FRIGID New York has announced programming for their 2024-25 season, which will include the return of their annual Days of the Dead and Gotham Storytelling Festivals along with new resident artists at FRIGID New York’s artistic home, UNDER St. Marks (94 St Marks Pl, New York, NY 10009).
“We are looking at an exciting and packed start to our 27th season! Having had a rocky couple of years as our community recovered from lockdown, we finally feel confident in saying that we are fully back!” said FRIGID New York co-Artistic Directors Jimmy Lovett and Martha Lorena Preve. “After a period of hibernation, we’re thrilled to be revitalizing our Resident Artists Program by welcoming two new residents. We can’t wait to share with our audiences what the FRIGID family has in store for them, from our residents to monthlies to festivals and beyond. See you at the theater!”
Performances
Escaping Dreamland
Written by Charlie Lovett
September 8th & 9th
New York Times bestselling author Charlie Lovett’s stage adaptation of his 2022 novel Escaping Dreamland is having its New York premiere at UNDER St. Marks as a co-production with The Little Theatre of Winston-Salem, NC. The show on the 8th will be followed by a short walking tour led by the playwright to a few local landmarks that intersect with the show as one of the main characters is from the Lower East Side. Dreamland, named for the short-lived Coney Island amusement park, is set in early 20th century New York and follows the evolving relationships among three you New Yorkers trying to become something other than what society has dictated for them—Magda, a German immigrant determined to challenge traditional gender roles; Tom, a young man of wealth and privilege who spurns his parents’ values; and Gene, a brilliant scientist who struggles to find his identity as a queer man. Together the three write children’s books, becoming a “tremendous trio” of friends and creatives. But secrets and past tragedies tear their friendship apart as they spend a day at the fabulous Dreamland amusement park on Coney Island. From the rubble of their affections, they work to rebuild their relationships in what Cultural Voice of NC called, “[A] heartfelt tale of relationship, creativity, and resilience” and professional actor and director Jim McKeny called “a wonderfully imagined artistic triumph.” The story’s themes of identity, queerness, class, and literature, despite the historical setting, still ring true today–sometimes painfully so.
THE DEVIL & DAISY DIRT: A Garden State Gothic, Alt-Folk Event
Written & Directed by Alex Dawson
September 26-28
On the night of an annual appetite contest called "I 8 the Devil," Daisy Dirt finds something strange - winged and antlered, wounded but alive - in the dumpster behind Lucille's Luncheonette (aka the Devil's Diner). With the help of a Piney palm reader named Effie and a piece of magic muscle meat from the basement game locker, Daisy evades a villainous poacher named Tasty (Murder) and risks everything to save it. Think Pine Barrens “Our Town” meets cryptid E.T., with a shoulder-shot Jersey Devil instead of a stranded extraterrestrial, deer hunters instead of federal agents, and a portal that opens above the Apple Pie Hill fire tower after a midnight lightning strike instead of an alien mothership shaped like a Christmas tree ornament. All backed by a high lonesome sound. Written/directed by Alex Dawson. With folk/bluegrass songs written by Arlan Feiles and Alex Dawson and performed by Arlan Feiles, and an 8' puppet designed, fabricated, and operated by Dan Diana. Featuring Alex Dawson, Arlan Feilies, Dan Diana, and Devon Borkowski
"There is no one remotely like Alex Dawson in Gothic New Jersey or anywhere else. A riveting, one-of-a-kind storyteller." Joyce Carol Oates
Jason, Medea, and the Tragedy at the PS19 Talent Show
Written & Performed by Mark Blane
November 22, 24 & 30 and December 1, 6 & 7
Dea and Jay met at drama school over 15 years ago. They now live in the East Village with their 9 year old son when Dea, a rising film star, drops a bombshell during a Lincoln Center Q&A for her new action flick: she killed her brother out of self-defense. Thus begins a media firestorm and a passionate messy affair between Jay and the non-binary adult child of Dea's powerful Hollywood agent, Cree. The wild tale unfurls from Jay's point of view.
