Art in Odd Places (AiOP), New York City’s annual public art and performance festival, presents a carnival infused fundraiser, SIDESHOW on Tuesday, June 22,  7-10pm at TheaterLab located at 137 W 14th Street between Sixth and Seventh Avenues. Admission is only $5.

Featured bands are Dinosaur Feathers and Egemen Sanli & Friends.  Other performers include the infamous The High Line Park Renegade Cabaret featuring a huge cast of chanteuses and musicians appearing on the fire escape of TheaterLab and as buskers inside the three floors of mayhem.

But that’s not all folks! Delight to the forbidden dances of Minnie Tonka and Etta-May Freeway. Run screaming from the building after experiencing the horror of Miss Take – nature gone horribly wrong. Marvel at sword swallower and fire-eater, The Lady ‘Aye”. Wonder ‘how is that possible’ as you take in the freakiness of the bacKspace freaKsters: Krystal Something Something, Charmin Ultra, Mary Jo Camel Toe, Lil’ Kimchi, Whiskey Dixie, and The Duchess. Try not to look away as Insect Exotica LuLu LoLo spreads her wings. Don’t forget there’s also crocheted modern day freak, Olek. Owners of the sideshow, Admiral Erathamus Longchamp and his ‘current’ love interest Galixa Uranus  (half avatar, half-baked) will also present an exhibit of ‘Freaks in Jars’, giant human puff balls- The Poofs, a pig race, fortunate tellers, world’s largest pickle, games of chance, and lots of prizes. Visit www.artinoddplaces.org for more information.

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Just when you thought benefit season was over, LaMama announces its LaMama Moves 2010 Gala celebrating Sara Rudner & Laurie Uprichard. With performances from Rocky Bornstein – Robert Een – Doug Elkins – John Kelly – Jon Kinzel – Jodi Melnick – Rashaun Mitchell – Quarry Film by Meredith Monk – David Neumann – Bill Ruyle – John Scott – Vicky Shick; special performance by Ersaloly Mameraem, plus surprise guests and more…

LaMama Moves Gala 2010
Tuesday June 8
Warm Up Toast Reception at 6:30pm
Gala Performance at 7:30pm
Danza in Festa Reception immediately following

More info and tickets here.

For more info on the LaMama Moves Dance festival, which runs June 4 – 20, click here.

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FRIDAY, MAY 21st
DANCE YOUR FUNKIN’ BRASS OFF!
10:00 PM-2:00 AM at St. Ann’s Warehouse
38 Water Street, DUMBO, Brooklyn

DJs and Live Bands:
Slavic Soul Party, Fiery Balkan brass, hip-grinding American grooves, and ecstatic anthems both new and old: just what its name says
Debo Band, Boston’s 11 piece Ethio-groove collective
Spanglish Fly, a spicy musical dish comprised
of bugaloo, Latin soul and shingaling
Hungry March Band, Brooklyn’s own
legendary street brass marching band
DJ Dusty Walker

$15 in advance or $20 at the door
More info and tickets at www.greatsmallworks.org
ALL PROCEEDS GO TO THE PRODUCTION OF GREAT SMALL WORKS’ NINTH INTERNATIONAL TOY THEATER FESTIVAL, MAY 30TH – JUNE 13TH AT ST. ANN’S WAREHOUSE

Hundreds of artists from around the world (Holland, Mexico City, Helsinki, Montreal, Los Angeles) and around the neighborhood (Midwood, DUMBO, Manhattan) and places in between (Philadelphia, Chicago, Vermont) will converge on St. Ann’s Warehouse for a two-week celebration of the power of the miniature. Great Small Works and guest artists reinvent the 19th-century tradition of Toy Theater for contemporary audiences. The expansive warehouse will be reconfigured to house intimate performing spaces where dramatic spectacles will unfold, alongside a grand exhibition of toy theaters both historic and new. The tiniest blockbusters in town! Full schedule posted at www.greatsmallworks.org.

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There are a very limited number of performance only tickets left for the Movement Research Gala Performance and Party tonight. The Gala is honoring
Cynthia Hedstrom and DANCENOISE and features work and performances by:

Charles Atlas
Lucinda Childs Dance
Ishmael Houston-Jones with special guests
John Kelly
Jon Kinzel with Vicky Shick
Jennifer Monson & Yvonne Meier
Tom Murrin with special guests
The Wooster Group
The Wau Wau Sisters

followed by dance party with
The Party Machine (DJ Bianca and Ingie Pop)
Doors open for “performance only” at 8PM, show at 8:30PM.

at
Judson Memorial Church
55 Washington Square South
New York City

Tickets are $25 or $50 and include drinks all night – purchase tickets here.

See you there!

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Here’s some pix from the gala:

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We weren’t going to go. I mean, do we really need to get that drunk this early in the week? But then its not just about getting drunk, is it? Oh no. It’s about celebrating community, and that’s the truth. So we put on our metaphorical party hat and headed over to Abrons Arts Center for the PS122 Gala where they were honoring John Leguizamo.

And what a good time it was! Everybody and I mean everybody was there. The evening started out with a cocktail reception where we caught up with old friends and made a few new ones. Then into the Henry Street Playhouse for the ceremony/show. Co-hosted by the ever-charming and extremely funny Carmelita Tropicana and Marga Gomez, the line-up featured a fun and filthy skit from the Wau Wau Sisters, a song from Lenny Kaye and performances of Leguizamo monologues from Hazelle Goodman, Rosie Perez and John Turturro.  Eric Bogosian and Baz Luhrmann offered video encomiums to the honoree and the presentation to John Leguizamo himself was made by Spike Lee. Star-tacular!!!

