Ashanti J'Aria joins THE MEETING at Joe's Pub

The Meeting* hosted by Justin Sayre - the monthly gathering of the International Order of Sodomites, the centuries-old organization which sets the mythic Gay Agenda - will continue its final season on Sunday, February 19 with a celebration of the iconic director and choreographer Michael Bennett at 9:30 PM at JOE'S PUB at The Public Theater. The Meeting*, the acclaimed comedy/variety show known for its audacious humor, trailblazing political discourse and button-pushing cultural exploration, will come to an end at the conclusion of the season in May 2017. Special guests for the February show include Ashanti J'Aria, who joins previously-announced Carolee Carmello, T. Oliver Reid, Rob Maitner, Jacob Hoffman, Lori Ann Ferreri, Rosie Lani Fiedelmanand Tera-Lee Pollin. Tracy Stark serves as the evening's music director.

The Winter/Spring 2017 shows are Sunday nights at 9:30 PM will continue with tributes to The Velvet Underground (March 19) and Patti LuPone (April 23). The final celebration will be held with two performances on Sunday, May 14 at 7:00 PM and 9:30 PM.

The Meeting* has been called "delicious and delightfully droll" by The New York Post and "hilarious and sardonic" by The Village Voice. A story for Slate.com called the evening "so deliciously icy that it left me shivering with fear and delight." Last season's shows sold out after a profile in The New York Times "Arts & Leisure" section. After originally opening at the historic Duplex in the West Village, The Meeting* has also enjoyed successful runs at the Broadway nightclub 54 Below in New York, the Bootleg Theater in Los Angeles and Oasis in San Francisco. Sparkle & Circulate with Justin Sayre, the official podcast of the International Order of Sodomites, was recently named among "10 Comedy Podcasts You Should Listen To" by Backstage. The show, featuring interviews withLady Bunny, Randy Harrison, Alaska 5000, Nellie McKay, Justin VivIan Bond, Michael Musto and R&B legend Sarah Dash, is available on iTunes HERE.

"The Gay Agenda" - the debut comedy album from Justin Sayre - was called one of 2016's "Best Things in Comedy" by The Comedy Bureau. It's currently available on iTunes HERE and as a physical CD at www.InternationalOrderofSodomites.com

Justin Sayre and The Meeting* - known for a signature blend of outrageous comedy, politics, culture and everything in between - were named among the Top nightclub shows of 2013 by Time Out New York, and received the 2012 Bistro Award for "Comedy Artistry" and a 2011 MAC Award nomination for Best Male Comedy Performance. Each month, the I.O.S gathers to honor an artist or a cultural work that is iconic to the gay community. Justin Sayre, the show's creator, writer and host, serves as the Chairman of the Board of the International Order of Sodomites and brings his singular wit to essential business of the day through such regular features such as "Letters to the Chairman" and "New Rulings from the Board."

Justin Sayre's video "The New Hanky Code" was a surprise online hit with over 71,000 views. It debuted on The Huffington Post and was picked up by several major outlets around the world. To keep up to date with videos from recent shows, subscribe to the I.O.S.YouTube channel.

Night of a Thousand Judys - the special all-star concert presentation of The Meeting* to benefit the Ali Forney Center - will return for its seventh annual installment in June 2017. The sold-out annual concerts have featured the talents as R&B legends Martha Wash andSarah Dash; jazz vocalists Madeleine Peyroux, Jane Monheit and Jessica Molaskey & John Pizzarelli; singer/songwriters Nellie McKay and Erin McKeown;Broadway ladies Carolee Carmello, Jackie Hoffman, Tonya Pinkins and leading men Howard McGillin, Telly Leung, Rory O'Malley and Daniel Reichard; downtown stars Justin VivIan Bond, Bridget Everett and Lady Rizo; nightlife fixtures Karen Mason, Maude Maggart and Karen Akers; and New York personalities Michael Musto, Austin Scarlett andFrank DeCaro, among many others. For more information, please visit www.AliForneyCenter.org.

Justin Sayre, who has been described by Michael Musto in The Village Voice as "Oscar Wilde meets Whoopi Goldberg," was recently hailed as one the "Funniest People in Brooklyn" by Brooklyn Magazineand among "LA's 16 Most Talented LGBT Comics" by Frontiers Magazine. He currently works as a staff writer on the CBS sitcom "2 Broke Girls" and has appeared opposite Lisa Kudrow on HBO's "The Comeback." His first young adult novel, Husky, was published by Penguin Books in 2015 and a sequel will hit stands in 2017. His works for the theatre include: The Boy Sonata, presented at Hot! Queer Theatre Festival and The Wild Project; Rite of Water for Queer Pop-Up Museum; Justin Sayre Is Alive and Well...Writing at Ars Nova, which was called one of the "Top 10 Events on the New York Stage" by the New York Daily News; and The Click of the Lock which was a finalist for the Eugene O'Neill Festival and was last presented at The Players Club with Zachary Booth and Justin VivIan Bond. As Edge New York said: "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 Ludlum or Charles Busch."

The Meeting* monthly events have featured popular guest stars such as Lea DeLaria, Tonya Pinkins, Tituss Burgess, Robin Byrd,Marilyn Maye, Christian Campbell, Joe Iconis, Frank DeCaro, Lance Horne, Lady Rizo, Kenny Mellman, Maude Maggart, Jack Ferver, Murray Hill, Jeffery Self, Cole Escola, Bridget Everett and more. Previous shows have paid tribute to singers such as Dolly Parton and Diana Ross; films like "Valley of the Dolls" and "Beaches"; actresses such as Bea Arthur and Molly Ringwald; as well as playwrights and filmmakers like Tennessee Williams and John Waters. According to Time Out New York, "The Meeting* has become a cult hit among a young, festive and culturally aware crowd. Sayre is an avatar of modern-retro cultivation."

Visit www.InternationalOrderofSodomites.com for more information.

The Meeting* hosted by Justin Sayre will be presented at JOE'S PUB at The Public Theater. The venue is located in The Public Theater, 425 Lafayette Street (between East 4th and Astor Place) NYC. For tickets - which cost $20 - call (212) 967-7555 from 10:00 AM to 7:00 PM or visit joespub.com, or visit in person at The Public Theater Box Office at 425 Lafayette Street from 2:00 PM daily.There is a $12 food / two (2) drink minimum per person per show, unless otherwise noted. The Meeting* hosted by Justin Sayre is produced by Dan Fortune and Adam J. Rosen, with Dan Fortune serving as executive producer.

ABOUT JOE'S PUB AT THE PUBLIC Named for Public Theater founder Joe Papp, Joe's Pub at The Publicopened 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 consistently 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.

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