FRESH FRUIT FESTIVAL'S 7th Year Of Dance, Music, Theatre & More Begins 7/9

What do a former Evangelical Christian and singing cowboy, a famous Harlem Renaissance writer, a homeless woman, a gay high school student, a writers' colony, six lesbians and a gay Mormon have in common? Why, the Fresh Fruit Festival, of course. In 2009, Fresh Fruit Festival enters its seventh year as New York City's grass roots multidiscipline international festival of LGBT art and culture. It is a wild celebration of the artists, writers and performers who have created and continue to create our culture. This year the festival will fill many venues around the city. The events have a wide range of appeal. There is even a children's puppet show.

FRESH FRUIT FESTIVAL, a program of ALL OUT ARTS, enters its seventh year this July 9-July 27 presenting a wide array of current LGBT talent that celebrates the countless contributions of LGBT artists to American culture.
This year the Festival's events encompass not only theater but comedy, variety, literature, music, dance, poetry and visual and performance art with Rome Neal's Out-Jazzat Joe's Pub, ballet in drag, and en pointe, A Comedy Night at Don't Tell Mama's, Lesbian and Gay writers reading from their own favorite LGBT writers' works, a poetry slam and a gallery show Passion: Lesbian Art 2009(Fresh Fruit style).

THEATRE

AUTUMN FRUITS: Two short plays about growing old in New York

CO-OP
by Barbara Kahn
Martha returns every day to the apartment house that was her home for 28
years. She is homeless. Developers converted her former Lower Eastside
apartment house into co-op apartments and Martha is on the street. She returns to sell bits and pieces of her past life to passersby on the gentrified Lower East Side.
and
PERSEPHONE'S AUTUMN
by Suellen Rubin
An eternal story for the young: Meet, love, leave or stay for a while. Does it still work in late middle age? Past 60, do what's new? What do you do when your girlhood is in the last century? Therapy? An affair? These are the questions facing Damita, an aging bisexual woman searching for never-ending youth.
7:30PM Friday July 24, 2009
2:30PM Saturday, July 25, 2009
Admission: $20.
Hudson Guild Theater 441 W. 26th Street New York, NY 1001 (212-760-9800)
For Tickets: (212) 352-3101 / (866) 811-4111 / theatermania.com

THE BILLY WILLY SHOW
Join gay country and western star Billy Willy as he shares his music and hilarious hard-luck stories. This gifted yet troubled performer, the child of evangelical ministers, raised in wild and wonderful West Virginia has many outrageous stories to tell. He is currently touring with his debut recording, "Je m'appelle Billy Willy". The Other Paper says, "Whatever it is, it's funny!"
9:30PM Saturday, July 18, 2009
7:00PM Sunday, July 19 2009
Admission: $20.
Hudson Guild Theater 441 W. 26th Street New York, NY 10001 (212-760-9800)
For Tickets: (212) 352-3101 / (866) 811-4111 / theatermania.com

THE CORONATION
by Joel Ensana
directed by Eddie Lew
Grannie has been living in the Haight-Ashbury with her gay grandson and his two Lesbian friends. When bored, her grandson and his friends play games with Grannie who feels involved and included and very much alive. But when the youngsters dash off to a gay bar, they leave Grannie on a throne, all alone and frightened. Coronation has been presented on PBS and at Mills College Oakland, CA. Its author Joel Ensana has twice been published in the Best Short Plays anthology.
6:00PM Friday, July 24, 2009
12:30PM Saturday, July 25, 2009
Admission: $20.
Hudson Guild Theater 441 W. 26th Street New York, NY 10001 (212-760-9800)
For Tickets: (212) 352-3101 / (866) 811-4111 / theatermania.com

MISS MARY DUGAN
by Manuel Igrejas
With his fabulous parties, Mary Dugan (aka Joe Azzopardi) is the center of social life for gay Cedar Chips, New Jersey. Despite being the hostess with the mostess, Dugan hasn't had much luck with men. To quote Miss Mary "I met Mr. Right a thousand times. I just never got his name." Now he has a crush on the hot guy next door--he lives next door to a funeral parlor. A chance encounter with his dreamboat throws him for a loop. What does he really want--his fantasy or the chance to know his hunky neighbor in real time?
8:00PM Tuesday, July 14, 2009
8:00PM Wednesday, July 15, 2009
Admission: $20.
Hudson Guild Theater 441 W. 26th Street New York, NY 10001 (212-760-9800)
For Tickets: (212) 352-3101 / (866) 811-4111 / theatermania.com

