James Godwin's THE FLATIRON HEX Makes World Premiere Tonight at Dixon Place

Dixon Place's new commission THE FLATIRON HEX, starring Award-winning puppeteer/performance & visual artist James Godwin, will have its world premiere on Friday, May 15th. Godwin's previous collaborations include Julie Taymor, David Bowie, the Muppets & even Aerosmith. A 2014 Jim Henson Award recipient, Godwin utilizes remarkable puppets, masks & mystical neo-noir visuals to tell a story set in a parallel, near-future NYC filled with ghosts, elemental spirits & evil demigods. THE FLATIRON HEX will play six performances only -- tonight, May 15th, and May 16th, 22th, 23th, 29th, and 30th at 7:30PM, at Dixon Place (161A Chrystie Street). Tickets are $16 in advance, $20 at the door, and $12 for seniors and students. Tickets can be purchased by visiting www.dixonplace.org or by calling 866-811-4111.

THE FLATIRON HEX tells the story of Wylie Walker, a contract sorcerer who works for NYORG, a city in the middle of a swamp. Storms constantly threaten to destroy NYORG, and as an impending super storm approaches, it is up to Wylie to decipher a mysterious document & utilize the occult power of the Flatiron building to save the city.

Godwin will also lead a master class on intensive exploration of the many facets of character development inherent in puppetry, object manipulation and storytelling. Through a wide variety of exercises and techniques designed to access the imagination and to further connect with an audience, James will delve into the practical, poetic and even chaotic aspects of character work in order to strengthen the participant's creative toolkit. Both solo and ensemble performance will be addressed as well as movement, voice and music. Participants may bring a puppet if they wish, but they are not required to. Visit www.dixonplace.org to apply. The cost to participate is $25, and class size is limited. Applications are due by Friday, April 24 and can be found at dixonplace.org.

JAMES GODWIN is a performance & visual artist and puppeteer. He is a founding member of The Elementals Puppet Company and "Uncle Jimmy's Dirty Basement". His work has been presented all over NYC and beyond in such venues as P.S.122, Dixon Place, DTW, Franklin Furnace, La MaMa and the Walker Art Center. He was also a cast member of Henson Alternative's off-Broadway show Stuffed and Unstrung. He has worked with Julie Taymor, Dave Chappelle, David Bowie and Aerosmith. His film and T.V. credits include I Sell the Dead, Ice Age 2, as well as It's a Big, Big World for PBS, Saturday Night Live and StakeLand and puppeteering Wyatt Cenac for The Daily Show. His Dixon Place commission, Lunatic Cunning, was the recipient of the Jim Henson Award for Innovation and an UNIMA Citation of Excellence.

The Dixon Place Lounge is open before and after the show. Proceeds directly support Dixon Place's artists and mission. Dixon Place is located at 161A Chrystie Street (between Rivington and Delancey), in Manhattan's Lower East Side (By subway: F to 2nd Ave, J/Z to Bowery, 6 to Spring St, M to Essex St).

Dixon Place, an incubator for performing and literary artists since 1986, is a non-profit organization committed to supporting the creative process by presenting original works of dance, theater, music, circus arts, puppetry, literature, performance and visual art at all stages of development. Presenting over 1,000 artists each year, this local haven inspires and encourages diverse artists of all stripes and callings to take risks and push personal and professional limits. DP's foremost priorities are to serve as a safety net for artists, and to provide vivid experiences for audiences. Many artists, such as Blue Man Group, John Leguizamo, Lisa Kron, David Cale, Penny Arcade, Deb Margolin and Reno began their careers at Dixon Place. In addition to emerging artists, DP has been privileged to present new work by more established artists, such as -- Justin Vivian Bond, Taylor Mac, Lily Tomlin, Wallace Shawn, Craig Lucas, BD Wong, John Fleck, Kate Bornstein, Ethyl Eichelberger, Holly Hughes, Karen Finley, Kate Clinton, Peggy Shaw, Big Art Group; A.M. Homes, Rick Moody, Tom Spanbauer and Oscar Huelos; Mark Dendy, Jane Comfort, Douglas Dunn, Sarah Michelson and Yoshiko Chuma; Vernon Reid, Rodney Crowell, Diamanda Galas, Martha Wainwright, Loudon Wainwright, Lucy Wainwright Roche, Suzzy and Maggie Roche, Rodney Crowell, and They Might Be Giants.

Ellie Covan, founding director, was a recipient of a Bessie, a New York Dance and Performance Award and a Bax10 Award for her service to the community; Dixon Place received two Village Voice Obie Awards, and an Edwin Booth Award for Excellence in Theater.

This DP commission is made possible w/public funds from NYS Council on the Arts w/the support of Governor Andrew Cuomo & the NYS Legislature, NYC Dept. of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the City Council, and private funds from the Peg Santvoord Foundation & the Jim Henson Foundation. Additionally, this work was supported by an Exploration grant from the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation to Dixon Place for the Building Demand for the Performing Arts Program.

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