Howl! Arts Project Holds Labor Day Performances

Howl! Arts Project 2010 celebrates Labor Day with performances throughout the weekend at Theatre 80 (80 St. Mark's Place), as part of a month-long series of theater, performance art, music, poetry, film, entertainment for and by kids, and much more at Theatre 80 (80 St. Marks Place) in downtown Manhattan. Proceeds benefit HOWL! H.E.L.P., an emergency services assistance and health fund for eligible and qualifying East Village artists, administered by The Actors Fund.

Howl! Arts Project 2010 channels the spirit and artistic invention of its namesake poem and poet Allen Ginsberg to deliver firsthand examples of the creative, cultural, and historical forces that have made the highly original downtown arts community world renowned.

Labor Day highlights include a revival of Marc Blitzstein's Depression-Era musical "The Cradle Will Rock"; Sahil Farooqi's award-winning solo play "A Brown Monkey Goes to McDonald's," directed
by Regie Cabico; a new work from Vangeline Theatre inspired by the cult film "Run, Lola, Run"; Jesse Rabinowitz's play "Cry Out," directed by Steve Forth; and Sonia Sanchez's Sister Son/Ji, starring Jacqueline Gregg.

Details about this weekend's upcoming Howl! Arts Project 2010 performances at Theatre 80:

"The Cradle Will Rock" on Friday, September 3 at 8pm: Marc Blitzstein's "The Cradle Will Rock"  -- a play with music about greed, corruption and the plight of the worker -- returns to New York.
On a June evening in 1938, director Orson Welles, producer John Houseman and the cast and crew of a new Broadway musical were locked out of their theater on opening night by armed servicemen under orders from the Federal Government. Without costumes, sets, lights or sound, Welles and Housemen found an unused theater, rented an upright piano and marched their audience up Broadway for what has become the most historic theatrical opening ever recorded. The entire libretto, performed from the audience by actors forbidden to step onto the stage, received a 40 minute standing ovation, as legend has it. Musical Direction and Piano: Mimi Stern-Wolfe. Stage Direction: Larry Marshall. Production Coordinator: Jeannine Otis. Choreographer: Laura Stilwell. Starring Laura Wolfe, Brian Henry, Jeannine Otis, Michael Schilke, Paul Malamphy, Darcy Dunn, Mark Singer, Zak Risinger, Gavin Esham, Greg Senf, Ryan Cahill, Charles Baran, Steve Sieck, Go Takeuchi, Tom Savage, and Marcus Moss.

"A Brown Monkey Goes to McDonald's" on Saturday, September 4 at 8pm: Sahil Farooqi's "A Brown Monkey Goes to McDonald's" reveals the dreams and quest for acceptance of a South Asian boy who moves to America. Director Regie Cabico's production had a successful run with the Planet Connections Theatre Festival at the Gene Frankel Theatre in June 2010. The show was nominated for 'Best Overall Solo Production' and 'Outstanding Performance in a Solo Show' during this year's Planet Connections Festivities, New York City's premiere eco-friendly/socially-conscious theatre festival.

Vangeline Theater on Saturday, September 4 at 10pm: Vangeline Theater fuses the post-apocalyptic vision of Butoh (the Japanese dance form that developed after Hiroshima) with the near-cinematic aesthetic of 21st Century science fiction noir. Vangeline Theater will perform a new piece inspired by the cult film "Run, Lola, Run," with choreography by Vangeline. Starring Stacy Lynn Smith, Margherita Tisato, Maki Shinagawa, Pamela Herron, and Vangeline, with video art by Geoff Shelton. Hampton Fancher ("Blade Runner") on Vangeline: 'In the geometry of her motion there is a purity of air, clean as negative space, that defines the expectations of shapes to come. The transformations her contours unpredictably create play out beyond the narrative boarders of even non-traditional dance, but never beyond the idioms of grace. The overlapping of one gesture to the next is at once seamless and disjointed, as of string-less puppets, skin-jobs celebrating the stoicisms of slaves. There are no boastful displays of athletic feats, rather her works are made of undercurrents that are at once cunning and receptive, not so
much a discipline of muscle than of luminosity."

"Cry Out" on Sunday, September 5 at 8pm: "Cry Out" resurrects the prophetic voice of America's Beat Poet Laureate, Allen Ginsberg. Written and performed by Jesse Rabinowitz, under the direction of Steve Forth, "Cry Out" tells the strange, creative journey of Allen Ginsberg, whose shocking poetry, radical vision, and compassionate activism changed the course of American
society in the late 20th century. Weaving Ginsberg's explosive and innovative poetry with vignettes of his remarkable life, "Cry Out" will move and inspire, educate and awaken. The play had its world
premiere in Richmond, VA, in July, 2000, playing to enthusiastic, standing-room-only houses, with subsequent runs at Barksdale Theatre in Richmond, FronteraFest in Austin, Texas, New College in San Francisco, and the New York Open Center.

Sister Son/Ji on Monday, September 6 at 4pm: In "Sister Son/Ji," -- written by Sonia Sanchez, directed by SC2, and starring Jacqueline Gregg -- poet/playwright Sanchez unflinchingly examines the paradoxical notions of liberation within in the Black Power Movement. Sonia Sanchez is a poet; mother; professor; national and international lecturer on Black Culture and Literature, Women's Liberation, Peace and Racial Justice; as well as an author of over 16 books. Sc2 is the founder & Artistic Director of BeBop Theatre Collective. Jacqueline Gregg, who has performed in countless plays, both classical and modern, also works extensively with various educational theatre organizations, bringing classical as well as Contemporary Theatre to schools in and around New York City. After the show, Ms. Sanchez will be present for a Q&A.

A month-long series of non-stop music, film, theater, performance art, burlesque and drag entertainment, Howl! Arts Project was conceived as a series of events taking place at a variety of downtown venues throughout September, 2010 to benefit H.E.L.P. (Howl! Emergency Life Project). HELP is an emergency assistance fund, administered through The Actors Fund, supporting East Village artists. Howl! Arts Project presents wildly diverse programming at affordable costs to the whole family. Artists of all disciplines impart talent and pleasure galore as they showcase developing and finished work in traditional and experimental theatrical productions, gallery offerings and more.

Tickets for HOWL! ARTS PROJECT 2010 range from $5 to $20 and can be purchased day of show at Theatre 80 (80 St. Marks Place) or in advance at www.brownpapertickets.com or call 800-838-3006. Cash only at the door.

For more information, including complete schedule of events, visit www.howlfestival.com.

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