Another Brick In The Comic Wall

Details

Parent Category: Other Festivals

Category: Theater

Published on Tuesday, 31 May 2011 05:00

Written by Elke Weiss

Take the art form of comic books and merge it with theater -- that's what the powers that be behind The Brick Theater in Brooklyn, New York did to forge their own unique festival, The Comic Book Theater Festival running from June 2 - July 1, 2011.

Celebrating comic books, something that invites collaborations between visual and dramatic artists, this festival presents a celebration of heroes through the ages.

The Greeks had their pantheon of heroes in Hercules and Hector, and today the geeks have their own heroes in Spiderman, Batman and Blade, among the many others. Even though the vases have been replaced by paper, the tales remain a primary influence in today’s culture and a continuation of the great chain of entertainment.

With tributes to Batman in Batz which celebrates the Dark Knight in its various incarnations, and women superheroes, who still have to perform the second shift of child rearing in All I Want Is One More Meanwhile (which explores a woman returning to superherohood to save her daughter), the festival has a wide range of shows to please any palate.

The Brick was founded in 2002 by Robert Honeywell and Michael Gardner. Formerly an auto-body shop, a yoga center, and various storage spaces, this brick-walled garage in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, was completely refurbished as a state-of-the-art performance space. Since then, The Brick has launched, produced and presented hundreds of world-premiere stage works from New York emerging artists and theater-makers from around the globe. 

The theater company is a proud member of New York’s burgeoning indie theater community and informal home to an ever-expanding family of artists and avid theatergoers. The Brick received a 2009 New York Innovative Theatre Foundation Caffé Cino Fellowship Award for being "an Off-Off Broadway theatre company that consistently produces outstanding work."

The Comic Book Theater Festival Free Preview Cabaret
Thursday, June 2 @ 8pm FREE
If you consider each five-minute preview from one of the festivals many shows as a panel, will stringing them together into a single evening make it a full-on theatrical comic book? Come find out!

Carousel
Hosted by R. Sikoryak
Saturday, June 4 @ 9pm
Carousel is a series of cartoon slide shows and other projected pictures, presented by a wide array of comic-strip makers, graphic novelists, visual artists, and other characters. The presentations are a hybrid, somewhat reminiscent of a radio show (usually with live narration, often with music and sound effects) combined with wildly creative imagery.

From stick figures, to lush illustrations, to the occasional photograph, Carousel embraces all forms of visual storytelling. While many presentations share a sense of humor, the stories vary greatly in theme; some are autobiographical, some historical or educational, and others are philosophical or fanciful.

Mastermind
Created by Jason Robert Bell & Joe Infurnari
Presented by Caveman Robot
Friday, June 10 @ 11pm
Mastermind is an immersive staging of an elaborate, futuristic multimedia "game," waged between two "Hyperestheticnaut" players (artists that have prepared half of an agreed-upon epic story of cosmic battles between forces of Order and Chaos), with "play" to be administered by a projected game master, who acts as a conductor and master of ceremonies.

The players attack and counterattack each other as if in a chess match. However, the goal is not the decimation of combaters, but the production of a great work of art. Inspired by The Glass Bead Game by Hermann Hesse, Mastermind proposes to present an actual contest, a battle of wits between two artists, merging a shared vision into a cosmic battle that appears as a holographic live human-chessboard area where once there was a theater.

Nerdlesque: Comic Fest Edition
Saturday, June 11 @ 11pm $10
On June 11, a hot, hot bevy of geeks and other social misfits will explore the sexier side of comic book culture through the medium of burlesque. Power up the Blackbird, hop onto your Silver Surfboard, leap into your Owlship, and come experience the tantalizing geekfest that is Nerdlesque. Featuring our headliner, Mary Cyn, along with Dr. Fluxxx, Dangrrr Doll, Hazel Honeysuckle, Ginny Gems, Ricky and your ever-gracious hosts, Makin’ Whoopie and Dick E. Lovejoy. To be followed by multiple games of Strip Pictionary!

Comic Strip Club
Saturday, June 18 @ 10pm $10, $5 in superhero costume
An action-packed evening of performance, music and dancing featuring a Live Drawing Event with artist R. Sikoryak, Alexis Sottile’s short play Zephyr vs. Solar Flare, The Confetti Myth, a short film by Afternoon Playland, and more. Superhero costumes strongly encouraged!

FILM SCREENING

Afternoon Playland Presents: The Confetti Myth
Written by Gavin Starr Kendall
Directed by Gavin Starr Kendall, John Ivy and Shawn Wickens
Sock puppet extraordinaries Afternoon Playland bring you the creation myth of one of the most important objects in human history...confetti. Where did it come from? Who first used it? Why should I care? A teenage boy named Starr knows. And he's about to show the whole wide world.

