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WOMEN OF LETTERS, Isaac Oliver and More Coming Up This Month at Joe's Pub
By: BWW News Desk Apr. 05, 2016
Joe's Pub at The Public has announced its nightly performances, April 6-17, 2016. Scroll down for more details and visit www.joespub.com for a complete list of shows!
GUESTS: SIRI HUSTVEDT, ELISA WAITHE, LISA LUCAS, MINDY RAF, DIRTY MARTINI & T'AI FREEDOM FORD
Wednesday, April 6 at 7:00PM
$20
Every month, New York's best and brightest women come together for Women of Letters - a celebration of the lost art of letter writing. Expect laughter, tears and camaraderie as host Sofija Stefanovic welcomes guests reading "A letter to my elephant in the room." Guests are international best-selling author and essayist Siri Hustvedt, beloved comedian and activist Elsa Waithe, acclaimed executive director of the National Book Foundation Lisa Lucas, revered comic and author of The Symptoms of My Insanity Mindy Raf, world-renowned burlesque performer Dirty Martini and award-winning poet and education T'ai Freedom Ford.
Proceeds from Women of Letters shows are donated to charity, with over $750,000 being raised globally to date. This month's proceeds will be donated to the National Book Foundation, which celebrates the best of American literature, expand its audience and enhance the cultural value of great writing in America.
Wednesday, April 6 at 9:30PM
$15
The Brooklyn Blowhards will play sea shanties, whaling songs and the music of free jazz saxophonist Albert Ayler in celebration of the release of their first recording on Little (i) Music. The music embodies the soulful push and pull of the collective work song as well as the freedom of contemporary improvised music. Brooklyn Blowhards includes some of the leading players on the jazz/new music scene and will be joined by special guest vocalist Mary LaRose and guitarist Gary Lucas (Captain Beefhart/Jeff Buckley) for this album release performance.
THE CIVILIANS'S LET ME ASCERTAIN YOU: ANARCHY!
Thursday, April 7 at 7:00PM
$15
Led by Artistic Director Steve Cosson, The Civilians creates new theater from creative investigations into the most vital questions of the present. Anti-establishment is in, mainstream politics is out. Join our investigation into anarchist movements in the USA: pro-gun, pro-choice, anti-tax, pro-gay rights, isolationists in intentional communities living online and off the grid. It's everything you think you know, but nothing you expect. This new cabaret is curated and directed by The Civilians 2015-16 R&D Group Members EllaRose Chary, Jordan Mahome and Jay Stull in collaboration with The Civilians' 2015-16 Field Research Team.
Since its founding in 2001, the OBIE award-winning company has been produced at The Public Theater, Vineyard Theatre, BAM Next Wave Festival, Barrow Street Theater, Playwrights Horizons; and nationally at Center Theatre Group, A.R.T., La Jolla Playhouse, HBO's US Comedy Festival, the TED Conference, and Actors Theatre of Louisville, among others.
Thursday, April 7 at 9:30PM
$20
Ida Blue comes back to Joe's Pub to share what it means to be a "down home girl." With rep from country blues greats like Furry Lewis, Memphis Minnie, Mississippi John Hurt and Geeshie Wiley, Ida opens up to the Great Plains and endless skies of America's roots to tell stories of the blues through the eyes of musicians of the Deep South and scattered communities in the outreaches of the nation. Country music it is, but without the twang you'd expect...Mostly acoustic in nature, imagine the blues with lap-steel guitar playing a secondary lead behind the vocal. Be ready for truth heavy, weepy blues songs with a guttural depth that cuts straight to our collective core.
Friday, April 8 at 7:00PM
$20
Christine Lahti, known for her stunning acting work in films like Running On Empty and Housekeeping, has taken to writing and telling stories about her life. A gifted writer and storyteller, Lahti will be reading five stories, including one about being told she would have to have sex with a director in order to obtain acting work. Another is a heart-rending story about navigating the downward spiral of her mentally ill younger sister. Like the tales of Anne Lamott and Spalding Gray, Lahti's stories are funny, bittersweet, personal and very human.
Friday, April 8 at 9:30PM
$18
Monday Michiru, so named to reflect both her Japanese and American-Italian heritages, started her music endeavors studying classical flute then expanded to singing and songwriting. Her 1987 debut in Japan was not in music but as an actress which garnered her Best New Actress awards allowing her to expand her career acting in movies, theater and television, as well as hosting her own video programs and modeling for major commercial ads. Since her 1991 solo record debut, Monday has consistently released albums on an annual basis both for her solo works as well as a featured guest on various artists' projects internationally. Her musical style runs the gamut from house to jazz to Latin to soul, an undefinable hybrid that is undeniably hers. Her return to Joe's Pub celebrates the new release of a double CD compilation of previous works entitled "Portraits In Times: 2002-2013".
