THEATER FOR THE NEW CITY
Crystal Field, Executive Director, with
The LES Committee, Presents:
The Lower East Side Festival of the Arts
26th Annual LES
FREE! Memorial Day Weekend @ TNC
Friday, May 28
Saturday, May 29
Sunday, May 30
LES is home again! to celebrate its return to live audiences and the reopening of TNC’s performance complex. Over 180 artists of all disciplines will be participating in the three-day event.
Friday, May 28: Johnson Theater Performances 6PM – 11PM; Cabaret Theater Performances 7PM – 11PM.
FRIDAY — Johnson Theater Schedule
6:00 pm COBU
6:22 pm Emily Quant
6:34 pm The Fold of His Hip and the Rock of His Snore”
Written by Andrea Fulton
Starring: Shireen Donner, Amelia Huckel-Bauer, Larry Stephen Hines, & Sheikh Muhtade
6:46 pm The Yip Harburg Rainbow Troupe
6:58 pm “El Diablo” Written by Alicia Foxworth
Starring: Kenya Wilson
7:10 pm Thunderbird American Indian Dancers
7:30 pm The Cell Heather Mo’Witz (a.k.a. Madame Ovary)
7:42 pm “Untitled” by Rod Rodgers Dance Company
Starring: Jendaya Dash, Jamal Green, Nami Kagami, Lauren Sion,
& Kaitlyn Nelson
8:04 pm Citizens United Protest Band
8:16 pm Chinese Theatre Works presents
“Tang Ma” Performed by Sousen Lyu and
Excerpts from “The Peony Pavilion” Performed by Shijun Cheng
& Kuang-Yu Fong
8:28 pm Toby Armour, Jenne Vath, & Joe Batista
8:40 pm Matt Baker on Jazz Piano
8:52 pm “Your Planet or Mine? Earth: Coming Full Circle” (Chapter 3)
Written by Lissa Moira
Starring: William Broderick, Susan Mitchell, Zen Mansley,
Marlena Mack, Briana Bartenieff, Anthony Cedeno, & Lissa Moira.
9:04 pm Gregory Dubin a.k.a “The Great Dubini”
9:16 pm Bill Zeffiro
9:28 pm Tommie Moore
9:40 pm Ego Actus presents
“Love the One You Are With” Written by Bruce A! Kraemer
Directed by Joan Kane
Starring: Sara Minisquero & Christopher Jumper
9:52 pm Alessandra Belloni
10:04 pm Zero Boy
10:16 pm Justine J. Hall
“Georgia” Written, Directed, and Performed by Justine J. Hall
10:28 pm Penny Arcade
10:40 pm Tym Moss
10:52 pm M. Lamar
Selection from “The Lynching Suite”
FRIDAY — Cabaret Theater Schedule
7:00 pm Robert Varkony and his Band “Star 69”
7:32 pm Will Wills
7:44 pm 13th Street Rep presents
“The Tell Tale Heart” Written by Edgar Allen Poe
Directed by Joe John Battista; Starring: Daniel Yaiullo
7:56 pm Dawoud Kringle
8:08 pm “Obligation” Written by Peter Welch
Directed by Lei Zhou
Starring: Lei Zhou & David Slone
8:20 pm Judy Krause & Cheryl E Grant
“Not I: Covid Addition” Written by Cheryl E. Grant
Starring: Judy Krause & Cheryl E Grant
8:32 pm “Of Privilege and Property” Written by Anthony Pennino
Directed by Stephan Morrow
Starring: Brian Childers, Jim Dimunno, David F. Gow, Lydia
Jordan, Sachi Parker, Shawn Robinson, John Roney, & Jessica Washington
8:44 pm Oasis.NY Theater Group presents
“The Wonderer” Written by by Lynda Crawford
Directed by Albert Insinnia; Starring: Byron O’Hanlon & Albert Insinnia
8:56 pm Evan Laurence
9:08 pm Peter Dizozza
9:20 pm From Scratch Performance Company presents
“The Old Normal” Written and directed by Robert Liebowitz
Featuring: Monique Romero, Madison Smith, & Izzy Durakovic
9:32 pm Lower East Side Performing Arts
Performers: Andrew Bolotowsky & Mary Hurlbut
9:44 pm Loretta Auditorium
9:56 pm “One Eyed King” Written and Directed by Roman Primitivo
Starring: Stefan Bandic & Selear Duke-Williams
10:08 pm Eric Purkis
Saturday, May 29: Cabaret Theater Film Festival 12PM – 6PM; Johnson Theater Music and Multi-Discipline Performances 1PM – 5PM; Johnson Theater Performances 6PM – 11PM.