This 45 minute solo adaptation of Euripides' Medea is the creation of filmmaker/actor Mark Blane (Writer/Director/Star of the 2019 feature film CUBBY and Writer/Producer of the Netflix Original THE DEATH AND LIFE OF MARSHA P. JOHNSON).
Festivals
Days of the Dead Festival
October 17 - November 2
The Days of the Dead Festival at FRIGID New York is a festival that celebrates independent theater and performance. A celebration of life and death, Days of the Dead is a festival inspired by the Mexican holiday Día de Muertos. During this time of year the dead return to earth to spend time with their families and enjoy their favorite things. It can be cheerful, sad, nostalgic, ritualistic and mysterious. It's all about the family and the community. The festival will be offering shows that have death and the afterlife as a theme as well as Halloween themed plays. We welcome everyone regardless of their cultural background or religious beliefs to celebrate our muertos together.
Curated by Resident Artistic Director Martha Lorena Preve Ayora and Something from Abroad company members: Silvana Gonzalez, Fernanda Hidalgo, Pelayo Alvarez, Federico Mallet and Regina Romero.
Lineup includes The Witching Hour, Paper Kraine, Comediumship, All Hallow’s eve, Goat Blood, Horror Helps, Hunter and Li Find Toni Collette, Grease my chin, Gimme a sign!, Cheers Mom! Eulogy for a living parent, This house is Haunted, The Giant Child, Poe’s Children, La Llorona, Mictlan, and the annual Days of the Dead Cabaret.
Gotham Storytelling Festival
November 3-17
Now in its twelfth year, the Gotham Storytelling Festival brings together diverse storytellers to do what they do best. Whether you’re looking to escape into someone else’s story, to commiserate with an artist, or laugh out loud, Gotham has something for you. Join legendary hitters and new friends for an international event that’s sure to alleviate some of the year’s aches.
Gotham is curated by Brad Lawrence and Erez Ziv. This year’s lineup will include Keenan Scott II, Iris Bahr, Tracey Erin Smith, and more!
The Fire This Time Festival
January 16-26
The African American experience is not represented solely by one voice or one style. FRIGID New York and The Fire This Time Festival provide opportunities for talented early career playwrights of African and African American descent to write and produce material that reflects diverse perspectives as 21st Century Theater artists and showcase this work to diverse audiences.
This season TFTT is collaborating with WLIW on our main festival program, The Billie Holiday Theatre on a reading in their space in Brooklyn in the fall and with both the NAACP and BET on a pair of readings that will take place in both NYC and LA also in the fall.
Artist Residencies
Torch Emsemble’s Climate Fables
Aug 29, Aug 31, Sept 20, Sept 22, Oct 13, Oct 15, Nov 30, Dec 1 all at 7pm
After a stellar run at New York City Fringe, acclaimed Gen Z environmentalist theater company Torch Ensemble is bringing The Climate Fables back to the FRIGID stage. When we found out that the two “fables” presented at Fringe were only part of a larger whole, we knew we had to invite them back. These captivating plays, born out of Torch Ensemble's engagement with real-world climate disasters like Hurricane Ida and the Canadian Wildfire Smog, are deeply informed by environmental science predictions about the actual future of our planet in the context of climate change. The Climate Fables have received widespread acclaim since their debut, rated 5 stars by UK Theatre Network in Edinburgh and winning "Best Play" at the New York City Fringe. The brainchild of Torch Ensemble's Artistic Director and playwright, Padraig Bond, this pairing of two magical plays offers a thought-provoking exploration of humanity's future in the face of climate change.
Torch Ensemble’s mission as a resident theater company at FRIGID is to complete Padraig's full canon of The Climate Fables, which will span 12 plays in total. This fall in 2024, they will produce 4 new plays in the fables: The Collapse of the Hubbard Glacier, Ogallala, The (Green Apple) Play, and Coyote Oughta Eat That Salesman! Producing founding members: Padraig Bond, Penelope Deen, Luis Feliciano, Kristen Hoffman.