Friday, April 8 at 11:30PM
$15
Greg Banks, described as a "The Saint of Soul," has often been mentioned in the same sentences as Prince, Jimi Hendrix and Lenny Kravitz. As flattering as this is, the New Orleans native understands the magnitude of this comparison and the importance of carrying such genius in music forward. With his amazing body of musical works and his hit singles ''Your Love'', ''16'' and "Brooklyn Girl" available on iTunes now, this phenomenon is causing a major buzz across the industry. Yes, Banks may remind you of some, but he certainly duplicates none.
LAURA GIBSON W/ OPENER THE BROTHER BROTHERS
Saturday, April 9 at 7:30PM
$15
Laura Gibson's hotly anticipated new album Empire Builder - her most personal record to date - will be released on April 1 via Barsuk Records. Empire Builder is named for the Amtrak route Gibson took while moving from Portland, Oregon to New York City in the summer of 2014. Immediately upon arrival, she broke her foot and barely left her 5th floor apartment for the first two months. Then, in March 2015, her East Village building burned to the ground in a horrific gas explosion which killed two people and left many homeless. Gibson escaped from her apartment unharmed, but lost everything: all identification, eyeglasses, musical instruments, years of notebooks and every word she had written in response to her move. She recovered financially with help and support from hundreds of friends, fans and strangers. Raw and focused, Empire Builder captures a life blown open, an individual mid-transformation, with clear-eyed honesty, urgency and warmth.
The Brother Brothers are a Brooklyn-based twin brother duo project headed by Adam and David Moss.
Saturday, April 9 at 9:30PM
$20
It's been a minute! Dana and Deena have been very busy taking care of their business. Their LADY BIZNESS. 2Scoops - the legendary, chart-topping, entirely fictional 90's R&B girl group - is back. It's a new show, a new year and all new problemz. Long after cassingles, beepers, and neon colors have gone out of style, these two girls from around the way still cling tight to the music and style of the early 90's. Holding the world record for the most breakups of any group in history, they were recently Re-U-Nited on the Joe's Pub stage. Don't miss Dana and Deena for a night of fresh tales, classic jamz, and the same ol' bad attitudes.
2Scoops is written and performed by Adam Enright and Aaron Fuksa and will feature special guests Michael Fasano, Chris Gleim and Courtney Cowart.
KOOL KEITH with opener HEADKRACK
Saturday, April 9 at 11:30PM
$20
An original member of New York's new-school pioneers the Ultramagnetic MC's, "Kool" Keith Thornton is best known as a solo rapper. His signature style is stream-of-consciousness lyrical flow and complex vocals, two skills that earn him a perennial nod from the underground hip-hop community. The average Kool Keith album is peppered with bizarre, disjointed, even delusional or disassociated themes, concepts, and references. Nearly all of his albums incorporate a satirical dislike for more commercialized strains of hip-hop, as well as major record labels.
Originally hailing from the Bronx, Headkrack now resides in Atlanta. He produces music under this name as a solo artist but was previously in the four-piece Boondox (BDX) and is currently one-third of the independent Hip-Hop group The Bodega Brovas. Headkrack is also part of the nationally syndicated morning radio phenomenon that is 'The Rickey Smiley Morning Show' broadcasting out every weekday morning across America and beyond.
Sunday, April 10 at 12:00PM
$12
SAY: The Stuttering Association for the Young, a not-for-profit dedicated to helping young people who stutter find their voice, proudly presents the culmination of its Songwriting Project. The young participants, ages 8 - 18, worked with professional songwriters to bring their original songs to life. Everett Bradley, SAY's musical director (as well as member of Bruce Springsteen's E Street Band, and music director for The Meredith Vieira Show) leads a professional band to back up these amazing superstar SAY songwriters as they perform their original songs.
Sunday, April 10 at 7:00PM
$17 Adv / $22 Door
Jeff LeBlanc always imagined his destiny would likely be as a middle-school teacher. However, his discovery of songwriting led him down a different path. Since releasing his first EP "Signals" in 2009, LeBlanc has epitomized success as an independent artist - netting three top twenty albums on the iTunes Singer/Songwriter chart (2011's Worth Holding On To, 2013's My Own Way There and 2015's Vision), scoring dozens of television placements, achieving both satellite and commercial radio play, selling-out headline shows and touring the country with a wide range of acts such as Gavin DeGraw, Tori Kelly, Chris Stapleton, Brett Dennen, Ingrid Michaelson, Parachute, Chris Isaak and many more.
