The Tank Announces Programming for Eco-Forward Festivals TRASHFEST & DARKFEST 2022

 

The Tank announced programming for their eco-forward festivals, TrashFest and DarkFest, from Saturday July 30 - Sunday August 7, 2022. Both festivals will take place in-person at The Tank NYC (312 West 36th St New York, NY 10018).

For years, The Tank has hosted DarkFest - a week of shows that do not use conventional theatrical lighting in an effort to reexamine how we can make theater more sustainable. With the pandemic forcing their physical theater to close, they challenged that idea further with the first annual TrashFest in 2020. It is often difficult to wrestle with the environmental impact our daily lives and our work can have - especially in theater, where so many resources are needed to develop sets, props, and costumes that are only used for a short amount of time. TrashFest centers work that not only produces no waste, but reuses materials discarded as garbage while DarkFest celebrates innovative performance that utilizes self-sufficient and alternative energy sources.

More information about the programming is below. Tickets begin at $10 with free offerings and are available by visiting https://thetanknyc.org/trashfest-2022.

GHOSTS

Written and directed by Emma Gometz

July 30 at 3PM

Nenny is an agoraphobic violinist with two weeks left before graduating from her MFA program. Before she can graduate, she has to perform a solo concert in a remote location and accepts an offer from her ex-boyfriend Rob to stay with him and his eccentric parents (who happen to live nearby the venue) and rehearse. Leading up to the big day, she is visited by fluffy, musty, homey entities, threatening to swallow her alive. Who is everyone, and what do they want from her?

Ghosts features sound design by Nicolas Recalde and Akvinder Kaur is the Stage Manager.

10 YEARS

Written and directed by Katelynn Kenney

August 3 at 7PM

A climate-conscious Etsy store owner raises her child in her studio apartment over these next 10 years-through them, we experience Earth's rearing of humanity and our rebellion against the planet that birthed us. Through vastness and intimacy, 10 YEARS questions and wrestles with our agency in the waves of the climate crisis already crashing around and against us. As the child's imaginary friends, you, the audience, may or may not affect the course of their life, and our future.

The cast of 10 YEARS features Dani Martineck and Teresa Attridge.

THE PRESIDENT OF OHIO

By Philip J. Kaplan

July 31 at 7PM

The President of Ohio is a post-apocalyptic farce about family life in the year 2070. Everything depends on tonight's dinner, where the President of Ohio will be the guest. But the cook just died, war with Kentucky is imminent, the homeowners association wants more barbed wire, and a Girl Scout assassin is waiting. Can Brenda's family survive the night?

The cast of The President of Ohio features Belle Caplis, John Dimino, Jamahl Garrison-Lowe, Meghan Jones, and Amy Stiller.

37 INSTANCES BETWEEN VICTORIA AND HER BRAIN

By Libby Heily

July 31 at 9:30PM

37 Incidents Between Victoria and Her Brain examines the complex relationship between our minds and ourselves. Like most of us, Victoria often feels disconnected from her brain. As she matures, Victoria learns and adapts. She creates both good and bad coping mechanisms that she must confront and shift as she reaches different stages of her life. Through familiar and a few not-so-familiar rites of passage, we see Victoria deal with love, life, death, and trauma and how her brain supports or undermines her, seemingly without her knowledge.

Ali Kresch Levine serves as the Dramaturg.

KING OF NOTHING

Written and performed by Rachel Weekley

Directed and designed by Robert Malbrough

August 2 at 7PM

King of Nothing is an experiential solo performance piece inspired by the environmental collapse of modern society in a post-Amazon age and the text of King Lear that asks the question: what is the point of a fool at the end of the world?

Tyler Riley provides voice over and Zeynep Akca is the Stage Manager.

SPLIT BILL: RUDY & CAMILLE; SKIN EXAM

August 2 at 9:30PM

Rudy & Camille

Written by Dean Haspiel and Whitney Matheson

Performed by Sharief Johnson, Morgan Lennon and Adam Files

Rudy & Camille is a psychedelic rom-com that chronicles two office mates who spend most of their time pontificating and pawing at each other -- instead of preventing the impending apocalypse.

Skin Exam

by Ezequiel González Camaño and Cornelia Smith

A young man must have his skin checked every year for signs of melanoma. His body is unwaveringly surveilled and documented by a rotating cast of witnesses: a chiromancer, who discovers a shortened sun line on the young man's hand; a nurse, who examines the body for signs of abnormalities; and a companion, under interrogation, who must recount identifiable markings on the young man's skin.

SPLIT BILL: INTENTIONS; BANANA MAN IN A BOX; THE TRIAL OF THE WORM MAN; IN THE DARK

August 3 at 9:30PM

Intentions

By Joe Quattro

Two characters are bumbling through a cemetery, literally and figuratively, in search of a plot. Meanwhile, other characters appear from behind tombstones recounting tails of the intentional and unintentional deaths.

