FRIGID NEW YORK + Manhattan Theatre Source Present ESTROGENIUS FESTIVAL 2019

FRIGID New York @ Horse Trade in association with Manhattan Theatre Source will present the 2019 EstroGenius Festival, the longest running festival celebrating the work of women and gender non-conforming artists in NYC. Begun in Manhattan Theatre Source in 2000 as a short-play festival, the festival has launched and supported hundreds of artists in its 19 years. In 2017 the festival moved to its new home at The Kraine Theatre on E. 4th St.

Currently at the helm of the festival are Melissa Riker and Maura Nguyen Donohue. Guest Curators include, John C. Robinson, Katy Pyle, Same as Sister and Rebecca Stenn. The Short Play Series is produced by Vinnie Marano.

In concurrence with the inclusive values the festival was founded on, this executive team focuses on art generated, written, directed, choreographed, composed and performed by artists who expand the definition of a women's festival. The producers strive to create a full, empowering, festival dedicated to a community that hears, sees and celebrates women, gender non-conforming and non-binary artists in all of their dynamic diversity.

Check out this year's lineup

Improvised Buffy

Join us on our very own little slice of the Hellmouth. Buffy fans gather every month at 7 pm to watch a group of skilled actors and Whedon fanatics make up a live episode of Buffy the Vampire Slayer on the spot. Grab a drink at "The Bronze" bar and get ready for vamp dustings, apocalypses, wiggins, and more! This month's show will benefit Women In Need, a nonprofit that lifts New York City women and their children out of homelessness. For more information about them, visit https://winnyc.org/

Tue March 12, 2019 | 7:00 PM

$12 online, $15 at the door

Funny Women of a Certain Age

Funny Women of a Certain Age is a show straight from the unfettered mouths and uninhibited minds of the funniest, most daring, most experienced people in comedy: the women that have seen it all.
They've raised children both on and off the road with big hairy club bouncers cradling their babies while onstage. These women have stayed in comedy condos where you don't want to use a blacklight on anything. They've been told women aren't funny and asked to trade sexual favors for work. Trust us, they have A LOT to say, and they say it hysterically.
Women of a Certain Age Comedy: created and produced by veteran comedian Carole Montgomery. A comedy show for the ages. Female comics who tell it like it is cause they just don't give a crap anymore

Wed Mar 13, 2019 | 7:30 PM

$20

Thirst, by Beth Graczyk

In Thirst, Penelope Penelopinski, a shape-shifting femme queer, works to vivify the necessity of her own body through circuitous and sometimes dangerous paths. If you were a succulent or a tulip-human hybrid species what would your body look and feel like? How would your existence as a plant-human shift your perception and capacity for survival and adaptation? Nodding to popular future visions including machine-modified and synthetic bodies, Penelope explores an alternate future, stretching the possibilities of the body through a playful reverence to the natural world. Thirst grapples with the paradox of emergent isolation and accelerated desires for connection.

Thur Mar 14, 2019 | 7:00 PM

Fri Mar 15, 2019 | 8:30 PM

$20

Short Plays

Four fantastic short plays by female identifying playwrights:

FORMERLY KNOWN AS... by Alyson Mead

HOLIDAY CARDS by Nicole Amsler

MINOR DEVIATIONS by Erin Osgood

THE ASSAULTS by Marilynn Barner Anselmi

Curated by a panel of EstroGenius Alum and Honorary EstroChick, Vincent Marano

Thu Mar 14, 2019 | 8:30PM

Tue Mar 19, 2019 | 8:30PM

Thu Mar 21, 2019 | 8:30PM

Fri Mar 22, 2019 | 7:00PM

Sun Mar 24, 2019 | 2:00PM

$20

THIS SHOW: Zhen Heinemann, NIC Kay, ilvs strauss, Joya Powell!

Presented on one bill only for EstroGenius!

Trend-setters and rule-breakers, these brilliant artists are pushing the boundaries of contemporary performance, identity, and interaction through storytelling and dance.

