#Azure D. Osborne-Lee

[caroleditosti]

'Mirrors' by Azure D. Osborne-Lee at NEXT DOOR @NYTW

‘Mirrors’ by Azure D. Osborne-Lee at NEXT DOOR @NYTW

(L to R): Joyia D. Bradley, Suzanne Darrell, Kayland Jordan, Anthony Goss, in ‘Mirrors,’ by Azure D. Osborne-Lee, directed by Ludovica Villar-Hauser (John Quilty)

Mirrors, the superb play by Azure D. Osborne-Lee, seminally directed by Ludovica Villar-Hauser is currently at NEXT DOOR @NYTW.  In the production Osborne-Lee examines how painful reflections that mirror hidden events from our past…

[yourdailyqueer]

Azure D. Osborne-Lee

Gender: Transgender man (he/they)

Sexuality: Queer

DOB: 18 September 1984

Ethnicity: African American

Occupation: Screenwriter, playwright, actor, director, producer

[thenoticeblog]

Here's How I Filmed "MIRRORS" in FOUR DAYS

Director’s Note

11.09.21 “How do you shoot a movie in FOUR Days?”

So, when I was asked to direct & produce the film adaption of MIRRORS, we were faced with a daunting issue: Instead of the usual 28-35 days needed to shoot this film adaption, we only had four.

So, the question became: “How do we shoot this in FOUR days?” Yep, that’s right FOUR DAYS. I got to thinking, scheming, and dreaming, and eventually, here were my solutions:

1. Test Movie - I didn’t just draft a shot list. And I didn’t just painstakingly write out each and every step for camera blocking in that shot list too. I literally shot a test movie w/ nearly every desired camera movement, lens, focal length, etc.

Then I cut it all together in Pre-Production. This was so that everyone cast & crew could see what exactly we were doing in each scene. It was imperative to do this since we only had our Cinematographer for a couple of rehearsals and that was it.

2. 360-Lighting - I drafted the lighting scheme and budget for a lighting rig that would cast beautiful shadows w/ soft overhead light. Then, I leaned on the expertise of my gaffer Dominik Czaczyk to tweak and add suggestions in making it work.

3. Black Space - We hung 20ft black velour curtains from the scaffolding, then set about virtually removing everything that wasn’t covered in rich Black, sun-soaking duvetyn. I was driving some of the crew nuts, but that attention to detail is what paid off in the end.

Apart from the ADR, most of my post-production work in this piece was Audio Remastering & fixing the artifacts found in the Black Space from the first day we really used the 360-lighting.

You’ll be surprised how much you’ll have to hide in an entire room. However, this allowed us to make more cuts between different takes and edit for continuity errors. However, Creating the Black Space (both visually and metaphorically) became a far more complex element in this film than just that. It involved planning, experimenting, adapting, and execution. From drafting the schematics for the soft overhead lighting rig to covering EVERYTHING in the background with a soft non-reflective material. The Black Space at the very beginning was a crucial part of this reimagining. I had to take certain care with the details, even when they seemed almost inconsequential during principal photography- proved well worth it during post. It allows the audience to focus their attention on what truly matters in the scene. This aesthetic also allowed for seamless transitions between scenes, which brought us deeper into our protagonist's perspective. - Paul N. Always Question. Always Explore.

Synopsis

Set in the sleepy Mississippi town of Etheridge in the summer of 1960, MIRRORS depicts the lives of three African-American women bound by love and loss and family, and the secrets of their shared past.

When 17-year-old Alma Jean finds her mother dead, she must pack up her life and move in with her mother's ex-lover, a woman she doesn't know. Her new guardian, Bird Wilson, is the town pariah and unused to sharing her home. Will mourning the death of a shared loved one bring Alma Jean and Bird together or push them further apart?

Film Directed & Edited by Paul A. Notice II

Stage Directed by Ludovica Villar-Hauser 

Written by Azure D. Osborne-Lee

Starring Suzanne Darrell Ashley Noel Jones

A Letter to the Crew:

This was a result of a collective effort: from George, Alessandro & Seth (the Grips) helping set the lights, purchase materials, and build out the soft overhead light rig; to Dennis (DP) and conjuring excellent lighting solutions and expertise during the shoot. From Katrina (1st AD) keeping us on schedule while being the first in and last out each night, to Mano (Sound Mixer) gifting us with excellent audio and best practices advice. From the Renaissance-like expertise and remarkable dedication of Dominik (Gaffer, Boom Operator, Steadicam Operator), to Kurt (1st AC) pulling focus under pressure. 

 I had the vision, but ya’ll had the Juice. And I am forever thankful.

- Paul N.

This program is supported, in part, by public funds from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the New York City Council.

[blackqueertheatre]

What’s Happening Now

Tristan Flournoy

Openly gay Black artists like Robert O’Hara and George C. Wolfe have created work about Black queer life over three decades, but their numbers were fewer and far between. The difference now is the sheer volume of diverse queer voices. Some are even calling it a renaissance.

“The intersection of queerness and Blackness is vast and complex, with identities occupying their own spaces and offering their own perspectives. This community is not a monolith, but rather a tapestry of different experiences of being othered and oppressed.” - quote from Playbill

“While many Black artists are generating work that are nuanced and empowering, and even dissecting of the white gaze, there are still just as many works that default towards “enterpainment.” -American Theatre

“Most stories featuring queer characters of color forefront the atrocities that inherently arise from the stigmatization of one’s sexual agency and one’s race. Rather than showcasing the beauty within the full expression of queerness—such as falling in love or (in A Strange Loop) standing up to your parents—too often writers are defaulting to trauma.” -American Theatre

New playwrights: Aziza Barnes, Azure D. Osborne-Lee: An award-winning Black, queer theatre maker, is the founder of Roots and River Productions and was a member of the inaugural Trans Theater Lab cohort. Mirrors, Osborne-Lee’s first full-length work to receive a full-fledged production, premiered at Next Door at NYTW in February., Brandon Jacob’s-Jenkins, C.A. Johnson, Carmen LoBue, Donneta Lavinia Grays, Michael R. Jackson, Ianne Fields Stewart: Ianne Fields Stewart (pronouns: she/her/they/them) is a black, queer, and transfeminine New York-based storyteller working at the intersection of theatre and activism. Their work and she are dedicated to interrupting the exclusivity of luxury by making things like entertainment, nourishment, and self care accessible to the most marginalized in their community. In a world that is constantly traumatizing Black bodies she believes that Black queer and trans people should have the space and time to center collective emotional, physical, and sensual pleasure., Trey Anthony, Nissy Aya, Owen Dodson, Angelina Weld Grimke, Tracey Scott Wilson, Tarrell Alvin Mcraney, Robert O’Hara, Tanya Barfield, D’bi Young

@BTFACollective, @BwayAdvocacy, @bcefa, @MTFMusicals, @NationalQueerTheater, @TheEachOtherProject, @TheOkraProject, @TransLabTheater

What makes these plays radical is their candor, addressing the audience with frank depictions of queer Black life. Most importantly, these are plays that are creating discourse on what artist Lora Mathis calls radical softness, or “the idea that unapologetically sharing your emotions is a political move and a way to combat the societal idea that feelings are a sign of weakness.”

