Patti LuPone, Billy Eichner & More Set for Ars Nova's Night Celebrating Bridget Everett
By: Tyler Peterson Mar. 20, 2015
Ars Nova has announced the lineup for Bridget Everett Gets F*cked by Ars Nova, a one-night-only blow-out concert celebrating everyone's favorite badass b*tch, alt-cabaret priestess and Ars Nova All Star, Bridget Everett. In addition to Everett herself, the benefit concert, directed by Scott Wittman (Hairspray, Rock Bottom), will feature tributes, roasts and send-up performances from Grammy and Tony Award-winner Patti LuPone and actor, comedian and Emmy-nominee Billy Eichner. Comedians, drag queens and entertainers aplenty round out the lineup, including Jim Andralis, DJ Jonjon Battles, Justin Vivian Bond, John Early, Cole Escola, Dan Finnerty, Murray Hill, Champagne Jerry, DJ Sammy Jo, Larry Krone, Erin Markey, Molly Pope, Marc Shaiman, Sweetie, The Tender Moments (Matt Ray, Mike Jackson, Carmine Covelli and Adam "Ad-Rock" Horovitz), Chris Tyler, Varsity Interpretive Dance Squad (VIDS); plus a few fun surprises.
Ars Nova is committed to developing and producing theater, comedy and music artists in the early stages of their professional careers. Its unique development programs are designed to support outside-the-box thinking and encourage innovative, genre-bending work. By providing a safe environment where risk-taking and collaboration are paramount, Ars Nova gives voice to a new generation of artists and audiences, pushing the boundaries of live entertainment by nurturing creative ideas into smart, surprising new work. Ars Nova is currently represented Off-Broadway by the world premiere of Small Mouth Sounds by Bess Wohl, directed by Rachel Chavkin, featuring Jessica Almasy, Marcia DeBonis, Jojo Gonzalez, Brad Heberlee, Sakina Jaffrey, Erik Lochtefeld and Babak Tafti. Previews began March 10 and Official Opening Night is set for Monday, March 23. A limited engagement plays through April 11 as follows: Monday through Wednesday at 7pm and Thursday through Saturday at 8pm. Tickets are $15-$35 and are available at arsnovanyc.com or 212-352-3101. Past productions include: JACUZZI by The Debate Society; By The Water by Sharyn Rothstein (Produced by Manhattan Theatre Club in association with Ars Nova as part of The Writer's Room); Charlatan by Vinny DePonto and Josh Koenigsberg (Drama Desk nomination); Eager to Lose, created by Matthew-Lee Erlbach, Wes Grantom, Portia Krieger and Tansy; Core Values by Steven Levenson (Drama Desk nomination); the award-winning smash-hit Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812 by Dave Malloy (Off-Broadway transfer production at Kazino); The Lapsburgh Layover by The Berserker Residents; Be a Good Little Widow by Bekah Brunstetter; Now Circa Then by Carly Mensch; Bloodsong of Love by Joe Iconis; Jollyship the Whiz-Bang by Nick Jones and Raja Azar; boom by Peter Sinn Nachtrieb; From Up Here by Liz Flahive; Dixie's Tupperware Party by Kris Andersson; At Least It's Pink by Bridget Everett and Kenny Mellman; and Freestyle Love Supreme by Anthony Veneziale and Lin-Manuel Miranda.
