Another year has flown by and New York City had some extraordinary theater. Usually there are some consistent shows that fill top lists but this year provided so many great pieces that we have options! I decided to dive a bit deeper than the typical list. Here are my top 5 shows of the year!

1. The Grand Paradise

Immersive theater is the new frontier. It's no secret that I am a super fan of well-crafted immersive works. Every single element in a great immersive piece needs to be thought out and executed perfectly. Third Rail Projects upped the game with The Grand Paradise. Escape to an island getaway where you think you'll be forgetting your worries only to face them head-on. Virtually a choose your own adventure narrative, follow a family as they are whisked away as they face temptation in this island treasure trove.



2. YOUARENOWHERE
This was a show where you needed to throw away your inhibitions and theatrical expectations because Andrew Schneider is going to blow your mind. YOUARENOWHERE is a sensory overload in all the right ways. Just when you think you've got this show figured out, Schneider and his extraordinary team exceed your expectations and alter your mind. Who knows where this show will go next so discussing specifics would still be unfair. Keep an eye out for this one because it's an experience you must have.






3. The Wolves
Sarah DeLappe's The Wolves truly was a game changer. Presented by The Playwrights' Realm, The Wolves fortunately received two runs at The Duke because this play was a hit. DeLappe's writing and Lila Neugebauer's direction formed the perfect team. The Wolves started their run as an underdog production but they leave 2016 as true champions.






4. The Woodsman
The Woodsman had a journey many indie theater productions dream of. From little show to Off Broadway hit, the reimagined story of the Tin Man defied the basics, breathing new life into theatrical storytelling. With puppetry, live underscoring, and an ensemble of wonderful performers, The Woodsman managed to wow theater artists and tourists alike. If you missed it, get your hands on the filmed version.





5. Falsettos
There was so much great Broadway this year. A lot of which falls into the categories of previous year entries. So why does Falsettos get the Broadway slot on my list? Well because it was a welcome revival that packed a punch with a Broadway all-star cast. The William Finn revival may be a period piece but if you have a heart, that ending will break your heart. Expect some Tony nominations for this company, especially for Christian Borle and Stephanie J. Block.

I had a dream. To attend all of the NYMF full productions of the 2016 season. Then I hit a very unfortunate scheduling snafu that made me miss one show. So I saw 16 of the 17 full productions. But that's not going to stop me from celebrating the best of NYMF 2016! For the 3rd time, I bring you the "Mikey" Awards, celebrating outstanding achievements of the festival! Sure, the festival hands out their own hardware but who doesn't want some from everyone's favorite critic! (likely only uttered by my mother). Here are the 16 eligible shows!

• A Scythe of Time
• Camp Rolling Hills
• Children of Salt
• Eh Dah?- Questions for My Father
• Forest Boy
• Icon
• Lisa and Leonardo
• Ludo's Broken Bride
• Newton's Cradle
• Nickel Mines
• Normativity
• The First Church of Mary, the Repentant Prostitute's FIFTH ANNUAL!!! Benefit Concert, Revival, and Pot Luck Dinner
• The Gold
• The Last Word
• Tink!
• Ultimate Man

Are you ready for some musicals?! NYMF is back (and this year with out the "theatre") with 18 full productions ready to take the musical world by storm. With an eclectic array of offerings, here is a preview! For more information, visit nymf.org! And now, the preview!



A Scythe of Time
Book by Alan Harris; Music and Lyrics by Mark Alan Swanson

This one is for all those Edgar Allan Poe fanatics out there. And those Lesli Margherita fans! A Scythe of Time looks like a dark, campy musical set in 1881 London where the public has a fascination with the Blackwood Articles where writers take their own lives and, in the process of dying, record their experience with death. It's billed as a bizarre tale of power and love, poetic justic, and bloody revenge. Could this our next Sweeney Todd? Just don't try this at home, kids