WUNNERFUL WUNNERFUL: A TRIBUTE TO LAWRENCE WELK
Sunday, April 10 at 9:30PM
$20
Join co-hosts Leslie Goshko and James Bewley as they present an all-new musical salute to spring inspired by the long-running Lawrence Welk television program. Bewley, as his alter ego Dale Seever, picks up the celebrated conductor's baton and tries his best to lead an evening of popular song as interpreted by a troupe of performers he's hand selected for the show. Far from a traditional tribute, the night veers off into unexpected territory as petty jealousies, forbidden passions, and over-sized egos of the cast are revealed. While viewers could only guess as to what was going on behind the scenes on the Welk program, Wunnerful Wunnerful! highlights the real tensions of putting on a show, where things are sometimes not so...wunnerful.
The evening includes a cast of genuine comedic and theatrical talents, featuring the Wunnerful Companions led by Andrew Bancroft (Moondrunk) with Chris "Shockwave" Sullivan (Freestyle Love Supreme), Eric Biondo (Antibalas Afrobeat Orchestra) and Steve O'Reilly. Players include Molly Pope, Salty Brine, Cariad Harmon, Ashley Perez Flanagan, Barrie McLain, Tonya Glanz, Shaye Troha The Trumpet Boys. Choreography by Carol Mendes & Artists, featuring dancers Ali Coleman and Jack Blackmon.
MIGGUEL ANGGELO AND THE IMMIGRANTS: ANOTHER SON OF VENEZULA
Monday and Thursday, April 11 and 21 at 7:00PM
$20
Brooklyn-based, Venezuelan-born dynamo Migguel Anggelo, returns to Joe's Pub with his virtuosic band The Immigrants and a pair of sensational singers to create a kaleidoscope of vocal theatrics and poetic storytelling that is hilarious and touching in equal measure. Developed with and directed by Obie Award winner David Drake, Another Son of Venezuela explores the very personal immigration themes of love, loss, family, and national pride as well as the challenges of claiming an authentic identity in the "land of the free." By combining Latin, pop, and folk classics with his and Musical Director Mau Quiros' original compositions, Migguel Anggelo is forging a new music-theater experience in our ever expanding bilingual world.
Monday, April 11 at 9:30PM
$12
Remarkable performer Ikechukwu Ufomadu, who has been described as the son Woody Allen and Frank Sinatra never had, invites you to an intimate evening of comedic fare; a singular mélange of wry humor, special guests and musical interludes. An evening that could only be - Nightcap | by Ike. Ufomadu is an actor, comedian and entertainer. His original, live talk show IKE AT NIGHT has played sold out runs at JACK and The Public's Under the Radar Festival and will play again at The Bushwick Starr in spring 2016. His one-man variety hour IKE NIGHT has played at Ars Nova, JACK and Sidewalk Cafe. He has worked with Young Jean Lee's Theater Company, 600 Highwaymen and Hoi Polloi. He was also featured in the "Truth or Myth with Smith" episode of The Chris Gethard Show.
THE ELEMENTARY SPACETIME SHOW, A NEW MUSICAL BY CÉSAR ALVAREZ
Tuesday, April 12 at 9:30PM
$15
This concert reading of César Alvarez's new musical, The Elementary Space Show, comes on the heels of a sold out run of his critically acclaimed show, Futurity. After attempting suicide, a teenager named Alameda finds herself trapped in a cosmic vaudevillian game show that she must win in order to finally enter the void. By confronting avatars of scientific truth, ostentatious musical numbers and inappropriate dance sequences, Alameda acquaints herself with the enigmatic laws of the universe. A story of how a hard shell of hopelessness might be cracked open by awe.
DANE TERRY: ANOTHER NAME IN NIGHTLIFE
Wednesday, April 13 at 7:30PM
$15
In Another Name In Nightlife, local snowflake and recent Ethyl Eichelberger Award winner Dane Terry performs an evening of his songs and music. A composer and performer known lately for making theater, Terry effortlessly blends disparate genres in his music. With his earthy warble and liquid piano-playing backlit by a tactful troupe of musicians, his songs create worlds at once both decadent and moonlike, with a Lynchian penchant for an everyday-weird throbbing under it all. Terry just performed his show Bird in the House at The Public as part of the INCOMING! Series at the 2016 Under The Radar Festival.
Wednesday, April 13 at 9:30PM
Friday, June 24 at 7:00PM
$20
Writer/performer Isaac Oliver's debut collection of essays, Intimacy Idiot, was hailed as "hilarious and unsparing" by New York Magazine, "transcendent" by Entertainment Weekly, "surprisingly moving" by Kirkus, and named one of NPR's Best Books of 2015. After several sold-out engagements, Oliver returns to Joe's Pub for a spring residency and a glass of pink wine, debuting brand-new stories as well as sharing old favorites.