PASSING CEREMONIES
by Steve Willis
In a cafe, somewhere between 'earth life' and 'paradise', Harlem Renaissance
artist Richard Bruce Nugent, writer, painter, illustrator, modern poet and cultural activist Essex Hemphill clash on their differing views about
blackness, homosexuality and art.
8:00PM Monday, July 20, 2009
8:00PM Tuesday, July 21, 2009
6:30PM Wednesday, July 22, 2009
6:30PM Thursday, July 23, 2009
Admission: $20.
Hudson Guild Theater 441 W. 26th Street New York, NY 10001 (212-760-9800)
For Tickets: (212) 352-3101 / (866) 811-4111 / theatermania.com

SCHOOL NIGHT
by Joe Norton
Two teenage boys meet up in their dark high school on a hot summer night,
where each intends to convince the other to participate in some mischief.
Neither is ready to give into the other's plans. Their friendship is called to question as dares are thrown, secrets revealed and the night takes a
singular twist when the boys begin quoting Shakespeare!
10:00PM Friday July 17, 2009
6:30PM Saturday, July 18, 2009
Admission: $20.
Hudson Guild Theater 441 W. 26th Street New York, NY 10001 (212-760-9800)
For Tickets: (212) 352-3101 / (866) 811-4111 / theatermania.com

SINCE PSYCHOPATHIA SEXUALIS
by Devan Hite
The LDS (Mormon) Church is well-known in the LGBT community for its anti-gay policies and politics. In Devan Hite's play, a college-age Mormon student at the University of Utah undergoes a serious crisis of faith and sexuality when he realizes he was sexually aroused when his two best friends saved his life. Now, he must negotiate pressing voices from both in and outside of the Church in order to understand and accept himself. The play is set in Salt Lake City, Utah, present day.
6:00PM Friday, July 17, 2009
4:30PM Saturday July 18, 2009
3:30PM Sunday, July 19, 2009
600PM Monday, July 20, 2009
Admission: $20.
Hudson Guild Theater 441 W. 26th Street New York, NY 10001 (212-760-9800)
For Tickets: (212) 352-3101 / (866) 811-4111 / theatermania.com

SIX ACROSS
by Daniel Koenig
Roommates Maggie and Brian don't know what they want from life. Brian is
unmotivated and expects things to come his way. Maggie goes after everything. Secrets, issues, pop culture references...and crossword puzzles infiltrate their lives. Can Marc, a sexually ambiguous neighbor help, or is he there to hurt them? Will the power of friendship and a unique ability to laugh in the face of tragedy help these roommates to persevere?
9:30PM Tuesday, July 14,2009
6:00PM Wednesday, July 15, 2009
7:00PM Thursday, July 16, 2009
2:30PM Saturday, July 18, 2009
Admission: $20.
Hudson Guild Theater 441 W. 26th Street New York, NY 10001 (212-760-9800)
For Tickets: (212) 352-3101 / (866) 811-4111 / theatermania.com

SODOMY RULES: Bowers v. Hardwick
by Bill Crouch
In 1986, Michael Hardwick, a gay man, and his partner were arrested for making love in the privacy of their own home. The case was brought to the attention of a group of grass-roots attorneys who championed Michael's case. Ultimately, the sensational case was brought to the Supreme Court by none other than Lawrence Tribe, a famous and outspoken proponent for civil rights laws in the U.S. Through compelling eyewitness testimony, the author re-creates the dramatic events surrounding The Bowers v. Hardwick trial.
8:00PM Saturday, July 18, 2009
5:30PM Sunday, July 19, 2009
Admission: $20.
Hudson Guild Theater 441 W. 26th Street New York, NY 10001 (212-760-9800)
For Tickets: (212) 352-3101 / (866) 811-4111 / theatermania.com

RETURN TO TENNESSEE
Written & Performed by DJ Sharp
The renowned monologist DJ Sharp creates a vivid portrayal of the closeted Tennessee Williams - haunted by what critics called his pet themes of alcoholism, insanity and incest.
Friday July 24th at 9pm.