Take an eye-opening walk around the block with performance artist Zhen Heinemann (NYC/Chicago), experience Joya Powell's (NYC) syncretic ritual, the beauty of NIC Kay's (NYC) choreographed movement*, and the wacky world of ilvs strauss' (Vancouver) personal universe ... all in one evening....

*NIC Kay performs Friday only

Fri Mar 15, 2019 | 6:30PM

Sat Mar 16, 2019 | 5:00PM

Sat Mar 16, 2019 | 7:00PM

$20

Pros - (H)er - pere

Pros-(H)er-pere is a collaborative project in development by Sara Galassini and Yukio Tsuji. The piece is inspired by the symbolism and themes of the Myth of Persephone and Demeter and explores the emergence of the feminine and the masculine in one being through the creation of a physical, visual and sonic vocabulary that juxtaposes the forms of Noh and Kyogen Theater with contemporary dance, ritual, natural elemental sounds, ethnic instruments and chants created with deconstructed text and made up language.

Fri Mar 15, 2019 | 5:00PM

$5

Night of Freaks

CRACKHEAD BARBIE a multidisciplinary artist stemming from the bushes of nowhere Africa, comes to you a one woman show with many parts and participants, every participant is from outer space and from the inner loins of her groins. When her groins speak they don't yell and shout they roar with the loudest rage ever heard from the deepest depths of mankind.

But don't let that scare you, let that tickle your fancy and fascinate you.

Mon Mar 18, 2019 | 7:30PM

Mon Mar 25, 2019 | 7:30PM

$20

Paper Kraine

Paper Kraine was created on the principle that we all know writers, directors, actors, and creators who make wonderful work. All they need is a space. The Paper Kraine is committed to creating a venue for early-career artists to show humor-focused work in the spirit of adventurous discovery. We encourage risk-taking, question-asking, and the development of a supportive community of artists seeing, encouraging, and challenging each other's work with the ultimate goal of enriching the artistic community through cross-pollination and meeting new people.

Wed Mar 20, 2019 | 7:30PM

Vagabonds

VAGABONDS is a comedy that reimagines the life of the eminent French writer Colette.

In this alternative history, she chooses not to marry Willy, her first husband, who forced her to put pen to page and took credit for what she produced.

Staged reading of a new play by Molly Kirschner

Fri Mar 22, 2019 | 5:00PM

$10

The Pleasure Project by Ava Bogle

The world is ending and humanity is doomed. President Pussygrabber and Supreme Leader Lil Kim have come to blows and nuclear annihilation is nigh. Five aliens living amongst us as human women pose the very serious question: Can the clitoris save humanity?

The Pleasure Project is a sci-fi comedy show, a celebration of female sexual empowerment, an "eye-opening exploration of just how important this beautiful, tiny creation really is." (The Adelaidian)

Fri Mar 22, 2019 | 8:30PM

Sat Mar 23, 2019 | 8:00PM

$20

HER Story . . . His Shadow

HER STORY...His Shadow A 90-minute drama about love, loss and marriage.

By Dipti Mehta 'Lost in the world of patriarchs, an unsung melody, a woman's life!' Reema (32) has a dream life with her loving husband Anand (35). With Anand's untimely death her plans die too. She is forced to remarry and deal with patriarchal restraints of her new husband. (Reading)

Sat Mar 23, 2019 | 2:00PM

$20

Women in Motion | Artists + Artists

With the inspiring power of artists curating artists, the three 2019 Women in Motion artists, Same As Sister (Hilary Brown and Brianna Brown Tipley), Rebecca Stenn and Katy Pyle have chosen to bring to the stage, mersiha messiha | CIRCUITDEBRIS, Amanda Krische and Em Papineau + Sofia Engelman.

Special post show conversation between the artists and the curators after the show on Sat 3/23.

