Sky-Pony, Cristin Milioti, Justin Sayre and More Set for Joe's Pub, Now thru 12/8

Coming up this week at Joe's Pub: Night of a Thousand Genders, Sky-Pony, Creative Time, Ben Allison Band, CMA Songwriters, Marta Gomez, Sultans of String, Never Sleep Alone, Lri McKenna, Champagne Jerry, Shakina Nayfack, Reverend Billy, Cristin Milioti and Justin Sayre. Details below!

The Ackerman Institute for the Family, Delta Air Lines and Logo TV are delighted to invite you to the Gender & Family Project's first benefit celebrating the beauty and resilience of gender nonconforming youth and their families. Join us for an evening of musical performances, videos and fun! Don't miss Justin Vivian Bond, Our Lady J, Lance Horne making a difference in the life of transgender youth. The evening will benefit the Gender & Family Project at the Ackerman Institute for the Family in New York City. Its mission is to empower families of gender nonconforming and transgender children and adolescents by offering affirmative clinical services, professional training and community building. GFP also promotes gender inclusivity as a form of social justice in all the systems involved in the life of the family.

Sky-Pony serves up lush, lyrical, often cheeky indie-pop with a healthy dose of theatrics. It's a collaboration between singer/actress Lauren Worsham (currently starring in Broadway's A Gentlemen's Guide to Love and Murder) and her musician/writer husband Kyle Jarrow (OBIE Award winner), also featuring the sizeable talents of guitarist Kevin Wunderlich, drummer Perry Silver, bassist Eric Day, cellist David Blasher, and a rotating crew of backup singer/dancers including Tiffany Franke, Lizzie O'Hara, Kristin Piacentile, Megan Stern and Jessi Suzuki.

Travel to Haiti, the Netherlands, Bangladesh, and Afghanistan with artists Theaster Gates, Naeem Mohaiemen, and Lisi Raskin. Recipients of 2012-13 Creative Time Global Residencies, they will describe what they did and learned on their journeys and what's next. The Chicago-based Gates will speak about his trip to Haiti, where he worked with seamstresses and beadworkers, with a goal of assisting them in bringing their products to the global marketplace. Mohaiemen, a Columbia University Ph.D. student in Anthropology, will describe his international journeys exploring parallels and divergences between leftist activists from different countries, and Raskin, who spent time in Afghanistan, will describe her studies of war memorials in that country, part of a larger investigation into the ways that such memorials frame national narratives about war. The program will comprise 20-minute presentations by each artist, followed by a moderated discussion and Q+A with the audience.

Bassist/composer Ben Allison is one of a few band leaders working in jazz today who has developed his own instantly identifiable sound. Known for his inspired arrangements, inventive grooves and hummable melodies, Ben draws from the jazz tradition and a range of influences from rock and folk to 20th century classical and world music traditions, seamlessly blending them into a cinematic, cohesive whole. His band features some of the most creative musicians on the modern jazz scene. Together they bend the genre with smart humor and a healthy disregard for the status quo.

Joe's Pub and the Country Music Association are proud to announce the continuation of the successful CMA (Country Music Association) Songwriter Series with some of Nashville's finest songwriters. Bob DiPiero will return as host. CMA Songwriters Series is proudly sponsored by American Airlines, ASCAP, BMI, SESAC and GAC.

Joe's Pub and the Country Music Association are proud to announce the continuation of the successful CMA (Country Music Association) Songwriter Series with some of Nashville's finest songwriters. Bob DiPiero will return as host. CMA Songwriters Series is proudly sponsored by American Airlines, ASCAP, BMI, SESAC and GAC.

Marta Gómez has developed an extensive music career which has placed her as one of the most interesting singer songwriters on the world music scene today. More than 80 composed songs, six albums under her belt and a new one just about to be release, this young singer-songwriter writes the kind of melodies and refrains that translates across any language barrier. Marta is nourished by the everyday stories, and from this nostalgia, songs emerge with a deep social and human content. In an interview on the National Public Radio, journalist Steve Inskeep said he admires Marta's capacity of "turning the bitter history of her native country into sweet music". Marta will also perform some songs from the newest COLOREANDO CD Release. Sales of the CD benefit Global Language Project an educational nonprofit that provides world language programs in disadvantaged schools.

