Performance

Original Works

Hat Trips (work-in-progress), Dixon Place, Stissing Center for the Arts, 2024

Feeding on Light, a commission by Undermain Theatre of Dallas, premiered in November 2022

TRAPS: an intimate conversation in a public space was performed in parks and community centers in summer and fall, 2017.

Photo location and credit, left to right: Tompkins Square Park by Vivian Selbo, Hudson River Park near Christopher St. by Amelie Lyons, and Abingdon Square Park by Vivian Selbo.

Traps is a solo that ranges from being stuck on a New York City subway to encounters with wildlife (especially squirrels) both in the city and upstate. Its twelve sections were written over the course of a year, from prior to the elections through summer 2017. Both domestic life and the U.S. political situation and world issues figure into the musings. The central action is seeking light in a dark time; the question remains, What to do, and how to do it? Several sections (5 through 7, and part of another) were included in the Lark’s Stages of Resistance blog.

TRAPS Chelsea Piers performance (above and below), photos by Marianne Wafer

In the performance, I talk about traps I encounter--both everyday and large scale--and wonder how to get past the obstacles that hinder us, both personally and as a society. Then I opened it up to the spectators, and facilitated an open-ended conversation about what we can do now. I wanted to hear what other people had to say as well as communicate what was on my mind.

Traps was performed in public spaces free of charge, made possible in part with public funds from Creative Engagement, supported by the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the City Council and administered by Lower Manhattan Cultural Council. It also received support from the Purchase College Faculty Development Fund.

Developed at Dixon Place at Patio, Feb 2003; SUNY/New Paltz, Oct 2002; SUNY/Purchase, Sept 2002 and April 2003

Exerpts performed at New Georges Perform-a-thon, Oct 2002; Hemispheric Institute Conference, NYU, July 2003

SYNOPSIS: In the age of Bush, a former Cajun-American Princess draws on her Louisiana roots (and a 1950’s guide to the facts of life) to help raise her daughter in a world fraught with post- 9/11, pre-adolescent danger.

“…a lively meditation on motherhood and the state of the world… unfailingly smart and charismatic… persuasive and entertaining… genuinely funny.” —Martin Denton nytheatre.com

“treacherously insightful… sardonic and poignant… chilling and sadly ironic… slightly wacky.” —AmericanTheatreWeb.com

“achieves wisdom and humor” —Village Voice

The text and introductory remarks of Mother’s Little Helper are published in the “Generation” issue of Performance Research.

MEMOIRS OF A CAJUN-AMERICAN PRINCESS (compilation of performance texts)

SUNY/Purchase College, April 2003

THE MAMA DRAMAS solo

HERE Arts Center, Jan 2001, SUNY/Purchase, March 2001, Ohio Theatre, Feb 2002

COATICOOK

Undermain Theatre at Dallas Theatre Center, March 2000; at Soho Think Tank’s Ice Factory Festival, NY, August 2000

Just Add Water Festival at New York Theatre Workshop, March 2000

Finalist, Ensemble Studio Theatre’s One Act Marathon, 2000

DUSK solo

Dusk

Dixon Place, Dec 1999, Tonic, May 2000, New Dramatists, Oct 2000 (DUSK became Part II of The Mama Dramas)

THE SINGING: a cyberspace opera (book and lyrics) with composer Daniel Levy

York Theatre, 1999; New Dramatists, 1998; Dance Theatre Workshop’s Hit & Run Festival, 1997

Richard Rodgers Award, 1999; Frederick Loewe Music Theatre Award, 1998

WANTS solo

Dance Theatre Workshop, Oct 1996 (premiere, commission); Vineyard Theatre, Watermark’s WordFire Festival, March 1997

NY Shakespeare Festival/The Public Theatre, New Work Now!, May 1997

WANTS play for 3 actors

Ohio Theatre, 1998 (workshop co-produced by *New Georges *and *Soho Think Tank *for Ice Factory ‘98)

Theatre 1774/Playwrights Workshop of Montreal, 1995 (workshop, staged reading)

Finalist, 1997 Weissberger Award; Honorable Mention, 1996 Jane Chambers Playwriting Award

MY NEBRASKA, play inspired by Willa Cather’s MY ANTONIA! with music by Bill Ruyle

Australian National Playwrights Conference, 1997 (workshop,staged reading)

Additional workshops and readings: Nebraska Repertory Theatre/Wagon Train Project (Lincoln, NE), 1995

New York Theatre Workshop, New Dramatists, Classic Stage Company, 1996

FLYING HOME

Primary Stages "American Myths” Festival, 1996

VALENTINE’S DAY, 1980 (bis)

Ensemble Studio Theatre, "Hell’s Kitchen Sink” series, 1996

THE BEST THINGS IN LIFE solo

The Best Things in Life

Downtown Art Co., Ohio Theatre (Project 3 and TWEED New Works Festival), Primary Stages, Dixon Place, Alice’s Fourth Floor, New York Theatre Workshop (studio), Atelier Trigon (Paris), Cleveland Performance Art Festival, Oberlin College, Portland Art Museum (OR), 1993

THE BEST THINGS IN LIFE _play for 3 actors

Classic Stage Company; Company One (Hartford, CT) (staged readings) , 1994

A TOURIST’S GUIDE TO THE BIG EASY solo

Cucuracha Cabaret, 1994; New Dramatists, 1996

CREOLE, A TROPICAL FANTASY solo

Primary Stages "Planet Project" Festival, 1993

Text for THE CORPORATION WITH A MOVIE CAMERA, a film by Joel Katz

THE KNOWLEDGE PROJECT The New Museum of Contemporary Art, 1992

Interactive solo with installation (created with Vivian Selbo) for "The Art Mall As Social Space" show

WITH YOU THE REST OF….