Bios: Jim Andralis began making music in 2002 as a member of The Isotoners. He now performs solo, with his husband (and favorite duet partner) Larry Krone and with any friend who asks. His new record, Your Dying Wish Come True, is almost mixed and will be released one day. DJ Jonjon Battles: you know him from a host of past and current clubs and parties in and out of NYC including Rewind and Saturdays at The Ritz, Barracuda, G Lounge, Fire Island, LA and beyond. Mx Justin Vivian Bond is a writer, singer, painter and performance artist.John Early is a comedian who was described as "endearingly honest and absurdly funny" by The New York Times and "cute and young and blond" by The Huffington Post. He has appeared on 30 Rock, Broad City, High Maintenance, the feature Fort Tilden (SXSW Grand Jury Prize), the upcoming Wet Hot American Summer: First Day of Camp for Netflix and in his own short films which he writes and directs. He is a writer for Season 4 of Billy on the Street. He is a Resident Artist and Comedy Curator at Ars Nova, where he hosts the monthly variety show Showgasm. He performs his solo show Literally Me at Joe's Pub, a live sketch show Hey with frequent collaborator Kate Berlant, co-hosts a weekly stand up show at Cake Shop, and has been a part of both the Riot LA and South by Southwest comedy festivals. Billy Eichner is a comedian, actor, writer and Emmy nominated host of Funny Or Die's Billy On the Street (returning to TruTV later this year). This summer, he will appear on Hulu's Difficult People, which co-stars Julie Klausner and executive produced by Amy Poehler. Billy was seen on the final season of NBC's Parks and Recreation in his recurring role, playing "Craig Middlebrooks." He first became known for his viral Billy On the Street videos and as the co-host and co-writer of Creation Nation: A Live Talk Show, a critically acclaimed stage show that was developed and produced by Ars Nova.Cole Escola was co-creator, writer and star of the lo-fi cult-hit sketch TV show Jeffery & Cole Casserole. Other TV appearances include Law & Order, Smash and Nurse Jackie. He played Roland in Noel Coward's Present Laughter at Two River Theater and originated the role of Fetus in Bridget Everett's Rock Bottom at The Public. He can currently be seen in his monthly experimental comedy show at The Duplex. Dan Finnerty caught America's attention as the foul-mouthed wedding singer in the box-office smash Old School, performing his now-infamous rendition of Total Eclipse of the Heart, as well as his appearance as the sleazy bat-mitzvah singer in Starsky & Hutch and again as the inappropriate wedding singer in the record breaking hit The Hangover. His hour-long concert special was directed by McG and executive-produced by Steven Spielberg, and The Dan Band has released two CDs, The Dan Band Live and Ho - A Dan Band Christmas, and their third CD The Wedding Album comes out this summer.Murray Hill is an entertainer, comedian and M.C. He hosts the MTV (other) series Showbiz, was a correspondent on the Channel 4 (UK) series That's Showbiz with Murray Hill and has appeared on television in Bored to Death and Taxi Cab Confessions. He has produced and starred in the live comedy series The Murray Hill Show and Murray Little Christmas. He recently toured the country with Dita Von Teese and has hosted burlesque shows in London, Venice and Montreal. He was named in New York magazine's list of "Top Fifty Gender-Bending Icons Of All Time." DJ Sammy Jo began his career in 1998 at Johnny Dynell and Chi Chi Valenti's meatpacking club, MOTHER. Soon he was DJing all over downtown NYC and in 2004, Scissor Sisters' front-man Jake Shears invited Sammy Jo to be the tour DJ for the band, which had just begun its meteoric rise. Sammy has spent the last ten years DJing everywhere around the world both on tour with Scissor Sisters as well as club gigs on his own.Larry Krone is a visual artist, performer and designer. Larry's work has graced museums, galleries and nightclubs everywhere. As House of Larréon, Krone is muse Bridget Everett's exclusive couturier. Design credits include Everett's Rock Bottom and upcoming Comedy Central TV