PRELUDE TO THE APOCALYPSE (FOR WHAT IT'S WORTH) Comes to La MaMa's 'Series Of One' Festival

Prelude to the Apocalypse (For What It's Worth) engages with the climate crises in a number of unexpected ways: through the lens of evolutionary time, the biblical apocalypse, and the process of growing up as a person and a society. The play also examines the human tendency to make wishes, especially in moments when we feel powerless. It all takes place in the shadow of a giant hourglass. Nevertheless, the universe breathes on.

Blake and Jacob previously collaborated on Scream of the Butterfly which premiered as part of The Brick's Resident Artist Series in 2016. Broadway World described it as, "stand-up-existentialism stumbling through the looking glass." Blake continues in much the same style with Prelude to the Apocalypse: he plays himself, but the action occurs in a surreal realm where symbols come to life. Through a blend of personal narrative, social commentary, and pop-science performance art, Blake brings a fresh take to the climate crises."

Series of One is a platform for provocative, challenging solo performances presented at La MaMa during our 56th season, which is centered around storytelling and personal narratives. These courageous artists exemplify La MaMa's mission by continuing to create adventurous and engaging art which allows audiences to experience the dynamism of a single performer--no distractions.

DATES/TIMES:
Thursday, Feb. 1 at 8 pm
Friday, Feb. 2 at 8 pm
Saturday, Feb. 10 at 8 pm
Sunday, Feb. 11 at 3 pm
Tickets: $20 for adults, $15 for students/seniors
(There are a limited number of $10 tickets available for each performance)

Purchase tickets at lamama.org or by calling Ovationtix at 212.352.3101

choreography by Louisa Barta
sound design by Lawrence Schober
lighting design by Megan Lang
Installation design by Blake Sugarman
stage manager: Chloe Morrell
associate producer: Evan Jennings Pulliam

BLAKE SUGARMAN is a multidisciplinary artist based in Brooklyn. He finds expression as an actor, musician, poet, and activist but is best known for his unusual solo performances which have been described as "spoken word and installation art in a theatrical duet." In New York, Blake's solo work has been presented at The Brick (Resident Artist Series), The Living Gallery, Bushwick Open Studios, and NYU's Experimental Theatre Wing. Additional performance credits include Theater in Asylum, The Tank, Medicine Show Theatre, and FringeNYC. Blake graduated from NYU Tisch in 2014 with a BFA in Theatre. He is a former artistic intern for The Civilians. blakesugarman.com

JACOB SEXTON is a Brooklyn-based theatre director. He has developed and/or directed new plays with Actors Theatre of Louisville, EST/Youngblood, The Brick, Fordham/Primary Stages, The Tank, FringeNYC (New Ohio), and the Arkansas New Play Festival @ TheatreSquared. As an assistant, Jacob has worked with Siti Company @ Brooklyn Academy Of Music, UCLA's Center for the Art of Performance, and the Krannert Center (dir. Anne Bogart), Beth Morrison Projects @ LA Opera/RedCat (dir. Gia Forakis), Playwrights Horizons (SuperLabs), Fordham Theatre Company (dir. Moritz Von Stulpenagel), Actors Theatre (dir.s Jon Jory, Les Waters), and the Humana Festival of New American Plays (Lila Neugebauer). Jacob was a selected participant for BAM's emerging directors' roundtable with Peter Brook. He is a former Workshop Assistant with Clubbed Thumb, and is an alumni of the Professional Training Company at Actors Theatre of Louisville. BA Fordham University. www.jacobmsexton.com

About La MaMa

La MaMa is dedicated to the artist and all aspects of the theatre. The organization has a worldwide reputation for producing daring performance works that defy form and transcend barriers of ethnic and cultural identity. Founded in 1961 by award-winning theatre pioneer Ellen Stewart, La MaMa has presented more than 5,000 productions by 150,000 artists from more than 70 nations. A recipient of more than 30 Obie Awards and dozens of Drama Desk, Bessie, and Villager Awards, La MaMa has helped launch the careers of countless artists, many of whom have made important contributions to American and international arts milieus.

La MaMa's 56th season highlights artists of different generations, gender identities, and cultural backgrounds, who question social mores and confront stereotypes, corruption, bigotry, racism, and xenophobia in their work. Our stages embrace diversity in every form and present artists that persevere with bold self-expression despite social, economic, and political struggle and the 56th season reflects the urgency of reaffirming human interconnectedness.

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