Drawing winner Karleen from Westchester wrote, “I’m delighted to see the show!” She and a friend will be attending T. Schreiber’s production of Lanford Wilson’s Fifth of July and enjoying Sweet Muse’s incredibly delicious brownie buddy pack. More winners soon! |
Jimmy’s No. 43 1 July 2009 |
Jimmy’s No. 43 is below street level, the better to present underground indie theater.
Which beers taste best with bacon, chocolate and cheese? If you’ve been lucky enough to have spent the past few years in Manhattan witnessing the renaissance of the indie theater scene, you’ve likely spent quality time in a particular restaurant with a back room that doubles as theater space and tasting stage. If you’re new in town you go to East 7th between 2nd and 3rd Aves and descended the steps of Jimmy’s No. 43. Owner, chef, foodie and raconteur Jimmy Carbone has been putting great food and drink together with great theater companies like the award-winning Rising Phoenix Rep since 2005, and he’s recently opened a new space called 1 Dominick. United Stages asked playwright and RPR artistic director Daniel Talbott to interview the East Side patron of the arts.
... REST OF THE STORY1 July 2009
Where does Off-Off Broadway play softball? Up to this summer the answer would have been “nowhere” but thanks to the theater organizations The Community Dish, The League of Independent Theatres, The New York Innovative Theatre Foundation and yours truly, United Stages, the answer is “Central Park’s Great Lawn.” This July, eighty percent of all artists working in NY theater are invited to side up as the premiere teams at the First Annual Indie Theater Midsummer Classic. Besides indie ball players, the organizers anticipate a large turn out of indie picnickers in celebration of this first-of-its-kind artist unity event. We asked team captains Michael Criscuolo and Tim Errickson if they believed the indie theater community would be ready to embrace softball. Their tongue-in-cheek responses:
Michael Criscuolo: I think the indie theater community will totally embrace softball. We love anything that is dirty and sweaty and involves physical activity and heavy breathing.
But isn’t softball maybe too Broadway?
Tim Errickson: It might be a little too Broadway, but we thought indie theater rugby would be too violent and that Competitive Flip Cup would just be too sloppy. So here we are.
Who would be victorious in a softball game between indie theater artists and, say, the cast of Jersey Boys?
Michael Criscuolo: Anyone who can sing that high has already been kicked in the (bleep) once too often to be effective in most capacities. I would predict an indie theater victory in that case.
Tim Errickson: Well, I’m from Jersey and know how tough the singing fellas are across the river. But, an all-star team of the casts of Universal Robots, Nick and Fight Girl Battle World might never lose a game. I’m just sayin’.
How about against the cast of Hair?
Michael Criscuolo: I think the Hair hippies would win just by distracting us with weed and nudity.
Tim Errickson: Well they would have Aquarius on their side hitting cleanup, but I still think maybe the double play combination of Leonard Jacobs and Martin Denton might do them in.
Last hypothetical: if you could get indie artists to agree to wear a team uniform or cap, the next step would be to decide upon a team mascot. Nominations?
Michael Criscuolo: The appropriate team logo would probably be an overflowing beer mug. After all, as an actor friend of mine recently said, “The bar is our office.”
Tim Errickson: That’s a toughie. Maybe feral cats? Something sexy and wild and determined to never give up. Hell yeah, I’d wear that.
The Community Dish, The New York Innovative Theatre Foundation, The League of Independent Theatre and United Stages are sponsoring the First Annual Indie Theater Midsummer Classic (softball game and picnic) on July 26th, noon to 4 p.m., at Central Park’s Great Lawn.
Your team captains Tim Errickson and Michael Criscuolo ask that if you have equipment to please bring it and to be prepared to share a glove with a neighbor.
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Woman Seeking…a Starbucks? 24 June 2009 |
“Did I mention that it rains more in NY than in Seattle? But I’m not supposed to let that be known; Seattlites love the myth of non-stop rain. Keeps people from moving here!” Christine Mosere.
A theater company on every corner, a theater company on every corner, a theater company on every— After making an East-Coast name for herself with her highly regarded Woman Seeking…a Theatre Company, artistic director and actress Christine Mosere woke up one morning and smelled the coffee. She handed over the reins of her thriving company, packed up her family and moved to Seattle Washington to open another store—er, sister branch called Woman Seeking…Theatre West. Her first production will be Jane Chambers’ Last Summer at Bluefish Cove opening in July. We asked Ms. Mosere…
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