Created by MG in collaboration with Mickey Mahar
Music by Jerry Goldsmith, Chuckie and Silvio Ecomo and MG
Text by MG
Set Design by MG with Mickey Mahar
Costume creations by Dusty Childers
Lighting by Lenore Doxsee
Production Management by Sarah Lurie
Management by Ben Pryor/tbspMGMT

Miguel Gutierrez creates performances known for their weaving of dance, song, text and use of emotion as a conceptual and choreographic driver. He uses the conceits of theater – character, dramaturgy, costume, light – to engage and structure persistent questions about the search for meaning. His work joins a legacy of process-focused experimental dance while drawing on influences such as endurance-based performance art, noise music, ecstatic experience in social and religious rituals, the study of mind-body somatic systems, and various histories of spectacle including Broadway and queer club performance. Gutierrez says that his work is “philosophical inquiry disguised as performance.”

His pieces include freedom of information (2001), enter the seen (2002), I succumb (2003), dAMNATION rOAD (2004), Sabotage (with Jaime Fennelly 2001-2004), Retrospective Exhibitionist and Difficult Bodies (2005 Bessie Award), myendlesslove (2006, remounted in 2013), Everyone (2007), Nothing, No thing (2008), Last Meadow (2009 Bessie Award), HEAVENS WHAT HAVE I DONE (2010), And lose the name of action (2012) and Storing the Winter (2012, with Mind Over Mirrors). His most recent piece Age & Beauty Part 1: Mid-Career Artist/Suicide Note or &:-/ premiered as part of the 2014 Whitney Biennial. He has created work for Philip Adams’ Melbourne, Australia based company BalletLab, Sydney, Australia based collaborative trio The Fondue Set and San Francisco based artist Fauxnique.

His work has been presented by venues such as American Realness in NYC, Festival D’Automne and the Pompidou Centre in Paris, ImPulsTanz in Vienna, Festival Universitario de Danza Contemporanéa in Colombia, Walker Art Center in Minneapolis, MCA Chicago, PICA’s TBA Festival in Portland, the Flynn Center in Burlington and the Brooklyn Academy of Music. He has received fellowships from the Guggenheim Foundation, Foundation for Contemporary Art, United States Artists, Lambent Foundation, and New York Foundation for the Arts, as well as support from MAP Fund, Jerome Foundation, Creative Capital, and the NEA. He has been an artist in residence at Fisher Center for the Arts at Bard College, MANCC, LMCC, Baryshnikov Arts Center, CCN Montpellier (France), and Mount Tremper Arts.

He received an additional Bessie Award for his work as a dancer in John Jasperse Company. He has choreographed and performed in music videos for Diane Cluck, Holcombe Waller and Le Tigre (which went viral and produced various copycat videos), has performed as a singer with Justin Vivian Bond, Nick Hallett, Antony and the Johnsons, Vincent Segal, and Holcombe Waller, and has released a self produced EP under the moniker The Belleville. He leads workshops in his approach to creative practice all over the world. He is a current faculty member of Hollins University’s MFA dance program and NYC’s Movement Research.

His book WHEN YOU RISE UP is available from 53rd State Press. He invented DEEP AEROBICS, an absurdist workout, which most recently has been used to warm up audiences for The Knife. He is training to become a practitioner of the Feldenkrais Method. His newest piece, Age & Beauty Part 2: Asian Beauty @ the Werq Meeting or The Choreographer & Her Muse or &:@& premieres in the 2015 AMERICAN REALNESS Festival at Abrons Arts Center in NYC. In addition he is working on a collaborative project with choreographer Alex Ketley based on their travels throughout the American south where they met and interviewed strangers and performed for them. www.miguelgutierrez.org

Mickey Mahar is a dance artist originally from Wisconsin now living and working in New York City. He graduated cum laude with a degree in Women’s Studies from Vassar College in 2012 where he was a member of the Vassar Repertory Dance Theater, performing in works by Paul Taylor, Doris Humphrey and Larry Keigwin among others. Since moving to New York, Mahar has had the pleasure of working with Adrienne Truscott, Gillian Walsh, Ryan McNamara and Miguel Gutierrez, collaborating with Gutierrez on his latest work, Age & Beauty Part 1: Mid-Career Artist / Suicide Note or &:-/, which premiered in New York City as a part of the 2014 Whitney Biennial. His work with these artists earned him a 2014 New York Dance and Performance “Bessie” award nomination as an Outstanding Performer. Mahar was most recently a recipient of the prestigious DanceWEB scholarship at ImPulsTanz, the international dance festival in Vienna, Austria. He is currently collaborating with Viennese directors Adia Trischler and Andreas Waldschuetz on an experimental film installation and working with French choreographer David Wampach on his newest dance piece.

