JAG Productions to Present WHY HAVE I NEVER HEARD OF YOU?

JAG Productions has revealed their next production as part of JAG Underground: WHY HAVE I NEVER HEARD OF YOU?, an immersive night of cabaret and storytelling for audience members in Hanover's only speakeasy (for a weekend, anyway), Sawtooth Kitchen.

Since its inception, JAG Productions has built a reputation for not only top-tier theatrical performance but for radical inclusivity, community engagement, and powerful, spiritual spaces that evoke the sense of stepping into a new world for an evening. For the evenings of May 18th and 19th, JAG is blowing open the confines of a traditional theater set and is transforming Sawtooth Kitchen into a speakeasy. 

Jarvis Antonio Green, the founder of JAG Productions and director of WHY HAVE I NEVER HEARD OF YOU?', drew inspiration for the weekend from a recent visit to the Met's Harlem Renaissance exhibit in New York City. Influenced by iconic artists and venues of the 1920s such as The Cotton Club, Cab Calloway, and Josephine Baker, Green states, 'The Harlem Renaissance has profoundly shaped me as an artist. The virtuosity, resilience, and beauty of that era continue to reverberate through my work and the work of many artists today. Revisiting this era with this show is thrilling, and I live for creating a full sensory theatrical experience. You're going to get just that—with food, drinks, a vibe, a gorgeous setting, and a kick-ass performance.'"

At 6 PM on May 18th and 19th, in true speakeasy fashion, audience members will use a password to enter Sawtooth's back entrance. “One of the most alluring aspects of New York speakeasies is the feeling of ‘If you know, you know…'” says JAG Underground's Creative Producer Rigel Harris. “It's thrilling to curate a modern, Upper Valley-version of an era that necessitated secrecy around nightlife.”

“We've been interested in doing a speakeasy night at Sawtooth for a long time,” says Kieran Campion, the General Manager of Sawtooth Kitchen who brings two decades of New York theater experience to Hanover.  “We're excited to explore the idea of creating a fully immersive theatrical environment in our little restaurant under Allen Street.” 

Upon entry, guests will enjoy an atmosphere of decadence and dim lighting, signature cocktails, a poker table, cocktail dress, parlour games, and more before settling into Grayson's stunning powerhouse of a cabaret. To encourage audience members to dress for the occasion, JAG is also partnering with White River clothing companies Revolution and Nancy The Girl, vintage stores with an eye for theatrics.

"What makes theatre and art-making special are the collaborations," states Jarvis Green. "You cannot create art in a vacuum, and we are pulling out all the stops for this performance, collaborating with some of our favorite artisans, artists, and businesses in the Upper Valley."

Audience members should note that ticketing for this event is tiered - Folks have the option of everything from Premier seating complete with dining near the stage to standing room and bar seating. There is a two-drink minimum for this event, and JAG asks that you remember to tip the phenomenal staff at Sawtooth.

Alex Joseph Grayson stars in WHY HAVE I NEVER HEARD OF YOU?, fresh off a successful run at 54 Below, one of New York's premier venues for musical theater. The setlist includes classics like "That Old Black Magic" by Frank Sinatra, "Never Too Much" by Luther Vandross, "Mornin'" by Al Jarreau, "My Funny Valentine", and songs from hit musicals like PARADE, LION KING, RENT, JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR, and INTO THE WOODS.

“I'd like to leave you with this: When we say that Black lives matter, we do not only mean that they matter in death, when our bodies are lined with chalk or when recordings of beatings or suffocation populate social media newsfeeds. When we say that Black lives matter, those of us who say that Black lives matter, we mean it also for the living,” says Jarvis Green.

EVENT DETAILS

WHY HAVE I NEVER HEARD OF YOU? 

Starring Alex Joseph Grayson

Directed by Jarvis Antonio Green

Accompaniment by Elijah Caldwell

May 18th and 19th, 6 PM

At Sawtooth Kitchen in Hanover, N.H.

More information and tickets at http://jagproductionsvt.com 

To purchase tickets or for more information, visit www.jagproductionsvt.com or contact info@jagproductionsvt.com or 802-332-3270.

 

To post a comment, you must register and login.