Not to mention the playwrights who identify as queer but whose plays aren’t chiefly about LGBTQ life: Colman Domingo (Dot), Marcus Gardley (The House That Will Not Stand), Jonathan Norton (My Tidy List of Terrors), Timothy DuWhite (Neptune), Keelay Gipson (#NewSlaves), Korde Arrington Tuttle (clarity), Jirèh Breon Holder (Too Heavy for Your Pocket) and Derek Lee McPhatter (Bring the Beat Back)

https://blacktransmedia.wixsite.com/blacktransmedia

“Black Trans Media is a project based in Brooklyn led by and for Black Trans and Gender Non-Conforming (TGNC) communities that works at the intersections of arts, media, education, and organizing to address racism and transphobia. We are creating a world where black trans folks are uplifted in our communities and in control of our own narratives and futures.”

https://marshap.org

https://www.podcastofcolor.com

“Podcast of color came about by the four of us feeling there was a void in the media for queer voices. We wanted to offer our own ideas, thoughts, and commentary to the podcasting realm in hopes that we could connect with, heal, and inspire others to be the best they could be.”

https://theadroitjournal.org/issue-twenty-a-conversation-with-aziza-barnes-the-adroit-journal/

“I’d say the act & art of listening. Just listen to women of color. & believe them. like for real. believe what they say. & follow that belief into immediate & concrete action. That’s how we make the literary world safer.” -Aziza Barnes

Citation:

Huynh, Lynn. “Issue Twenty: A Conversation with Aziza Barnes: The Adroit Journal.” The Adroit Journal, 25 Jan. 2019, https://theadroitjournal.org/issue-twenty-a-conversation-with-aziza-barnes-the-adroit-journal/.

[writemarcus]

DOWNTOWN URBAN ARTS FESTIVAL Celebrates Its Sweet 16

by BWW News Desk Feb. 16, 2018  

This year marks the Season Sweet 16 for the powerful Downtown Urban Arts Festival (DUAF).

The five-week art & culture showcase supplying audiences with live stage works, independent film, cutting-edge music and envelope-pushing poetry, will take up residence in some of lower Manhattan's most thrilling and celebrated spaces.

Running from April 7 through May 12, artists with their finger on the pulse of what the city is thinking will present their works at Theatre 80 St. Marks, Tribeca Film Center, New York Live Arts, Joe's Public at The Public Theater, and Nuyorican Poets Café.

The original theater series (Downtown Urban Theater Festival) was founded in 2001 for the purpose to build a repertoire of new American theater that echoes the true spirit of urban life and speaks to a new generation whose lives defy categorizing along conventional lines. That purpose has since been realized in more than 200 plays created and refined for the stage by more than 170 writers from America's burgeoning multicultural landscape. The addition of film and culture has made DUAF a marriage of the original Fringe Festival and Cannes.

DUAF is produced by Creative Ammo Inc. (CA), a nonprofit community development organization for artists focused on building stronger communities founded in 1998. CA has created solid programs to strengthen communities, foster creativity and celebrate life through art. Artists are an important leverage point in its work. Its mission is to cultivate vibrant communities by connecting artists with the skills and services they need to develop their talent into a marketable skill to pursue a career in the arts. Its programs are inclusive, open and embrace diverse ideas and art forms, and target communities of color and other underrepresented multicultural, women and LGBTQ populations.

This year, the opening night celebration will feature The Voice finalist and teenage sensation, Wé McDonald, who will perform live at Joe's Pub at The Public Theater.

DUAF's film series features the finest works from a search that yielded more than 1,400 submissions for around the world.

And finally, this year's poetry season, called WORDS MATTER, will be a community poetry slam and forum on current social issues. Local poets and audience members can recite their best poems and compete for a cash prize. 2016 Nuyorican Grand Slam Champion Jaime Lee Lewis is the host and special guests have included Lifetime Achievement American Book Award winner, Miguel Algarin.

PERFORMANCE SCEHDULE FOR LIVE THEATER, FILM, POETRY, AND MUSIC

Joe's Pub @ THE PUBLIC 425 LAFAYETTE ST, NEW YORK CITY SATURDAY, APRIL 7 7:00 PM (TICKETS: $30)

Wé McDonald - NBC TV's "The Voice" finalist, Wé McDonald, brings her jazz & pop artistry to this much-anticipated, one-night-only performance. Opening Season 11 of The Voice with a four-chair turn, Wé went on to represent Alicia Keys in the finals and finished third for the season.

NEW YORK LIVE ARTS 219 W 19TH STREET, NEW YORK CITY TICKETS: $20

FRIDAY, APRIL 13 @ 7:00 PM

THE VAST MYSTERY OF WHO YOU ARE BY Kim Yaged An irreverent, hard-hitting exploration of love via sex parties and philosophical sparring about the nature of relationships.

SATURDAY, APRIL 14 @ 7:00 PM

GAY.PORN.MAFIA BY Joe Gulla Bronx, LA, SoHo to Ibiza! Porn Stars, Gay Priests, Mafia Dons and Abstract Expressionists! Smart! Fun! Funny! Fearless! "Gay.Porn.Mafia" has it all! Grab your ticket! Leave the gun! Take the cannoli! You'll feel like "family" and laugh out loud (emphasis on "out"!) It's the same-sex, Italian-style, x-rated offer you can't refuse!

THEATRE 80 ST. MARKS 80 ST MARKS PLACE, NEW YORK CITY TICKETS: $20

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 18 @ 8:00 PM

SUBLET BY Alisa Zhulina Christy, an overworked hospital resident, new to New York City, sublets a room from an artist working on a mysterious sculpture. Things start to get scary, or is it just Christy's imagination? What's really going on in this express journey to NYC roommate hell fueled by outsized artistic ambition.

AMERICAN TRANQUILITY BY Daniel Damiano A southern retiree, an Iranian subway station poet and percussionist, a talk-radio show host and a Brooklyn existentialist reflect on the human divide in 21st century America.

THURSDAY APRIL 19 @ 8:00 PM

STRINGS BY Charles Curtis A detective turned modern day vigilante, a lawyer with an ulterior motive, and the strings that bind them both. They each find that neither is truly innocent, and that no matter how fast we run our past catches up with us eventually.

FRIDAY, APRIL 20 @ 8:00 PM

THE STRONG MAN BY J.E. Robinson Decades ago, at the head of his gang, Pearl Crabtree was strong enough to kill any man. Is he now strong enough to kill one of his own?

CORPORATESTHENICS BY Baindu Dafina Kalokoh From unsuccessfully climbing the corporate ladder to fearlessly summiting Mount Everest, Black Television Network's favorite physical trainer premieres the newest edition to her record selling fitness program. Her unique strength and conditioning techniques are essential to breaking glass ceilings in every profession.

SATURDAY, APRIL 21 @ 8:00 PM

HELP ME GET OVER YOU BY Rollin Jewett John is in love with Phyllis. Unfortunately, he only realizes it after he breaks up with her. Now she's moved on and John can't seem to get her out of his mind. What's a lovestruck fool to do? Ask her to help him get over her, of course. The question is: What's in it for her?

A CIVILIZED WORLD BY ANGHUS HOUVOURAS An opioid addict is sentenced to death in the near future where being an unproductive member of society is a capital offense. The play centers on the condemned, Eleanor Reed, and her final conversation with Andrew Goodman, a life long government shill tasked with explaining the value of her sacrifice.

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 25 @ 8:00 PM

BLOOD ORANGE BY MARCUS SCOTT Blood Orange explores the fetishization of black male bodies, hook-up culture, the nature of interracial gay relationships and sexual encounters, power play and upward mobility.

MIRRORS BY Azure D. Osborne-Lee Mirrors is the story of two women mourning the death of a loved one while sifting through the secrets of a shared past.

THURSDAY, APRIL 26 @ 8:00 PM

TRASH TALK BY ALANO P. BAEZ Trash Talk is a taut and troubling tale of two dregs of society who rap, scrap, quip and play craps while slowly suffocating under the weight of wasted lives.

SAILING STONES BY JUAN RAMIREZ, JR. At rock bottom, Jaime forces his god-fearing best friend, Charlie, out into the Death Valley desert to finally prove once and for all if a god exists. Who will save them?

FRIDAY, APRIL 27 @ 8:00 PM

THE FAN BY Adam Seidel A famous novelist sits on a park bench reading when she is approached by a fan who wants more than just an autograph.

THE DIPLOMATS BY NELSON DIAZ-MARCANO Two days before election night 2016, close friends Annie and Carlos are having a little reunion on his first visit back in New York City. It can only take one person to change world events, but at this reunion two days before the 2016 Presidential election - it's world events that do the changing.