This 7-minute film will be screened before select Comic Book Theater Festival performances

DOUBLE BILL

Captain Moonbeam and Lynchpin
Written by James Comtois
Presented by Nosedive Productions
When Alex was just an adolescent, his father killed himself. He was dressed in a superhero costume, and his suicide note claimed he lived a double life as a costumed crime fighter. Now in his 20s, Alex obsesses over his father’s secret diaries and wonders, was his father just crazy, or did he genuinely live his life heroically?
Double Bill with
Savior
Written by Brian Silliman
Savor Gattagis is a geeky slacker who has completely lost interest in his job. When the mysterious conglomerate assigns him a new caseworker to motivate him, he begins to take a new interest in the meaningless files he works with. Blending the notions of superheroes, science fiction, and chamber dramedy, Savior seeks to discover just how far some people are willing to go in order to get the job done.
Thu 6/21 @ 7pm, Fri 6/24 @ 7pm, Sat 6/25 @ 5pm & Sun 6/26 @ 2pm

The DEEP
Created by Adrian Jevicki
Presented by Movementpants Dance
Movementpants Dance continues to offer its unique dance experiences with its dance and video concoction, The DEEP. The DEEP is a theatrical exploration of a secret underwater cave in the Amazon River as conceived in the lusty pages of a ’70s-era French adventure comic. It is also the result of what happens when you flatten relationships into 2 dimensions while simultaneously expanding the 2-D architecture of the comic book page into 3 dimensions. What does that mean? A dance. Movementpants Dance.
Double Bill with
Savage Radio Plays
Co-created & Directed by Daniel P. Fay and Andrew Livingston
Presented by Daniel Fay Studios
Savage Radio Plays is a radio serial based on a fictional 1920s pulp novel. It is a fantastical trip that celebrates two classical American genres, adapted for the stage by employing an array of puppets, voice actors, and Foley art. Join the thrilling adventures of Commander Zip Pulsar and his intrepid crew of the space ship Comet 3, as they blast off into uncharted reaches of space. Robots, giant space octopi, and beautiful aliens await you, so gather around your wireless, fasten your space helmet, and strap in!
Wed 6/8 @ 7pm, Fri 6/10 @ 9pm, Sat 6/11 @ 5pm & Thu 6/16 @ 7pm

OFF-SITE

Mrs. Perfect! A 10-Minute Episodic Rock Musical in a Van
Episode One: "Mrs. Perfect and the Unexpected Visit of Evil!"
Written by Crystal Skillman
Directed by James David Jackson
Presented by Theater in a VAN!
Mrs. Perfect, an ex-superheroine disgraced from her "indie" superhero community, finds herself drawn back into the "Super Game" by her old arch lady villains to fight a new common enemy: her ex and only love, Mr. Perfect. But in this age of superhero inequality, can these lady superheroes and villains get it together to unite and throw down with the "big boys" or are they doomed to remain sidekicks forever? All staged in a van, which at once transforms into everything from an invisible jet to Super Island, Mrs. Perfect! digs deep into a timely but timeless issue with crazy humor, puppets, and, oh yeah, rock songs.
All performances of Mrs. Perfect! will take place in a van parked at or near The Brick
6/10 @ 8pm, 6/11 @ 8pm, 6/12 @ 7pm, 6/17 @ 8pm, 6/18 @ 9:30pm, 6/24 @ 8pm, 6/25 @ 8pm, & 7/1 @ 8pm

MAINSTAGE

Action Philosophers!
Comic Book by Fred Van Lente and Ryan Dunlavey
Adapted by Crystal Skillman
Directed by John Hurley
Presented by Impetuous Theater Group
The award-winning, best-selling comics series Action Philosophers is adapted for the stage by award-winning playwright Crystal Skillman and directed by John Hurley as the lives and thoughts of history's A-list brain trust leap to the stage in manic, hilarious fashion. Come meet PLATO -- Wrestling Superstar of Ancient Greece! NIETZSCHE -- The Original Übermensch! The premiere of the mini-musical "You're a Good Man, JOHN STUART MILL!" The torrid love affairs of AYN RAND! And more! Cheaper than a liberal arts degree -- and a whole lot more fun, too!
New Performance Schedule!
Thu 6/23 @ 7pm. Tue 6/28 @ 7pm, Wed 6/29 @ 7pm & Fri 7/1 @ 7pm