Canadian Folk Music Award winners/JUNO nominees (Canada's Grammys) Sultans of String perform a global tapestry of sound, celebrating musical fusion and human creativity with warmth and virtuosity. Known for dizzying roots music jams, poly-rhythms and revved up riffs, Sultans of String can't be pinned down -- it's Sable Island meets the Silk Road, with detours through the Gypsy-Jazz coffeehouses of Eastern Europe, next an East Coast Kitchen Party, then over to the majestic Arctic and vibrant streets of Havana. Fiery violin dances with rumba-flamenca guitar while funky bass lays down unstoppable grooves. Throughout, acoustic mastery meets with a symphony of sound, deepened by world rhythms that inspire whole audiences to get up and dance. Their CDs hit #1 on world music charts, and "Canada's ambassadors of musical diversity" they have wowed audiences from Birdland Jazz Club (NYC), Mariposa Folk Festival, Toronto Symphony Orchestra, Celtic Connections (U.K.), and on BBC TV, SiriusXM (Washington), and CBC's Canada Live.

Finally, a show designed to help you hook up! Sexual evangelist and Best-Selling author Dr. Alex Schiller brings the hot, the single and the curious together for a night of delirious laughter, awesome music and socio-sensual interaction. Dr. Alex insists that her audience be filled with the sexy and seeking. And she suggests you put your table/seat number, stats and sexual preference in the comments section below. Only sit it the "Singles" section if you are SINGLE and willing to interact with strangers! "Singles" mix in the front and become active participants in the show. "Voyeurs" watch from the back as the provocative and irreverent Dr. Alex dispenses sex advice from her new book, "Never Sleep Alone", and leads her audience through a wildly entertaining evening. Willing singles are invited to join Dr. Alex on stage for free champagne, blind dates and interactive demonstrations. The night continues at an exclusive after-party and the secret location is announced at curtain call. ?

Lori McKenna's unusual combination of professional and personal life, at least in the context of the modern music industry, has been well-documented. Admired and recorded by Faith Hill, Tim McGraw, Carrie Underwood and Alison Krauss (to name just a few), McKenna is a master at chronicling the small, difficult moments between romantic partners as they navigate their relationships.

Champagne Jerry continues to roll out the hits every month, and now each hit will be paired, like champagne and brie, with a show at Joe's Pub! Starting in December each of the remaining singles for Champagne Jerry's forthcoming album "For Real, You Guys" will be paired with a show themed to that single at the legendary Joe's Pub. December's edition is tied to the anticipated single Yo Kev, a collaboration with Ad Rock of Beastie Boys who also does a verse, also accompanied by a video by Jason Cacioppo featuring various downtown, nationwide and music world luminaries. Champagne Jerry, also known as Neal Medlyn, is a rapper and performance artist who, along with his main producer, Max Tannone and his onstage entourage, the Champagne Club, seek to transform the world every single time they hit the stage. Real beats, real rapping, real champagne, real realness.

Shakina Nayfack presents "ONE WOMAN SHOW: A Work In Progress." Celebrate with Shakina on the eve of her 33rd birthday as she recounts the exploits and adventures that led to her gender transition. A story of surviving the 90s and creating a new life in a new millennium, featuring gender-bending show tune standards and music by Depeche Mode, Radiohead, Fiona Apple, and James Shelton, along with new songs by Joe Iconis, Sam Salmond, Nikko Benson, and Ty Defoe. Special guests include Julianne Wick Davis, Lauren Marcus, Jahn Sood, and more! Musical direction by Jeremy Robin Lyons.

Reverend Billy & The Stop Shopping Choir sprang, full throated from the forehead of New York City a decade ago. They have been performing their remarkable show in fields, parking lots, theaters, malls, churches, government buildings and bank lobbies all over the world ever since. Serious political satire and driving gospel music invite audiences into a state of euphoric soul searching. In recent years the company has turned their attention toward climate change and the crisis of the earth. The Stop Shopping Choir's third full length CD Earthalujah! is just completed. Reverend Billy is the recipient of an Obie award, The Alpert award for theater and has been arrested more than 50 times. Directed by Savitri D., music director Nehemiah Luckett. The Stop Shopping Choir is a 35 voice choir accompanied by the 5 piece Not Buying it Band.