V-LOVE
by Lucile Scott
directed by Scout Durwood
V-Love tells the intertwined stories of six post-modern women using dialogue, song, dance, spoken word, beatboxing and burlesque, All of it MCed by a bumbling yet lovely Minstrel strumming along on her guitar. They sing, dance and talk their way through some sticky situations, even enlisting help from the audience along the way in this multi-media cabaret play.
8:30PM Wednesday, July 22, 2009
8:30PM Thursday, July 23, 2009
9:30PM Saturday, July 25, 2009
12:30PM Sunday, July 26, 2009
Admission: $20.
Hudson Guild Theater 441 W. 26th Street New York, NY 10001 (212-760-9800)
For Tickets: (212) 352-3101 / (866) 811-4111 / theatermania.com

WRITERS COLONY: A play on words
by David Allyn
A writer's retreat, sexual intrigue, a battle for literary prestige--the perfect combination in this fast-paced and witty comedy. Famed novelist RoBert Grant has just told the world he is gay. But is he? Nicole thinks she knows the truth. Jared decides to find out for himself. And then there's Brad, the tabloid reporter, who will gladly expose everyone--and sleep with anyone--in order to get a front-page story.
6:00PM Tuesday, July 14, 2009
9:30PM Wednesday, July 15, 2009
9:00PM Thursday, July 16, 2009
8:00PM Friday, July 17, 2009
Admission: $20.
Hudson Guild Theater 441 W. 26th Street New York, NY 10001 (212-760-9800)
For Tickets: (212) 352-3101 / (866) 811-4111 / theatermania.com

CHILDREN'S SHOW

JOURNEY THROUGH THE RAINBOW
by Nick Curto and Hal Rainbow
A fun-filled puppet fantasy for children ages 5-9.
Two families picnic in the park after watching the Gay Pride Parade. The
afternoon turns into an exciting, event- filled journey when their children decide to explore. The boy and girl find a waterfall that leads them into a rainbow landscape where they meet various friendly and sometimes scary characters: Sigmund Squirrel, Henrietta the Orange Bird, the Talking Sunflowers, Big Ears Eddie, the Green Three-Eyed Monster, Madame Jessica Octopus, One Big Scary Shark and the Demon Dragon. But don't worry! There is nothing to be afraid of on this journey. These colorful puppets lead the children on a path of acceptance, joy and into the loving arms of their parents.
10:00AM Sunday, July 26, 2009
Admission: $20.
Hudson Guild Theater 441 W. 26th Street New York, NY 10001 (212-760-9800)
For Tickets: (212) 352-3101 / (866) 811-4111 / theatermania.com

DANCE

OPEN FRUIT BARRE: Three choreographers/ four dance pieces

THE SWAN
danced and choreographed by Ian Archer Watters
In homage to the great Maya Plisetskaya who danced "The Dying Swan,"
Lamaya Plisetswanskaya dances "The Swan" who does not die but dances on
forever. Music? Saint-Saens. Choreography? She starts with Fokine. Color?
You'll adore her pink cheeks, full fire engine red lips, sparkling eyes that pick up the light. Costume? Black tutu, swan-like feathers, crown of diamonds with a decorative black feather headpiece. Extravagance? Her eyelashes are nearly as long as her nose and studded with diamonds. Agility? She balances en pointe! You'll cheer.

ACCIDENT
"... AND NO DESSERT!"
danced and choreographed by Marissa Maislen
An undergraduate in dance at NYU Tisch School of the Arts, Marissa Maislen
received the NYU Stein Scholarship, two NYU Tisch Summer Dance
Scholarships, the NYU CV Scholarship, and the NYU Tisch Eckhouse
Scholarship. In 2002 she traveled with Pacific Dance Ensemble to Japan where she collaborated and choreographed a show with the Toshitsuna Ensemble. Her solo piece Accident deals with the conflict between who we are and the stereotypes that define us. "... And No Dessert" explores women's place in society.

FEVER!
choreographed by Christopher J. Anderson
Combining the surrealism of fantasy with the magic of the mind this performance voyage explores styles, scenarios, gay love, fetishes and sensual fantasy. Using original costumes with vivid colors and imaginative designs, The Rhythm Knights bring to the stage one man's musical journey expressed through exciting, mysterious and tantalizing dance and energetic and upbeat song.
4:00PM Saturday, July 25, 2009
3:00PM Sunday, July 26, 2009
Admission: $20.
Hudson Guild Theater 441 W. 26th Street New York, NY 10001 (212-760-9800)
For Tickets: (212) 352-3101 / (866) 811-4111 / theatermania.com

PLAY READINGS

THE GROUP
by Anthony Giordano
What does being gay mean? A "coming out group" of eight men struggles with self-acceptance and each other. From football player to geek, from blackmailer to preacher, from married with children to getting ready for the high school prom, these eight men struggle to come out of the closet and clash with reality as they knew it.
12:00PM Saturday, July 18, 2009
Admission: Free / Open to the Public
Hudson Guild Theater 441 W. 26th Street New York, NY 10001 (212-760-9800)

