Description:
The latest on Elixir Productions Theatre Company and queer theatre, politics, and art.
Contents:
Fall 2008 Update
Economic crisis. A new president-elect. Proposition 8. So much has happened since our last update to inspire new hope and struggle, and we at Elixir Productions have been watching it all unfold as we lay the next cobblestone in our company’s journey.
For those of you who have been checking our CURRENT WORK page, here’s the [...]
Elixir & State of Play Go Dada for Radio
Elixir Productions and State of Play Theatre Companies have collaborated to create a fun, schitzo-sonic radio play, “‘Da Da’ (There, I Said It Twice).”
Part experiment in Dada “cut-ups” and part homage to the radio broadcasts of yesteryear, the piece consists of three original playlets, rehearsed separately under the direction of Jody P. Person.
A throwback to [...]
JTMF AIDS Benefit: ‘What the Butler Saw’
Company members Josiah DeAndrea and Chris Ghaffoor have donated their talents to the 6th Annual James Tolin Memorial Fund benefit production, What the Butler Saw by Joe Orton.
If you happen to be in the Mercer area this weekend (Princeton, New Brunswick, West or East Windsor), why not swing by? The price of admission gets you [...]
‘Thérèse Raquin Desire’ Opens Friday!
See Jody’s choreography on glorious display in Project Y and The New Orleans Theatre Experiment’s latest work, Thérèse Raquin Desire, which opens this Friday, June 13, at Stage Left Studio in NYC.
Why Polaroids?
Why polaroids in our website’s new headers?
Because, like theatre, they’re instant.
Because they have a certain roughness, a homemade quality.
Because they can be used to invoke the past as well as the present. (The polaroid “frames” harken back to a pre-digital age, even as our use of them is obviously digital).
Because, when you pull a polaroid [...]
‘Nkd’ in The Trenton Times
MCCC student playwrights Noah Ballard and James Jaketic are interviewed by Anita Donovan in her article, “Tomorrow’s playwrights try out their craft.”
Nkd, Noah and James’ double-bill of one-act plays, premiers at Mercer County Community College in just a few days. Alex worked with both students in his playwriting course. He is so very proud of [...]
And (Finally!) Some Updates About the Company
Elixir is a bit like a big, cuddly cartoon bear; it goes into hibernation once the fall chill sets in, dabbles in a dozen side-projects between periods of (fleeting) rest, then reemerges come spring, fresh-faced and ready to frolic.
Forgive the cutesy image, but we’re feeling frisky! After spending the last eight months reporting on the [...]
Jody Choreographs for Project Y Theatre
Elixir co-founder Jody P. Person is choreographing portions of Project Y’s latest work, Thérèse Raquin Desire, which debuts at Stage Left Studio in NYC this June.
Project Y teams up with The New Orleans Theatre Experiment (N.O.T.E.) to co-produce Thérèse Raquin Desire, an original one-woman show about what happens when a silent and solitary woman decides [...]
Shells at Joe’s Pub
This summer, Elixir company member Nick Chase and comedy partner Roslyn Hart are unleashing their mad creation, Shells, once again in a superbly entertaining show at Joe’s Pub.
Michelle “Shells” Haylie Hoffman, the ball-busting J.P. Morgan senior analyst turned downtown darling, returns to Joe’s Pub with a new set of songs, stories, and drop-ins from special [...]
‘Macbeth’ in The Trentonian
Elixir co-founder Jody P. Person’s production of Macbeth is featured in Thursday’s Trentonian.
The article, “MCCC Teacher Shakes Up Shakespeare,” highlights Jody’s thoughts on the play as well as his specific approach to staging it at Mercer County Community College.
Click below for a full scan of the article!
‘Nkd’ at MCCC
This May, Mercer County Community College showcases two original one-act plays developed in Alex’s playwriting course.
Produced by Kyrus Westcott, Nkd: A One-Act Festival explores the funny and dangerous territory of “sex, lies, and life” in two parts. “Distortion,” written and directed by James Jaketic, is a comedy about two slacker bandmates and lifelong friends who [...]
‘Macbeth’ at MCCC
This April, Jody directs the theatre students of Mercer County Community College in an edgy new production of Macbeth. Many of us have seen the play, but never like this!
Staged on a minimalist, all-white set that grows redder with each murder, Mercer’s Macbeth features male and female students alternating the roles of Macbeth and Lady [...]
Revamped Company ‘One Sheet’
Everything you want to know about Elixir Productions Theatre Company - all on a single sheet of paper! And now it’s prettier!
Jody’s Tempography Exhibiting in Korea
Elixir co-founder Jody P. Person is one of twenty artists to have his tempographic artwork on display at the Gallery Factory in Seoul, Korea, from April 4 through April 27.
An ongoing project initiated by two video artists from London, tempography captures brief moving images which encourage viewers to discover and marvel at the details, small [...]