Emily Walsh’s Dad Girl
Second Wednesday at 7pm
Emily Walsh still doesn't know if she wants kids, but if given the choice she'd like to be the dad. Join Emily on her darkly hilarious decision making process as she navigates gender norms, supportive partners, societal expectations and whether or not you can be the dad if you grew up without one. A must-see show if you've ever been a child or thought about having one.
After seeing this side-splittingly funny show at New York City Fringe, we knew we needed to bring comedian and podcaster Emily Walsh into our family of artists.
Spanglish Affair Open Mic
Presented by Something From Abroad
Every Other First Wednesday at 7pm
A new bimonthly open mic for the Spanish and Spanglish speaking community to develop and share their work. This event happens every other month at UNDER St. Marks on the first Wednesday of the month at 7pm. Performers get between 5 and 8 minutes each and are invited to sing, dance, do comedy, performance art, spoken word, burlesque, poetry, and share work in progress, with no prior experience required.
Holiday Spirits Readings
December 7th & 8th
Who knows what lurks in the long, cold nights as we creep through darkness towards the winter solstice? We huddle together around our little lights for safety and warmth and tell each other stories of what might be out there as some sort of charm against the monsters being real. In fact, it was once tradition to tell ghost stories on Christmas Eve, something that has fallen by the wayside with the exception of A Christmas Carol, but the darkness is still out there. From scary to sentimental, ghosts can bring forth all kinds of emotions and memories. Perhaps the spirit of a favorite uncle is pulling pranks from the other side or maybe the Christmas goose is out for blood. Whatever they might be, we want to meet your holiday spirits.
Resident Artistic Directors Martha Lorena Preve and Jimmy Lovett are piloting a new project with a two-night presentation of curated short play readings on themes of winter, the holidays, and the horrors therein. Scripts will be accepted through October 1st.
Monthly Residents
Ongoing monthly programming at UNDER St. Marks is going strong, and is back up to pre-pandemic numbers with 23 shows currently running including:
Odd Salon (quarterly at Parkside Lounge), Living Radio (first Monday at 7pm), On Cats and Dogs and Other Family Revelations (first Tuesday at 7pm), The Open Mic Downstairs (every Tuesday at 9:30pm), Awkward Teenage Years (every other first Wednesday at 7pm), A Spanglish Affair (every other first Wednesday at 7pm), Dad Girl (second Wednesday at 7pm), Hottie Bop (second Friday at 10:30pm), It's Getting Tired Mildred (second Saturday at 8pm), Adam Wade Live (third Wednesday), Comediumship (third Sunday at 7pm), Next to Rise (third Sunday at 10pm), As You Mic It (last Tuesday at 6:30pm), Paper Kraine (last Wednesday at 7:30pm), As You Will (last Thursday at 7pm), Frigid Nightcap (last Friday at 10:30pm), Movie Night (last Sunday at 10pm), Daniel Simonsen (occasional Wednesday at 9:30pm), Sins and Stardust Burlesque (Mondays every other month), Milk & Henny/Relationships/Peterbd, LNAO (late night Thursdays) Improvised Columbo (first Thursday at 10pm), Room of Falsehood, and Metro Arts Collective.
FRIGID New York’s mission is to provide both emerging and established artists the opportunity to create and produce original work of varied content, form, and style, and to amplify their diverse voices. We do this by presenting an array of monthly programming, mainstage productions, an artist residency, and eight annual theater festivals that create an environment of collaboration, resourcefulness, and innovation. Founded in 1998, the aim was and is to form a structure, allowing multiple artists to focus on creating and staging new work and providing affordable rental space to scores of independent artists. Now in our third decade we have produced a massive quantity of stimulating downtown theater. www.frigid.nyc
Comments
Videos