Sat Mar 23, 2019 | 4:00PM

Sun Mar 24, 2019 | 5:30PM

$20

Shakespeare's Sisters, by Marina Celander

Shakespeare's Sisters is a one woman show set in middle America. Mara has just been admitted to the Hydro ward in an insane asylum for women. She takes on Shakespeare as her alter ego, and through him, and with him, she writes herself well. In the process she writes about her fellow patients, her sisters, and with love, humor and wit she tells the tales of splintered lives, recounts in detail the various stories of her sisters,their odd sights, and their horrible family secrets.

Sat Mar 23, 2019 | 6:30PM

Sun Mar 24, 2019 | 4:00PM

$20

Next to Rise

Women's Hip Hop Open Mic! Come early, this house fills up fast.

Sun Mar 24, 2019 | 8:00 PM

$20

Odd Salon

Join us on a new adventure to find the far-out, far-flung, and forgotten people, places, and stories of the past. ODD SALON NYC is a new evening series of cocktail hour mini-lectures, featuring short talks from the odd corners of history, science, art, and adventure. From legends of lost cities to masters of art forgery, engineering failures to murderous sideshow performers, daring heists, questionable taxidermy, and tales of epic revenge.

Wed Mar 27, 2019 | 7:00PM

$20

Veiled Reflections

Off-site at Downtown Art || The collaborative choreography of Veiled Reflections explores the secrets people hold and carry. It investigates how secrets shape the ways we move through our lives, view ourselves and each other. Experience how secrets can be transformed from what keeps us separate into what keeps us connected. Witness a dynamic multimedia dialogue between movement, live musicians, and contributors who have dared to share their secrets through embodied practice and writing. Original choreography, Her Veiled Reflections, conceived as a 2012-2013 Artist-in-Residence at The Performance Project @ University Settlement.

Thur Mar 28, 2019 | 5:30 PM

$15

Why Women Cry

Why Women Cry is based off of the 2001 book, Why Women Cry: a compilation of stories, poems & positive responses for the cleansing of the eyes & the soul, written and compiled by Sana Y. Shabazz, with the help of many contributing writers, including director, Najah Imani Muhammad, seeking their own healing. This show allows it's artists to express themselves freely and give in to vulnerability as a strength, inviting audience members to do so along the journey, as well.

Thu Mar 28, 2019 | 7:00PM

$20

G!rl Be Heard

2030: The Future Is Ours promises to be a magical night of storytelling and activism that raises awareness about human rights issues (and solutions!) in order to create a more equitable and just world by 2030. With spoken word, music and dance, the show opens up community dialogue about the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals and how we can achieve them. G!rl Be Heard was founded from the EstroGenius Festival - we are honored to have this incredible organization back with us for year 19!

Thu Mar 28, 2019 | 8:30PM

$20

BITE + Sex Tape

BITE: Troy Ogilvie's compelling feminist dissection of the Tarantella is paired with Gabrielle Revlock's SEX TAPE (excerpt) a duet for two women in which the artist says: "For SEX TAPE the choreography has been extracted from a video recording of myself embracing a male lover. In place of the man is a close female friend. I wanted to complicate notions of what friendship can look and feel like, re-patterning my own search for care."

Fri Mar 29, 2019 | 7:00PM

Sat Mar 30, 2019 | 4:00PM

$20

Calle Soul

Cory's inspiration for the show stemmed from the need to speak about her journey as a person and artist. She feels there aren't enough conversations about culture, truth and the process of become oneself. Calle Soul is retelling of the places she's been, where she is and where she is going. There's tales of love, laughter, hate, strength & celebration. Calle Soul was developed & created to plant the seed for her company Soul Dance Co: The Soul Experience. She hopes to reach audiences from her Soul to yours.