special, Bridget Everett: Gynecological Wonder, as well as work with Neal Medlyn, Adrienne Truscott and Kathleen Hanna. Look Book, a book showcasing Krone's costume and fashion work in photographs by Todd Oldham, will be available this fall. Patti LuPone most recently starred on Broadway in David Mamet's new play The Anarchist and the musical Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown (Tony, Drama Desk, Outer Critics Circle Award nominations). NYC Stage: New York City Ballet's production of Brecht-Weill's The Seven Deadly Sins; Company (NY Philharmonic); Gypsy (Tony, Drama Desk, Outer Critics Circle and Drama League Awards); John Doyle's production of Sweeney Todd; Passion; Candide; Noises Off; Sweeney Todd (NY Philharmonic); Patti LuPone on Broadway (Outer Critics Circle Award); Anything Goes, Oliver!; Evita (Tony and Drama Desk Awards); and The Robber Bridegroom (Tony Award and Drama Desk nominations), among others. Opera: John Corigliano's The Ghosts of Versailles (LA Opera); Jake Heggie's To Hell and Back (SF's Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra); Weill-Brecht's The Rise and Fall of the City of Mahagonny (LA Opera, debut); and Marc Blitzstein's Regina (The Kennedy Center). Film: Parker; Union Square; City By The Sea; David Mamet's Heist and State and Main; Just Looking; Summer of Sam; Driving Miss Daisy; Witness. TV: Girls; American Horror Story: Coven; 30 Rock; Law & Order: SVU; Glee; Ugly Betty; Will & Grace; the Emmy-winning telecasts of Passion and Sweeney Todd; Oz; and Frasier (Emmy nomination), among others. Recordings include: Patti LuPone Live; Sweeney Todd (NY Philharmonic's Special Editions label); the 2006 and 2008 recordings of Sweeney Todd and Gypsy; and the Ghostlight Records release of The Lady With The Torch, among others. Patti is a founding member of the Drama Division of The Juilliard School and a founding member of John Houseman's The Acting Company. Erin Markey is a comedic writer/performer, actress and singer who has shown work at BAM, Under The Radar Festival, New Museum, PS 122, Lincoln Center Director's Lab, San Francisco Film Society, Ars Nova and frequently at The Public Theater's Joe's Pub. She is currently a 2013-2015 artist-in-residence at Brooklyn Arts Exchange writing a weird musical, A Ride On The Irish Cream, which will premiere at Abrons Arts Center in January 2016. She is a 2014 Franklin Furnace Fund recipient.Neal Medlyn/Champagne Jerry is a performance artist and musician who works under his own name and as Champagne Jerry. He has staged his work at Joe's Pub, BAM, the New Museum, The Kitchen, Ars Nova, rock clubs, galleries and in Walmart parking lots as well as online. His album For Real, You Guys debuted in 2014. He and Bridget Everett met at Ars Nova in 2005 and they have since collaborated on many projects. Molly Pope is a critically acclaimed cabarettist whose shows have played Joe's Pub, Feinstein's at the Regency, Ars Nova, The Laurie Beechman Theater and the Adelaide Cabaret Festival in Australia. She has been named a Time Out New York "Top Ten Cabaret Act of 2008 and 2012" and a Village Voice Best of NYC 2011 for "Best Singer To Turn Life Into A Cabaret." Branded "one of downtown's most adventurous performers" by The New York Times and hailed as "tremendously entertaining" by The Wall Street Journal, she has also performed at The Cafe Carlyle (Tales From The Jazz Age), the Afterglow Festival in Provincetown and Our Hit Parade at Joe's Pub. Other stage credits include FOUND at Atlantic Theater Co, Horseplay: or, The Fickle Mistress (title role) at LaMaMa ETC/Theatre Askew, Dan Fishback's The Material World at Dixon Place and Wonderful Town at Gallery Players. Marc Shaiman has been writing music, lyrics, arrangements/orchestrations and very lengthy emails since entering show business in 1976 at the age of 16. He has won a Tony (for co-writing the score to Hairspray with co-lyricist Scott Wittman), a Grammy (Hairspray), an Emmy (for his work on Billy Crystal's Oscar appearances) and if he hadn't lost each of his five Oscar nominations (for Sleepless In Seattle, Patch Adams, The First Wives Club, The American President and South