SATURDAY, APRIL 28 @ 8:00 PM

ATACAMA BY AUGUSTO FEDERICO AMADOR Thirty years after the dirty wars waged by the General Pinochet regime on the Chilean people. Two strangers; a mother and father, search the Atacama Desert for their buried loved ones and discover there are darker truths awaiting them underneath the hard sands of the Atacama.

SATURDAY, APRIL 22 @ 7:00PM

NUYORICAN POETS CAFÉ 236 E 3RD ST, NEW YORK CITY TICKETS: $12

WORDS MATTER POETRY SLAM Repair! Reform! Transform! Calling all poets with poetic words about today's social issues and social conscious people. Hosted by Nuyorican Poetry Slam winner Jaime Lee Lewis with special guest poets include Reg E. Gaines, Tony nominated writer/poet, and Miguel Algarin, the founder of the Nuyorican Poets Cafe. Sign up for poetry slam starting at 6:30pm.

TRIBECA FILM CENTER 375 GREENWICH ST, NEW YORK CITY TICKETS; $15

TUESDAY, MAY 8 @ 7:00 PM

FREMONT (OREGON/7 MIN.) Directed by Ryo Jepson Inspired by the numerous news headlines in late 2016 and early 2017, Fremont examines the repercussions of an exhausted police officer's split-second decision while pursuing a suspect. Following the suspect's capture the nature of the crime and the suspect's role in it reveals both the profound and unexpected effect it has on everyone involved in the case.

THE REHEARSAL (FRANCE/7 MIN.) Directed by Léa Frédeval Stephane dreams to become a comedian. Carole dreams of a pay raise.

THE SUITCASE (CANADA/12 MIN.) Directed by Philip Leung Discover how a little girl uses her imagination to conquer the darkness during a turbulent journey inside a suitcase.

VAGABONDS (USA/NIGER/16 MIN.) Directed by Magaajyia Silberfeld Starring Magaajyia Silberfeld, Robert Richard, Daniel Marley, Danny Glover A homeless African student in LA meets a washed-up movie star whose life is surprisingly similar to hers.

WEDNESDAY, MAY 9 @ 7:00 PM

ELENA (COSTA RICA/22 MIN.) Directed by Ayerim Villanueva Some people irreversibly change your present.

ALMOST SAW THE SUNSHINE (UNITED KINGDOM/30 MIN.) Directed by Leon Lopez Rachel is a young aspiring transgender woman. After a series of coincidental encounters with a handsome man, she impulsively takes a chance on a one-night stand that will change her life forever.

AYSHA (COSTA RICA/20 MIN.) Directed by Fon Cortizo Aysha is a young energetic voice emerging from the Middle East. Poetry and creativity are her weapons with which to change an expectant post-Arab-Spring society.

THURSDAY, MAY 10 @ 7:00 PM

SOÑADORA (CALIFORNIA/10MIN.) Directed by Maria Altamirano A hardworking high school senior faces circumstances beyond her control that may hinder her path to college.

SONGS OF WILD ANIMALS (MEXICO/12 MIN.) Directed by Mara Weber Songs of Wild Animals is the story of a young girl who lost her brother, best friend and mentor. With a lot of fantasy she relives him in another dimension as the eagle he always dreamed to be.

THE VIRGIN AND THE PROSTITUTE (FLORIDA/16 MIN.) Directed by Maria Jose Noriega Pedroza A nun who works at a hospital and a prostitute who's visiting her diseased child get trapped together in an elevator. While their prejudices drive them apart, at first, their similarities will ultimately bring them together.

THE SECOND PROVINCE (NEW YORK/19 MIN.) Directed by Zorinah Juan Two estranged Filipino-American siblings are forced to reunite when their offbeat mother elects death with dignity before the end of the week.

AND STILL WE LOVE (NEW YORK/8 MIN.) Directed by Erika Santosuosso Amidst a tumultuous political climate, a couple fights to find the beauty in the face of an indefinite separation.

FRIDAY, MAY 11 @ 7:00 PM

SPIN (FRANCE/15 MIN.) Directed by Leticia Belliccini One evening in Autumn, Mallard and his wife are assaulted at the corner of a street. There ensued an infernal race where he will be successively the witness, the author and the victim of what would prove to be the key of its existence.

ASYLUM PARK (INDIA/20 MIN.) Directed by Shanu Sharma A chance meeting in a park in Berlin proves to be fortuitous for two strangers, faced with uncertainty of their immigrant status and scraping circumstances.

9.58 (FRANCE/15 MIN.) Directed by Louis Aubert Djal is sixteen years old. Like his idol Usain Bolt, he dreams of running.

THREE TIME WALTZ (FRANCE/16 MIN.) Directed by Caroline Pascal When a man and a woman meet on a tune of the 50s. A musical interlude in three stages, to see this man and this woman fall in love, separate and finally find each other back.

MECHANISM OR: HOW TO TAKE CARE OF YOURSELF (GERMANY/11 MIN.) Directed by Michael Chlebusch This is a story about solidarity and the fine line between self-sacrifice and individual responsibility.

SATURDAY, MAY 12 @ 7:00 PM

BOB, JR. (CALIFORNIA/23 MIN.) Directed by Dilek Ince After losing his wife and developing an unhealthy attachment to her goldfish, Bob makes an unexpected connection that changes his life.

BROTHERS (CALIFORNIA/15 MIN.) Directed by Troy Elliott When war hits the California coast, a 19-year-old takes desperate action to get his little brother to safety in the final hours before his deployment.

IN PRIVATE (NEW YORK/14 MIN.) Directed by Clem McIntosh Two couples get together for Christmas dinner, and are put at odds when a texting error reveals more than intended

THE BRACKET THEORY (NEW YORK/20 MIN.) Directed by Katia Koziara Lucy longs for love: a perfect, equal partnership that she's never had. But she's not a hopeless romantic - she's rational, logical, and determined to find her objectively best match. So she has crafted a foolproof theory: The Bracket Theory.

[newyorktheater]

Watch the hour-long video of 11 short new plays below.

In “Holla,” a serial killer (Will Swenson) wearing the  distorted white mask from the Scream series, makes an ominous phone call to Chris (Chris Herbie Holland) an unsuspecting Black teenager, intending to scare him to death. But the conversation takes an unexpected turn.

“What’s your favorite scary movie, Chris?” the deep-voiced killer asks, accompanied by spooky music.

“Fruitvale Station,” Chris replies, referring to the movie based on the real-life police killing of Oscar Grant.

“I meant scary, scary…” That movie “might be scarier for…” — he hesitates – “certain people.”

Chris calls him a racist. The killer gets defensive. “I wasn’t going to kill you because you’re black…I think it’s important to kill all people..”

The four-minute play by Lee Edward Colston II – funny, pointed — is the first of the 11 new short works in #WhileWeBreathe, subtitled “A Night of Creative Protest,” which grew out of conversations the week after the police killing of George Floyd. It debuted this week, and will remain online.

“Holla” is something of an outlier in #WhileWeBreathe. More representative is

Azure D Osborne-Lee’s “Sundown Support.” In it, Kevin R. Free portrays the leader of a support group “for survivors of racial terror,” where we hear some horror stories of police abuse.

One can argue that the entire enterprise functions in some ways as a support group.

That’s been my reaction to most of the anthology productions that have proliferated since the start of the pandemic. They seem to exist on three levels.

They are in effect support groups for the theater artists involved – ways for them to stay busy, feel useful, express themselves, and stay engaged with their community (These are generally not paying gigs.)   Almost all of these productions are also, crucially, fundraisers, most for organizations meeting urgent needs.  #WhileWeBreathe is a fundraiser for NAACP Legal Defense Fund, The Bail Project, Black Organizing for Leadership and Dignity, BYP 100, Forced Trajectory Project, Justice Committee (JC), and Southerners on New Ground (SONG).