June Havoc Theatre
7/21 @ 8, 7/23 @ 1, 7/23 @ 5, 7/24 @ 1, 7/24 @ 5, 7/26 @9
http://www.ascytheoftime.com/

Icon
Book by Sebastian Michael; Music and Lyrics by Jonathan Kaldor

Let's just take a second to remind ourselves that this show will be led by the uber talented Donna McKechnie and Tony Sheldon. That's reason itself to go! The plot sounds a bit tricky to put into words but an American debutante marries into one of Europe's ancient Royal Families. An affair with her music teacher leads to uproar and her tragic death turns her from living legend into timeless icon. 40 years later, a young man in search of his grandfather's past finds more than he's bargained for. Something tells me that the grandfather may be linked to the debutante!

The Duke
7/20 @ 8, 7/23 @ 1, 7/23 @ 5, 7/24 @ 9, 7/26 @ 4
http://iconthemusical.com/

Ludo’s Broken Bride
Concept, Music, and Lyrics by LUDO; Adaptaion by Stacey Weingarten; Additional Story and Arrangements by Dana Levinson

Something tells me Ludo's Broken Bride wins the award for most unique. This rock opera has everything from time-travel, dinos, and zombies! Oh and love. The musical is an expansion on the original concept album from alternative rock band LUDO about one man's epic time-traveling journey to save his one true love. How far would you go to save your true love? Personally? Pretty damn far!

The Duke
8/2 @ 8, 8/4 @ 8, 8/5 @ 5, 8/6 @ 5, 8/6 @ 9
http://www.brokenbride.rocks/

Newton’s Cradle
Music and Lyrics by Heath Saunders; Book and Additional yrics by Kim Sauners

Well this one is certainly a family affair! Written by mother-son writing team Kim and Heath Saunders and featuring brother Trent in the cast, Newton's Cradle is a play about family. Evan's journey takes us into his unique world of autism, where events aren't sequential, labels get in the way, and well-defined family relationships are anything but constant. The score is exciting and is guided by the great Victoria Clarke in the director's chair.

The Duke
8/3 @ 8, 8/4 @ 4, 8/5 @9, 8/6 @ 1, 8/7 @ 12, 8/7 @ 4
http://www.newtonscradlemusical.com/

Tink!
Book by Anthony Marino; Music by Lena Gabrielle; Lyrics by Greg Kerestan & Lena Gabrielle

You may think you know the story of Peter Pan but it's about to get turned on it's head! This time, through the lens of the fairy herself, Tinker Bell. A story of star-crossed love when one young fairy and one young pirate crossed paths. Tink! is one of those shows that is comprised of a young, talented cast of future superstars including Max Sheldon and Elly Noble in the titular role.

The Pearl Theatre
7/25 @ 8, 7/28 @ 1, 7/28 @ 5, 7/30 @ 5, 7/30 @ 9, 7/31 @ 5
http://tinkmusical.com/





Camp Rolling Hills
Book and Lyrics by Stacy Davidowitz & David Spiegel; Music and Lyrics by Adam Spiegel

With a cast that includes 12 "tweens", Camp Rolling Hills is a musical adventure filled with campfires, bunk beds, and treasure hunts. These kids will deal with real issues as they learn the valuable lessons of true friendship. As one of the youth offerings of the festival, this one is like a pint size Disney musical with an energetic Broadway pop score.

The Pearl Theatre
8/3 @ 8, 8/4 @ 5, 8/5 @ 5, 8/5 @ 9, 8/6 @ 1




Children of Salt
Music by Jaime Lozano; Book and Lyrics by Lauren Epsenhart

With a Latin infused score, Children of Salt focuses on Raul who learns of his estranged grandmother's illness. He returns home to the beach in hopes of leaving as quickly as possible. The day brings a series of unexpected metings, unleashing an array of memories. The plot is a bit heavy but it is a timeless tale of love, loss, and hope.

