Douglass. I saw an earlier installation of this work and was mesmeriazed. Julien tells a captivating and necessary story of history, photography, and narrative in a visually lush and enveloping installation. MOMA

22-June 5. FESTIVAL TRANSAMÉRIQUES/FTA. Amazing dance/theatre festival. OK it's in Montreal, but it's worth it. And another chance to see Faye Driscoll's WEATHERING

23-25 David Roussève + taisha paggett. Danspace. David is presenting his first solo in 20 years, DaddyAF "an intimate and autobiographical meditation on the elusive nature of love and the very meaning of existence, exploring Roussève’s family genealogy, his roller coaster journey with HIV, and the death of his former husband of 26 years."

30-June 3 NEWFEST/LGBTQ+ FILM FESTIVAL. in-person and streaming.

JUNE

cont. through 3 NEWFEST/LGBTQ+ FILM FESTIVAL. in-person and streaming.

cont. through 30 THE FIRES world premiere of a play written and directed by Raja Feather Kelly. Music by Emily Wells. Commissioned by Soho Rep.

cont. through Sept. 28. LESSONS OF THE HOUR 2019 film/video installation by Isaac Julien. Multiscreen exploration of the great American abolitionist and freedom fighter (and the most photographed man of his time). Frederick Douglass. I saw an earlier installation of this work and was mesmeriazed. Julien tells a captivating and necessary story of history, photography, and narrative in a visually lush and enveloping installation. MOMA

(cont. through Sept) LOST NEW YORK New York Historical Society Museum, 170 Central Park West (77th St.) Images of the city that have vanished.

(cont. through Sept. 29). LIGHT LINE Jenny Holzer installation at The Guggenheim

6-8 Bebe Miller and Company at Danspace

6-9 PERFORMANCE MIX FESTIVAL New Dance Alliance at Abrons Arts Center in the Underground Theater. The 38th year! j. bouey, Johanna Meyer Smaïl Kanouté, Arantxa Araujo/Mariana Uribe, and many many others.

8 MIKE ALBO solo performance at Joe's Pub. 7pm. His monologues are hysterical and memorable. He also recently published a YA novel, I think. Says the NY Times: "Disarming fury and self-mocking froth” Looking forward to frothing!

8 GOING ALONG TO GET ALONG 4pm Reentry Theater of Harlem presents an examination of "societal attitude that chooses to conform rather than confront the structural injustices." Part of apex art series, Welcome Home, curated by Jeroen Stevens, looing at incarceration and homelessness in Black America. @apexartnyc 291 Church St. performance will be livestreamed via YouTube

21 PLAYDATE FEST performances presented by En Garde Arts, hosting Elisa Davis, David Greenspan (always amazing), Baba Israel, Samora la Perdida (incredible in Soho Rep's "Notes on Killing..."), Kuhoo Verma. Abolitionist Place, 110 Willoughby St. Brooklyn. 5-7 Free!

21-22 THE BANG GROUP PRESENTS: 3 DANCES at Arts on Site. Studio 3R, 12 St. Marks Pl. Participating choreographers: Leslie Satin (with Jeremy Nelson), Aaron Selissen/Kyla Barkin, and Julie Gleich. Each is max of 15 minutes. 7pm

21-30 RELICS AND THEIR HUMANS Ain Gordon/Josh Quillen. Performed by Ain and Josh and directed by Ain. LaMama Downstairs

Explores Josh's father's experience with ALS but will no doubt be about family dynamics, which Ain is known for examining with intricate detail and compassion.

21-29 CRIMINAL QUEERNESS FESTIVAL at PAC NYC "celebrates queer and trans artists from around the world who have the guts to risk it all—censorship, imprisonment, and violence for simply sharing their truth. Since 2019, the Criminal Queerness Festival has produced playwrights from Syria, Venezuela, Uganda, Kenya, Iraq, China, Pakistan, Tanzania, Egypt, Mexico, India, Lebanon, Poland and Ukraine." co-produced with National Queer Theater

28 THE STONEWALL JUKEBOX: A DOCUMENTARY CONCERT "

Presented by Dominique Bravo in association with Driverworks LLC and benefiting The Stonewall Community Foundation. "The music everyone loved. The story no one knew." On the 55th Anniversary of the Stonewall Uprising. Dave Driver is himself a brilliant musician so I'm expecting a lot from this project. City Winery, 25 11th Ave. (Pier 57). 7:30pm

28-30 PERFECT CITY FOR SALE at the Center for Performance Research, 361 Manhattan Ave. Unit 1 in Brooklyn. "Perfect City is a working group that addresses the design, policy-making, and zoning of cities. Lead artists Tiffany Zorrilla (aka Lola Libre), Jahmorei Snipes, and Aaron Landsman present a weekend of performances, installations, roundtable discussions, and a zine launch." Presented by Abrons Arts Center

JULY

6 ANTHEM TO US concert celebrating three new anthems commissioned by NY Public Library, Brooklyn Library and Lincoln Center. 8pm Damrosch Park at Lincoln Center (I was one of the 11 semifinalists!). Free but reserve.