JOLLY ROGER
or, What You Get Can Kill You / What You Don't Get You Have To Live With
by Keith Angora
directed by Kevin Brofsky
Where is fancy bred? In the heart or in the head? Can it survive a sartorial
gaffe? A tattoo? A passing longing for a pirate flag? During a brief interlude at a gay resort on the deck of a room overlooking a beach, the relationships of two couples, Mimi and Eleanor, Frank and Cuba, are unexpectedly tested and found . . . wanting or not.
Admission: Free / Open to the Public
1:00PM Saturday, July 18, 2009
Hudson Guild Theater 441 W. 26th Street New York, NY 10001 (212-760-9800)

HAPPY NEW YEAR, LADY LOU!
by David Gaard
Boozy, brassy drag king, Lou, is a beloved member of New York's downtown
club scene; a long hidden secret in his past makes nightmare problems in his present, his fellow desperadoes, divas, drag queens, trannies and dykes come to his rescue and create whole new meaning of the word FAMILY!
1:00PM Sunday, July 19, 2009
Admission: Free / Open to the Public
Hudson Guild Theater 441 W. 26th Street New York, NY 10001 (212-760-9800)

LATE NIGHT WITH THE BOYS:
Confessions of a Leather Bar Chanteuse
by Alex Bond
"In 1977 when Anna was singing in the gay bars of Dallas with her friend Mario, she entered into a Fairytale Land of Queens and Princesses, Lizards and Twinkies. She entered a Far Away Land where the sex was rough and the décor flawless, where self-esteem was low and everyone on the dance floor was high. It was the Land of Two Identities where everyone had two names and two personas: one for day, one for after-dark. She lived in this Never, Never Land for two years." Alex Bond and David Carson read selections from Ms. Bond's novel paying tribute to the days gone by and the lives lived.
6:00PM Tuesday, July 21, 2009
Admission: Free / Open to the Public
Hudson Guild Theater 441 W. 26th Street New York, NY 10001 (212-760-9800)

SPECIAL EVENTS

CAVALCADE OF FRUITS
Fresh Fruit's rollicking introduction to the Seventh Annual Fresh Fruit Festival July 9 - July 27. A variety show of past and present Fresh Fruit Festival performers, the evening ranges through comedy, drama, poetry, music and beyond. Lady Clover Honey hosts. Guests will include comedian Robin
Cloud, scenes from this year's shows, jazzman Rome Neal and others.
7:30PM Thursday, July 9, 2009
Admission: Free / Open to the Public
Barnes & Noble Lincoln Triangle, 1972 Broadway, New York, NY 10023 (212-595-6859)

GOING BANANAS: COMEDY NIGHT
The glittering Fruits of Comedy take the stage. Hosted by Lady Clover Honey. Featuring legendary "Funny Gay Man" Jaffe Cohen.
6:00PM Saturday, July 11, 2009
Don't Tell Mama
Admission: $10., cover / 2 drink minimum
343 West 46th Street New York NY 10036 (212-757-0788 )

 

FRESH FRUIT PLAYHOUSE AND OPEN MIC
Host, Lady Clover Honey
Calling all lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender performers and their friends: You are cordially invited to perform at the Fresh Fruit Playhouse and Open Mic. Celebrate LGBT contributions to the arts! Many Open Mic performers have been invited to perform at other Fresh Fruit festival events. Bring your music, short plays, poems, and kazoos. To sign up, write ... or arrive 15 minutes before the shown to sign up.
7:00PM Wednesday, July 15, 2009
Admission: $7.00 / Everybody
The Nuyorican Poets Cafe
236 East 3rd Street (Between Ave B & C) New York, NY 10009 (212-780-9386)

FRESH FRUIT POETRY SLAM
Curated by Janice "Cookie" Pemberton
Fresh Fruit calls for the freshest, fruitiest, poets to celebrate our lives in poems. First prize is $100, second prize $75, third prize $50. To enter leave your name for artisticdirector@freshfruitfestival.com or sign up at the door.
7:00PM Saturday, July 25, 2009
Admission: $12 / Students & Seniors $10.00
Hudson Guild Theater 441 W. 26th Street New York, NY 10001 (212-760-9800)