THE LOSERS LOUNGE TRIBUTE TO LIONEL RICHIE & THE COMMODORES
Thursday, April 14 at 7:00PM
Friday, April 15 at 7:00PM & 9:30PM
Saturday, April 16 at 1:00PM, 7:00PM & 9:30PM
$25 Evening / $20 Matinee
The Losers Lounge is back at Joe's Pub on April 14-16 with all of the incredible songs, great performances, irreverent antics and special guests that you can only find at The Losers Lounge. The Losers Lounge performs at Joe's Pub every other month, honoring their favorite musical legends and important musical eras. Come join the celebration as Joe McGinty and The Losers Lounge play a tribute to the wonderful music of the iconic Lionel Richie and the Commodores.
Thursday, April 14 at 9:30PM
$15
Tamar Eisenman is one of Israel's unique female rock voices, known for her versatile musical attitude combining vulnerability and ruggedness, and the shyness and extroversion of folk and rock. The virtuosic guitarist, singer-songwriter and artist began her musical career with the independent release of her self-titled and produced EP in 2003, composed and recorded at her home studio. By pure word of mouth, Eisenman gained massive attention. She quickly gained a place in the evolving up-and-coming indie/alternative pop-rock music scene in Israel and was signed to NMC Music. Since then, she has released five official studio albums.
Sunday, April 17 at 7:30PM
$15 Adv / $20 Door
Jeff Franzel is an accomplished songwriter and jazz pianist who has accompanied artists such as Frank Sinatra, Sammy Davis Jr. and Mel Torme. He has also written hit songs for Josh Groban, Placido Domingo, Temptations, 'Nsync, Dianne Reeves, Shawn Colvin, and Taylor Dayne. Franzel is a Yamaha artist and recently recorded a solo piano album at Oscar Peterson Hall in Montreal. He performs improvisation in addition to jazz and pop standards. Franzel is currently arranging and playing piano for a Billy Joel Country Tribute album featuring major country artists singing the legend's hit songs.
THE MEETING* HOSTED BY JUSTIN SAYRE
Sunday, April 17 at 9:30PM
$20
The Meeting* hosted by Justin Sayre, the acclaimed comedy/variety show hailed as "rambunctious, uproarious and unpredictable" by The Wall Street Journal, has returned to its downtown roots this year for another season of shows. Each month, Sayre's International Order of Sodomites (I.O.S.) gathers to honor an artist or a cultural work that is iconic to the gay community. Sayre is the show's creator, writer and host, serving as the Chairman of the Board of the I.O.S. This month's show will be a tribute to Barbra Streisand.
For tickets, go online at joespub.com, call 10AM-7:00PM daily at 212-967-7555, or visit in person at The Public Theater Box Office, 425 Lafayette Street, NYC (Opens daily at 2PM). There is a $12 food / two (2) drink minimum per person per show, unless otherwise noted.
Named for Public Theater founder Joe Papp, Joe's Pub at The Public opened 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. Joe's Pub presents the best in live music and performance nightly, continuing its commitment to diversity, production values, community and artistic freedom. The organization also offers unique opportunities like New York Voices, an artist commissioning program that provides musicians the resources and tools needed to develop original theater works. Commissioned artists have included Ethan Lipton, Toshi Reagon, Bridget Everett, Allen Toussaint and more. In 2011, the Pub received a top-to-bottom renovation, 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.
The Public Theater, under the leadership of Oskar Eustis and Executive Director Patrick Willingham, is the only theater in New York that produces Shakespeare, the classics, musicals, contemporary and experimental pieces in equal measure. Celebrating his 10th anniversary season at The Public, Eustis has created new community-based initiatives designed to engage audiences like Public Lab, Public Studio, Public Forum, Public Works, and a remount of the Mobile Shakespeare Unit. 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 free Shakespeare in the Park; and the Mobile Shakespeare 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; Public Works, an expanding initiative that is designed to cultivate new connections and new models of engagement with artists, audiences and the community each year; and audience and artist development initiatives that range from Emerging Writers Group and to the Public Forum series. The Public is located on property owned by the City of New York and receives annual support from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs; and in October 2012 the landmark building downtown at Astor Place was revitalized to physically manifest the Company's core mission of sparking new dialogues and increasing accessibility for artists and audiences, by dramatically opening up the building to the street and community, and transforming the lobby into a public piazza for artists, students, and audiences. The Public is currently represented on Broadway by the Tony Award-winning Fun Home and Lin-Manuel Miranda's acclaimed American musical Hamilton. The Public has received 47 Tony Awards, 167 Obie Awards, 52 Drama Desk Awards, 48 Lortel Awards, 31 Outer Critics Circle Awards, 13 New York Drama Critics Awards, and four Pulitzer Prizes.
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