All I Want is One More Meanwhile
Written by Kelly Jean Fitzsimmons
Directed by Ivanna Cullinan
Presented by White Girl with a Fat Ass Productions
Twenty years ago she was Perfectra, an artificially engineered superhero impervious to humanity’s flaws. Today, she is Jane, a real woman who gave up power and perfection to become a mother. But estranged from her daughter and battling against a no-longer-perfect physique is not the ending she planned on! Discovering her daughter has not only been kidnapped by a canine-controlling criminal but worse still, engaged to a local superhero—can this supermom stand by and let her daughter spend her life dangling in distress? Especially as she suspects her daughter might have a secret of her own . . .
Sat 6/4 @ 5pm, Sun 6/5 @ 8:30pm, Thu 6/9 @ 7pm & Sat 6/11 @ 7pm

Batz
Written & Directed by Josh Mertz and Erik Bowie
One morning in a small office, a downtrodden employee arrives at his desk to find his computer broken. He discovers reading material at his desk, and starts to recite it aloud. At first his coworkers hardly notice. But after a series of strange coincidences . . . If you follow the New York theater scene, you may think you know where this is going. But, mix in classic Bat stories and a cast of harried office loons playing dozens of characters, and you’ve got a light-hearted tribute to the Dark Knight as you’ve never seen him! And it’s a lot shorter than six hours!
Updated Schedule!
Thu 6/16 @ 8:45pm, Sun 6/19 @ 2pm, Sat 6/25 @ 8:30pm & Tue 6/28 @ 8:45pm

The Bubble of Solace
Written & Directed by Jeff Lewonczyk
Presented by Piper McKenzie Productions
A.J. has his dream job—running a comic-book shop that doubles as a shrine to all of his favorite obscure classics. It doesn’t even matter that no one else shares his obsessions -- when he closes the doors at night, his immersive relationship with his favorite titles makes the rest of the world disappear. But with his shop in jeopardy, he finds that the stories no longer behave as expected, and he’s forced to reckon with his feelings about his equally odd mother, the pretty girl who runs the sex-toy shop next door, and a strange fan who possesses a secret about A.J.’s past.
Sat 6/25 @ 10:15pm, Sun 6/26 @ 4pm, Thu 6/30 @ 7pm & Fri 7/1 @ 8:45pm

Death Boogie
Written & Performed by Darian Dauchan
Directed by Jennifer McGrath
With music by The Mighty Third Rail
Presented by DDNMB
Death Boogie is a Hip Hop Poetry Musical that follows the fictional story of Victor Spartan, a blue collar worker who lives a comatose lifestyle by day, and at night hears the poetic sounds of revolution. A political romp with a Pee Wee Herman meets Che Guevara–type flare. Through the combination of music and comic book illustrations, Death Boogie is a whimsical examination on the notion of martyrdom, altruism, and courage through the stories of a Greek Titan, a soldier, a child, a cheetah, a suicide bomber, and pop culture movies.
Fri 6/17 @ 8:45pm, Sat 6/18 @ 3pm & Sun 6/19 @ 6pm

Drawn Out Storytelling
Directed by Nisse Greenberg
How do you tell a story? With words? Music? Images? Drawn Out Storytelling does it with all three. Come watch as storytellers recount the tragic, hilarious, and heartwarming events of their lives, accompanied by comic artists and musicians who provide their own interpretation of each story. From drawing live murals to comic strips populated by stickers, each story will come to life through a supplementary visual medium.
Sat 6/18 @ 5:30pm, Fri 6/24 @ 8:45pm, Sun 6/26 @ 8pm & Wed 6/29 @ 8:45pm

Five Things
Written by Jillian Tully
Directed by Amy Overman
Presented by Handtruck Lobster
What would you do if a stranger made you—a disenchanted former dreamer—promise to do five terrifying things in the coming year? What would you do if you were a scientific genius who also happens to be a calico cat? In the spirit of Calvin and Hobbes and Get Fuzzy, Five Things is a webcomic brought to life, taking on such day-to-day subjects as online dating, Fairy Dragmothers, open-mic nights, tap dancing, opposable thumbs and the pursuit of happiness.
Performance Added!
Sat 6/4 @ 3pm, Sun 6/5 @ 6:30pm, Fri 6/10 @ 7pm, & Sun 6/12 @ 6pm

Funnybook/Tragicbook
Written by Adam McGovern
Directed by Ian W. Hill
Funnybook/Tragicbook is a repertory evening of moody, atmospheric, modern comic literature and farcical pop-art nostalgia. In "Underworld," a tense one-character monologue, surreal circumstances lead the 20th century’s greatest psychoanalyst to encounter its most despised dictator, a war of century-defining ideologies in which both figures' illusions are defeated. In "Norrga the Thunderer," a radio play staged like a campus low-culture seminar, an arctic god’s father issues mirror the generational conflicts of his comic book's 1960s readership -- all similarities to mythic and multiplex Vikings purely coincidental!
Performance Added!
Sat 6/4 @ 7pm, Tue 6/7 @ 8:45pm, Tue 6/14 @ 8pm & Sun 6/19 @ 8pm