The Pearl Theatre
7/20 @ 8, 7/21 @ 9, 7/22 @ 1, 7/23 @ 5, 7/24 @ 9



Dust Can’t Kill Me
Book by Abigail Carney; Music and Lyrics by Elliah Heifetz

Dust Can't Kill Me is one of those unique journies from FringeNYC to NYMF. Drought, desperation, and a prophet's prmise of Paradise set a ragtag group of wayward souls on a Dust Bowl journey into the desert. The musical boasts a spirited band of actor-muscians with a folk score.

June Havoc Theatre
8/1 @ 8, 8/2 @ 5, 8/3 @ 9, 8/4 @ 9, 8/6 @ 1, 8/7 @ 12




Eh Dah?- Questions for My Father
Book, Music and Lyrics by Aya Aziz

Written and performed by Aya Aziz, Eh Day? - Questions for My Father is one of the more unique offerings of the festival. "Ghetto-Hippie-Arab-Cmmie-China Doll" Aya was shaped by the eclectic community of NYC but her Egyptian-American world-traveler father remained a mystery, as did her Muslim family. Aya enacts the world she came from and the family she went in search of.

June Havoc Theatre
7/19 @ 8, 7/20 @ 1, 7/23 @ 9, 7/24 @ 9, 7/25 @ 8, 7/28 @ 9
hypokritnyc.org


Forest Boy
Book and Lyrics by Scott Gilmour; Music by Claire McKenzie

On September 5th, 2011, a boy appeared in Berlin claiming to have lived in the forest with his father for the psat five years. He had no memory of his past, only that his name was Ray and he travelled to Berlin following the death of his father. What followed were months of speculation, police inquiry, and a global media frenzy as teh mystery of the Forest Boy slowly unravelled.

The Pearl Theatre
7/27 @ 8, 7/28 @ 9, 7/29 @ 9, 7/30 @ 1, 8/2 @ 5
forestboy.co.uk

Lisa and Leonardo
Music by Donya Lane; Lyrics by Ed McNamee; Book by Ed McNamee, Donya Lane & Michael Unger

In Lisa and Leonardo, Leonardo da Vinci's intimate sketches of Lisa derail both her marriage and his relationship with his boy lover and protege bringing both their lives to the brink of disaster. Inspired by the true story of political intrigue, love and passion, this old fashioned musical answers the question "Who is she?"

The Duke
7/21 @ 8, 7/23 @ 9, 7/25 @ 12, 7/26 @ 12, 7/28 @ 4, 7/28 @ 8
lisaandleonardo.com


Nickel Mines
Book by Andrew Palermo & Shannon Stoeke; Music and Lyrics by Dan Dyer

Throw this one into the heavy material category, Nickel Mines interprets the 2006 Lancaster, PA Amish schoolhouse shooting in which a lone gunman shot 10 girls, 5 fatally, before taking his own life. This unique piece influses movement, music, and text to explore the various viewpoints of what the Amish call "The Happening".

The Duke
7/27 @ 8, 7/29 @ 1, 7/30 @ 9, 7/31 @ 5, 7/31 @ 9
nickelminesmusical.com



Normativity
Book, Music, and Lyrics by Jaime Jarrett

Normativity tells the story of Taylor, a teenage lesbian, who's sick of seeing LGBTQ+ people killed off in media with tragic endings. When Taylor meets Emily, a book character who's willed herself to life in order to confront the author who wrote her story, they force him to rewrite Emily's story, giving her a happy ending and proving why positive LGBTQ+ storytelling is so important.

The Pearl Theatre
7/18 @ 7, 7/21 @ 5, 7/22 @ 9, 7/23 @ 1, 7/24 @ 5
normativitymusical.com


Single
Book by Nat Bennett & Karen Bishko; Music and Lyrics by Karen Bishko

In Single, Leah seriously needs to get over her ex! At 20, Leah had a career in pop music and a huge hit song, but her record company didn't want her singing her own material, so she quit, now 36 and a successful divorce attorney. Between her experience with the music industry, her ex-boyfriend, and shepherding women through contentious divorces, she has become more and more suspicious of men.