Cristin Milioti recently joined the cast of CBS's hit comedy HOW I MET YOUR MOTHER as 'The Mother.' Earlier this year she concluded her star turn as 'Girl' in the Broadway smash hit musical ONCE, for which she received a Grammy Award as well as a Tony Nomination for Lead Actress. Milioti's next project is playing opposite Leonardo Dicaprio in the upcoming Martin Scorsese film THE WOLF OF WALL STREET, due out this fall.

Justin Sayre - the acclaimed writer and creator of The Meeting* - makes his solo debut in a new original show, IN MY GIRLISH DAYS. Sayre has been described by Michael Musto in The Village Voice as "Oscar Wilde meets Whoopi Goldberg," and by Steve Weinstein of Edge New York as "Comedian, raconteur, performing artist, gay rights activist and sexual outlaw: I'm not sure Justin Sayre is classifiable. The veteran performer is on his way to becoming a Downtown Manhattan institution along the lines of Charles Ludlam or Charles Busch." But now Sayre steps out from behind the podium to sing! The evening will be a collection of unforgettable stories and songs, all with the Sayre brand of "Wink and Wit," featuring songs by Tom Waits, k.d. lang, and Billie Holiday all under the musical direction of Dane Terry. Sayre is primarily known for The Meeting*, now in its 5th Season playing at 54 Below. The acclaimed comedy/variety show was named one of the Top 10 nightclub shows of 2011 by Time Out New York, received the 2012 Bistro Award for "Comedy Artistry" and a 2011 MAC Award nomination for Best Male Comedy Performance. and has been hailed as "rambunctious, uproarious and unpredictable" by The Wall Street Journal, "delicious and delightfully droll" by The New York Post, and "hilarious and sardonic" by The Village Voice.

Visit www.joespub.com for a complete list of shows or to purchase tickets, or call 212-967-7555, or visit IN PERSON at The Taub Box Office at The Public Theater (1 PM to 6 PM) located at 425 Lafayette Street, NYC.

ABOUT JOE'S PUB AT THE PUBLIC: Named for Public Theater founder Joe Papp, Joe's Pub debuted in 1998 and plays a vital role in The Public's mission of supporting young artists while providing established artists with an intimate space to perform and develop new work. In 2013, Joe's Pub celebrates 15 years of the best in live music and performance nightly, continuing its commitment to diversity, production values, community and artistic freedom. It received a top-to-bottom renovation in 2011, leading to improved sightlines, expanded seating capacity and a new menu from acclaimed Chef Andrew Carmellini. With its intimate atmosphere and superior acoustics, Joe's Pub presents talent from all over the world as part of The Public's programming downtown at its Astor Place home, hosting approximately 800 shows and serving over 100,000 audience members annually. www.joespub.com

ABOUT THE PUBLIC THEATER AT ASTOR PLACE: Under the leadership of Artistic Director Oskar Eustis and Executive Director Patrick Willingham, The Public Theater is the only theater in New York that produces Shakespeare and the classics, musicals, contemporary and experimental pieces in equal measure. The Public continues the work of its visionary founder, Joe Papp, by acting as an advocate for the theater as an essential cultural force, and leading and framing dialogue on some of the most important issues of our day. Creating theater for one of the largest and most diverse audience bases in New York City for nearly 60 years, today the Company engages audiences in a variety of venues-including its landmark downtown home at Astor Place, which houses five theaters and Joe's Pub; the Delacorte Theater in Central Park, home to its beloved, free Shakespeare in the Park; and the Mobile Unit, which tours Shakespearean productions for underserved audiences throughout New York City's five boroughs. The Public's wide range of programming includes free Shakespeare in the Park, the bedrock of the Company's dedication to making theater accessible to all, new and experimental stagings at The Public at Astor Place, and a range of artist and audience development initiatives including its Public Forum series, which brings together theater artists and professionals from a variety of disciplines for discussions that shed light on social issues explored in Public productions. The Public Theater is located on property owned by the City of New York and receives annual support from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs. The LuEsther T. Mertz Charitable Trust provides leadership support for The Public Theater's year-round activities. www.publictheater