SATURDAY — Film Festival Line-Up
Curated by Eva Dorrepaal
Technical Director & Creative Advisor: Roy Chang
Hosted by John David West and Eva Dorrepaal
12:00 pm
The Little House That Could – Directed by Mars Roberge – documentary – 90 min
Starring: Patricia Field, Codie Ravioli, Amanda Lepore, Kenny Scharf, Chi Chi Valenti, Susanne Bartsch, Paul Alexander, Gazelle Paulo, Lauren Pine, Richard Alvarez, Connie Girl, Jojo Americo, Her Royal Highness Princess Diandra and others.
An unconventional family of drag queens, club kids, transsexuals, butch-dykes, gay teenagers and other misunderstood outsiders single-handedly change the world of music, art and fashion. Sex and the City stylist Patricia Field gave them a home in her iconic NYC clothing boutique that started on West 8th Street and eventually closed on the Bowery across from CBGB’s.
1:37 pm
Lunch with Laura – Directed by Alison Chernick – comedy – 16 min
Starring: Juliette Bennett, Marisa Ryan and Gibson Frazier.
Laura’s quest for a social life at a New York diner gets terribly messy.
1:54 pm
Off The Deep End – Directed by Lei Zhou produced and written by Joe Davidson – drama- 28 minutes.
Starring: DJ Sharp, Catherine Taormina, Michelle Macau and Vilma Hodo.
An alcoholic wife and an abusive husband, trapped in a marriage with a terrible secret. There’s only one way out.
2:23 pm
1 out of 8 – Directed by Jacqueline Kennedy – documentary – 5 min
Starring: Rose Sias. Brought to you by The Kennedy Project.
The short highlights a woman in construction, working extremely hard to break barriers and stereotypes in NYC and in the construction business. Over 20 years she has been working to challenge new heights.
2:29 pm
Hearts & Daggers – Written and directed by Izzy Church – comedy noir – 9 min
Brought to life by the Single Life sketch team: Frank Logan, Kevin Hippler, Laura Logan, Kevin Janaway, Izzy Church, Natalie Hunter and Saturday Lawson.
When Roger receives a series of disturbing Valentine cards, he seeks out the help of a private detective to solve the case of the hearts and daggers.
2:39 pm
Foreign Nationals – Directed by Louis J. Guerra – drama – 18 min
Starring: Ninoshka De Leon Gill, Athena Alexis, Johann Flores, Edna Lee Figueroa and others.
A troubled recently divorced officer struggles with the new agenda of the government and the lives of foreign nationals, choosing to secretly work with a headstrong, sexually fluid immigration attorney to track high profile criminals and help innocent immigrants in NYC.
3:02 pm
Lucid – 25 min – Written and directed by Mary Carl – drama – 25 min
Cinematography by John Carl Edited by Won Novalis
Starring: Katy Rea, Matthew Goodrich, Jose Duran, Lauren Switzer
A girl is lured into the surreal world of lucid dreaming which makes her question her reality.
3:32 pm
Maddie – Written and directed by Arlee Chadwick – horror – 3 min
Starring: Michael Lester
A man buys a haunted doll online.
In the Clown’s Head – Written and Directed by Gemma Ibarra – mystery – 3 min
Starring: Gemma Ibarra and Jason Snider
A mysterious package arrives at her door… but whom is it for?
Timeless – Written, Directed and Performed by Francisco Cardozo – drama – 3 min
A heartbroken New Yorker wonders how different things would be if time didn’t exist.
The Beach– Written and Directed by Eva Rogelj – comedic personal documentary – 2 min
Starring – Eva Rogelj
An awkward moment on the beach.
3:50 pm
The Other Woman – Written by Cornelia Ravenal, directed by Mikael Södersten – drama – 16 min
Starring: Juliette Bennett, Christian Pedersen, Katarina Huldt and Chris Stack.
A young woman thinks she knows who she is… until she becomes fascinated by the exotic older woman with whom her fiancé is having an affair.
4:13 pm
Joe_iMDb vs Frankie Truffles – Written and directed by William George-Louis – comedy – 17 min
With: Brian W Smith, Brian Agamie, Caveh Zahedi, Peter Rinaldi, Onur Tukel, Ariel Kavoussi, Leah Shore.
A battle of wits between NYC cinephiles.
4:36 pm
Planet Rose – Writer/director/editor: Celine Dayan-Bonilla – comedy – 5 min
Starring: Jessica Barrish & Lou Lasher. Cinematographer: David Rafailovich
Not your average quarter life crisis.
