The Left Out Festival is an annual event presented by Cheryl King Productions at Stage Left Studio celebrating gay performance art in New York City. This two-week festival presents solo shows, small cast plays and evenings of monologues, all to benefit Bailey House and GMHC. We are proud Media Sponsors!
This year’s festival features new works by some of the powerhouses of previous authors and performers in the festival – such as Anthony Johnston, whose show Art’s Heart was voted Best Solo Show in the 2009 New York International Fringe Festival, and Frank Blocker, who presented his solo show Southern Gothic Novel in the first Left Out Festival. Frank followed that up with a six-month run of the show at Stage Left, and garnered a Drama Desk Award nomination. Other popular writers presenting new works in the festival include Brionne Davis, Topher Cusumano, and William LoCasto.
The Left Out Festival will feature these shows:
April 14th and 21st at 8 pm – NY/XY, a 3-man show written by William LoCasto, directed by Alex Beck, performed by Scott Harrison, Doug Thompson and Justin Henry.
In a review in nytheatre.com, Martin Denton says, “William LoCasto’s provocative new play NY/XY promises “two young men, an anonymous voice, and a lot of questions
about sex in New York City”—and indeed, when we enter Stage Left Studio, the two young men are already on stage, clad only in their underwear, apparently asleep. And when the lights go down, an unseen male voice starts asking these men—whose names are Michael and Danny—about their sex lives. Lots of very frank talk about gay sex ensues.”
April 15th and 23rd at 8 pm – Tenderpits, a sick new show from the creators of FringeNY 2009′s Outstanding Solo Show Winner, ART’S HEART
Performed by Anthony Johnston, directed by Nathan Schwartz www.tenderpits.com
“a dazzling display of versatility, charm and energy!” -Martin Denton, nytheatre.com
TENDERPITS tells the part-autobiographical/part-fictionalized story of a young wizard’s immigration from the wilderness of Canada to New York City. Tenderpits has come to America to impart a message of universal oneness and endless hope in the face of great obstacles. Tenderpits is a bestial prophet for 2010.
April 16th and 22nd at 8 pm – Shame, Simon, Shame, a 2-man play by Topher Cusumano, performed by Topher Cusumano and Mike Thatcher
Topher Cusumano’s new play, SHAME, SIMON, SHAME takes a look behind the leather mask of the fetish community and explores the concepts of normality, shame, and power, all while asking the question, “Is something real only because we believe in it?” The play is infused with stunning multimedia, designed and directed by Dan Kontz, taking the audience on a journey with Simon and his clients as they search for truth, love, and maybe a good hard spanking.
April 18th at 8 pm and April 24th at 3 pm – Monologues/Short Plays
These monologues and short plays deal with various issues – how gay friendships are formed and how they fall apart, vulnerability and loss, men meeting in bars, women in the 50′s who can’t acknowledge their sexuality, and the interface between religion and gay sexuality
How We Began written by Richard Ballon, performed by Josef Wille
No Childhood Left Behind, Part One – Fits and Starts, written and performed by Robin Goldfin
One Arm: Short Story by Tennessee Williams (script adapted by Brionne Davis) performed by Brionne Davis & Frank Blocker (April 18 only)
Shame, an excerpt from the one-man show Shame, written by Steve Morey, performed by Brionne Davis (April 18 only)
Old Time Jazz – a 2-man play written by Topher Cusumano and performed by Topher Cusumano & Frank Blocker
June and Nancy, written and performed by Michelle Ramoni (April 18 only)
Jesus, Liza and Me, written by Theresa Diamond, and performed by Sarah Koehler (April 24 only)
April 19th at 8 pm – Fearless Moral Inventory, a new solo show written and performed by Frank Blocker
Fearless Moral Inventory introduces the general public to 64 characters all of whom are channeled through Mr. Blocker; the single man on stage ruining his health to deliver this comedy about a group of people, the citizenry of the play, who have been forced to take complete honest stock of their lives and the lives of those around them.
What is called for here is complete HONESTY. What is also called for here is complete COURAGE. As these people grapple with the truth about themselves try not to judge them too harshly; but rather fairly and with love. The laughter is free. Those on stage being challenged to tell the truth come from many and varied walks of life: www.fearlessmoralinventory.com
Stage Left Studio is located at 438 W 37th Street 5A, NYC, just east of 37 Arts. Conveniently located between 9th and 10th Avenues, near the Port Authority and Penn Stations A, C or E line. Box office opens at 7 pm.
Tickets for the festival are $15. For more info or to purchase tickets, visit www.leftoutfestival.com. Remember, proceeds benefit Bailey House and GMHC!
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