Performance | Performance Space New York

MEMBUH: Confessions of the Only Generation

‘MEMBUH: CONFESSIONS OF THE ONLY GENERATION

(a staged essay about memory/memories—both imagined and real—of an African American past, present and future)

Written/Directed by Cristal Chanelle Truscott
Original Music by Maiesha McQueen

When Lady, the oldest in a family of 20-somethings, becomes terminally ill, she gives her quirky relatives the task of recording their tumultuos family story in a time capsule for future generations. Combining musical theatre, dance, storytelling & spoken word, ‘MEMBUH (as in “Remember”) is a high-energy piece following this young family through the highs and lows of self-discovery as they search for the true meaning of freedom.

As the family’s colorful, unpredictable journeys weave past legacies,—like a family legend that re-writes the founding of the Juneteenth*holiday—they also struggle with which legacies from their present day lives to pass on or leave untold. ‘MEMBUH brings issues of love, prejudice, family, history and memory to the stage, celebrating the often overlooked insights of today’s young adult generation.

*Juneteenth is the oldest nationally celebrated commemoration of the ending of slavery in the U.S. To learn more, visit: www.juneteenth.com.

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People Are Wrong!

Bringing together some of the finest talents from the rock world and New York theater, People Are Wrong! is a manic and joyful celebration of melody and musical fable. Based on a true story, this cautionary tale of a charismatic cult leader masquerading as a landscape artist in a rural upstate town is told entirely in song. The show stars David Driver (Rent), Grammy-winner John Flansburgh (of They Might Be Giants), Maggie Moore (Hedwig and the Angry Inch) and Chris Anderson (of Muckafurgason). People are Wrong! also introduces the song-writing talents of Julia Greenberg and Robin Goldwasser to the musical stage. Backed up by the Loser’s Lounge band and the inspired vocal group STC (Sean Altman, Tricia Scotti & Connie Petruk), this is the first original production to come out of this highly creative team. The Losers Band for this performance is Joe McGinty (musical director, keyboards), Jeremy Chatzky (musical director, bass), Clem Waldmann (drums), Kris Woolsey (guitar), and Jon Spurney (guitar).

Shuffle

Shuffle explores the choreographer’s family history in relation to Japanese mythology and Shinto Buddhism. Inhabiting both contemporary and mythical characters, Yokoshi uses the Japanese creation story of Kojiki as a way to understand the significance of the disappearance of several of her own ancestors in sea disasters. Set in New York City, Shuffle moves fluidly between East and West, between the personal and global, humor and pathos, evoking the multiple perspectives of Yokoshi’s transcultural experience. This work integrates film and video by Dean Moss, set and props by Mayumi Hayashi, and sound design by Stephen Vitiello. Shuffle has also received funding from the Japan Foundation.

Wrestling Ladies

Wrestling Ladies transforms a theatrical venue into a wrestling ring. In a visual style inspired by contemporary underground comics, the work depicts characters as combatants, superheroes, and saints who all struggle to transcend their given and created identities. The audience is witness to both their public battles and private histories. The primary character is an eleven year old girl, Chasity a.k.a Devilish Angel, who is obsessed with wrestling. The other characters include: her mother, Maria Elena Vazquez, a ruthless champion; her soon to be stepfather, Louis, manager/coach of the ring; and her friend Lizard, a wrestler who keeps her company and protects her from evil. The action moves fluidly from fight scenes to surreal dances to moments of unexpected tenderness.

The Quiet Bastard

The Quiet Bastard was originally a half hour performance/installation collaboration between writer / performer Oscar McLennan & visual and performance artist Anne Seagrave, commissioned by the 2001 Dublin Fringe Festival. Already familiar with some of McLennan’s earlier work, UCLA LIVE director, Dave Sefton, attended one of the performances while visiting Dublin, and was so impressed by the experience that he immediately commissioned an hour long touring version – and so’the director’s cut’ came into being.

TQB – DIRECTOR’S CUT is written and performed by Oscar McLennan, with original slides, video and soundworks by Anne Seagrave. It is a multimedia text based performance which presents a surreal vision of urban life in the 21st century. A jungle of entrepreneurs and a desert of the soul, with no room for the marginallsed. Our lonely performer, himself an unwanted offspring of the Celtic Tiger, ultimately finds freedom by way of the extraordinary creations that emerge from the film studio he secretly carries in his head. A unique expeience in live art performance. Unpredictably funny, sad and savagely surreal.
Oscar McLennan has been writing and performing for the last twenty years. His highly acclaimed one man multimedia shows have toured extensively in Ireland, the UK, the USA and continental Europe. He has received commissions from the Franklin Furnace, New York, the Dublin Theatre Festival, The Tron Theatre, Glasgow, The Nottingham Arts Festival and The National Review of Live Art. His writing has appeared in numerous short story publications, been produced for radio in the UK and USA, and translated into Spanish, Catalan, French, & Polish. In 1998 he was shortlisted for the
Tribune/Hennessey Literary Award.