Ars Nova Announces New Events Including First Vision Residency Programming

Ars Nova has announced its first slate of 2021 programming including four new shows curated by director David Mendizábal as part the new Ars Nova Vision Residency program. All events will take place on Ars Nova Supra, a new streaming platform from Ars Nova that showcases some of New York City's most promising emerging artists and currently serves as the online home for the majority of Ars Nova presentations.

Designed to foreground Ars Nova's values through the creation of more equitable and power-sharing curatorial practices, the Vision Residency expands Ars Nova's artistic vision by inviting seven artist-curators to each program one month of events on Ars Nova Supra. Programming can include their own work as well as work by artists they champion and admire, with Ars Nova providing financial and staff resources to develop each piece. In addition to Mendizábal, the 2020-2021 Vision Residents are Starr Busby, nicHi douglas, JJJJJerome Ellis, Raja Feather Kelly, Jenny Koons, and Rona Siddiqui.

Founding Artistic Director Jason Eagan commented, "I feel so fortunate to get to share the curation of our season on Ars Nova Supra with this newly formed cohort. Bringing this incredible group of artists and thinkers into conversation about who and what will be featured on our platform this year expands our - and their - potential. The Ars Nova community has always thrived most when it is looking forward, and I am thrilled to discover where these visionaries will take us next."

Vision Resident David Mendizábal said, "The artists I've curated are all working from the intersection of art and social justice and they're exploding the notion of 'theater' in the process. They're not creating from a location in opposition to whiteness, but from their own centers, their own truths, and their own liberated realities. They are creating their own paths through resilience, resistance, joy and artistry."

Ars Nova's 2021 programming begins with a special digital edition of Showgasm, Ars Nova's own monthly variety-show-meets-party, guest hosted by cutting-edge cultural comic Chris Murphy, followed by four events curated by Mendizábal as part of his residency. They include a performance by Mayte Natalio inspired by a traditional Hora Santa at which family and friends gather to pray for the soul of a loved one who's passed; an evening of stories and rituals by Qween Jean that honors and celebrates Black Trans Legacy; a performance by STEFA* that asks, "What does it mean to be born with an extra rib?"; and a performance by Melissa DuPrey set at the brink of an apocalypse and inspired by Aunty Entity, leader of Bartertown from Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome.

Tickets for Ars Nova Supra livestream events are $5-10 per event, with subscriptions available for $15 per month. Subscribers receive access to all monthly livestreams at one low price, plus exclusive on-demand access to the Ars Nova Supra library, where they can catch any shows they may have missed.

More details follow and can be found at https://arsnovanyc.com/SUPRA.

ARS NOVA SUPRA Lineup (Jan. 14-Feb. 5)

January 14 at 7pm ET

Ars Nova Presents: Showgasm.
with Guest Host Chris Murphy

60 minutes; $5
Cutting-edge cultural comic Chris Murphy guest hosts a live-for-digital version of our untamed monthly variety-show-meets-party, introducing us to his who's-who of the weird and wonderful - from comedy to burlesque and everything (and anything) in between.

January 28 at 7pm ET

Vision Residency: La Hora Santa

Created by Mayte Natalio

Written, Choreographed and Directed by Mayte

In collaboration with Kristin Yancy & Yemen Brown
45 minutes; $10

Inspired by a traditional Hora Santa at which family and friends gather to pray for the soul of a loved one who's passed, this one-night-only ritual-meets-party gathers strangers and friends to honor what has left us, and what remains.

Note: This interactive event takes place live on Zoom and features optional audience participation. Additional details on how to opt-in to participate, or simply to view and be a witness to the Hora Santa, will be emailed to all ticket buyers in the days leading up to the event.

February 3 at 7pm ET

Vision Residency: What Do They Call Us

Created by Qween Jean

Featuring Linda La, Ava Grey & Vuyo Sotashe

45 minutes; $10

Inspired by Nina Simone's Four Women, What Do They Call Us is an evening of stories and rituals featuring musicians, poets and dancers coming together to honor & celebrate Black Trans Legacy.

February 5 at 7pm ET

Vision Residency: excerpts from my ribs (the end is sweet)
Created & Performed by STEFA*
Directed by STEFA*
40 minutes; $10
What does it mean to be born with an extra rib? When the loops and cycles we are given to work with are unable to fully contain us, how do we mourn who we were and heal our past selves? In this live, video-collage exploration, STEFA* gives us a glimpse of the trans-dimensional spiral behind their ongoing journey of self-actualization.

February 6 at 7pm ET

Vision Residency: Rise of Thunderdome

Created & Performed by Melissa DuPrey
50 minutes; $10

What does a revolutionary leader do when the people aren't ready for a revolution? Set at the brink of an apocalypse, this solo show follows the becoming of Aunty Entity, leader of Bartertown from Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome.

Concept workshopped at the Solo Playwright Workshop through The Goodman Theater Dael Orlandersmith with Dael Orlandersmith in May 2020. Developed in artistic collaboration with communities of artists of color from Chicago and NYC. Original music written by Melissa DuPrey inspired by the soundtrack to Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome.

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