Banana Man in a Box

Performed by Michael Galligan

Directed by Bailey Nassetta

Music by Robert Fernandez

Ever wonder where your bananas go when they're bruised and forgotten? Banana Man in a Box follows the tragicomic story of a Dole banana lost in the wasteful world of capitalism. The show combines clown, magic, karaoke, stand-up and more to put you right in your peelings.

The Trial of the Worm Man

Created, written, and performed by Veronika Gribanova

Created and performed by Kevin Mejia

Directed and script and comedy consulted by Carol Lee Sirugo

It's the trial of the century and we're down to the final witnesses. Two children* are tasked with clearing the name of the infamous Worm Man. The judge admitted it was a "strange choice" made by the defense. The press have called it "downright disturbing." Stay tuned for when Lady Guga and her "best friend/nemesis" Buckle take the stand for the first and probably last time.

*They insisted I call them children, though I'm almost certain they are fully grown adults.

In the Dark

by Martin Murray

In The Dark explores "remote viewing," a mysterious method of clairvoyance, where practitioners claim to be able to explore objects and locations at a distance from not only their physical position but their physical body as well. Two petty criminals decide to use this practice to plan a string of heists and robberies, but they soon learn that there are larger forces at work.

RIGHTFUL/SWORD & STAFF

By Amanda DeLalla

August 4 at 3PM

Rightful/Sword & Staff is a cautionary tale that becomes a psychological case study. Refined Marian Frey is in jail for a crime we don't yet know about. As she- and later her daughter- tell their stories, we inch closer to the truth and are forced to consider how far we'd go to remedy a perceived injustice.

The original production was directed by Diane Zerega. Tech operation is by Shira Harris.

SPLIT BILL: SITTING BY A BODY OF WATER IN THE DARK; SURREALIST

August 4 at 7PM

Sitting by a body of water in the Dark

Choreographed by Mia Martelli

Performed by Maya Gonzalez, Nina Guevara, and Noa Rui-Piin Weiss

Sitting by a body of water in the Dark is a group work, in-progress, choreographed by Mia Martelli. This work stacks invisible experiences, namely, breath, cerebrospinal fluid, and spiritual ascension. Situated on a backdrop of rave and ambient music, we explore diffraction spikes from light sources, imagined climates/geography, and polyrhythms in the body and among bodies, as a form of spacetime travel.

Surrealist

Choreographed, in collaboration with the below dancers, by Stephen Shynes

Performed by Gabrielle Loren, Kyneijee Wubah, and Jayden Williams.

These theories of dreams and the unconscious believed insanity was the breaking of the chains of logic. Our subconscious mind is variably used to define the state of mind in psychology which is what we use to function through our daily lives.

FANTASMA DE NOCHE (NIGHT GHOST)

By Emma Isabel

Directed by Matthew Pezzulich

August 4 at 9:30PM

Fantasma De Noche features two sisters who have learned to both raise each other and tease each other. The oldest of the two, Adelita, has a secret. A secret about someone living under their same roof. Will they both be able to handle the weight of this secret? Will they be able to unfold cyclical patterns in their family? Will this secret finally die? Or will it not?

The cast of Fantasma De Noche will feature Belgys Felix, Yesenia Morales, and Gaby Villeda. Maggie Lally is the Dramaturg and Fernando Mercado is the Fight Choreographer and Board Operator.

NATURE WE & I

Created, performed, and produced by Greg Kamilaw

August 5 at 7PM; August 7 at 3PM

Nature We & I, a solo performance work for voice and guitars, is a love letter to a New York City most don't see. A city as a part of nature. Manhattan, New York City, one of the worlds capitals of business, finance and the arts. Busy people, from all walks of life, and every corner of the world, with ambitions and dreams big and small are drawn to this city. The City confronts these busy people with the reality of their talents and the opportunities of the moment. People must make choices; what are they willing to endure? What will they compromise? How will they adapt? Will they evolve, grow, change so they can reach their goal, fulfill their dreams? Will they persevere? Will they outgrow their dreams, and settle for a way to make a living? And what are the Cost of their life's pursuits? The cost of an individual's busy way of living. What is the cumulative cost of humankind's way, humankind's busy way of living? The cost on others, on our future generations, and on nature. Are we individuals aware of the effects we are having on the rest of nature? The nature that surrounds us, the nature we are all a part of. How much do we care and what will we do when confronted by the consequences of our busy way of living? Nature We & I, asks, explores, and answers these questions.

Guillermo Laporta is the audio-visual lighting artist.

