Bitches in Heat: Sexy
Songs for a Sultry Summer
musical direction by Dana Haynes!
directed by John Ficarra
ran July 17th & 18th, 2008 at The Duplex in the West Village
Forget the sweltering subway and
the ill-advised hot pants – it’s time to put the sexy back in summer.
Join the ladies of HoNkBarK! as they vamp their way through a
steam-heated set of silly and salacious songs.
Fresh off the success of Bitter Songs for Bitter
People: A Valentine's Day Cabaret, these red hot mamas are
whipping up an evening that's sure to leave you all hot and bothered.
From Sondheim to Van Halen and back, the evening will flirt with every
sort of woman in heat, be it the frenzy of first love, man-eating
madness, or the infectious joys of “sharing everything” with your
friends. Ahem.
Hosting the ceremonies will be the inimitable Brandy Rowell, a comedienne well-known and loved for her appearances at Don’t Tell Mama, Gotham Comedy Club, The Duplex, Poole Party and more, Miz Rowell will up the hot factor by doing her damndest to get the women in the audience to take off their tops. (What can we say? It was in her contract.) Also joining will be Special Guest Jane Aquilina, a chanteuse of the highest magnitude famous for her one woman show, Bawdy and Soul.
(Clockwise from upper left):
Linda Jones, Richard Haratine, Kristin Price, Laura LeBleu & Janna
Kefalas. Photo credit: Sergio Reynoso
The Country Wife
by William Wycherley
directed by John Ficarra
ran from January 5 - January 27, 2007
...a very naughty masterpiece
of wit and seduction.
The Country Wife follows notorious ladies man, Harry Horner, and his ingenious scheme for rampant seduction. By spreading the rumor of his own impotence, he is able to gain access to the so-called “virtuous” ladies of society who are all too willing to join in the fun. Meanwhile, a new husband desperately attempts to hide his naïve country bride from the predatory men of the town. When she and Horner quite literally collide, bawdiness ensues. Banned from the stage for almost 200 years, this scandalous satire is as potent today as it was in 1675.
Featuring: Kristin Price, Linda
Jones, Janna Kefalas, Laura LeBleu, Richard Haratine, Ray Rodriguez,
Bridgette Shaw, Mike Yahn, Brian Linden, Dolores Kenan, Maurice
Edwards, Robert Lehrer, Steve Kuhel, Joan Slavin
Production: Brian Garber (Set Design), Nathan Elsner (Lighting Design), Karl Ruckdeschel (Costume Design), Dana Haynes (Composer), Elena Kopaleichvili (Stage Manager), Susan Manikas (Production Stage Manager)
A Midsummer Night's Dream
by William Shakespeare
directed by John Ficarra
ran from January 6 - January 28, 2006
Flying donkeys, bitter fairies and
bewildered lovers collided in our midwinter production of A
Midsummer Night's Dream. This Dream
combined an onstage oompah band, a Puck more Andy Rooney than Mickey
Rooney, and a lavender Lysander to whip up a distinctly
winterish mayhem.
Directed by award-winning fight choreographer John Ficarra, there was
fighting, fumbling and fleeing in this flipside version of
Shakespeare's romantic comedy. The cast of
thousands (okay, twenty) was helmed by the inimitable Pickle Family
Circus clown Sara Moore in the role of Bottom,
while Emmy award-winners Laura LeBleu (Titania) and Todd Faulkner
(Quince) rounded out the cast.
Featuring original music by composer Dana Haynes and a Fairy Band led
by tuba virtuoso Sam Swartz, the sounds of this Midsummer was more
Danny Elfman than Mendelssohn. Add to that a couple of trampolines and
a 5' x 10' crash mat, and you had yourself a show worth dragging
yourself out for - even on a cold winter's night.
"more than a few luminous moments, picking up speed as it goes and delivering a beautifully clowned Pyramus and Thisbe in the second act. ...there is a lot to like about this "Midsummer Night's Dream," and Hippolyta is right when she declares, "This is the silliest stuff that ever I heard." -Jess Lacher, New Theatre Corps
"energetic, fast-paced, clever ...[a] kinetic version of Shakespeare’s play, grabbing hold of the audience from this opening scene and continuing to amaze them with acrobatics, music, gender-bending, and, above all, solid acting." -Byrne Harrison, OOBR.com
Featuring: Kristin Price (Helena), Sorsha Miles
(Hermia), Linda Jones (Lysander), Aaron Simms (Demetrius), Earle Hugens
(Puck), Sara Moore (Bottom), Laura LeBleu (Titania), Neil Hellegers
(Oberon), Todd Faulkner (Quince), Tyler Woods (Theseus), Richard
Bolster (Flute), Jo Mei (Starveling), Shauna Miles (Snug), Bridgette
Shaw (Snout), Sarah Mathews (Hippolyta), Katie Knipp (First Fairy),
Janna Kefalas (2nd Fairy/Singer), Sam Swartz (Fairy/Tuba), Rachel
Holmes (Fairy/Clarinet), Dana Haynes (Fairy/Accordion) Rich Renner
(Philostrate/Trombone), Mark Ungar (Egeus), and Alexander Merinov
(Oberon’s Minion).
Production: John Ficarra (Director), Karl A.
Ruckdeschel (Costume Designer), Dana Haynes (Composer), Scott Aronow
(Set Designer), Steve O’Shea (Lighting Designer), Laura LeBleu
(Producer), Kristin Price (Associate Producer), and the unsung hero of
a show of this size, Susan Manikas (Stage Manager.
by Jane Martin
directed by Jack Daniel Stanley
ran from October 8 - October 24, 2004
Profound and puerile in equal measure, Martin's trademark dark and biting wit elevates this raunchy and irreverent cabaret-style romp to cheeseburger-couture.
When a small town dominatrix and an absurdly prudish librarian attempt to rescue the First Lady from "life" at the White House, an outlandish yet chillingly apt catastrophe follows. While "Fahrenheit 911" raised eyebrows with real life events, this apocalyptic lesbian sex-farce may raise other parts of the anatomy as well.
Along with our New York premiere, it will be produced in San Francisco, Seattle, Ann Arbor, Los Angeles, Detroit and Atlanta before the election. Visit www.laurasbush.com for information about other productions. No one has ever seen the witty but elusive JANE MARTIN, and there is much speculation as to her true identity. Whoever she may be, she has written a perfectly timed political satire that might not change the way you vote, but will certainly make you laugh.
"...rarely have I seen actors more exuberant or energetic ... The actors' involving performances and their enthusiasm for the material is gripping, particularly Ms. LeBleu, who captures Laura Bush's slightly dazed persona perfectly. Fans of inspired acting, take note - Laura's Bush will not disappoint."
-Nathan Bredeman, Off-Off Online
"...there's some appeal in the ludicrousness of it all." -Anita Gates, New York Times
"They commanded the stage and delved into their roles with zest and flair (with) enjoyable over-the-top performances, which made the audience believe the craziness and absurdity of the plot."
-Seth Bisen-Hersh, OOBR.com
Featuring: Jane Aquilina, Hilda Guttormsen,
Laura LeBleu, Arthur Lewis, Kristin Price
Production: John Ficarra (Scenic Design), Steve O'Shea (Lighting
Design), Karl A. Ruckdeschel (Costume Design), Ry Georgia Pepper (Stage
Manager), Brandy Rowell (Assistant SM)