Galactic Girl in: Attack of the Starbarians!
Written & Directed by Jon Hoche
In a futuristic world reeling from a dark infinite civil crisis, Galactic Girl leads the charge in bringing peace and order to the cosmos. She’s the best at what she does with a booty that just don’t quit. Under the command of General Fu Fu, Galactic Girl journeys to the planet of Starbaria with her compatriot Pixel and new recruit Moxie-5 to capture the leader of the savage Starbarians. Unexpected obstacles lead team Galactic Girl on a wild ride. Come see Galactic Girl in: Attack of the Starbarians, a Sci-Fi adventure jam-packed with hot girls, great fights, dances breaks, laughter, and so much more.
Sat 6/11 @ 9pm, Sun 6/12 @ 4pm, Wed 6/15 @ 7pm & Thu 6/30 @ 9pm

Gutter Space
Written by Keith Boynton
Directed by Ben Kamine
What happens between the panels of a comic book? In the industry, they’re known as "gutters" -- the narrow white spaces between moments of frozen action. Gutter Space explores this nebulous world, where superhuman heroes confront eternal human questions like Who am I? What is the purpose of my existence? and Who might be willing to kiss me?
Performance Added!
Fri 6/3 @ 7pm, Sun 6/5 @ 2pm Tue 6/7 @ 7pm, & Thu 6/9 @ 9pm

Manifesto
Written by Jasper Patterson and Sarah Al-Kassab
Directed by Jasper Patterson
Presented by The New Eccentrics
Lauded as "truly innovative and engaging," The New Eccentrics come from the underground West Coast variety scene to present a Dada-cabaret, pop-up book/live graphic novel. Their unique style stitches together surrealist puppetry, high fashion design, and the history of vaudeville trickery, creating a seamless magical world that brings the comic strip into the third dimension. With their feet planted in a vintage circus/variety tradition and their minds soggy with the frayed media of the YouTube generation, they expose the hidden structure of myth, illusion, and wonder, weaving them all together with immersive madcap chaos and blurring the line between reality and symbolism.
Thu 6/23 @ 8:45pm, Fri 6/24 @ 11pm & Sat 6/25 @ 7pm

Our Greatest Year
Written & Directed by Robert Attenweiler
Presented by Disgraced Productions
Our Greatest Year is a blend of live theater and motion comic that examines a year in the life of a Cleveland, Ohio sports blogger in conjunction with the city’s 2007 sports year, in which each of its three major teams flirt with greatness only to end (predictably, if you ask anyone from Cleveland) in failure. An American Splendor–style dark comedy, Our Greatest Year is about trying to create a life that can sustain us, even while reality consistently disappoints our expectations. Absolutely nothing can go as well as planned, but this still might be our greatest year.
Fri 6/17 @ 7pm, Wed 6/22 @ 7pm, Sat 6/25 @ 3pm & Sun 6/26 @ 6pm

Reporter Girl
Written by Laura Rohrman
Directed by Erica Gould
Workshop Production $10
Reporter Girl is the story of Dale Messick, America’s first female syndicated cartoonist, famous for creating Brenda Starr, Reporter in 1940. The play weaves together a narrative that spans four decades and includes family history, actual cartoon-strip plotlines and characters, and most important of all -- fantasy -- to create a portrait of an artist as a creator, mother, and grandmother. The cartoonist’s maternal granddaughter, Laura Rohrman, wrote the play.
Fri 6/3 @ 8:45pm, Sun 6/5 @ 4pm & Sun 6/12 @ 8pm

Spaceship Alexandria
Created by Dan Cottle and Jon Cottle
Presented by Bardic Tortoise
A rock show that tells a story of a library spaceship, left to drift out on the edge of the known universe, stuffed with the sum of human knowledge: a reasonable “redundant server” for the accumulated mental wealth of humankind in case of some earthly disaster and as a last, half-hearted attempt at first contact with alien life. The piece will explore the role of personhood, gender, and sexuality in artificial-intelligence technology and its place in a politically-conservative future society where humans are seemingly alone in the universe, relatively stable on Earth, and a great number of people take this as evidence for man’s rightful dominion over the universe.
Wed 6/15 @ 8:45pm, Fri 6/17 @ 11pm, Sat 6/18 @ 8pm & Sun 6/19 @ 4pm

For more info go to: www.bricktheater.com

The Comic Book Theater Festival
June 2 - July 1, 2011

The Brick
575 Metropolitan Avenue
Brooklyn, NY 11211

• < Prev
• Next >