Of course the audience was filled with downtown art stars and friends from all over. After the show the party resumed in the halls of Abrons until about 11PM when the whole shebang migrated over to The Delancey for the afterparty. Culturebot got home around 2:30AM and woke up Wednesday morning a little rough around the edges but not too much worse for the wear and tear. Certainly feeling good about the groovy vibe and the fun people. Congrats to all at PS122 for a real humdinger of a party and for helping to keep the ever-morphing downtown performance community alive and well.

Pix to come!

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LITTLE THEATRE and DIXON PLACE
in association with The FLEA THEATRE present
A BENEFIT FOT ‘PATAPHYSICS WRITERS WORKSHOPS

Monday, May 10, 2010 — 8:00 pm @ the new Dixon Place
161A Chrystie btw. Delancey & Rivington (F/V 2nd Ave; 6 Bleecker; JMZ Bowery)

Featuring new work by: Scott Adkins, Erin Courtney, Erik Ehn, Rebecca Hart, Jeffrey M. Jones, Kate E. Ryan, Normandy Sherwood, Anne Washburn, Gary Winter, Mac Wellman & Valerie Work

Enjoy an evening of cocktails, prizes and theater! ‘Pataphysics seeks your support as they raise funds to help offset the cost of the Erik Ehn silent retreat for playwrights, to be held this summer.

‘Now in its second year, ‘Pataphysics’ retreat in the Catskills for playwrights is pleased to offer two opportunities—one of which happens to be their longest and most extensive retreat. It also happens to be the most expensive. Your support will help make the retreat affordable for participating writers by covering some of the costs of room and board at the two offsite workshops.

6:30 pm $30 for pre-show cocktails, a chance to buy raffle tickets AND a ticket to Little Theatre
8:00 pm $15 for Little Theatre Only

[line-up after the jump]

Continue Reading

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For $30 balcony seats choose $50 ticket and enter code THERMIE for $20 off – limited supply!!!

ELEVATOR REPAIR SERVICE
presents
AMERICAN FICTION: LOVED, BANNED & MYTHOLOGIZED

- Oscar-winner FRANCES MCDORMAND
- indie star LILI TAYLOR
- “SNL’s” Barack Obama FRED ARMISEN
- “The Wire’s” Commissioner Burrell FRANKIE FAISON
- & ERS company members Jim Fletcher, Vin Knight, April Matthis & Susie Sokol

PERFORM dynamic readings from BELOVED and OUTLAWED great American BOOKS

ERS sound designers bring into play the critically acclaimed “MAGNIFICENT sound design” style UNIQUE to ERS to ANIMATE the readings, with anachronistic EFFECTS, movie SOUNDTRACK music & MOODY beds of sound

May 3rd at 8 PM – one night only
$30 Tickets

PROGRAM
Fred Armisen, Jim Fletcher & April Matthis:
Mark Twain’s “Adventures of Huckleberry Finn”

Frankie Faison:
Herman Melville’s “Moby Dick; or, The Whale”

Lili Taylor:
Willa Cather’s “O PIoneers!”

Frances McDormand:
Edith Wharton’s “The Age of Innocence”

Vin Knight & Susie Sokol:
Edgar Allan Poe’s “The Angel of the Odd”

TICKETS MUST BE BOUGHT IN ADVANCE
www.elevator.org/benefit or 212-352-3101
For $30 balcony seats choose $50 ticket and enter code THERMIE for $20 off – limited supply!!!

Sponsors: A Mouse Bouche, ArtsEmerson, Color Coded LLC, Le Tourment Vert Absinthe, Olivino Wines, Thomas Hooker Fresh Ales and Lagers, Saveur Caterers, Stoli, The Public Theater, and Three Clicks Wines.

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Don’t miss this show on Sunday – a benefit for Andrew Dinwiddie’s Jimmy Swaggart show, Get Mad at Sin ! called The Golden Sound Camp Meeting.
Featuring:

The Defibulators
The Glory Whole Revival Quartet (featuring Christopher Williams)
Cynthia Hopkins
Karinne Keithley
Sibyl Kempson & Ken Rus Schmoll
(Featuring Gabriella Barnstone, Kate Benson, Chris Campbell , Erin Courtney, Emma Griffin, Megan Hart, Joan Jubett, Meg McCarey, Aimee Phelan-Deconinck, Tricia Rodley, April Sweeney and Anna Foss Wilson)
Jon Lundbom and Big Five Chord
Neal Medlyn
Chris Peck
Dr. Schüler

Sunday, April 25th, 7 to 10 pm.
at Cameo Gallery which has a top-secret entrance in the way back of the Lovin’ Cup bar at 93 N. 6th street in Williamsburg (between Berry and Wythe).
L to Bedford.
Suggested Donation: $20 to benefit the upcoming production Get Mad at Sin !, graciously accepted at the door.

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You probably know about Housing Works. They’re a fantastic organization with thrift stores, book stores and auctions all raising money to provide lifesaving services for homeless and low-income New Yorkers living with HIV/AIDS, such as housing, meals and medical care. Founded in 1990, Housing Works is New York City’s largest community-based nonprofit AIDS organization.

Housing Works received an anonymous donation of thirteen paintings from the estate of the New York City painter and environmental artist Geri Taper (1929-2004). Taper has been included in several shows at MOMA, which has her works in its permanent collection. She’s been exhibited worldwide at the Palais des Congres in Paris, the Carnegie Museum of Art, Madden Galleries in London and the Masavi Gallery in Japan.  Best of all, her work is simply very cool.

Housing Works will be auctioning off all of Taper’s vibrant creations through their popular window auctions. The Tapers will be displayed in the windows of their 23rd Street Gramercy thrift shop–people can bid on the items through their online store, ShopHousingWorks.com beginning Thursday, April 14th.  The auction will run through April 28th and all of the proceeds will benefit homeless and low-income New Yorkers living with HIV/AIDs.

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