June Havoc Theatre
7/29 @ 8, 8/3 @ 1, 8/4 @ 5, 8/5 @ 1, 8/6 @ 5



The First Church of Mary, the Repentant Prostitute’s Fifth Annual Benefit Concert, Revival, and Pot Luck Dinner
Book Music, and Lyrics by Geoff Davin, Additional Music and Lyrics by Nicole Boggs * KellyAnn Hocter; Additional Music by David Mescon

And the winner of the longest title is The First Church of Mary...And if ever there was a title that spelled out the plot for ya, it's this one. Come get yourself saved with the best band in town with some killer new songs. And of course the always popular pot luck dinner.

June Havoc Theatre
7/18 @ 7; 7/20 @ 5; 7/20 @ 9; 7/22 @ 5; 7/22 @ 9
repentantprostitute.com

The Gold
Book by Philip Yosowitz & Andrea Lepcio; Music & Lyrics by Philip Yosowitz

Rocky meets Golden Boy. Jospeh Cohen, a Jewish-German boxer, finds his 1936 Olympic ambitions curshed as the Nazis rise to power. Set against the backdrop of the Holocaust and the creation of Israel, The Gold is a testament to the resilience of the human spirit and the journey of self-discovery that we take as we search for purpose in our lives.

The Pearl Theatre
8/1 @ 8, 8/2 @ 1, 8/4 @ 9, 8/6 @ 5, 8/6 @ 9
thegoldmusical.com



The Last Word
Book, Music, and Lyrics by Brett Sullivan; Additional Lyrics by Ryan Cunningham

In East Cleveland 1976, Jay is a charaismatic slacker living above Paradise, the restaurant his fatehr left him. But Jay has accumulated a trail of debt which includes Earlene Floyd, a local parking lot mogul who wants to bulldoze Paradise and put up a parking (sounds like a Joni Mitchell lyric to me!). Jay enlists his old school gang of misfits with plans to raise cash by hustling across America, one game of Scrabble at a time.

The Duke
7/22 @ 8, 7/24 @ 5, 7/26 @ 8, 7/29 @ 5, 7/29 @ 9
thelastwordmusical.com


Ultimate Man!
Book by Jane Wilson & Charles Abbott; Music by Alastair William King; Lyrics by Paul Gambaccini, Alastair William King, & Jane Edith Wilson; Conceived by Paul Gambaccini

With the biggest creative team of the festival, Joe, the artist who draws the politically savvy Ultimate Man has lost control of his characters and himself. Ultimate Man confronts the cartoonist in the real world. For Joe, his worlds collide in this comic adventure.

Pearl Theatre
7/18 @ 8, 7/21 @ 1, 7/22 @ 5, 7/23 @ 9, 7/26 @ 9

It’s winter which means the Frigid Festival is upon us! This year for their 10th edition, Horse Trade Theater Group will play host to an assortment of producitons at the Kraine Theater and Under St. Marks. Theater in the Now is giving you a glimpse into the thirty productions of this year’s festival! Frigid Festival 2016 runs February 16th-March 6th. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit horsetrade.info and remember to use #frigidfestival2016 and #titn on Twitter and Facebook! And now, for a preview!



Chalk
Created & Performed by Alex Curtis

CHALK (a silent comedy) is a hilarious and unexpected one-man show guaranteed to delight audiences of all ages. Chalk invites audiences into a hand-drawn world where imagination is made real and anything can happen. Charlie Chaplin meets Harold and the Purple Crayon in this romantic romp sure to “Draw You In.”

The Kraine Theater
2/16 @ 8:50pm, 2/20 @ 1:40pm, 2/24 @ 8:50pm, 3/1 @ 5:30pm, 3/4 @ 6:50pm

CSI: Mayberry- An Unauthorized Parody
Written & Directed by Genny Yosco

In this farcical mash-up of "CSI: Miami" and "The Andy Griffith Show", we find a gruesome string of murders happening in Mayberry. It’s up to Andy and Barney to find out who the killer is from a list of familiar faces: Is it Aunt Bee? Floyd the Barber? Or someone else...?