Fri Mar 29, 2019 | 8:30PM

$20

The Inhabitants

Created and performed by Jessica Nicoll and Laura K. Nicoll

Nicoll (J.) and Nicoll (L.K.) happen to be aunt and niece and are making their fourth piece together, The Inhabitants. Their previous collaborations include THIS TIME (premiered in 2015 and performed as part of Estrogenius 2017), and Lonely Now (Reset) (premiered in 2018 as part of Estrogenius). Informed and inspired by Robert Irwin's definition of site-conditional art, they are excited to be making a new work for The Kraine Theater.

Sat Mar 30, 2019 | 2:00PM

Sun Mar 31, 2019 | 2:00PM

$20

amysurrattPLAYSmarysurratt | in development

amysurrattPLAYSmarysurratt is the second theatrical work in an ongoing cycle of biomythographical performance which explores the intersections of familial history and national identity and mythology. A dubious connection to the crime-of-a-century opens the door to the imagined possibilities and consequences of unearthing long-buried connections. The past is the responsibility of the future's present ... and this future's past is.... real confused these days. A horror show, a history, and America collide in a scathing and satirical theatrical storytelling experiment.

Sat Mar 30, 2019 | 5:30PM

$5

Songs Stuck in my Body

What do we do with memories that no longer fit? Sarah Chien's one-woman dance-theater solo that takes the audience on a romp through the residue of childhood. In collaboration with director Lauren Hlubny, the autobiographical piece unfolds through a series of scenes, each pairing an improvisation task with artifacts from girl scout songs to beanie babies. At once comedic and deeply personal, the piece sorts through the capitalist excess, gender socialization and family heritage that we each accumulate on our way to finding our own story.

Sat Mar 30, 2019 | 6:30PM

$10

Telenovela 101

En Español:

Marisí una pobre, pero deslumbrante joven está destinada a la grandeza. A pesar de sus humildes orígenes de ser criada por sus padres y un fiel compañero de cuatro patas, ella encuentra el amor con el guapo y rico Sergio Antonio José. Marisí nunca podría imaginarse que él la ha estado usando para vengarse de su millonaria familia. ¿Qué sucederá cuando debajo del engaño y la desgracia Sergio descubra que tiene sentimientos reales hacia la joven? ¿Sucederá lo imposible? ¿El amor vencerá? ¿Acaso los animales pueden hablar?

Telenovela 101 es la primera de cuatro partes de la parodia de una telenovela mexicana. Con actuaciones en español y subtituladas al inglés para que todos puedan disfrutar un auténtico drama.

In English:

Marisí, a poor but ravishing young woman is destined for greatness. Despite her humble beginnings of being raised by her grandparents, and a faithful four-legged mutt, she finds love with the dashing and rich Sergio Antonio José. Little does she know, he has been using her all along to spite his filthy rich family! What happens when, underneath all of his deception and disgraceful actions, Sergio discovers (gasp!) true feelings?! Can the impossible happen? Can love conquer all!? Can animals really talk? That just seems far fetched!

Telenovela 101 is the first quarter of a melodramatic Mexican Soap Opera Parody. Performances in español, with English subtitles, so that everyone can enjoy the authentic drama!!

Sat Mar 30, 2019 | 8:00PM

$20

New York Madness

Going from page to stage within one week with eight short plays written in response to a theme, Madness events create a unique cultural moment for diverse audiences and offer playwrights, directors, and actors opportunities to experiment with new work and cultivate professional relationships in a collaborative environment. NYM is committed to giving early-career writers and directors a chance to see their work onstage in front of an audience.

Sun Mar 31, 2019 | 8:00PM

$10

ESTROGENIUS 2019 is made possible in part with public funds from Creative Engagement, supported by the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the City Council and the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of Governor Andrew Cuomo and administered by LMCC.

FRIGID New York's continuing mission is to seek out new art, new artists, and new audiences. We do this by creating an accessible community of varied voices that value collaboration, resourcefulness, diversity, and innovation. We provide a home for independent theater artists, with a focus on voices that require amplification. We nurture their development, and we help to establish their careers by promoting their work to local, national, and international audiences.

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