Richard M. Wood
It saddens us to report that Richard M. Wood, father of Elixir company actor Michelle Wood, passed away on Sunday.
A service will be held this Wednesday from 6:00 - 8:00pm at the Huber-Moore Funeral Home (517 Farnsworth Avenue in Bordentown, NJ). Our thoughts are with Michelle and her family.
Must-See List of LGBT/Queer Films
Elixir Productions may be a theatre company, but our co-founders are also huge fans of film, particularly those that tell queer stories or embody the spirit of queer creative vision that we are dedicated to exploring on stage.
Two nights ago, company co-founder Alex DeFazio found himself compiling an impromptu list of must-see queer cinema along [...]
George Fanelli
It saddens us to report that George Fanelli, father of Genevieve Fanelli, one of Elixir’s seminal members, passed away earlier this week.
Genevieve student-managed the Humanities Theater at SUNY Purchase and served in one indispensable technical capacity or another on all of Elixir’s Purchase shows. George became every bit as indispensable as his daughter by the [...]
‘City That Cried Wolf’
Now playing at 59E59 Theaters is State of Play’s The City That Cried Wolf, a tongue-in-cheek, fairytale/noir mashup that riffs on some very modern themes.
Jody worked with State of Play earlier this year on 4Some: An Evening of One-Acts. They’re a fun and exciting new company.
Click on the image below for more info!
Happy Holidays!
To each of our nearly 100,000 visitors this year (and anyone else who might be checking in), we wish you a wonderful Chanukah, Christmas, Kwanzaa, Winter Solstice, and/or any other holiday we might have forgotten. Elixir’s Menora is lit and our Christmas tree is up!
Sinful Pics
Here are some pictures from the Mercer County Community College production of 7 Sins, produced by Elixir co-founder Jody P. Person and featuring the combined talent of Mercer’s Theatre, Dance, and Entertainment Technology Programs.
Two Articles from EW
Gay Hollywood: Out of sight?: Almost two years after Brokeback Mountain raked in $178 million worldwide, no major studio has greenlit a single gay film. What is keeping movies in the closet - and what should Hollywood be learning from TV?
Dumbledore: A Lovely Outing: Why J.K. Rowling’s revelation is a rare positive sign at a [...]
‘7 Sins’ at MCCC
Many of you may have gathered that in addition to his work with Elixir, company co-founder Jody P. Person also serves as the Theatre and Dance Program Coordinator at Mercer County Community College in West Windsor, New Jersey.
Mercer’s upcoming production of 7 Sins features Jody’s choreography in a dance/performance collage inspired by the sin of [...]
Crown Point Festival
The Crown Point Festival is NYC’s Lower East Side cornucopia of film, theatre, and music. This year’s festival features Like I said, my name is Shells, co-created and directed by Elixir company member Nick Chase.
Find out more about The Crown Point Festival, which begins October 27, by visiting their website.
Jody Directs for State of Play Theatre
Two performances only: Tuesday, October 2 and Tuesday, October 9. Featuring a live soundtrack by The Lisps.
Click on the postcard image below for more info!
NY Queer Theatre Collective: A Proposal
This letter came to us from Brent Stansell, a graduate student in Dramaturgy at Brooklyn College. With his permission, we are posting it here so that Brent’s proposal to create a new Queer Theatre Collective can reach as many ears as possible. Brent’s contact information is included below.
***
To New York Queer Theatre Artists:
Are you concerned [...]
New Happy Rhodes CD
Happy Rhodes is an independent musician and friend of Elixir (by “friend,” we mean we’ve used her music in several shows and she never once threatened litigation).
This month marks the arrival of her new CD, Find Me, her first since 1998’s Many Worlds Are Born Tonight. Learn more about Happy (yes, that’s her real name) [...]
Reconsidering ‘Cruising’
To mark its debut on DVD, Entertainment Weekly’s Mark Harris reflects on the significance of William Friedkin’s Cruising and the firestorm of gay protest surrounding its production and 1980 theatrical release. Harris’ article, “‘Cruising’ For Another Bruising,” can be found at EW.com.
Belated Fringe Launch Party Coverage
To Be Loved actress Deena Jiles (Dorian) and producer Faye Rosenbaum are pictured sporting a handful of postcards at the FringeNYC 2007 Launch Party on Film Festival Today Online.
Thank You…
…to everyone who came out for To Be Loved (Version 2) at the 11th Annual New York International Fringe Festival!
The stars truly lined up for this production: We had a dedicated and fabulous company, amazing support from FringeNYC volunteers and staff (special thanks to Elena Holy and Alexa Shaughnessy), a deluge of press (thanks to [...]