Lenore Doxsee is a lighting designer for theater, opera, and dance. Designs with Miguel Gutierrez include And lose the name of action, Last Meadow (Bessie Award), Retrospective Exhibitionist and Difficult Bodies (Bessie Award), and many others. Other designs for dance include Morgan Thorson’s Heaven and Spaceholder Festival, Devouring, Devouring for Netta Yerushalmy (set design also), and Karen Sherman’s Copperhead and Cold Comfort. Her designs for theater include Target Margin’s The Tempest, Uncle Vanya, and many other productions.

Sarah Lurie is a lighting designer and manager for live performance. Recent credits include: touring lighting director for Mike Birbiglia’s My Girlfriend’s Boyfriend, lighting designer for Colin Quinn’s Unconstitutional (Cherry Lane), A Dream Play (HERE Arts), The Red and the Black (Theatre at St. Clements), The Birthday Party (14th St Y), and stage manager for 2 Kilos of Sea (Baryshnikov Arts Center). www.sarahelurie.com

Written, Directed, and Performed by Jibz Cameron
Co-Direction and Dramaturgy by Sacha Yanow
Sound Design by Jibz Cameron
Audio Production by Eli Crews
Drawings by Jibz Cameron
Animation and Additional Drawings by Meriem Bennani
Costumes by Peggy Noland and Hayden Dunham
Lighting and Production Management by Serena Wong
Production Assistant: Morgan Bassichis
Produced by Alexandra Rosenberg

COMING SOON!

“If Soggy Glasses is any indication, Dynasty Handbag is an important force in the visioning of what we, as a culture, consider avant-garde, heroic, and hilarious.”
By Iris Cushing, Hyperallergic, Published October 22, 2014

Lighting design for entire series by Madeline Best

PART I & II
THE LIONEL RICHIE OPERA
&
COMING IN THE AIR TONIGHT

THE LIONEL RICHIE OPERA was created and written by Neal Medlyn. Songs by Lionel Richie and the Commodores.

COMING IN THE AIR TONIGHT was created and written by Neal Medlyn with additional text and original video design by Carmine Covelli, who co-starred in the original. Video design re-created by Neal Medlyn. Music by Phil Collins, Genesis, Philip Bailey and Teenage Jesus & the Jerks.

Starring: Neal Medlyn & Sophia Cleary

The Lionel Richie Opera premiered at a bar called the Apocalypse Lounge in 2005
Coming in the Air Tonight premiered at Galapagos Art Space in 2006

PART III
UNPRONOUNCEABLE SYMBOL

UNPRONOUNCEABLE SYMBOL was created and written by Neal Medlyn. Orchestrations and piano recordings by Matt Ray with additional music/recording by Neal Medlyn. Video design by Neal Medlyn. “Beautiful Ones” video by Carmine Covelli. The role of Bob George was originated by Carmine Covelli. Songs by Prince and Kate Bush.

Starring: Neal Medlyn, Sophia Cleary, the voice of Adrienne Truscott

Unpronounceable Symbol premiered at PS122 in 2007

PART IV
…HER’S A QUEEN

…HER’S A QUEEN was created and written by Neal Medlyn. Orchestrations, choreography, set and video design by Neal Medlyn. The role of PeainaPod was originated by Carmine Covelli. Songs by Britney Spears.

Starring: Neal Medlyn & Sophia Cleary

…Her’s a Queen premiered at Dance Theater Workshop in 2009

PART V
BRAVE NEW GIRL

BRAVE NEW GIRL was created and written by Neal Medlyn. Orchestrations, choreography by Neal Medlyn. The Hannah Montana merchandise collection on display is by Neal Medlyn. The role of Father Montana and the role of Farris (now named Sophia) were originated by Carmine Covelli and Farris Craddock. Songs by Hannah Montana, Miley Cyrus and Nina Simone. Additional text by Robert Walser.

Starring: Neal Medlyn & Sophia Cleary
Brave New Girl premiered at the Chocolate Factory in 2010

PART VI
WICKED CLOWN LOVE

WICKED CLOWN LOVE was created and written by Neal Medlyn. Original costumes by Larry Krone. Original set by Kathleen Hanna. Orchestrations by Neal Medlyn. The roles of monsters were originated by Farris Craddock, Carmine Covelli, Michelle Dean, Casey Bartolucci, Bridie Coughlan, Shawn McLaughlin, Larry Krone and Ben Demarest. Songs by Insane Clown Posse, Dark Lotus, Townes van Zandt, Conway Twitty, Bonnie Raitt, Additional text by Robert Bly and Herman Melville.