And then, on a third level, these group efforts are also gifts for theatergoers – stories or works of art or entertainments (call them what feels apt), often offered at minimal or no charge.  Put together with great passion and great speed, these shows seem to put such a priority on community that, one suspects, nobody is excluded and nothing is edited.

Since the participants are talented professionals at the top of their game, these anthologies have felt to me not so much uneven as overwhelming.

In several of the plays in #WhileWeBreathe,  a character expresses his or her anger and/or confusion in what initially sounds like a rant but turns into something powerful and lyrical.  In Liza Jessie Peterson’s “Do You Really Want To Know?,” for example, Michele Shay portrays a woman asked via text by her family how she’s doing, and she decides to tell them: “Some days I’m just paralyzed with rage. It all comes in waves. I can’t think about George Floyd without thinking about Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery….” Photographs of the victims slowly cover the video as she mentions their names, blotting her out.In Khari Wyatt’s “Mister,” Ty Jones tells his character’s story of heartache hardship, with a payoff that emphasizes the importance of dignity.

Two of the plays present the twin urgencies of protest and pandemic as a conflict: In Steve Harper’s “Three People,” a brother who is a medical professional (Keith Eric Chappelle) argues with his sister (Birgundi Baker) that she should stay home and stay healthy rather than march in the streets; in Arvind Ethan David’s “Pre-existing Condition,” a single character (Neil Brown Jr.) debates the same dilemma within himself.  “The arc of history may bend towards justice and this may be our moment to pull it a little closer, but the arc of a pandemic only knows one thing – exponential growth’’

In two other plays, we hear from characters who turn out to be dead; both dramas are probably more affecting if you don’t realize right away that you’re hearing from murder victims, so I won’t name them.

#WhileWeBreathe ends with Aurin Squire’s “Mississippi Goddamn,” which is the longest play (at about ten minutes) and feels like the most developed. Lynn Whitfield and Esau Pritchett play an older couple who live through five days of the current crisis, recalling a lifetime of tragedy, including the circumstances in which Nina Simone wrote “Mississippi Goddamn.”  Their relationship is touching and subtly amusing, their recollections deeply sad, their attitude evolves into…hopeful?

#WhileWeBreathe is dedicated to Rev C.T. Vivian and Rep. John Lewis, towering figures of the civil rights movement, both of whom died on July 17 of this year. “We follow you into good trouble.”

THE CAST:

Birgundi Baker (“The Chi,” “Heathers”), Vanessa Bell Calloway (Coming to America, Letters from Zora), Bryan Terrell Clark (Hamilton, “When They See Us”), Neil Brown Jr. (“Insecure,” “SEAL Team”), Keith Eric Chappelle (“Billions,” Cyrano), Kevin R. Free (Dave, Eighth Grade), Alfie Fuller (BLKS, Is God Is), Marcus Henderson (Get Out, “Tacoma FD”), Chris Herbie Holland (What’s in a Name?, The Cancer Patient), Ty Jones (The Great Society, The Blacks: A Clown Show), Patina Miller (Pippin, “Madam Secretary”), Lori Elizabeth Parquet (Dispatches from (A)mended America, Rizing), Esau Pritchett (“Iron Fist,” “Prodigal Son”), Obie and Outer Critic’s Circle Award winner Michele Shay (Seven Guitars, Meetings), Hailey Stone (Matters of Chance, Nasir), Will Swenson (Jerry Springer: The Opera, Hair), TL Thompson (Is This A Room, Straight White Men), and Lynn Whitfield (“Greenleaf,” The Josephine Baker Story).

WRITTEN BY:

Lee Edward Colston II (The First Deep Breath, “For Life”), Arvind Ethan David (“Dirk Gently’s Holistic Detective Agency”), Cheryl L. Davis (The Bones of Giants, “Law & Order: SVU”), Nathan Alan Davis (Nat Turner in Jerusalem, “Sorry For Your Loss”), Steve Harper (“God Friended Me,” “American Crime”), Azure D. Osborne-Lee (Mirrors, Glass), Liza Jessie Peterson (The Peculiar Patriot, Bamboozled), Bianca Sams (At The Rivers End, “Charmed”), Keenan Scott II (Thoughts of a Colored Man, “A Luv Tale”), Aurin Squire (Fire Season, “Good Fight”), and Khari Wyatt (Stomping Down at Sugar’s Love, “Africana!”).

DIRECTED BY:

Steve H. Broadnax III (The Hot Wing King, The Hip Hop Project), Carl Cofield (The Bacchae, Antigone), Bianca LaVerne Jones (Armed, FEAST), Patricia McGregor (Lights Out, Nat King Cole The Public’s Hamlet), Pratibha Parmar (Nina’s Heavenly Delights, Alice Walker: Beauty in Truth), Charles Randolph-Wright (Motown: The Musical on Broadway, TV: OWN’s “Greenleaf”), Kirya Traber (Both My Grandfathers, Permitted), and Tamara Tunie (“Law & Order: SVU,” Flight).

CASTING BY: Venus Kanani, CSA and Stewart/Whitley

EDITED: AJ Francois, Aimee Jennings, Aric Lewis

Watch #WhileWeBreathe anthology and read my review Watch the hour-long video of 11 short new plays below. In “Holla,” a serial killer (Will Swenson) wearing the  distorted white mask from the Scream series, makes an ominous phone call to Chris (Chris Herbie Holland) an unsuspecting Black teenager, intending to scare him to death.

[thenoticeblog]

Mirrors (2021 Trailer)We're so proud to be co-directing, editing, and producing the film adaption of Azure D. Osborne-Lee's MIRRORS.⁠ ⁠ We're just ONE WEEK away from the November 10th premiere! ⁠ ⁠ Get your online tickets NOW at: thenoticeblog.com/mirrors - or email Paul@thenoticeblog.com for video production inquiries.⁠ ⁠ Synopsis:⁠ When 17-year-old Alma Jean finds her mother dead, she must pack up her life and move in with her mother's ex-lover, a woman she doesn't know. Her new guardian, Bird Wilson, is the town pariah and unused to sharing her home. Will mourning the death of a shared loved one bring Alma Jean and Bird together or push them further apart?⁠

Written by Azure D. Osborne-Lee Directed  by Paul A. Notice II Ludovica Villar-Hauser Cinematographer Dennis Robert Thomas Film Adaption Directed & Edited by Paul A. Notice II Stage Directed by Ludovica Villar-Hauser CAST Suzanne Darrell  as Bird Wilson Ashley Noel Jones  as Alma Jean Pierson Joyia Bradley as Louise Sterling AnJu Hyppolite as Mabel Mosley Natalie Jacobs as Constance Jenkins Ashley Scott as Annabelle “Belle” Pierson Anthony Goss  as Ray Johnson Gaffer Dominik Czaczyk   1st AD Katrina Reid Steadicam Operator Dominik Czaczyk 1st AC Kurt Voltmann Audio Mixer Mano Guha Boom Operator Dominik Czaczyk Produced by The Notice Foundation, Inc. Parity Productions #worldpremiere #blacktheater #filmmaking #thenoticeblog #movies #movie #cinema #films - Paul Notice Always Question. Always Explore. www.thenoticeblog.com Paul@thenoticeblog.com

[writemarcus]

Downtown Urban Arts Festival (DUAF) announces the playwrights accepted into its 2018 season.

The accepted plays are:

American Tranquility - Daniel Damiano

Damiano is an award-winning playwright, award-nominated actor and published poet. He recently appeared in the revival of "The Elephant Man" (Gallery Players Theatre) followed by his solo play, "American Tranquility" (PIT Loft, Solocom). His play, "Harmony Park" will receive its premiere with Detroit Repertory Theatre in 2018.

Atacama - Augusto Federico Amador

Amador was born and raised in the Silicon Valley. He has recently been awarded the prestigious Lincoln City Fellowship from Speranza Foundation for his upcoming play, The Sunset Room. Amador is a member of the Dramatist Guild.

