Pioneers Go East's VIRGO STAR Begins Previews Tonight At La MaMa

The world premiere of VIRGO STAR begins previews tonight, November 14. An intimate interactive performance, the show is written and devised by the Pioneers Go East Collective - Gian Marco Riccardo Lo Forte and Daniel Diaz, in collaboration with Philip Treviño, Anabella Lenzu and Agosto Machado, and directed by Gian Marco Riccardo Lo Forte.

VIRGO STAR opens on November 16, with performances through December 1, 2019 at La MaMa's Downstairs Lounge, located at 66 East 4th Street.

Queering the cinematic tropes of classic western films, VIRGO STAR explores and explodes the myth of the American Cowboy, examining same-sex intimacy, self-awareness and the fear of being marginalized in a fictional West. Devised and performed by a collective of LGBTQ and feminist artists, this thought-provoking performance fuses personal storytelling, movement and video projections. You've never seen the West this wild!

Featured performance artists include Bree Breeden, Daniel Diaz, Anabella Lenzu, Alessandro Magania, songwriter Chris Riffle, and activist and drag performance artist Agosto Machado (appearing via video-interviews), best known for his work in association with legendary downtown performer Jackie Curtis and Playhouse of the Ridiculous.

The production team includes Beth Graczyk (Choreography), Hao Bai (Video Design), Jon Burklund (Cinematography), Philip Treviño (Set & Lighting Design), Gavin Price (Sound Design), Daniel Diaz (Costume Design) and Dmitri Barcomi (Stage Manager).

Performances are Thursday, November 14 at 10pm, Friday, Nov 15 at 10pm, Saturday, Nov 16 at 5pm, Sunday, Nov 17 at 7pm, Monday, Nov 18 at 7pm, Friday, Nov 22 at 10pm, Saturday, Nov 23 at 5pm, Sunday, Nov 24 at 7pm, Tuesday, Nov 26 at 7pm, Saturday, Nov 30 at 5pm and Sunday, December 1 at 7pm. Tickets are $26 and $21 for students and seniors. Purchase online at http://lamama.org or by calling 212-352-3101. A limited number of $10 tickets are available for each show. Running time is approximately 75 minutes.

New York City award-winning ensemble Pioneers Go East Collective is a laboratory collective of multimedia and performance works in residence at two historical downtown venues: La MaMa and Judson Church. Since 2010, the collective has created high-energy and interactive performances to celebrate a multigenerational collective of queer artists. By connecting with our community's history, they deepen their understanding of social justice, civil rights and human rights. The collective has developed 11 original works, collaborated with over 400 art-makers, and through performance, video, and curated series, the collective creates platforms of inclusion which link audiences throughout all of New York to celebrate LGBTQ and Feminist artists. Under the leadership of Gian Marco Riccardo Lo Forte, Daniel Diaz, Beth Graczyk and Philip Treviño, the collective merges storytelling and interview-based documentary to expose the realities of queer identity and otherness to provoke understanding and promote social justice. Inspired by Walt Whitman's poem "O Pioneers!", an homage to the pioneers' search for a brighter future - the collective is comprised of artists who explore stories of collective courage and conviction. For info visit https://pioneersgoeast.org.

Pioneers Go East Collective's shows have been called "adrenalizing and dramatic" (Backstage), "wondrous and strange" (Culturebot) and "beautiful and touching" (Maxamoo). Their production of Hildegard Vision was a Time Out NY Critics' Pick.

Photo credit: Jon Burklund