Starring: Neal Medlyn & Sophia Cleary

Wicked Clown premiered at The Kitchen in 2012

PART VII
KING

KING was created and written by Neal Medlyn. Original costumes by Larry Krone. Orchestrations by Neal Medlyn. Video design by Matt Romein. A statue that accompanied the original was created by Fawn Kreiger, the photograph of the statue on display is courtesy of Paula Court. The role of Farris was originated by Farris Craddock. Music by Michael Jackson, Lionel Richie, Phil Collins, Prince, Britney Spears, Hannah Montana, Miley Cyrus, Insane Clown Posse and Jackie Wilson. Additional text by Robert Barthelme, Maxim Gorky, Marilynne Robinson.

King is a project of Creative Capital.

King, which premiered at The Kitchen in 2013, has been made possible in part by the Cutting Edge Fund of the New York Foundation for the Arts.

Starring: Neal Medlyn & Sophia Cleary

Neal Medlyn is a performance artist and musician living in New York whose most well-known work is his seven show Pop Star Series and Champagne Jerry, the subsequent iteration of his work with popular music. The Pop Star Series works have been presented at venues such as The Kitchen, PS122, the Chocolate Factory and others as well as in various festivals and theaters around the U.S. and abroad such as American Realness, the TBA Festival, the Live Art Festival at Kampnagel in Hamburg, Germany and others. The Pop Star Series is currently being made into a book which will be published by 53rd State Press in 2015. Other work of his has been presented by the New Museum for Contemporary Art, the Andy Warhol Museum and he has received support from Creative Capital, NYFA and others. His work as Champagne Jerry has appeared at Joe’s Pub, BAM and on tour in various music venues, art galleries and Wal-Mart parking lots as well as online. His album “For Real, You Guys” debuted in 2014.

Sophia Cleary is an artist based in Brooklyn, NY. She is the founder and coordinator of the works-in-progress series REHEARSAL and is co-editor for Ugly Duckling Presse’s performance annual Emergency INDEX. She has had the pleasure of working with the Kate Bush Dance Troupe, Ann Liv Young, Dynasty Handbag (Jibz Cameron), Alexandra Bachzetsis, Kim Brandt, and NEAL MEDLYN!!! She has presented her work at the the Center for Performance Research, Danspace Project, Dixon Place, and e-flux. Her most recent project is playing drums in Penis, a feminist punk band co-founded with Samara Davis.

Madeline Best designs dances, lighting and video and is the production manager at The Chocolate Factory Theater. Best graduated from Bennington College, grew up in Durham NC and currently lives in Long Island City, Queens. She has designed lights for Neal Medlyn, Liz Santoro, Heather Kravas, Molly Lieber and Eleanor Smith, Keely Garfield, Milka Djordjevick, Aki Sasamoto, Beth Gill, RoseAnne Spradlin, Luciana Achugar’s PURO DESEO (Bessie award winning), and more. Performance experience includes work on The Chocolate Factory Theater’s Resident Projects Selective Memory and HotBox with Brian Rogers; multiple projects with Lauren Petty/Shaun Irons and with Choreographer Juliana May/MayDance.

 

“Medlyn deals in theatrical miracles. He transforms the stuff of our celebrity- obsessed, media-staurated world into impossibly beautiful, absurdist happenings….He’s amazing.”
WNYC, All Things Considered

“Neal Medlyn is a comic-performance artist whose work—everything from sketches to monologues to dumping water on his head—is strange, sometimes arbitrary, usually funny, and always very public.”
The Onion

“There’s no denying it: Medlyn’s commitment makes him hilarious, especially when he’s tearing through a sexed-up song like “U Got the Look” or acting out Jerry’s unexpected trip to an afterlife filled with sex toys.”
By Mark Blankenship, Variety, Published July 13, 2008

“Aggressive and unsteady, it uses Ms. Spears’s slick-surfaced songs and desperate vulnerability as the vehicles for an existential meditation on the confused longings and spiritual emptiness lurking beneath so much of our dazzlingly vacuous public discourse.”
By Claudia La Rocco, The New York Times, Published October 26, 2009

Performed by Malik Gaines, Jade Gordon, and Alexandro Segade
Script by Alexandro Segade
Masks by Jade Gordon
Score by Malik Gaines
Backdrops by Alexandro Segade
Set Design by My Barbarian
Video Design and Production by My Barbarian and Robert Hickerson
Production Manager: Robert Hickerson
Thanks to Susanne Vielmetter Los Angeles Projects