A Civilized World - Anghus Houvouras

Houvouras has been writing for screen, stage and the printed page since 2003. His recent stage work has included "Dine and Dash" featured as part of the DUAF and "Penmanship" which won best comedy at the Equity Library Theater Festival in NYC.

Blood Orange - Marcus Scott

Scott is a playwright, musical theater writer and journalist. Plays include: "Tumbleweed" (finalist for the 2017/2018 Humanitas Play LA Workshop, Playwrights Foundation's Bay Area Playwrights Festival) and "Cherry Bomb" (Drama League's First Stage Artist In Residence) and "Malaise" (2017 DUAF).

Corporatesthenics - Baindu Dafina Kalokoh

Kalokoh, a native of Brooklyn, NY, uses various mediums of the performing arts to conduct storytelling. She has performed solo shows to sold out audiences and received numerous awards.

Deranged Fan - Adam Seidel

Seidel is a New York-based playwright. His plays have been produced by and featured at Cherry Lane, The Road in La, the Milwaukee Rep, Rattlestick playwrights and many more. His play, "Catch The Butcher" was 2015 NYT critics pick.

Gay.Porn.Mafia - Joe Gulla

Gulla won two Audience Awards at DUAF with "Garbo" in 2017 and "The Bronx Queen" in 2016. His acting roles include: "Joey" in San Francisco's "Tony & Tina's Wedding" and "Frankie" in off-Broadway's "My Big Gay Italian Wedding". He also starred on NBC's "Lost".

Help Me Get Over You - Rollin Jewett

Jewett is an award-winning playwright, screenwriter, singer/songwriter, author and poet. His feature film credits include "Laws of Deception" and "American Vampire". His short stories and poetry have been published in numerous magazines and his plays have been produced all over the world.

Mirrors - Azure D. Osborne-Lee

Osborne-Lee is an award-winning Black queer theatre maker from South of the Mason-Dixon Line. In 2017, his play "Crooked Parts" was presented at Cherry Lane Theatre as part of the DUAF, and his full-length play "Glass" received a workshop production at JACK in Brooklyn.

My Funeral Is Saturday, Please Try - J.E. Robinson

Robinson's play "Spades" received Second-Place, Short Play category, in the 2015 DUAF. He lives in Southern Illinois, near St. Louis.

Sailing Stones - Juan M. Ramirez, Jr.

Ramirez is a writer, actor and director. His works were developed at Dixon Place, The Cherry Lane Theatre with DUAF, Theatre Row, IATI, the Studio at the 14th Street Y, The Bronx Repertory Company and others. He's a Dramatist Guild member and received his MFA from NYU Tisch.

Strings - Charles Curtis

Performance and teaching artist, Curtis' work has been featured at the National Black Theatre Festival, Atlanta Black Theatre Festival, and Fresh Fruit Festival. His credits span from opera to film, and outside the performing world, he lectures on using Hip Hop to teach life skills.

Sublet - Alisa Zhulina

Zhulina is a playwright and Assistant Professor/Faculty Fellow in Drama at NYU Tisch. Her plays have been produced by Exquisite Corpse Company, at Dixon Place, New Perspectives Theatre, the Theatre Project and elsewhere. She holds a Ph.D. in Comparative Literature from Harvard University.

The Diplomats - Nelson Diaz-Marcano

Diaz-Marcano is an award winning Puerto Rican-born playwright based in NYC. Production credits include: "Rabiosa" (The Dirty Blondes Pa' Puerto Rico); "Mami's House" (Step1 Theatre Project AUxPR); "Promised Lands" (Stable Cable Lab Co's Livewire); and "Radical" (Winner of Best Play DUAF 2016).

The Vast Mystery of Who You Are - Kim Yaged

Yaged received the Kennedy Center's Meritorious Achievement Award for "America" and four Ann Arbor News Awards for www.love (New York City Opera). "Hypocrites & Strippers" is included in The Best Women's Monologues for the 21st Century.

Trash Talk - Alano P. Baez

Baez, born in Ponce, Puerto Rico was raised in NYC (East Harlem and the South Bronx). He is a community activist, poet, MC, graffiti writer, actor and teacher. He has released several independent music albums and published a book of poetry.

DUAF is a five-week multi-disciplinary arts showcase with cultural offerings in theater, film, music and poetry held annually in the spring at renowned venues in downtown Manhattan, NYC. 2018 marks the 16th season of the THEATER series that was founded with the purpose to build a repertoire of new American theater that echoes the true spirit of urban life and speaks to a new generation whose lives defy categorizing along conventional lines. That purpose has been realized many times over, as 200 plays created and refined for the stage by 170 writers from New York and across America's burgeoning multicultural landscape. For more information about DUAF, visit www.duafnyc.com and www.facebook.com/dutfnyc.

[writemarcus]

“Congratulations to all the finalists.” - MARCUS SCOTT (WRITEMARCUS / THEATREBLEEK)

THEATER at Downtown Urban Arts Festival (DUAF) has announced the finalists for its 16th season to run at renowned venues in downtown Manhattan, New York City, during spring 2018. The finalists were selected from over 100 submissions from some of the nation's most talented emerging playwrights. THEATER is produced by Creative Ammo Inc. and Reg E. Gaines, two-time Tony nominee, returns as THEATER's Artistic Director.

The Finalists are:

Adam Seidel - Deranged Fan

Alano P. Baez - Trash Talk

Alisa Zhulina - Sublet

Anghus Houvouras - A Civilized World

Anna Michael - The Ugly Kids

Augusto Federico Amador - Atacama

Azure D. Osborne-Lee - Mirrors

Baindu Dafina - Corporatesthenics

Barbara Kahn - Cyma's Story

Charles Curtis - Strings

Daniel Damiano - American Tranquility

J. E. Robinson - My Funeral Is Saturday, Please Try

Jessica Luck - Guru

Joe Gulla - Gay.Porn.Mafia

Juan Ramirez, Jr. - Sailing Stones

Kim Yaged - The Vast Mystery Of Who You Are

Marcus Scott - Blood Orange

Nattalie Gordon - Cooter Soup

Nelson Diaz-Marcano - The Diplomats

Rollin Jewett - Help Me Get Over You

Sean Michael Welch - Elegant Women With Excellent Manners

Steve Gold - Men Versus Women

Susan Rowan Masters - Talk Turkey

T. K. Lee - Dipping Birds

Tom Block - Duck

In 2001, THEATER was founded with the purpose to build a repertoire of new American theatre that echoes the true spirit of urban life and speaks to a whole new generation whose lives defy categorizing along conventional lines. That purpose has been realized many times over, as more than 100 writers have created and refined their work for the stage and thousands of inspired audience members have applauded their performances. It has been recognized as "one of the world's best festivals for new works" and described as "not only prestigious, but a slice of heaven for playwrights who want the chance to freely express themselves." (Lisa Mulcahy, Theater Festivals, Allworth Press, 2005)

For more information about THEATER at DUAF, visit www.duafnyc.com and www.facebook.com/dutfnyc.

[newyorktheater]

Below is a selection of New York theater openings in February, organized chronologically by opening date.* There’s just one show opening on Broadway this month, but it’s a doozy: The fifth revival of “West Side Story,” directed by the Belgian avant-garde artist Ivo Van Hoven, has generated oodles of attention, some of it unwanted.

As if to offer a counterweight to that male-heavy musical (see the photo of The Sharks above), Off-Broadway is offering  a wide range of women-centered theater this month — to name just a few, Beth Malone as the Unsinkable Molly Brown; Alice Birch’s award-winning “Anatomy of a Suicide” about three generations of women; Donnetta Lavinia Grays’ one-woman play “Where We Stand”; an evening by and about Lady Gregory, the grand dame of Irish Theatre; Kate Hamill’s feminist take on ‘Dracula’ at Classic Stage Company; and even “She Persisted The Musical.”