The Kraine Theater
2/16 @ 10:30pm, 2/20 @ 3:20pm, 2/23 @ 10:30pm, 2/28 @ 5:10pm, 3/3 @ 7:10pm

Emily Dickinson: Paranormal Investigator 
Written by Todd Brian Backus, Directed by Ben Ferber

In this historical romp, Emily Dickinson, New England's premiere paranormal investigator, is reunited with her mentor, Edgar Allan Poe. They venture to Brooklyn on the trail of a horrifying new adversary. Along the way they encounter ghosts, witches, and the mysterious Fox Sisters.

The Kraine Theater
2/17 @ 8:50pm, 2/20 @ 5pm, 2/25 @ 8:50pm, 3/1 @ 10:30pm, 3/6 @ 5:10pm

Help Me Out Here
Written & Performed by Michael Joel and Kaitlin Overton

As one assembles an IKEA chair, another determines the meaning of their existence. Devised from journals, emails, and drunken iPhone notes, Help me out here is written and performed by Michael Joel and Kaitlin Overton. Bring a screwdriver...and a Xanax.

UNDER St. Marks
2/18 @ 5:30pm, 2/21 @ 5:10pm, 2/24 @ 7:10pm, 2/27 @ 10:30pm, 3/5 @ 12:30pm

Lil Women: A Rap Musical
Presented by Lil Theatre Company

Come join the March sisters as they spit rhymes, drop sick beats, and kick it old schoolhouse! Original debuted in at the Orlando Fringe in 2012; Lil’ Women: A Rap Musical combines the classic story "Little Women" with hip-hop music.

The Kraine Theater
2/23 @ 5:30pm, 2/25 @ 7:10pm, 2/28 @ 3:30pm, 3/1 @ 8:50pm, 3/4 @ 5:10pm, 3/5 @ 3:20pm

A Broad Abroad!
Written by Eric Kornfeld & D’yan Forest, Performed by D’yan Forest, Directed by Eric Kornfeld

Classy comedic "femme fatale" with an international flair takes you on her 80-year journey around the world through songs (French, Italian, English), humorous vignettes, with her piano & ukulele. Her unusual escapades and sexcapades will hold your attention since you won't know what to expect next.

The Kraine Theater
2/16 @ 5:30pm, 2/21 @ 3:30pm, 2/26 @ 6:50pm, 3/2 @ 5:30pm, 3/4 @ 8:30pm

Acute…Girl
Written & Performed by Julia Sun, Directed by Christine Renee Miller

How much bullsh*t can a girl put up with just to have nice things to wear? Come and listen to her stories told in a heartbreakingly hilarious way: between amateur modeling gigs and mail-in beauty pageant, what could possibly go wrong?

The Kraine Theater
2/17 @ 7:10pm, 2/21 @ 1:50pm, 2/25 @ 5:30pm, 3/1 @ 7:10pm, 3/3 @ 8:50pm

All is Fine in Sunny Florida!
Written by Mark Levy

Florida is a messed up place with lots of crazy horrible things happening everyday. All is Fine in Sunny Florida! is a series of short plays (written by a Floridian) all about these TRUE STORIES….yes 98 percent of those play is completely true.  Either from Florida Man twitter, real news stories or happened to the author.

The Kraine Theater
2/19 @ 5:10pm, 2/22 @ 10:30pm, 2/27 @ 5pm, 2/28 @ 1:50pm, 3/5 @ 6:40pm

The BYU/Berkeley Plot
Written by Ben Abbott

Brigham Young University and UC Berkeley couldn’t be more different. They’re the crispy ends of the higher education banana, and Ben Abbott went to both. But while trading Book of Mormon classes for angry protest rallies, he may have stumbled upon a shocking conspiracy linking the two! (Spoiler: It’s aliens.)