The Virgin Barry – Written and Directed by Christopher D’andre Williams – comedy – 8 min
Starring: Byron C. Saunders, Tatiana Perry, Malcolm Jerod and Giovanni Jackson
A struggling young artist can’t decide who he should give his virginity to.
Why I Couldn’t Finish My Film – Directed by Ann Esther Manov – personal documentary – 7 min
Starring: Ann Esther Manov
Nervous about becoming a corporate lawyer, a young woman has affairs with two avant-garde filmmakers and attempts to make a documentary about fur.
5:02 pm
Camp Video – Written, produced and directed by August Polite – animation – 3 min
After a failed suicide attempt, a young filmmaker visits his old summer camp in the hope to find solace.
Collective Immunity – Directed and edited by Peter Welch – documentary – 6 min
Filmed on Election Day 2016 and edited the week before Election Day 2020, COLLECTIVE IMMUNITY is a visual examination of the election process, especially in regard to its limitations in protecting the citizens who participate.
horreur fatigue – Directed and edited by Edwin Brienen – drama – 7 min
Starring: Eva Dorrepaal Camera: Jimmy Napoli & Francisco Cardozo Visual Concept: Suzanne Jansonius
In a pandemic state of emergency, an opera star finds a homebound audience on her balcony theater stage before fleeing to the waters of the Hudson River. Soon she will find her own “horreur fatigue”.
Thank You for the Music – Directed by Rachel Myers and Par Parekh – dark comedy – 7 min
Starring Tony Award nominee Tom Hewitt (CHICAGO, DR. ZHIVAGO) and Tonatiuh (VIDA, SHOPLIFTERS OF THE WORLD). Written by Alberto Ferreras (HABLA Y VOTA, B AS IN BEAUTY).
One neighbor confronts another about his generous sex life — but the sex isn’t his problem.
Benediction – Directed by John Carl & Jonathan Kirk – drama – 6 min
Starring: Alexandria Collins, Matt Gold, Jonathan Kirk, Mary Rebekah
In the middle of the night a girl receives a mysterious phone call from an inmate with a haunting secret.
5:34 pm
Hungry Ghosts – Written and directed by Mark Borkowski – drama – 18 min
Starring: David McKittrick, Melisa O’ Donnell, Aprella Godfrey Barule, Karen Giordano, Gabe Moran, and Marisa Vitali. Cinematographer – Vadim Aynbinder
A man’s desperate search for his drug addicted wife forces him to live with his own demons or die with hers
SATURDAY — Johnson Theater Afternoon Line-Up
Curator, Richard West
Special Guest
Phoebe Legere
Music
Joe Bendik
William Brown
The Head Peddlers
Evan Laurence
Marta and the Muses
Melange
Susan Mitchell
Psycho Positive
Comedy
Stan Baker
Poetry
Austin Alexis
Amy Barone
Peter Dolack
Jim Feast
Bonny Finberg
Dorothy Friedman August
Thomas Fuculoro
Bibi Hansen
Dave Huberman
Mathew Hupert
Jennifer Juneau
Ron Kolm
Jane Le Croy
Linda Kleinbub
Tsaurah Litzsky
Lissa Moira
Ronnie Norpel
Valery Oisteanu
Wanda Phipps
Lola Rodriguez
John Silver
Chocolate Waters
Francine Witte
Richard West
Belly Dance
Carol Tendava
Performance Art
Zero Boy
SATURDAY — Johnson Theater Schedule
6:00 pm Apple Bonkers Band
Conductor Michael David Gordon
6:22 pm John Grimaldi
6:34 pm Joseph Keckler from LaMaMa
6:46 pm “Good Morning” Written by Anne Marilyn Lucas
Directed by Joe Battista
Starring: Mary Tierney & Alex Ehmaleh
6:58 pm Michael Laderman
performing “The Suite for Flute Alone” by Walligford Riegger
7:10 pm Dominic Frigo
7:20 pm Carlina Rivera
7:22 pm Robert Gonzales Jr.
7:34 pm “This is How Successful People Talk” Written by Bina Sharif
Starring: Kavin Matin & Bina Sharif
7:46 pm “Among My Brethren” Written by Peter Welch
Starring: Larry Fleischman and Peter Welch
7:58 pm Yara Arts presents
Singer: Susan Hwang
Percussionist: Marlon Cherry
8:10 pm The Drilling Company presents excerpts from “Shakespeare in the
Parking Lot” Directed by Hamilton Clancy
Starring: Jane Bradley, Mary Linehan, Remy Souchon, Peter Killy,
& Jarrod Bates
8:22 pm Judy Gorman
8:34 pm “The Road Ahead”
Written and Directed by Barbara Kahn
Justin Rodriguez, Natasha Velez, & Robert Gonzales Jr.