Rome Neal's
OUT- JAZZ
A Dedication To LGBT Jazz Greats and performed by LGBT jazz artists
Curated by Rome Neal

The world of jazz has been home to many LGBT artists....most of them closeted . Famed jazz singer, Rome Neal, the producer of Banana Puddin' Jazz at the Nuyorican Poet's Café has selected the newest and brightest Out-Jazz performers to create a night of memorable music. The evening features Ana Iza Otis, Dan Willis, Lorenzo Murphy, Lara ElizaBeth Miller, Barry Levitt, William J. Vila, Nhojj, John De Marco, India, Mara Rosenbloom (pianist), Mary Rodriguez (drummer)

 

7:00 PM Sunday, July 12, 2009
Admission: $25 General / $65 VIP
A reception will follow for VIP ticket purchasers.
Joe's Pub 425 Lafayette Street (between 4th St & Astor Pl) New York, NY 10003
Tickets: Online: joespub.com / 24 hours a day
Phone: 212-967-75555 / 10am-9pm
212-539-8778 / 11AM-5PM / tickets and/or dinner
reservations.
In person: Joe's Pub / 7 days a week / 6:00PM-10:00PM
& Public Theater Box Office 425 Lafayette Street
1:00PM-6:00PM / Sun&Mon 1:00PM-7:30PM-Tue-Sat
Purchase of a ticket does NOT guarantee seating; seating, as well as standing-room, is available only on a first-come, first-served basis for all shows without a dinner reservation. Two drink or $12 food minimum per person

DR. JUD NEWBORN, who served as Founding Historian and Curator of New York's Museum of Jewish Heritage, presents a dramatic multimedia lecture program based on his acclaimed new book, SOPHIE SCHOLL AND THE WHITE ROSE, companion to the 2006 Oscar-nominated German film, SOPHIE SCHOLL: THE FINAL DAYS.

Using music, historical photographs, artifacts and suspenseful storytelling Dr. Newborn reveals for the first time the suppressed homosexual arrest of teenaged Hans Scholl, explaining finally the secret that motivated Hans and his sister Sophie--former fanatical Hitler Youth leaders-to transform into the greatest heroes of the German anti-Nazi resistance. Newborn then relates the White Rose story to today's most compelling current events (including those affecting the LGBT Community), presenting an array of "White Rosers" today who risk themselves for freedom and our shared humanity.
8:00PM Monday, July 13
Admission: Free / Open to the Public
LGBT Community Center, 208 W. 13th Street, New York, NY 10011 (212) 620-7310

PASSION: Lesbian Visions 2009
Curated by Heidi Russell
What is a Lesbian? Who occupies post-modern Lesbos? Fresh Fruit has invited an international array of self-defined Lesbian artists to tell us what ignites their passion. Their unique perspectives are revealed in this multi-media gallery show. Sculpture, photography, painting, drawing, mixed media, installation, fabric art, video, sound, poetry, prose, and performance art all involve the on-looker in an astounding range of Lesbian creative passion. Among the participating artists are: Jeanine Alfieri, Prinny Alavi, Laura Cappadrione, Cecy Canarte, Leslie Cloninger, Felice Cohen, Giegia Cotellessa, Maggie Cousins, Marge Doherty, Liz Gold, Nicole Guest, Kanika Hodges, Joan Katz, Jill A. Kolodin, Nina Lourie, Lora Morgenstern, Mari Morimoto, Sara Mussen, Olga, Kenya Robinson, Daniella Shachter, Alina Wilczynski, An Xiao, Heather Young, Lisa Zilker

Friday, July 10th, 7-10 PM Opening and artists' reception,
July 11-July 25, Tue-Sat, 12 Noon-6PM
Special Events: July 15 7PM Performance art evening
July 21 7PM Readings
Admission: Free / Open to the Public
Leslie-Lohman Gallery, 26 Wooster Street, New York, NY 100013 (212-431-2609)

WRITERS THEY LOVE
LGBT writers read from their own work and the work of those who inspired them. The evening will include "Village Voice" columnist Michael Musto, nonfiction author and journalist Donna Minkowitz, novelist and comedy writer Jaffe Cohen, authors Jud Newborn whose work was adapted for the screen and nominated for an Academy Award, and David Carter, historical writer and author of Stonewall: The Riots that Sparked the Gay Revolution.
7:30PM Thursday, July 16, 2009
Admission: Free / Open to the Public
Barnes & Noble, Lincoln Triangle, 1972 Broadway, New York, NY 10023 (212-
595-6859)

 

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