the cell Presents A Naked, Dance-inspired Adaptation Of LEAVES OF GRASS Runs Thru 8/29

Once described obscene for its overt sexuality, Walt Whitman's collection of poems in Leaves of Grass (www.leavesunbound.com) takes on new life through a naked, dance-inspired adaptation at the cell in Chelsea through August 29 (Thursday at 8pm; Friday and Saturday at 8 and 10pm; Sunday and Monday at 8pm).

Conceived and directed by Jeremy Bloom (The Wendy Complex), Leaves of Grass features a diverse, unclothed cast of over 20 performers rhythmically chanting Whitman's most groundbreaking poems including "Song of Myself," "I Sing the Body Electric," and "Out of the Cradle Endlessly Rocking."

"Each passage of Whitman's text highlights the human body and our performance simply uses those words as an instruction manual," said Bloom. "The fact that it's summer makes it feel like the appropriate time to perform Leaves of Grass."

A protégé of Tony Award winning Mary Zimmerman (Metamorphoses), Bloom directs with a creative use of staging. The actors are warmly lit against the white walls of the cell while Whitman's lines of poetry are projected on their unclothed forms, enhanced by the music of Chicago electronic duo, Matmos.

Tickets are $20 per person ($15 Student/Senior discount) and are available for purchase at Brown Paper Tickets (www.brownpapertickets.com/event/73807) or at the door on the evening of each performance.

Leaves of Grass (www.leavesunbound.com)

Written by Walt Whitman

Conceived and Directed by Jeremy Bloom

Produced by the cell

the cell (www.thecelltheatre.org)

338 West 23rd Street

Friday & Saturday (August 21, 22, 28, 29) - 8:00pm & 10:00pm

Sunday, Monday & Thursday (August 20, 23, 24, 27) - 8:00pm

JEREMY BLOOM (Director) Directing and assistant directing credits include Metropolitan Opera, The Flea, NY Fringe, NYU Grad, The Tank, The Access Gallery, Midtown Festival (award winner), and Planet Connections. Jeremy is an alum of Northwestern's Performance Studies program and Resident Artist at the cell.

Since its inception in 2006, the cell (Nancy Manocherian, Founding Director; Kira Simring, Artistic Director) has been, and continues to be, an incubator for creative projects. Through its strong commitment to cultivate undiscovered artists, the cell has created residencies for diverse groups including the Tandem Reading Series, Center for Contemporary Opera and The Blackboard Reading Series. the cell is located in the heart of Chelsea, New York City. For more information, please visit www.thecelltheatre.org.

 

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