6-28 REBIRTH OF A BODY. live performances and installations, videos presented by Argentina Performance Art/APA and NY Latin American Art Triennial. "Featuring works by Yali Romagoza, Sujetka Val Terkes, Patricia Encarnación, Domenica Garcia, Elisa Lutteral, and Damariz Damken, the exhibition delves into how these artists transform their bodies in new territories, forming a collective memory of their native cultures." NYLAAT House #18, Nolan Park, Governors Island

cont. through 28. THE HARLEM RENAISSANCE AND TRANSATLANTIC MODERNISM exhibition at The Met Museum. Making up for notorious 1969 show that managed to have no Black painters or sculptors. Excellent article on the show by Darryl Pinkney "Who Shall Describe Beauty?" in New York Review of Books

(cont. through Sept) LOST NEW YORK New York Historical Society Museum, 170 Central Park West (77th St.) Images of the city that have vanished.

(cont. through Sept. 22) LYLE ASHTON HARRIS-OUR FIRST AND LAST LOVE photography/installation work by the U.S./Tanzanian/Ghanian artist. Queens Museum

(cont. through Sept. 29). LIGHT LINE Jenny Holzer installation at The Guggenheim

12-August 11 THE GOLDEN COLONEL, FLUX FACTORY ARTIST RETIREMENT HOME "a speculative retirement home for artists" Group exhibition. 404A Colonels Row on Governors Island 12-5 Fri-Sun and by appointment.

26, 28 THREE WOMEN/ONE BODY: A Dance/Opera Fusion. DBR Lab contributor Melanie Holm and collaborators. "Explores issues of female autonomy and agency." The Tank, 312 W. 36th St.

27-Sept. 29 HOPE IS A DISCIPLINE, Arts Center at Governors Island. Curated by Marina Christodoulidou, Billy Fowo, Eugene Hannah Park, Meghana Karnik "foregrounds memory and political inheritance, featuring Adama Delphine Fawundu, Kyuri Jeon, Suneil Sanzgiri, Bread and Puppet Theater, and Maggie Wong" Weekends 12-6

cont. through August 2 THE NEA TAPES/THE ARTISTS' BATTLE FRO FREE EXPRESSION IN THE ARTS. Documentary created by EIDIA (Melissa P. Wolf/Paul Lamarre) 1995-2001 edited from 300 interviews (I am one) regarding arts funding, censorship. This exhibition at Plato's Cave @ EIDIA House, 14 Dunham Place in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, will also feature production stills and images of the interviewees. Wed-Sun 1-6

AUGUST

(cont. through Sept) LOST NEW YORK New York Historical Society Museum, 170 Central Park West (77th St.) Images of the city that have vanished.

cont. through Sept. 29 HOPE IS A DISCIPLINE, Arts Center at Governors Island. Curated by Marina Christodoulidou, Billy Fowo, Eugene Hannah Park, Meghana Karnik "foregrounds memory and political inheritance, featuring Adama Delphine Fawundu, Kyuri Jeon, Suneil Sanzgiri, Bread and Puppet Theater, and Maggie Wong" Weekends 12-6

(cont. through Sept. 22) LYLE ASHTON HARRIS-OUR FIRST AND LAST LOVE photography/installation work by the U.S./Tanzanian/Ghanian artist. Queens Museum

(cont. through 11 THE GOLDEN COLONEL, FLUX FACTORY ARTIST RETIREMENT HOME "a speculative retirement home for artists" Group exhibition. 404A Colonels Row on Governors Island 12-5 Fri-Sun and by appointment.

(cont. through Sept. 29). LIGHT LINE Jenny Holzer installation at The Guggenheim

2-JIMMY! GOD'S BLACK REVOLUTIONARY MOUTH Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture. Celebrating centennial of James Baldwin's birth. "selections from Baldwin's archive of personal papers that capture this legacy, highlighting his literary career and activism from childhood to death. These items are presented along with other Schomburg materials that illuminate the passion, brilliance, and courageous spirit of James "Jimmy" Baldwin."

and

JAMES BALDWIN: MOUNTAIN TO FIRE at Polonsky Exhibition/Schwartzman Building/NYPL (NYPL main library 5th Ave/42nd St.)

25 DANE TERRY: HOW TO PLAY PIANO Pangea 7pm "a surreal musical memoir about a fledgling queer hillbilly’s adventures in sex, drinking and dreams." Dane's a very talented pianist, storyteller and writer. This should be fantastic.

SEPTEMBER

2 OCEANIC FEELING new site specific performance by Faye Driscoll. One performance only! Rockaway Beach at Beach 106. 6pm Performers: James Barrett, Kara Brody, Leslie Cuyjet, Kaijo Caggins, Miguel Alejandro Castillo, Lena Engelsein, Neva Guido, David Guzman, Maya LaLiberte, Mor Mendel, Marie Lloyd Paspe, Katrina Reid, Cory Seals, Carlo Antonio Villanueva, Jo Warren, Devika Wickremesinghe. Take the ferry!

5-December 7 CROSSING THE LINE 2024 Annual festival focusing on francophone visual, film, performance work. A few people whose work I know and recommend (DD Dorvillier, Jérôme Bel, Steve Cosson) and a lot of work by people I don't know of. Which is why this festival is so great.