UNDER St. Marks
2/22 @ 5:30pm, 2/25 @ 10:30pm, 2/27 @ 7:10pm, 3/2 @ 7:10pm, 3/4 @ 5:30pm, 3/6 @ 12:10pm

CLENCHED
Written & Performed by David Mogolov, Directed by Steve Kleinedler

Struck by a mystery illness, David receives doctor's orders to relax: something he's incapable of doing. Desperate to conquer his debilitating tension, David dives into a spiraling monologue, a farce that audiences will find familiar, funny, and delightfully weird.

UNDER St. Marks
2/19 @ 8:50pm, 2/20 @ 12:30pm, 2/25 @ 8:50pm, 2/26 @ 5:30pm, 2/28 @ 5:10pm, 3/4 @ 7:10pm

Conversations with Body Language
Written & Performed by Mike Spara

Conversations with Body Language is wordless solo sketch comedy. Started as a loving update to Charlie Chaplin and Buster Keaton, Mike Spara combines silent film sensibility, modern music and absurdity into a mix-tape for your imagination. Mike is also a co-founder of The New Movement New Orleans.

UNDER St. Marks
2/16 @ 5:30pm, 2/19 @ 10:30pm, 2/20 @ 10:30pm, 2/21 @ 12:10pm, 2/25 @ 7:10pm, 2/27 @ 8:50pm

Dandy Darkly’s Trigger Happy!
Written & Performed by Dandy Darkly, Directed by Ian Bjorklund

NYC’s “decidedly wicked storyteller” (New York Times) returns to the FRIGID Festival with his latest tales to eviscerate the American Dream — exposing obsessions on guns, fear and our relentless pursuit of happiness. A resonant new voice of contemporary cabaret, brazenly bizarre and fearlessly foppish. Set expectation aside and see why critics the world over swoon for Dandy Darkly.

UNDER St. Marks
2/16 @ 7:10pm, 2/20 @ 8:50pm, 2/23 @ 5:30pm, 3/4 @ 10:30pm, 3/6 @ 1:50pm

Don’t Move to Toronto
Written & Performed by Zoe Daniels, Dramaturgy by Mikaela Dyke

In 2012, Zoe Daniels lived a charmed life in Montreal. By 2014 she'd been dumped, evicted, fired, threatened, and bankrupted. Using the worst possible iTunes playlist and her years of experience as a stand-up comedian and storyteller, she presents the brutally hilarious tale of perfect happiness ruined by simply moving to Toronto.

UNDER St. Marks
2/24 @ 5:30pm, 2/26 @ 7:10pm, 2/28 @ 12:10pm, 3/1 @ 7:10pm, 3/3 @ 10:30pm, 3/5 @ 5:30pm

Eighth Grade
Written & Performed by Nisse Greenberg

Eighth Grade is the origin story of Nisse Greenberg's neurosis. It's funny in the way that losing your optimism is always a little funny. Using projections of found images and his eighth grade yearbook, Nisse shows us what it's like inside his mind: a place no one asked to go.

UNDER St. Marks
2/17 @ 5:30pm, 2/21 @ 1:50pm, 2/28 @ 3:30pm, 3/2 @ 8:50pm, 3/5 @ 8:50pm

The Extraordinary Fall of the Four-Legged Woman
Written by Lily Ali-Oshatz, Directed by Madeline Wall

Step right up and witness a fantastical circus sideshow! In the dusty desert of Arizona, Myrtle Corbin, the Four-Legged Woman, meets her match. This experimental musical reveals the wonders of performing and navigates what it means to be "other."

The Kraine Theater
2/18 @ 7:10pm, 2/20 @ 6:40pm, 2/22 @ 8:50pm, 2/27 @ 1:40pm, 3/2 @ 8:50pm

The Golden Smile
Written by Yaakov Bressler, Directed by Joey Stamp, Music by Zach Stamp

While struggling to write a play, five mental patients battle personal demons and theatrical creativity through vulgarity, sarcasm, and song.