Beth Malone in Unsinkable Molly Brown

Alice Birch

Donnetta Lavinia Grays, playwright and star of “Where We Stand”

Lady Gregory, grand dame of the Irish theater

Kate Hamill

Chelsea Clinton, author of the children’s book “She Persisted”

Lauren Yee, “Cambodian Rock Band”

Young Jean Lee, “We’re Gonna Die”

One show I’m especially looking forward to: Lauren Yee’s “Cambodian Rock Band.”

Each title below is linked to a relevant website. Color key: Broadway: Red. Off Broadway: Black or Blue.. Off Off Broadway: Green. Theater festival: Orange. Immersive: Magenta. Puppetry-Brown

February 1

Stew (Page 73 at Walkerspace) 

Tensions simmer with three generations of Tucker women under one roof, but things come to a boil as the violence hovering around the periphery of their lives begins to intrude upon the sanctity of Mama’s kitchen.

February 2

Beyond Babel (The Gym at Judson)

A new dance-theater piece inspired by Romeo and Juliet

February 3

Border People (A.R.T./NY) A one-man show by Dan Hoyle based on conversations with immigrants, refugees, asylum seekers, and border crossers of all kinds at both the Northern and Southern borders. In March, he’ll be taking this play to the boroughs.

February 4

Bob & Carol & Ted & Alice (The New Group at Signature)

A musical by Jonathan Marc Sherman (Book), Duncan Sheik (Music, Lyrics) and Amanda Green (Lyrics) based on the 1969 movie about two married couples who decide to join the sexual revolution

Whisperlodge (“secret location” in Boerum Hill)

The return of this unusual mix of immersive therapy and therapy (aka “live ASMR“) in which “six guides lead 6 guests through one-on-one treatments designed to relax the body and mind, expand awareness, and heighten the senses.The show will run in a private home in Boerum Hill, Brooklyn and features a brand new one-on-one scene, inspired by the family that lived there.””

  February 7

Riddle of the Trilobites (New Victory)

In this live, original musical, set 500 million years ago, all life dwells in one sea and trilobites rule the ocean floor. When young Aphra discovers that the fate of the entire trilobite kingdom rests on her shelled shoulders, she and her arthropod pals must solve the a riddle before a sea change of epic proportions destroys their home.

February 10

Darling Grenadine (Roundabout’s Black Box)

A musical in which charismatic songwriter Harry falls for clever chorus girl Louise, But what happens when the sparkling fantasy begins to dissolve?

Fandango for Butterflies and Coyotes (EnGarde at La MaMa)

Inspired by interviews with undocumented immigrants from Latin America living in New York, the piece will take the form of a fandango, a community celebration

February 11

Where We Stand (WP Theater at McGinn/Cazale) In a town running low on compassion, an exile seeks forgiveness, forcing the community to decide between mercy or justice. A solo play written by Donnetta Lavinia Grays, who also stars in it, alternating with David Ryan Smith

  February 17

Dracula & Frankenstein (CSC )

Kate Hamill’s new, feminist adaptation of the classic horror tale about an elegant vampire performed in repertory with Tristan Bernays’ athletic adaptation  of Mary Shelley’s novel using only two actors.

  February 18

Anatomy of a Suicide (Atlantic)

Winner of the 2018 Susan Smith Blackburn Prize given annually to a woman playwright, this play by Alice Birch (Revolt, She Said, Revolt Again) explores three generations of women whose stories unfold simultaneously onstage. Directed by Lileana Blain-Cruz (“Marys Seacole“).

  February 19

Lady G Plays and Whisperings (Irish Rep)

A showcase of the personal writings and rarely seen plays of Lady Gregory, the grand dame of Irish Theatre, remembered today as co-founder of The Abbey Theatre in Dublin

Mack and Mabel (Encores at City Center)

The weekend concert series presentation of the late Jerry Herman’s musical about one of silent film’s first great pioneers, Mack Sennett, starring Douglas Sills (“War Paint”) and Alexandra Socha (“Head Over Heels”).

Frigid Festival

This annual festival begins today with the opening of eight shows.

February 20

West Side Story (Broadway Theater)

The fifth Broadway production of the musical adaptation of Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, transposed to warring street gangs in 1950s New York. Belgium avant-garde theater artist van Hove has cut the intermission and the song “I Feel Pretty” and added many videos. Thirty-three members of the cast are making their Broadway debuts.

Generator (La MaMa)

The first musical theater piece in a three-part series entitled Pestilence, conceived, written and directed by Jack Waters

February 21

Mother Leeds (Under St. Marks) Set in the early 1900’s Pine Barrens, we are in the shoes of a curious & fearful child of a religious single mother.  Part of Frigid Festival

February 22

She Persisted The Musical (Atlantic)

In this musical based on Chelsea Clinton’s children’s book, Naomi’s field trip to a Women’s History Museum turns into a time travel adventure, where she meets great women from history who…persisted.

February 24

Cambodian Rock Band (Signature)

This play by Lauren Yee that won the 2019 Steinberg/ATCA New Play Award (for which I served on the jury) tells the story of the survivor of the Khmer Rouge bloodbath by toggling back and forth in time between his youth as a member of a rock band in Cambodia, and the present day when his grown daughter has traveled back to Cambodia from America to help prosecute one of Cambodia’s most infamous war criminals. A live band plays contemporary Dengue Fever hits and classic Cambodian oldies.

  All The Natalie Portmans (MCC) In this play by C.A. Johnson, lonely, 16-year-old misfit Keyonna escapes into a world of rom coms, red carpets and all the iconic characters played by her muse, Natalie Portman. But then they start talking back to her.

  The Headlands (Lincoln Center)

In this contemporary noir by Christopher Chen (the terrific trickster playwright of “Caught”), Henry (Aaron Yoo) is an amateur sleuth and true crime aficionado who sets out to solve the ultimate case: the unsolved murder of his father.

Artisanal Intelligence (Kraine’s) A comedy about a hipster customer service robot named Barry. Part of Frigid Festival.

  February 25

We’re Gonna Die (2nd Stage)

Written by Young Jean Lee (Straight White Men) and choreographed by Raja Feather Kelly, the show stars Janelle McDermoth in a kind of existential cabaret that hopes to demonstrate that “being alive is about more than just awaiting the inevitable.”

  Dana H. (Vineyard)

An unusual work of documentary theater by Lucas Hnath in collaboration with Steven Cosson of The Civilians about a chaplain of a psych ward who was captured and held captive by one of the patients for five months.The victim was Hnath’s mother, Dana Higginbotham, and Hnath had Cosson tape-record an interview with his mother. Hnath edited the tape, and now Deirdre O’Connor lip-syncs the words while the actual tape plays.

  February 26

Unsinkable Molly Brown (Transport Group at Abrons)

Beth Malone (Fun Home) stars in this “revitalized” version of the Broadway musical playing Molly “as she really was: vibrant, progressive, and ready to fight for the underdog as a champion of women’s rights, labor rights, and immigration reform.”

February 29

Mirrors (Next Door at NYTW)

In this play by Azure D. Osborne-Lee, 17-year-old Alma Jean finds her mother dead, and must pack up her life and move in with her mother’s ex-lover, a woman she doesn’t know who is the town pariah of the tiny town of Etheridge, Mississippi in 1960.

      February 2020 New York Theater Openings Below is a selection of New York theater openings in February, organized chronologically by opening date.* There’s just one show opening on Broadway this month, but it’s a doozy: The fifth revival of "West Side Story," directed by the Belgian avant-garde artist Ivo Van Hoven, has generated oodles of attention, …

[writemarcus]

My First ever bad review!

Review: “Blood Orange” and “Mirrors” at the Downtown Urban Arts Festival

April 29, 2018

Anthony J. Piccione

New York Theatre Critic

It was my fourth day of reviewing shows at the Downtown Urban Arts Festival, and once again, I was treated to not one, but two, shows during the same performance slot. Not unlike the last time I was here, there was one play that was clearly better than the other, but that was not the only difference that I noticed on this night.

