Reggie Watts & Tommy Smith
RADIO PLAY
“Radio Play is meant to be listened to more than seen, which is why much of it occurs in the dark. Inspired by a media that is now virtually extinct, it features songs, stories and even commercials in the model of an old-time radio program. But these aren’t your grandma’s stories…”- The Wall St. Journal
“This freewheeling, beat-boxing, musical-comedy madman blows minds and steals hearts whether he’s opening for Conan O’Brian, appearing on Comedy Central in his own special or doing ten minutes in a Williamsburg bar.” – Time Out NY
“Nakedly entertaining! Watts, with his cloud of black hair and surprisingly beautiful voice, is loads of fun to watch”
– Variety
“Expect a nonlinear, surreal spin of songs, stories, and soundscapes that play with the politics of pop culture. Embrace the retro-fueled fun with your eyes closed and ears open.” – The Village Voice
Modeled after radio programs of yesteryear, RADIO PLAY gathers a group of actors, musicians and sound-effects artists to create a surreal sonic entertainment. Songs, stories and soundscapes collide in a comedic mash-up of non-temporal quasi-political pop-cultural tropes.
Reggie Watts (co-creator, performer, composer, musician, writer) and Tommy Smith (co-creator, writer) create absurd experimental comedic theatricals for modern performance spaces. TRANSITION played at The Under The Radar Festival at The Public Theater, Portland Institute for Contemporary Art’s Time Based Art Festival and On The Boards (Seattle); it was also the winner of the MAP Fund Award and Creative Capital award. Their previous theater piece DISINFORMATION was seen at the UTR Festival, PICA: TBA, The Museum of Contemporary Art (Chicago), The Warhol Museum (Pittsburgh), and ICA (Boston). DUTCH A/V, a live environmental film performance and winner of the MAP Fund Award, was workshopped at IRT Theatre (New York) and premiered at the 2011 Under The Radar festival. When not collaborating together, Reggie and Tommy work on their “A-Side” careers, which can be seen at www.reggiewatts.com and smithsmith.wordpress.com, respectively.
Written by Reggie Watts & Tommy Smith. Directed by Kip Fagan. Performed by Reggie Watts, with H.I. Bonner, Beth Hoyt, Mary Jane Gibson, Marshall York, and Jen Rondeau on the Theremin. Lights by Seth Reiser. Additional writing by Mary Jane Gibson.
Made possible with commissioning support from Performance Space 122 and the Jerome Foundation.
COMEDY, AUDIO, THEATRE
Friday May 6 – Saturday May 28, 2011
Wednesday – Saturday at 8PM, Sun at 6PM
Late shows at 10PM:
Saturday, May 14 / Saturday, May 21 / Friday, May 27 / Saturday, May 28
Help PS122 Go Green by viewing your Radio Play program online!