8:46 pm “The Boy Who Listened to Paintings”
by Dean Kostos and Paul Kirby
Directed by Lissa Moira
Featuring: Moore Theobold and William Broderick
8:58 pm David Amram
9:20 pm Art Lillard
9:34 pm New Yiddish Rep
Starring: David Mandelbaum
9:46 pm Bobbie Horowitz
Accompanied by David Lewis
9:58 pm David Lewis
10:10 pm Louisa Bradshaw
10:22 pm Trav S.D.
10:34 pm “Project Rapture” Written and Directed by Sabura Rashid
Starring: Stan Burtula and Alicia Foxworth
10:46 pm Terry Lee King as “The Legendary Amaz’n Grace”
Sunday, May 30: Poetry Program 4PM – 7PM; Johnson Theater Performances 6PM – 11PM; Cabaret Theater Performances 7PM – 11PM
SUNDAY — Poetry Program Line-Up
Curator, Lissa Moira
| Austin Alexis | Ron Kolm | Lola Rodriguez |
| Stan Baker | Tsaurah Litzky | Bob Rosenthal |
| Amy Barone | Fran Luck | Elizabeth Ruf |
| Briana Bartenieff | David Mills | Tom Savage |
| Patricia Carragon | Lois Kagan Mingus | J. F. Seary |
| Mitch Corber | Lissa Moira | Bina Sharif |
| Peter Dolack | Stephan Morrow | Mira J. Spektor |
| Evan | Larry Myers | Ellen Steier |
| Jim Feast | Valery Oisteanu | Chocolate Waters |
| Bonny Finberg | Rochelle Pashkin | Richard West |
| David Huberman | Howard Pflanzer | Ernest Woodley |
| Hillary Keel | Wanda Phipps | Malik Work |
| Linda Kleinbub | Sabura Rashid |
SUNDAY — Johnson Theater Schedule
6:00 pm COBU
Starring: Ayaha Otsuka, Mayu Yamashita, Kana Matsui, Micro
Fuluyama, and Yako Miyamoto
Director, Composer, and Choreographer: Yako Miyamoto
6:22 pm Poetry by Faceboy & Choreography by Lucas ti Amore
6:27 pm “Sunday Afternoon in the Car”
Written by Patricia Passeltiner
Directed by Wallace Norman
Starring: Ariana Johns and Greg Mullavey
6:39 pm “…just…” Choreographed by Kaoru Ikeda
Starring: Kaoru Ikeda (Dance) & Wick Simmons (Cello)
6:51 pm “Speakout: Protest Dances”
Starring: Jennifer Chin, Madeline Jafari, Oscar Antonio Rodriguez, Sierra Christine Sanders, & Richard T. Sayam.
Choreographed by Jennifer Chin
7:03 pm Arthur Abrams
7:15 pm Glitter Kitty presents “Das Spacehaus 8000”—Blast off!
Starring: Sebastian Braz, Jeff Davis, Emily Vetsch & Surprise
Guest
Choreography: Jeff Davis & Emily Vetsch
7:27 pm “Heal the Cracks in the Bell of the World” Written by Martin
Espada & Performed by Frances Key
“The Children of the World” Written by Frances Key and
Performed by Naomi Jane Voigt
7:37 pm Commissioner Casals
7:39 pm Kinding Sindaw
7:51 pm Ben Pologe presents
“E Sogno O Realta?” From Verdi’s Falstaff
Accompanied by Richard Nechamkin
8:03 pm Ashley Liang Dance Company
Dance #1: “Fantasia on Western China Themes”
Starring: Ashley Liang, Kathy Xia, Cathy Qu, Joey Liu, Julia Wang, Tiffany Wu, Angela Xi
Musicians: Judy Yeh & Wenting Wu.
Dance #2: “Chinese Red” Starring: Stephanie Zheng
8:15 pm “14 Days” Written by Lewis Schrager 631-324-0407
Directed by Robert Kalfin
Starring: Robert Kalfin, Lewis Schrager, & Marilyn Chris
8:32 pm Ashley Liang Dance Company
Dance #3: “Silk Road”
Starring: Kathy Xia, Angela Xi, Joey Liu, Julia Wang, Tiffany Wu, & Cathy Qu
8:39 pm Wise Guise: The Juan, Scot, and Dan Show
8:51 pm Senator Brad Hoylman
8:53 pm “Good Money After Bad” Written by Tom Diriwachter
Directed by Jonathan Weber
9:05 pm “Turnaround” Performed & Choreographed by Akiko Tokuoka
9:17 pm Excerpts from“Strange Roots” Performed by John Jiler
9:29 pm Richard West
9:41 pm “The Great Bread Fiasco” Starring Mike Zettler
9:53 pm “Charting the Musical Genome” Starring Gregory Nissen
10:05 pm “Not Broken”
Choreographed & Performed by Katherine Adamenko
10:17 pm Lex and the Cult of Spirits
10:29 pm “In the Blink of An Eye” by Valery Oisteanu
10:41 pm “Pieces of Picasso” Starring Danielle Aziza
10:53 pm Le Squeeze Box Cabaret
Starring David F. SLone, Esq. and a cast of surprise guests!