‘To Be Loved’ in The Onion
Leave it to the folks at The Onion to give To Be Loved the funniest write-up we’ve come across. From their August 23 issue:
We know what you’re thinking: not another kabuki-inspired story about homosexuality, a monk, and a ghost! But To Be Loved manages to squeeze some originality into the old formula.
God bless The Onion!
Last Chance to See “One of the Most Talked-About Entries” of FringeNYC 2007
Join us at The Lafayette Street Theatre (Fringe Venue #16, 45 Bleecker Street at Lafayette) this Thursday, August 23 at 9:15pm or Friday, August 24 at 9:00pm for a last chance to see “one of the most talked about entries in the [Fringe] festival this year” (Ginia Bellafante, The New York Times).
It’s always sad to [...]
‘To Be Loved’ on Metromix NY.com
Perrie Samotin of Metromix New York singles out To Be Loved as one of FringeNYC 2007’s “absorbing, perceptive (and strikingly offbeat)…selections.”
Check out Metromix NY to view all of Samotin’s picks.
‘To Be Loved’ in The New York Times
Michelle Wood (Anon) and Michael Cortez (Dis) are pictured in a scene from To Be Loved in today’s New York Times.
Click on the image below to display the full article or view it on-line at NYTimes.com.
‘To Be Loved’ in The Star-Ledger
Deena Jiles (Dorian) and Michael Cortez (Dis) are pictured in a scene from To Be Loved in today’s Star-Ledger.
Click on the image below to enlarge.
Gay City News FringeNYC Highlights
Nicholas Gorham (Paul) and Erik A. Rojas (The Man) are pictured (twice!) in the August 9-15 issue of Gay City News, where To Be Loved is named one of the must-see gay shows of FringeNYC 2007.
Click on the image below to display the full list or view it on-line at GayCityNews.com.
‘To Be Loved’ on AWE-Stage: SILive.com
In Jodi Lee Reifer’s article “Fringe Benefits.”
Playwright Kevin Doyle Picks ‘To Be Loved’
The Villager’s Jennifer O’Reilly compiled a list of “premium Fringe viewing” by some of NY’s hottest actors, producers, and artistic directors, and Kevin Doyle, playwright and Artistic Director of Sponsored By Nobody, chose To Be Loved!
In Kevin’s words: “Alex and (director) Jody are alumnus of Purchase College. Alex is an amazing playwright - I admired [...]
‘To Be Loved’ in NY Press
Michelle Wood (Anon) and Michael Cortez (Dis) are pictured in a scene from To Be Loved in this week’s New York Press.
Click on the image below to enlarge.
‘To Be Loved’ in Newsday
Playwright and Elixir co-founder Alex DeFazio was born and raised on Long Island. Newsday’s Robert Kahn gives him and his fellow Long Islanders a shout-out in the article, “Long Island Has Many Roles in FringeNYC Festival.”
Jody Quoted in The Village Voice
Reading Village Voice theatre critic Alexis Soloski’s article “How Can We Improve the New York Fringe?,” we were delighted to find a quote from company co-founder Jody P. Person as he explains why FringeNYC is so significant for independent theatre artists and companies like Elixir Productions.
Soloski interviews people on both sides of the fence to [...]
FringeNYC ‘To Be Loved’ Teaser
No, this isn’t an ElixirCast episode proper, but… well… we think it’s pretty cool and decided to post it anyway.
Presenting the official “teaser” for the FringeNYC production of To Be Loved.
PS: The music in the first part of the teaser is an original composition by Chris Gardella.
Download the FringeNYC To Be Loved Teaser or [...]
‘To Be Loved’ in HX Magazine
Yes, that beautiful specimen of a man pictured on the left is our very own Michael Cortez.
See him play Dis in To Be Loved at The Lafayette Street Theatre (Fringe Venue #16, 45 Bleecker Street) beginning Sunday, August 12 at 2:45pm.
Click on the image below to display the full article or view it on-line at [...]
ElixirCast Ep. 01 - ‘To Be Loved’
Presenting the very first episode of ElixirCast, a new podcasting series produced by Elixir Productions Theatre Company and dedicated to independent queer theatre.
Future episodes will feature readings of new plays by emerging writers and discussions of queer theatre and culture. But for now it’s all about To Be Loved at FringeNYC 2007. Hear scenes from [...]
FringeNYC Launch Party Invite
Here it is! (And there we are! Just look left of the FringeNYC logo!)
EDGE New York’s Gay Highlights of FringeNYC 2007
And To Be Loved is among them!
‘To Be Loved’ in James Tolin Memorial Fund News
To Be Loved appears in this month’s Alumni News from The James Tolin Memorial Fund, an organization dedicated to HIV/AIDS awareness.
To Be Loved features the work of past JTMF performer Josiah DeAndrea, director Jody P. Person (who appeared in the organization’s 2006 benefit production of Mr. Charles, Currently of Palm Beach), and JTMF technicians Carol [...]
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