The evening started off weak, with the relatively mediocre one-act Blood Orange by Marcus Scott, directed by Justin Schwartz, and starring Schuyler Van Amson, Tommy Walters, and Sunny Choi. The basic premise seems ripe for both comedy and the exploration of certain social issues: An interracial gay couple gets together, and one half attempts to celebrate an anniversary by setting up a threesome. Unfortunately, the play is short on laugh lines, drags on at times, and occasionally feels – particularly toward the beginning – that it is trying to portray sexuality simply for the sake of portraying it. The truly awful part of this production, however, is the lackluster acting. Mr. Choi seems slightly more in character, but for the most part, the acting was on par with that of a high school drama club with little more experience in theatre. While many actors can often be good despite the fact that they are given a play that they can’t do much to improve, a play is always reliant on the actors being good in order to succeed on stage, which appears to be the main problem here.

Thankfully, after getting through that, I saw the highlight of the evening: Mirrors by Azure D. Osborne-Lee and directed by Kirya Traber. In a sharp contrast with the last play, this is a poignant and heartbreaking full-length drama – albeit with more than a few funny moments of dialogue – about a young black woman named Alma Jean whose mother passes away, and then goes to live with a mysterious, long-lost friend of her late mother named Bird Wilson. Over the course of the play, as they both grapple with this new reality, more is gradually revealed about themselves and about the deceased parent, ultimately building toward an emotional plot twist toward the climax, although by the time the audience gets there, there’s plenty of material that is bound to leave the average theatergoer on the verge of tears.

The cast – consisting of Crystal Lucas-Perry (Bird Wilson), AnnMarie Sykes (Alma Jean Pierson), La Rivers (Annabelle “Belle” Pierson), Joyia D. Bradley (Constance Jenkins), AnJu Hyppolite (Mabel Mosley), Jordan Randolph (Louise Sterling) and Jak Watson (Ray Johnson Jr.) – couldn’t have done a better job at capturing the raw emotions of the characters, and portraying the dark reality that they live in. Ms. Lucas-Perry’s performance, in particular, is deeply powerful and is a big part of what makes this show so memorable.

So while the gap in quality wasn’t quite as large, it was still noticeable, and it was truly bizarre to see a well-written full-length play and a mediocre one-act play in the same time slot. I would certainly hope that if Mx. Osborne-Lee’s play is performed again, it gets the chance to have its own performance slot to itself, as I feel it deserves it, and is a play that I certainly would be recommending to readers, if only there were more performance dates. It’ll be interesting to see what the rest of this festival has to offer.

“Blood Orange” and “Mirrors” each ran for one night only at the Downtown Urban Arts Festival on April 25th. For more information on upcoming events at this festival, please visit www.duafnyc.com.

Christopher Peterson

[writemarcus]

Stage Soldiers Armed with Art Take Downtown NYC

For sixteen years, the Downtown Urban Theater Festival brought topical, well-produced, professional works that challenged its audiences. Adding poetry, music, and most palpably film, it is now the Downtown Urban ARTS Festival. Looking at the plays and players, you know this is one not-to-miss.  DUAF stage artists were quick to speak on the their works and the industry when I got the chance to meet with them..

Anghus Houvouras epitomizes the kind of artist you’ll meet there as he is a writer of plays, movies, graphic- and literary novels. His current piece, A Civilized World, explores our society when lack of commercial relevance is punishable by death. His battle cry for indie work can be tagged for all the arts that he is conquering I his own life:

“Independent theater is where the most innovative and exciting work is happening.  Where risks are taken and the material is designed to challenge audiences.  There are plenty of places to see traditional theater where the audience can escape and be entertained.  But sometimes people want more.  To step outside their comfort zone, to see something thought-provoking that pokes them in the cerebellum and demands consideration.  That was my intent when writing a Civilized World.  I felt compelled to write something about the state of the world and some of humanities less flattering characteristics.  That’s the kind of story you can tell in Independent Theater.”

“Behold, independent theater’s commercial counterpart. Behold simple spectacle, empty and meaningless, like cotton candy, saccharine enough to rot teeth, a malignancy. Is there a better reason to help independent theater thrive?”

The no-nonsense Mr. Robinson is an award-winning essayist and fiction writer withy works performed in New York; Alaska; Louisville, Kentucky; and Saint Louis. He is a professor of history at the Saint Louis College of Pharmacy. His play, The Strong Man” is an envelope-pushing piece about a retired strong man who must face having to kill one of his own.

Help Me Get Over You by award winning playwright, screenwriter, singer/songwriter, author and poet Rollin Jewett, shows us how a separated couple can share one more thing – getting over one another. Jewett uses indie theater joyously due to its open door: “There is a certain freedom and nonjudgmental attitude in independent theatre that allows playwrights and actors to create works that are daring, different and singular in their vision and scope.”

Daniel Damiano takes to the stage as actor in his one-man show: AMERICAN TRANQUILITY.  He plays four very different Americans reflecting on the human divide in 21st Century America. Funny, timely, and unsettling. He also talked of the healing effects of indie theater: “It is more cathartic.  It is more about the necessity of the artist to have their stories told however and wherever they can. It is first about the absolute necessity of a work being created and being seen – and creating an engaging reason for audiences to gather and share in the experience of live theatre.”

The world today is not one to ignore. Nelson Diaz-Marcano gives us a dinner party on the eve of the 2016 Presidential Election. We can take it from there. The award-winning Puerto Rican with acclaimed works presented in NY, Chicago, and DC, whose mission is to create work where different cultures are represented and to raise awareness of their history, looks at indie theater as the jumping point for all artists: “It is where it all begins. It’s the foundation of the craft, it’s where we grind ourselves into masters. It’s where we can come back to experiment and grow. No matter where we go in our careers, this is a place that will always receive us with open arms.”

Azure D. Osborne-Lee describes himself as an “award-winning Black Queer theater maker from South of the Mason-Dixon Line” and his play, Mirrors, delves into the battle of cultures, ages, and ideals, with the pairing of 17-year-old Alma Jean who must move in with her mother’s ex-lover when her mother dies. He gave us the best slogan for it all … “Indie re oxygenates the lifeblood of theater!”

Transgender awareness is in full power these days so multi-award-winning (including the Kennedy Center’s Meritorious Achievement Award) Kim Yaged asks the question in her play, The Vast Mystery of Who You Are: What happens when you find out the person you hooked up with at the sex party isn’t a man or a woman? A film dealing in this subject matter, Almost Saw The Sunshine, a film by Leon Lopez of the United Kingdom is also premiering at DUAF’s film festival.

A staple in short plays is the opportunity to explore world situations from a personal point of view. DUAF packs its programming with intimate dramas in which two or three people shed light on what we are all thinking … but never get the chance to express.

Looking at justice and how it is served is a theme within Charles Curtis’ Strings about a detective turned vigilante and a lawyer with an ulterior motive, and how their meeting doesn’t prove innocence as much as mutual guilt. Strings was a runaway hit at last season’s Fresh Fruit Festival.

Alano P. Baez, inspired by his trip to El Salvador, where he met masses of forgotten people living in mountains of garbage, wrote Trash Talk. A sort-of “Waiting for Godot, with two men who discuss work, waste, the hustle, struggle, refuse and the meaning of life and death, while trapped underneath a mountain of garbage. Baez is a community activist, poet/singer/MC/graffiti Writer/actor and has released several independent music albums and is also a published poet.

Another Latino playwright looking at life through a unique lens is Juan Ramirez, Jr., whose play, Sailing Stones concerns skeptical Jaime forcing his god-fearing best friend Charlie out into the Death Valley to finally prove once and for all if a god exists. Personally, speaking Ramirez feels that working in indie arts is good for your creative soul: “Without the chance to explore a play, you may miss out on the opportunity to discover new elements of your work you never knew it had.”