Presented by l'alliance NY/French Institute NYC

6-end of month? ANTHONY CUDAHY opening. Painting exhibition. Hales Gallery, 547 W. 20th St.

6-21 DIXON PLACE HOT! FESTIVAL Annual GLBTQIA festival dance, performance art, literature, wildness.

7 HOLLY HUGHES/MO ANGELOS Two brilliant and always inventive performers share an evening, as part of Dixon Place Hot! Festival. 7:30pm

11 STRINGS ATTACHED Written & Performed by Chayton Pabich Danyla. Dixon Place Hot! Festival 7:30pm. strongly recommended by Tim Miller!

14 CATCH! 76 throwing a collection of performance and music work. The Chocolate Factory, 38-33 24th St. in Long Island City. 7pm. organized by Andrew Dinwiddie, Caleb Hammons, Jeff Larson, Matt Romein, and Eric Shethar

17 GARDEN VARIETY an evening with Dane Terry and Iris Rose! The garden at 6th and Ave. B 7:30pm

19-22 SLAP! Yara Arts Group produced by LaMama, Bowery Poetry Club and Ukrainian Museum at 321 E. 9th St. "an hour-long theatre musical-cabaret, interrogating the totally true but outrageous life and journey of David Burliuk, the father Futurism. In Slap David Burliuk is performed by Bob Holman, founder of the Bowery Poetry Club and the poet most often connected with the oral tradition, spoken word, hip hop and poetry slams. Singer-songwriter Susan Hwang portrays the accordion-playing the Scythian Ice Princess, while Julian Kytasty, traditional epic singer and bandura player, sings their story" Bob is always a delight, and other work by this company has impressed me.

21 THE END OF INCORPORATED FILTH Dixon Place Hot! Fest.

a play about burlesque by Chloé Hayat.

23-Oct. 6 INDRA'S NET Meredith Monk's much anticipated new vocal/movement large ensemble work at the magnificent Park Avenue Armory Drill Hall. I can't imagine a more perfect place for Meredith's mesmerizing synthesis of sound and movement.

28 TRANSA: A CELEBRATION Red Hot is premiering a 46-track album celebrating trans artistry. The first amazing Red Hot + Blue project back in 1990 was an extraordinary collection centered around the AIDS crisis. Tonight will be songs from the forthcoming album performed live! Performances by: Beverly Glenn-Copeland, Yaya Bey, Green-House, Soft Rōnin, Niecy Blues, Joy Guidry, Asher White, Eli Winter, Time Wharp, Jamal Shakeri, Nsámbu Za Suékama, More Eaze, and more special guests

7pm PSNY Masks required for this even

OCTOBER

cont. through 6 INDRA'S NET Meredith Monk's much anticipated new vocal/movement large ensemble work at the magnificent Park Avenue Armory Drill Hall. I can't imagine a more perfect place for Meredith's mesmerizing synthesis of sound and movement.

cont. through December 7 CROSSING THE LINE 2024 Annual festival focusing on francophone visual, film, performance work. A few people whose work I know and recommend (DD Dorvillier, Jérôme Bel, Steve Cosson) and a lot of work by people I don't know of. Which is why this festival is so great. Presented by l'alliance NY/French Institute NYC

2 DENNIS COOPER and DEREK MCCORMACK. Reading from their work. 7pm reception, reading 8pm. St. Mark's Poetry Project, E. 10th St./2nd Ave. Dennis' writing in the 1980's/90's changed the way I thought about representation/revelation of character, and his support of my own early performances was game-changing. Haven't kept up with the new work but looking forward.

4-5 LESLIE SATIN DANCE presented at Arts on Site, 12 St. Mark's Pl in Manhattan. 8pm Featuring Leslie, Jeremy Nelson, Vicky Schick, and me!

7 FIRST MONDAYS free reading series organized by Sarah Schulman. Tonight are excerpts from a musical Sarah is creating with Dudley Saunders. 7pm

23- GIVE ME CARMELITA TROPICANA! Alina Troyano (aka Carmelita) and Branden Jacobs-Jenkins. Directed by Eric Ting. The final season at Soho Rep Walkerspace before they move to other venues!

24-27 RECONSTRUCTING (STILL WORKING BUT THE DEVIL MIGHT BE INSIDE) TEAM Directed by Rachel Chavkin and Zhailon Levingston. BAM Fisher Space. "Helmed by a writing collective of 21 artists ranging in age from 28 through 98... exploring intimacy between Black-, POC-, and white-identifying Americans, this singular meta-theater experiment wrestles with the question of how, in the aftermath of slavery, we might move through history together." @theteamplays for ticketing updates. Levingston just finished directing JELLICLE BALL and Rachel just had a Broadway block named after her so...

NOVEMBER

Presented by l'alliance NY/French Institute NYC

16 CATCH 76 throwing a collection of performance and music work. The Invisible Dog. Organized by Andrew Dinwiddie, Caleb Hammons, Jeff Larson, Matt Romein, and Eric Shethar. 7PM

JEFF MCMAHON