Kenyon Phillips to Return to Joe's Pub with UNISEX SALON

Kenyon Phillips, known for his inventive blend of orchestral rock, surrealist theater and interactive cabaret, will follow the sold-out April 30 debut of his new improvisational variety series at Joe's Pub, the musical outpost of downtown Manhattan's storied Public Theater, with an all-new installment of Unisex Salon with Kenyon Phillips on July 23, 2017. The genre-hopping musician, actor and writer will continue the series with a schedule of performances at Joe's Pub to follow into the spring of 2018.

Anchored by Phillips and his all-girl orchestral backing band, The Ladies in Waiting, each show features a rotating - and truly eclectic - lineup of musical guests in addition to vaudeville, dance and burlesque-style acts. In lieu of interviews à la Ed Sullivan and other variety show hosts, Phillips engages in sung conversations with his guests and audience members against improvisational accompaniment by The Ladies in Waiting. While songs are rehearsed and the guest list curated ahead of time, the order of appearances is decided spontaneously by Phillips based on the mood of the room - making each show utterly unique and impossible to duplicate.

"I can't wait for the next Unisex Salon!" enthuses Phillips. "When the first one sold out in April, I knew the variety concept was resonating with people. And when it comes to celebrating variety and diversity, I really couldn't ask for a better venue than Joe's Pub."

Alex Knowlton, Associate Director of Joe's Pub at the Public, is equally enthusiastic. "Kenyon embodies a true sense of community and place," explains Knowlton. "We are honored to host his Unisex Salon shows, which so beautifully exemplify the Joe's Pub mission of providing artistic freedom to performers working to represent the diversity of New York City on our stage."

Confirmed guests for the July 23 performance include journalist and TV personality Michael Musto, American Horror Story's Mat Fraser, electro-orchestral duo Mimi Goese & Ben Neill, neo-soul singer Inyang Bassey, Raven O, the original emcee of notorious variety nightclub The Box, and Unisex Salon regulars Mackenzie Shivers, Nikkie McLeod, Lance Breakfast, Bellehouse, Sarah Haines, and Yuka Tadano. Despite suffering a broken thigh and ankle in a recent bicycle accident, the irrepressible Michael Musto has refused to cancel his appearance - and will be performing his number in a wheelchair.

Following the July 23 performance, Joe's Pub will continue to host Unisex Salon with Kenyon Phillips on a quarterly schedule through the fall and winter of 2017 into the spring of 2018. Throughout the series, the guest list will include actors Mare Winningham, Daphne Rubin-Vega, Cady Huffman, Erik Liberman, Jacob Ware and Justin Sams; illusionist, clown and performance artist Geoff Sobelle; nonagenarian artist, singer and muse Ilona Royce Smithkin; international drag performer Joey Arias; and musicians Bebe Buell, Mina Caputo, Rachelle Garniez, Royston Langdon, Angela McCluskey and Paul Cantelon.

IF YOU GO:

UNISEX SALON

Sunday, July 23, 2017 at 9:30 p.m. Doors open at 9:00 p.m.

Tickets are $20 and are available online at goo.gl/j5D8PO. There is a $12 food minimum or two-drink minimum.

The Public Theater is located at 425 Lafayette Street, and is accessible by the R, N and 6 trains.

Wildly theatrical singer, songwriter, emcee, actor, model, and DJ Kenyon Phillips knows how to put on a show. In addition to founding and fronting the bands Roma! and Unisex Salon, Phillips has shared the stage, screen and studio with such luminaries as comedienne Amy Poehler, pop culture commentator Michael Musto, international drag performer Joey Arias, choreographer Karole Armitage, director Mark Romanek, and Broadway bombshells Cady Huffman and Daphne Rubin-Vega. His songs have been featured on several network and cable television programs, including Shameless on Showtime and Eleventh Hour on CBS. Together with his all-girl orchestral rock band, The Ladies in Waiting, Phillips delivers danceable drama in the spirit of Rocky Horror.

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