Baindu Dafina looked at another opportunity indie work offers: “There are more opportunities for nontraditional characters to be presented.” She epitomized that with her entry in this year’s DUAF – Corporatesthenics – about the exploits and unique strength and conditioning techniques of an African-American physical trainer.

And just when the envelope was pushed as far as it ca go… Joe Gulla, known for his role on NBC’s ground-breaking series, LOST, offers up GAY.PORN.MAFIA: a collection of his internationally and nationally-produced, award-winning short comedies: Gayfever, Fall and Rise, Reel Wood, Knock Off! and Sleeping With The Fish! “It’s the SAME-SEX, X-RATED, ITALIAN-STYLE OFFER YOU CAN’T REFUSE” says the regular performer at Joe’s Pub at The Public Theater. About why he chooses to go indie, Joe, in his usual blunt style concluded with “there are no Flying Chandeliers, Helicopters or Holographic Spider Webs in the shows I’ve created.”

DOWNTOWN URBAN ARTS FESTIVAL’S PERFORMANCE SCHEDULE FOR LIVE THEATER, and, POETRY

NEW YORK LIVE ARTS 219 W 19TH STREET, NEW YORK CITY TICKETS: $20

FRIDAY, APRIL 13 @ 7:00 PM

THE VAST MYSTERY OF WHO YOU ARE BY KIM YAGED An irreverent, hard-hitting exploration of love via sex parties and philosophical sparring about the nature of relationships.

SATURDAY, APRIL 14 @ 7:00 PM

GAY.PORN.MAFIA BY JOE GULLA Bronx, LA, SoHo to Ibiza! Porn Stars, Gay Priests, Mafia Dons and Abstract Expressionists! Smart! Fun! Funny! Fearless! “Gay.Porn.Mafia” has it all! Grab your ticket! Leave the gun! Take the cannoli! You’ll feel like “family” and laugh out loud (emphasis on “out”!) It’s the same-sex, Italian-style, x-rated offer you can’t refuse!

THEATRE 80 ST. MARKS 80 ST MARKS PLACE, NEW YORK CITY TICKETS: $20

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 18 @ 8:00 PM

SUBLET BY ALISA ZHULINA Christy, an overworked hospital resident, new to New York City, sublets a room from an artist working on a mysterious sculpture. Things start to get scary, or is it just Christy’s imagination? What’s really going on in this express journey to NYC roommate hell fueled by outsized artistic ambition.

AMERICAN TRANQUILITY BY DANIEL DAMIANO A southern retiree, an Iranian subway station poet and percussionist, a talk-radio show host and a Brooklyn existentialist reflect on the human divide in 21st century America.

THURSDAY APRIL 19 @ 8:00 PM

STRINGS BY CHARLES CURTIS A detective turned modern day vigilante, a lawyer with an ulterior motive, and the strings that bind them both. They each find that neither is truly innocent, and that no matter how fast we run our past catches up with us eventually.

FRIDAY, APRIL 20 @ 8:00 PM

THE STRONG MAN BY J.E. ROBINSON Decades ago, at the head of his gang, Pearl Crabtree was strong enough to kill any man. Is he now strong enough to kill one of his own?

CORPORATESTHENICS BY BAINDU DAFINA KALOKOH From unsuccessfully climbing the corporate ladder to fearlessly summiting Mount Everest, Black Television Network’s favorite physical trainer premieres the newest edition to her record selling fitness program. Her unique strength and conditioning techniques are essential to breaking glass ceilings in every profession.

SATURDAY, APRIL 21 @ 8:00 PM

HELP ME GET OVER YOU BY ROLLIN JEWETT John is in love with Phyllis. Unfortunately, he only realizes it after he breaks up with her. Now she’s moved on and John can’t seem to get her out of his mind. What’s a lovestruck fool to do? Ask her to help him get over her, of course. The question is: What’s in it for her?

A CIVILIZED WORLD BY ANGHUS HOUVOURAS An opioid addict is sentenced to death in the near future where being an unproductive member of society is a capital offense.  The play centers on the condemned, Eleanor Reed, and her final conversation with Andrew Goodman, a life long government shill tasked with explaining the value of her sacrifice.

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 25 @ 8:00 PM

BLOOD ORANGE BY MARCUS SCOTT Blood Orange explores the fetishization of black male bodies, hook-up culture, the nature of interracial gay relationships and sexual encounters, power play and upward mobility.

MIRRORS BY AZURE D. OSBORNE-LEE Mirrors is the story of two women mourning the death of a loved one while sifting through the secrets of a shared past.

THURSDAY, APRIL 26 @ 8:00 PM

TRASH TALK BY ALANO P. BAEZ Trash Talk is a taut and troubling tale of two dregs of society who rap, scrap, quip and play craps while slowly suffocating under the weight of wasted lives.

SAILING STONES BY JUAN RAMIREZ, JR. At rock bottom, Jaime forces his god-fearing best friend, Charlie, out into the Death Valley desert to finally prove once and for all if a god exists. Who will save them?

FRIDAY, APRIL 27 @ 8:00 PM

THE FAN BY ADAM SEIDEL A famous novelist sits on a park bench reading when she is approached by a fan who wants more than just an autograph.

THE DIPLOMATS BY NELSON DIAZ-MARCANO Two days before election night 2016, close friends Annie and Carlos are having a little reunion on his first visit back in New York City. It can only take one person to change world events, but at this reunion two days before the 2016 Presidential election – it’s world events that do the changing.

SATURDAY, APRIL 28 @ 8:00 PM

ATACAMA BY AUGUSTO FEDERICO AMADOR Thirty years after the dirty wars waged by the General Pinochet regime on the Chilean people. Two strangers; a mother and father, search the Atacama Desert for their buried loved ones and discover there are darker truths awaiting them underneath the hard sands of the Atacama.

SATURDAY, APRIL 22 @ 7:00PM

NUYORICAN POETS CAFÉ 236 E 3RD ST, NEW YORK CITY TICKETS: $12

WORDS MATTER POETRY SLAM Repair! Reform! Transform! Calling all poets with poetic words about today’s social issues and social conscious people. Hosted by Nuyorican Poetry Slam winner Jaime Lee Lewis with special guest poets include Reg E. Gaines, Tony nominated writer/poet, and Miguel Algarin, the founder of the Nuyorican Poets Cafe. Sign up for poetry slam starting at 6:30pm.

[writemarcus]

The accepted plays are:

Crooked Parts by Azure D. Osborne-Lee

dear dashboard by Justice Hehir

Don't Take Me Alive! by Alano Baez

Educated and Still Trapped by Cyd Charisse Fulton

Eternal Flamer! The Ballad of Jessie Blade by Tommy Jamerson

Father God Mother Death by Mario Golden

Garbo by Joe Gulla

Harold and Rodney Play Chess by Adam Seidel

Honor Among Thieves by Juan Ramirez, Jr.

Malaise by Marcus Scott   (THEATRE BLEEK)

Members Only by D. L. Siegel

Salt Kid Watches Brooklyn Burn by Katie Looney

The Book of Leonidas by Augusto Federico Amador

The Field Trip by Chip Bolcik

The Problem of Verisimilitude by Jeff Tabnick

The Protest by Nako Adodoadji

Where Was I? by Karen Ludwig

In 2001, Theater at DUAF was founded with the purpose to build a repertoire of new American theatre that echoes the true spirit of urban life and speaks to a whole new generation whose lives defy categorizing along conventional lines. That purpose has been realized many times over, as more than 170 writers have created and refined their work for the stage and thousands of inspired audience members have applauded their performances. DUTF inaugurated the festival in 2002 at HERE in SoHo to help revitalize the NYC downtown arts scene, which, at the time, was experiencing a severe downturn due to the WTC disaster. It has been recognized as "one of the world's best festivals for new works" and described as "not only prestigious, but a slice of heaven for playwrights who want the chance to freely express themselves." (Lisa Mulcahy, Theater Festivals, Allworth Press, 2005)

For more information about DUAF visit www.duafnyc.com and www.facebook.com/dutfnyc.