Park-Bigger, Longer & Uncut), he could boast of being an EGOT. He has also been nominated for other Tonys, Emmys and Grammys, many in fact, but lost all of those also. Other film work includes Beaches, When Harry Met Sally, City Slickers, The Addams Family, A Few Good Men, Sister Act, Hocus Pocus, The Bucket List and Parental Guidance to name a few. Millions of more titles are available upon request. Other theatrical ventures include Patti LuPone On Broadway, Martin Short: Fame Becomes Me, the Tony-winning musical Catch Me If You Can and the current record-breaking West End Olivier Award-winning musical version of Charlie and The Chocolate Factory (coming soon to BroadWAY!). His television ventures are varied and many: The Sweeney Sisters on SNL, countless award shows with Mr. Crystal, Neil Patrick Harris, Jack Black and Will Ferrell, Jenifer Lewis' Jackie's Back as well as Smash, but none will ever hold a candle to his collaboration with Bette Midler for Johnny Carson's penultimate show. Sweetie is NYC's "Big Titted Honky Soul Momma." She was born out of the drag explosion in the early 90's, starring at downtown drag mecca's The Pyramid, BoyBar and Jackie 60. Sweetie has appeared at The Public Theater and The Vineyard Theater, been featured in film, on Oprah and Bravo's Project Runway. Sweetie is known for her ability to captivate the audience with her impeccable lipsync and method approach to drag performance. Sweetie is New York drag royalty. The Tender Moments have been Bridget Everett's backing band for the last 5 years. They've played monthly shows at Joe's Pub, recently filmed a Comedy Central special with Bridget and joined her on stages all over America including at Bonnaroo in 2014. The Tender Moments are Carmine Covelli on drums, Adam "Ad-Rock" Horovitz on bass, Mike Jackson on guitar and Matt Ray on piano.Chris Tyler is an artist, actor and (occasional) drag queen examining the intersections of popular culture and contemporary identity. A graduate of Brown University, he has shown original performance at Under the Radar, Prelude, La MaMa's Squirts, Dixon Place's HOT! Festival and gay bars all over Brooklyn. The Varsity Interpretive Dance Squad (VIDS) was formed to bring peace and freedom to the world through the power of dance. With the belief that dance is not reserved exclusively for those who are good at it, VIDS has spread their message through members worldwide. VIDS' credits include performances at Ars Nova, Joe's Pub, PS 122, Galapagos, The Crooked Mirror (Edinburgh, Scotland), Fontana's and The Highline Ballroom. VIDS choreographed and starred in the music video for Moby's New York, New York featuring Debbie Harry, as well as many other music videos for Eonline.com and The Fuse Network.Scott Wittman (Director) co-wrote, with Marc Shaiman, the lyrics for the Olivier Award-winning musical Hairspray, for which the pair received Tony and Grammy Awards. He also served as an executive producer on the hit film starring John Travolta. They teamed up again on Broadway for Martin Short: Fame Becomes Me, which he also directed; and Catch Me If You Can, which received a Tony nomination for Best Musical. For their original songs on NBC's musical drama Smash, Scott and Marc were nominated for two Emmy Awards, a Grammy and a Golden Globe. On Smash they have composed songs for Jennifer Hudson, Uma Thurman, Bernadette Peters and Liza Minnelli. Their original score for the Marilyn Monroe musical Bombshell was released on Sony Records. Scott co-wrote the lyrics to Charlie and The Chocolate Factory directed by Sam Mendes, now in its second year and playing to sold-out houses at The Theatre Royal Drury Lane in London's West End. For Patti LuPone, Scott has created and directed two Broadway shows, three recordings and three sold-out Carnegie Hall concerts. At LaMaMa, Scott conceived and directed Jukebox Jackie starring Justin Vivian Bond, Cole Escola, Steel Burkhardt and Bridget Everett. At The Public Theater, he directed and co wrote songs for Rock Bottom starring Bridget Everett.
***** --
Nicole RoskyManaging Editor
BroadwayWorld.com
nicole@broadwayworld.com
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