SUNDAY — Cabaret Theater Schedule
7:00 pm Ellen Steier
7:12 pm Eve Packer performing with Daniel Carter
7:24 pm Melange
Guitar: Richard West; Violin: Susan Mitchell
7:36 pm “Not Broken”
Choreographed & Performed by Katherine Adamenko
7:48 pm Lorcan Otway
8:00 pm “Spinder” by Katharine Dreves
Starring Beth Griffith, LaVora Perry, & Steven Rice
8:12 pm Travel Fun by Malcom Boyd
Starring Malcom Boyd & Sandra Bilu
8:24 pm Ellen Steier
8:36 pm Maude Lardner Burke
8:48 pm “The Betty Kiss”
Written by Derek Murphy
Featuring Rhonda Keyser & Ken Forman
9:00 pm Xoregos Performing Group presents
“Passing Fancies” Written by Donna Spector
Directed by Shela Xoregos
Featuring: Gabe Girson & Rachel Emmanuela Frost
9:12 pm “Triangle Tribute” by Elizabeth Ruf
with Music by Arthur Abrams
9:24 pm Tanya Solomon
9:36 pm Malik Work
9:48 pm Stan Baker
10:00 pm Richard Weber with Roy Chang
10:04 pm Hollie Harper
SPECIAL GUESTS
James Rado (composer of “Hair”), Penny Arcade, Phoebe Legere, Vinie Burrows, and Reno. David Amram, Art Lillard, Mister Pablo, and Rob Varcony/Star 69 will head the list of 36 musical acts. There will be over 25 works of theater, 30 mixed-performance events, and 11 modern dance events. Eleven films, curated by Eva Dorrepaal, will be screened. A “poetry jam with prose on the side,” curated and hosted by Lissa Moira, will offer readings by 36 literary artists. There will be various cabaret, comedy, and magic acts. Works by 40 visual artists, curated by Caroline Ratliffe, will be displayed in the lobby. Elected officials appearing will include Brad Hoylman (State Senator, 27th District) Friday at 8:15, Harvey Epstein (State Assembly Member, 74th District) Friday at 9:00 PM, Carlina Rivera (City Council Member, 2nd District) Saturday at 7:15 PM, and Gonzalo Casals (NYC Commissioner of Cultural Affairs) Sunday at 7:30 PM.
SPECIAL CREDITS
Festival Director, Crystal Field. Assistant Directors: Katharine Dreves, Milton Tran, Devorah Shubowitz, J.C. Augustin and Anika Prager. Emcees of the 2021 Festival are: Crystal Field, Robert Gonzales Jr., Melanie Goodreaux, Susan Hemley, Alberto Minero, David Slone Esq., John David West, and Eva Dorrepaal.
The LES Festival is created and organized by The LES Committee: David Aronson, Alex Bartenieff, Briana Bartenieff, Bill Bradford, Roy Chang, Walter Corwin, Eva Dorrepaal, Myrna Duarte, Carol Dudgeon, Crystal Field, Matthew Fitzgerald, Andrea Fulton, Robert Gonzales Jr., Melanie Maria Goodreaux, Robert Greer, Susan Hemley, Barbara Kahn, Dan Kelley, Anne Lucas, Donna Mejia, Lissa Moira, Stephan Morrow, Brian Park, Emily Pezzella, Carolyn Ratcliffe, Liana Rosario, Ramiro Sandoval, Ed Shea, Jonathan Slaff, David F. Slone, Esq., Claude Solnik, Mackenzie Surbey, Mary Tierney, Jenne Vath, Jimmy Walker, Jonathan Weber, Richard Weber, Peter Welch, John David West, and Richard West. Press Representative is Jonathan Slaff.
COVID Protocol and Etiquette:
If not vaccinated, we require a negative Covid-19 test result taken within the past 3 to 5 days of arrival. The members of the audience will need a printed-out version of test results, or vaccine card, in hand in order to expedite prompt show openings.
Temperatures will be taken at the door. Masks and social distancing are always required.