The Kraine Theater
2/18 @ 8:50pm, 2/21 @ 6:50pm, 2/24 @ 10:30pm, 3/2 @ 7:10pm, 3/5 @ 8:20pm

The Gospel of Sherilyn Fenn
Written & Performed by Brad Lawrence, Directed by Cyndi Freeman

The show is the true story of how Brad Lawrence survived a childhood at the center of the Reagan Eighties, the rise of the moral majority and meth amphetamine, the terrors of sex and the nuclear bomb, and his guest role in a sibling’s suicide by escaping into pop culture.

UNDER St. Marks
2/19 @ 7:10pm, 2/24 @ 8:50pm, 2/27 @ 3:50pm, 3/3 @ 5:30pm & 3/5 @ 10:30pm

The Murder at Ginger Creek: An Interactive Murder Mystery
Written & Directed by Michael Curtain and Ruthie Scarpino

Welcome to Ginger Creek, where curious characters and perplexing events are the norm. Join Hank O’ Hara and Sally Silver Gunz, as they run from the law, stumble over clues and suffer from amnesia. Their lives depend on you, as they attempt to solve a murder and prove their innocence.

The Kraine Theater
2/18 @ 5:30pm, 2/22 @ 5:30pm, 2/26 @ 5:10pm, 3/3 @ 5:30pm, 3/6 @ 3:30pm

Outskirts of Eden
Adapted by Eva Dolan from Edward LeComte’s novel I Eve, Directed by Joy Kaczmarek

From an Eden magical, menacing and alive with human feeling, we enter very the mind of Eve. Centuries later Adam is dead, Eve is pissed and good and evil are on the tongues of the tasters. Live musical accompaniment.

UNDER St. Marks
2/18 @ 8:50pm, 2/22 @ 7:10pm, 2/28 @ 1:50pm, 3/2 @ 5:30pm, 3/6 @ 5:10pm

Peach Fuzzy
Written & Performed by Mark Pagán

What happens when a boy wakes up to find out that puberty has turned his body into a mustache? Mark Pagán presents the only coming-of-age story involving mysterious stubble patches, etiquette tutorials, Teddy Pendergrass, treasure trails, Russian lasers, fake cancer scares, clandestine salon visits, and wax. Lots of wax.

UNDER St. Marks
2/17 @ 8:50pm, 2/20 @ 5:30pm, 2/26 @ 10:30pm, 2/27 @ 12:30pm, 3/3 @ 7:10pm

Punk Grandpa
Written by Laura Scruggs, Directed by Janie Martinez

Punk Grandpa is about one magical weekend Laura spent with her grandpa at 5 3/4 years old, portrayed through storytelling, dance, music and vintage family movies and photos. Grandpa was the free-est, most inappropriate person Laura ever knew and this show demonstrates how he set Laura free to be herself through his humor and unpredictable, wild ways. It'll put hair on your chest.

UNDER St. Marks
2/19 @ 5:30pm, 2/21 @ 3:30pm, 2/22 @ 8:50pm, 2/23 @ 7:10pm, 2/28 @ 6:50pm, 3/5 @ 3:50pm

Rotten Apple
Written & Performed by Matthew K. Sears & Amanda Nicastro

A woman raised by pigeons, an author famous only on NPR, and a devil worshipping cable company all know how to make it in the big city. Do you? Once you do, you may be too damaged to make it anywhere else...

UNDER St. Marks
2/17 @ 10:30pm, 2/21 @ 6:50pm, 2/26 @ 8:50pm, 3/2 @ 10:30pm, 3/5 @ 2:10pm

Set Yet in Motion
Written by Alaina Hammond, Directed by Sarah M. Chichester

In Set Yet in Motion, the ancient Greeks contend with the Judeo-Christian God. Immanuel Kant and Friedrich Nietzsche address the intellectual and romantic tension between them. Also, there's onstage sex!* (*Verbal, metaphorical. Some would say that's the sexiest kind of sex.)  A good time will be had by philosophers, artists, and geeks from all walks of life.