My Barbarian: Malik Gaines, Jade Gordon, Alexandro Segade

Since 2000, My Barbarian has presented performances at sites including MoMA, The Kitchen, New Museum, Whitney Museum, Studio Museum in Harlem, and Joe’s Pub (NYC), LACMA, MOCA, Hammer Museum, REDCAT, LAXART, Schindler House (LA), SFMOMA (San Francisco), Aspen Art Museum (Aspen), ICA (Philadelphia), American Repertory Theater (Cambridge, MA), Power Plant (Toronto), Galleria Civica (Trento, Italy), De Appel (Amsterdam), El Matadero (Madrid), Peres Projects (Berlin), Torpedo (Oslo), Townhouse Gallery/Rawabet Theater (Cairo), and many others. The group has combined performance with installations and video in the solo exhibitions “Blood on the Cat’s Neck” at the Goethe-Institut’s Wyoming Building, New York, 2014; “Universal Declaration of Infantile Anxiety Situations Reflected in the Creative Impulse” at Gallery 400, University of Illinois, Chicago, 2014, and Susanne Vielmetter Los Angeles Projects, 2013; “PoLAAT: Together Forever?” at Yaffo 23, Jerusalem, Israel, 2013; “Flat Busted Window Beauty Fatale,” at Transformer Gallery, Washington DC, 2012; “Broke People’s Baroque Peoples’ Theater” at Human Resources, Los Angeles, 2012; “Ecos de los Ecos,” at Museo El Eco, Mexico City, 2010; “The Night Epi$ode” at the Hammer Museum, Los Angeles, 2010, and Participant Inc., New York, 2009; and in collaboration with Lara Schnitger, “Dance Witches Dance,” at the Luckman Gallery, Los Angeles, 2009, and Museum Het Domain, Sittard, NL, 2008. The group has been included in the 2014 Whitney Biennial, 2009 Baltic Triennial, 2008 and 2006 California Biennials, 2007 Montreal Biennial, and 2007 and 2005 Performa Biennials, and has participated in numerous group shows and festivals. My Barbarian has received grants from the Foundation for Contemporary Art (2013), Creative Capital (2012), City of Los Angeles Cultural Affiars (2010), and Art Matters (2008). Their work has been discussed in the New Yorker, New York Times, LA Times, Artforum, Art in America, Frieze, Texte zur Kunst, Bomb and various international newspapers, and by scholars including Shannon Jackson in The Drama Review, Tavia Nyong’o in Social Text, and José Muñoz in his book “Cruising Utopia: The Then and There of Queer Futurity.” My Barbarian is represented by Susanne Vielmetter Los Angeles Projects.

In addition to his work with My Barbarian, Malik Gaines has published numerous articles and essays and has curated exhibitions and performance programs. He holds a Ph.D, in Theater & Performance Studies from UCLA, and is Assistant Professor of Art at Hunter College, CUNY. He has presented collaborative work with Alexandro Segade as the collective Courtesy the Artists, at the Kitchen, the Studio Museum in Harlem, Recess Activities, and MoMA PS1. Segade has also presented solo performance work at the Judson Church, TBA Festival, Yerba Buena Center, LAXART, REDCAT and others. He has held teaching positions at Parsons, Cooper Union, and Columbia University and holds an MFA in Interdisciplinary Studio from UCLA. Jade Gordon holds an MA in Applied Theater from USC and has utilized Theater of the Oppressed techniques as a practitioner. She has taught at the Stella Adler Academy of Acting and the CalArts School of Theater. Gordon is on the programming committee of Human Resources LA and co-owner of Wombleton Records in Los Angeles.

Robert Hickerson (Video Production; Production Manager) Robert Hickerson is a video artist based in Brooklyn. He has worked with My Barbarian previously on “The Mother and Other Plays” at the Whitney Museum and Gallery 400, Chicago, and with Segade and Gaines on Courtesy the Artists at MoMA Ps1, the Kitchen, and Recess Activities. His solo work was recently included in the Ihaitibasel Festival in Miami and in a group show at the 99¢ Gallery in Brooklyn. His solo exhibition “Joan” was held at Ammo Studios, New York in 2014. Hickerson holds a BFA in Fine Arts from Parsons.

“The New York- and Los Angeles-based performance collective (Malik Gaines, Jade Gordon and Alexandro Segade), which since 2000 has camped, queered and estranged the history of leftist politics and the institutionalization of their own practice, offers an appropriately Brechtian hijacking of Brecht himself.”
By Nate Cohan, Art in America, Published March 19, 2014

“Their practice combines musical theater and visual art, and they engage theatrical forms like Augusto Boal’s “Theater of the Oppressed” with a decidedly queer, campy vigor.”
TEXTE ZUR KUNST, Published September, 20143