SHIFTERS

Written by Katelynn Kenney

August 6 at 3PM

*FREE PERFORMANCE

50 years in the future, a theatre troupe tells us the tale of the shape-shifting rebels who took down the wall of a wealthy, "green" metropolis and relit the flame of revolution and justice in a climate- and capitalism-ravaged world.

PROJECT SANKOFA

By Karl O'Brian Williams

Directed by Jermaine Rowe

August 6 at 7PM

A young man reluctantly accepts a challenge from a class project that asks students to create a performance art piece about their family history. This prompts him to question his purpose in the world, releasing a flurry of internal conflicts. His story is shaped by music, spoken word, movement and through the guidance of the ancestors who test and prod accordingly. Project Sankofa looks at family, community, love and the endless questioning about oneself.

The cast of Project Sankofa will feature Antonyio Artis, Cailin Chang, Zeinebou Dia, Frida Fritter, Natalya Gammon, Anthony Goss, Christian Pacheco, Luca Rodrigues, and Jack Vine. Andy Evan Cohen is the tech manager and Joel Edwards is the sound designer.

SLEEPOVER CLUB

Written and directed by Sara Rahman

Music by Uma Paranjpe

August 6 at 9:30PM

When zombie virus Pep-C-Koli ravages the world, four girls band together (literally) to fight Zombos, form friendships, and make kickass music. When one of the girls is threatened by the virus, the girls must confront their grief, anxiety, and complex female friendships to come out the other side alive. Sleepover Club is a horror coming-of-age, zombie apocalypse, girl band play (you read that right) with a whole lot of heart.

SPLIT BILL: UNFINISH-; 5'5; TALKBACK

August 7 at 7PM

Unfinish-

Created, directed, and produced by Eddie Datz

Performed by Datz and Michael Ortiz

Two characters are suffering through a horribly-written play when they decide to break off and say whatever dialogue they want to say. As they talk, they begin to get philosophical about the who/what/where/when/why of their creation and purpose in their world! Having premiered at the Florida Players New Works Festival in 2019, witness the Off-Off Broadway playwriting premier by NYC's hottest young multi-hyphenated artist, Eddie Datz!

5'5

By Anthony Jadus

This is a theatrical character study and an attempt to bridge different people and challenge them on their ways of thinking politically.

Talkback

Written by Derek Davidson

Directed by Rachel Sabo-Hedges

The play's done-but don't go yet: time for the best part, the Talkback! The dramaturg's moment... btw, what do dramaturgs actually do? Well, sometimes, they can predict the future.

MANNEQUIN PLAY

Created by Charlie Wo, Darius Lamont, Jupiter Genesis, Ray Johnson, Stephanie Orta Vázquez, YaYa Harrison, and Tank.

August 7 at 9:30PM

The Mannequin Play is a folk-rap musical devised by NYC drag performers and members of the performance art collective "I Don't Wanna See That?!!?!" The play follows a family of three mannequins, Sale, Glossy, and Liver, working at a Rainbow Shops in Bushwick as their store closes and ultimately separates them. The three are thrust into unfamiliar worlds and are forced to create new families while they try to reunite with each other.

Orchestrations are by Derek Walsh and Projection Design by Lisa Marie Montgomery.

ABOUT THE TANK

Founded in 2003, The Tank is an Obie Award-winning, multi-disciplinary non-profit arts presenter and producer, which provides a home to emerging artists working across all disciplines, including theater, comedy, dance, film, music, puppetry, and storytelling. Led by Artistic Director Meghan Finn, Managing Producer Molly FitzMaurice and Director of Artistic Development Johnny G. Lloyd, The Tank champions emerging artists engaged in the pursuit of new ideas and forms of expression. In doing so the company removes the economic barriers from the creation of new work for artists launching their careers and experimenting within their art form. From the company's home with two theaters on 36th Street, The Tank serves over 2,500 artists every year, presents over 1,000 performances, and welcomes 36,000 audience members annually. The company fully produces a curated season of 13-18 theatrical World or New York premieres each season. During the ongoing COVID-19 public health crisis, The Tank has launched CyberTank, a virtual gathering space and programming platform for artists to share work. With weekly themed variety shows, ongoing series and evening-length shows made for the virtual frame, CyberTank has already presented the work of over 4,093 artists in over 468 performances to over 20,000 audience members across the country and the world.

Recent Tank-produced work includes The New York Times Critics' Picks Taxilandia by Flako Jimenez (2021); OPEN by Crystal Skillman, directed by Jessi D. Hill (2019); Red Emma & The Mad Monk by Alexis Roblan, directed by Katie Lindsay (2018); and The Offending Gesture by Mac Wellman, directed by Meghan Finn (2016), as well as Drama Desk Award-nominated productions The Hunger Artist (2018), The Paper Hat Game (2017), the ephemera trilogy (2017), Ada/Ava (2016) and youarenowhere (2016).

 

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