UNDER St. Marks
2/18 @ 10:30pm, 2/20 @ 2:10pm, 2/22 @ 10:30pm, 2/27 @ 5:30pm, 3/4 @ 8:50pm

Seven Fragments
Written & Directed by Rachel Kerry

If falling in love could affect the fabric of reality, then a broken heart would shatter it into fragments. Merging theatre, experimental dance, animation, and a dark jazz score, Seven Fragments is a tale of unrequited love, lost memories, and high school.

The Kraine Theater
2/17 @ 10:30pm, 2/19 @ 8:30pm, 2/23 @ 8:50pm, 2/27 @ 12pm, 3/5 @ 5pm

So Amazing
Written & Performed by Diana Brown

HBO’s "Going Clear" meets Netflix’s "Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt" in this one-woman comedy that takes you along for the ride as main character, Diana, gets into and out of a cult. Based on a true story, Diana’s family does everything they can to rescue her as the cult holds firm control.

The Kraine Theater
2/16 @ 7:10pm, 2/20 @ 8:20pm, 2/24 @ 5:30pm, 2/27 @ 3:20pm, 3/5 @ 1:40pm

Sprucehaven B
Written by Mark Cornell, Directed by Akia Squitieri

The award winning, critically acclaimed Rising Sun Performance Company returns to FRIGID with a tale of heartbreak, madness, and horror.  Isabel’s world is forever altered over the course of two nights separated by decades in a desolate Maine cabin.  If only she could hear three little words…

The Kraine Theater
2/17 @ 5:30pm, 2/21 @ 5:10pm, 2/23 @ 7:10pm, 2/26 @ 8:30pm, 3/3 @ 10:30pm

SUPERSHOCK VS FAUST
Written by Paolo Cipriano

During the screening of the silent movie “FAUST” by Murnau (1926), the rock musician Supershock performs live music composed to interact with the images. The public experiences the atmosphere of silent cinema, but everything is repeated according to today's standards and the classic orchestra becomes rock music, who gives a fresh and modern voice. A show of contamination.  A representation of modernity.

UNDER St. Marks
2/18 @ 7:10pm, 2/20 @ 3:50pm, 2/25 @ 5:30pm, 2/27 @ 2:10pm, 3/1 @ 5:30pm, 3/5 @ 7:10pm

Thank You For Waiting
Written by Kasey Brown & Marc J. Franklin, Directed by Nicholas Foster

Kate and Eddie, two estranged friends, unexpectedly meet in a therapist’s waiting room after a year apart. As they confront a shared trauma, a delicate dance begins between who they were, and who they have become. Thank You For Waiting explores mental health, loss, and the dynamic nature of friendship.

The Kraine Theater
2/18 @ 10:30pm, 2/24 @ 7:10pm, 2/27 @ 6:40pm, 3/2 @ 10:30pm, 3/5 @ 12pm

Why So Much Shame?
Written & Performed by Nicole Ferraro, Directed by Sara Peters

Nicole was six when her dad died. But she kept trying to get his attention in hopes he'd come back. WHY SO MUCH SHAME? uses vivid storytelling to explore a child's unspoken grief, a woman's confrontation with the truth, and the powerful things that happen when we stop pretending.

UNDER St. Marks
2/17 @ 7:10pm, 2/20 @ 7:10pm, 2/24 @ 10:30pm, 3/3 @ 8:50pm, 3/6 @ 3:30pm

WITH YOU!
Written & Performed by Una Aya Osato

WITH YOU! is a queer sports rom-com about a college rugby team's love for the game and each other, brought to the stage via one woman's body. The newest semi-autobiographical comedy from award-winning performer/playwright Una Aya Osato.

The Kraine Theater
2/19 @ 6:50pm, 2/22 @ 7:10pm, 2/25 @ 10:30pm, 2/27 @ 8:20pm, 3/6 @ 1:50pm