Pangea Highlights In November Include Salty Brine, Tammy Faye Starlite, Eddie Brill, Tom Judson, And Charles Busch
Salty Brine, Tammy Faye Starlite, and Eddie Brill all are returning with new work.
By: A.A. Cristi Oct. 27, 2022
Pangea, a vital incubator for new work crossing boundaries between theatre, music and elsewhere, will present a diverse mix of entertainers in November.
Among the highlights are several Pangea favorites returning with new shows, as well as some distinctive, groundbreaking artists in Pangea premieres. Salty Brine, Tammy Faye Starlite, and Eddie Brill all are returning with new work.
Tom Judson makes it back to Pangea as part of TWEED TheaterWorks "Sundays @ 7" series curated by Kevin Malony, in a night guest starring Charles Busch. And playing Pangea for the first time are Fifi Chachnil, Leslee Warren, and Carlos Cruz Valezquez, who appears as part of the Mexico Now Festival.
Salty Brine has been wowing audiences and critics in New York with his Living Record Collection in which he spins yarns mashing up seminal albums and highly personal stories (often inspired by seminal literary classics). These indescribably multi-sensory immersion spectacles, now numbering more than 20, have been developed at Pangea followed by primetime runs at Joe's Pub. Salty, which Time Out NY once called an "LGBT influencer you need to know," introduces "He's So Unusual: The Cyndi Lauper Show" (Mon Oct 31 and Wed Nov 2) and remounts his "Bigmouth Strikes Again: The Smiths Show" Tue Nov 8 and Fri Nov 18, all at 7pm Cover $25
Tammy Faye Starlite continues to flex her musical-satirical muscles in a new Rolling Stones deconstruction, "CS Blues: Tammy Faye Starlite Sings the Jagger/Richards Songbook" which begins November 3. Unlike her character-driven depictions of rock icons Nico and Marianne Faithfull, or her original characters -- evangelical country singer Tammy Faye Starlite and more recently the Israeli film star Tamar - Tammy Faye lets Mick and Keith speak for themselves, with some comic prompting of course!... Thursdays Nov 3 and 10, all at 7pm Cover $25
Appearing in her Pangea debut is Leslee Warren, who this month won the 8th annual "Tomatoes Got Talent" contest at The Triad, a competition for women over 40. "Me Myself & Eye: Songs of a Nearsighted Girl" with Gregory Toroian on piano, Skip Ward on bass and David Silliman on drums plays Fri Nov 4 at 7pm. Cover $20
Also making her Pangea debut is the noted fashion designer Fifi Chachnil who finds it fitting to return to the stage where she began as a singer (her first record, in Egyptian, came out in 1983). Here the designer, who has dressed Nina Hagen, Mariah Carey, and Celine Dion among others, cuts the rug with light melodies, seesawing between swing, cha-cha-cha, operetta, boogie woogie and sirtaki - all peppered by her salty observations. Fri Nov 4, 9:30pm Cover $25
Eddie Brill returns to Pangea for a night of comedy as part of the NY Comedy Festival. Here the David Letterman veteran comic introduces his son, Dan Madonia, in a daring father and son comedy face-off in which both performers clearly will risk losing face. "Eddie Brill: Like Father Like Son" with special guest host Anna Bianco is one night only. Sat Nov 12, 7pm Cover $25
Zora Rasmussen continues to build a following of prominent scene makers and celebrities from across the City -- all drawn by Zora's incandescent personality and volcanic talent as a singer and entertainer. Her songs span Nick Drake and the Eurythmics, all the way to Kurt Weill, Laura Nyro and Quincy Jones... with Bette Sussman on piano and Zev Katz on bass. Thur Nov 17, 7pm $20
In bold performance pieces where the gentle and the grotesque meet in a sublime conspiracy, Carlos Cruz Velazquez, who hails from Mexico and has been based in New York since 2002, uses modern dance, music and projection art to build his acclaimed shows. This one, "Let Me Tell You All Lies" uncovers many truths, most of which can't be told with a straight face. Part of the Mexico Now Festival, this will be Carlos's Pangea debut. Sat Nov 19, 9:30pm Cover $20
TWEED TheaterWorks "Sundays @ 7" series, curated by Kevin Malony presents Tom Judson in "Tom Judson is Looney," a dreamy compendium of songs about the moon, with special guest celestial being Charles Busch. In this new show Judson, who has appeared on, Off and Off-Off Broadway as an actor, writer and composer, and who has sparkled as a world-explorer, adult film star and magazine columnist, tells about how the moon has enthralled us since time immemorial. Sun Nov 20, 7pm Cover $25
PANGEA HAS NOTEWORTHY ON-GOING SHOWS!
Popular ongoing series include: "Pangea Jazz Nights" every Wednesday... Curated Ben Cassara, this popular series, now in its third smash year (skipping 2020 of course) "Pangea Jazz Nights" feature a bracing cross-section of name singer-musicians and distinguished up-and-comers. In November it's Pete McGinness (Nov 2), Nancy Kelly (Nov 9), Ce Ce Gable (Nov 16), and Kathleen Landis (Nov 30) All are at 7pm Cash cover at the door $25
Sue Matsuki's "Jazz Brunch Open Mic" on the second Sunday of the month features music director Gregory Toroian on piano and Skip Ward on bass. Referred to as "an embarrassment of riches" by Stephen Mosher in Broadwayworld.com, this unique format mixes audience and guest artists and a full set by Matsuki. Sun Nov 13, 1pm-3pm. Reservations required, No Cover.
In the Front Lounge, let Karen Mack and Elliot Roth entertain you with a high octane mix of great songs, lurid tales and fun shenanigans. Their regular pairing continues Tue November 15, 8:30pm no cover
And this just in: Noted columnist, teacher and director Gerry Geddes brings us a new monthly variety show, "Fabulous First Fridays," which bows on - you guessed it - the first Friday of the month. Curated and hosted by Gerry, this new series showcasing some of the best new talent on the scene, starts on Fri November 5 and continues Fri Dec 2, all at 7pm
Pangea presents a mix of ticketed and no-cover entertainment in its two dinner-show performance spaces -- the jewelbox Cabaret Room (with music charges from $15 to $35), and the more casual Front Lounge, with no cover charges, and reservations recommended. There is a $20 food and drink minimum in both spaces, and direct artist gratuities via Venmo, Cash App or with old-school cash are encouraged in the Front Lounge.
A near-business fatality of the pandemic, Pangea earned the prestigious Village Award, presented by Village Preservation, in June 2021 as it prepared to welcome back audiences after a hiatus that started in March 2020. Since introducing music and performance in January 2015, Pangea has become a hub for the burgeoning alt-cabaret movement. Mixing spirited downtown hospitality with a deliciously priced Italian-Mediterranean menu, Pangea "has vaulted to the forefront of the alt-cabaret scene!" according to Elisabeth Vincentelli of The NY Times.
For reservations online visit www.pangeanyc.com , or for info call 212/995-0900. Pangea is located at 178 Second Avenue (between 11th & 12th Streets).
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