Downtown Art Co., Nuyorican Poets Cafe, Maryland Art Place (Baltimore), 1991

Finalist, 1992 Jane Chambers Playwriting Award

ISABELLA DREAMS THE NEW WORLD

Isabella Dreams the New World

full cast version Ohio Theatre, Directed by Champagne, music by Zeena Parkins, set by Liz Prince, 1990
Ohio Theatre, Directed by Robert Lyons, 1994
HERE Arts Center, Directed by Ruth Margraff for Tiny Mythic’s U.S.A. Project, 1997

Readings: Seven Stages Theatre (Atlanta), Louisiana State University

Native Voices/Native Visions Playwriting Award, 1993

ISABELLA DREAMS THE NEW WORLD solo

Alice’s Fourth Floor, Downtown Art Co., Dixon Place, Movement Research, the Gas Station, MacDowell Colony, M.K., Under One Roof, 1990-91

DR. CHARCOT’S HYSTERIA SHOWS

A collaboration with Judy Dworin, Dianne Hunter, Jerry Rojo.

OUT FROM UNDER solo

WOMEN WITHOUT PARTS

SARAH BERNHARDT MEETS HER WATERLOO

DIA Art Foundation, 1987

FRACTURED TALES FROM THERE TO HERE

WINTER HEAT

Set by Claudia Fitch, films by Jim Hubbard. Performance Space 122, 1987

AS READY, APART FROM HERSELF

As Ready, Apart from Herself

Installation by Claudia Fitch. Franklin Furnace, 1986

HOME

Set by Claudia Fitch, films by Jim Hubbard. Danspace Project at St. Mark’s Church, Real Art Ways (Hartford), 1986

THE EYE OF THE GARDEN

The Eye of the Garden

Commissioned ollaboration with sculptor Claudia Fitch and composer Glen Velez. Creative Time’s Art on the Beach, 1985

FRACTURED JULIET

B.A.C.A.’s Downtown Cultural Center (Brooklyn), Painted Bride Arts Center (Philadelphia), Real Art Ways (Hartford, CT), Hallwalls (Buffalo), Pyramid Arts Center (Rochester), Poetry Project at St. Mark’s Church , 1985-86

FROM THE RED LIGHT DISTRICT

Performance Space 122, Institute of Contemporary Art (Boston), 1984-85

REPTILE WARMTH

THE WAY TO THE RIVER

FLYING HOME

Flying Home

MANNA

New Museum of Contemporary Art, Franklin Furnace, 1983

GETTING OVER TOM

Getting Over Tom, 1982

Franklin Furnace, l982, College of New Rochelle, Performance Space 122, Trinity College, 1984-85

Williams College "New Voices" Playwriting Festival, Playwrights Horizons, 1992

WOMEN IN RESEARCH

Women in Research

Collaboration with Cindy Carr and Patricia Jones; music by Jim Farmer. Inroads, 1981-82

SELECTED WORK WITH OTHER ARTISTS

I've had exciting opportunities to perform in other artists' work.

Performed in "Everything By My Side," by Argentine writer/director Fernando Rubio on a Hudson River pier as part of F.I.A.F./PS 122's Crossing the Line festival, September 2014, at Bard Summerscape, July 2015, and at Singapore International Festival of Arts, August 2016.  (photo:  Maria Baranova, 2014)

Khadijah Queen's "Non Sequitur," directed by Fiona Templeton, at New York Theatre Lab, December 2015

Performed in 600 Highwaymen's "The Record," Invisible Dog Art Center, February 2013; The Public Theatre/ Under the Radar, January 2014  
(photo:  Maria Baranova, 2013)

Performed in Khadijah Queen's "Non Sequitur," directed by Fiona Templeton, at New York Theatre Lab, December 2015
(photo:  Paula Court, 2015)

Live performance in work by others

September in YESTERDAY’S WINDOW, Woman 2 in NOTHING FOREVER, by Chiori Miyagawa, New York Theatre Workshop, 1996 (also 1994 workshop version)

Performer, THE SPAGHETTI SPECTACLE, by Stuart Sherman, Ontological at St. Mark’s, 1994

Performer, REALITIES, by Fiona Templeton, at Art Awareness (Lexington, NY), Capp Street Project (San Francisco), Art in the Anchorage (Brooklyn), 1992, 1993

Performer, WHERE ON EARTH, by Fiona Templeton, Franklin Furnace, February 1990  

The Critic in ARTBUSINESS, by Stephanie Skura, The Joyce Theatre and P.S. 1’s "Dance and Social Commentary” series, l984

Emmy Hennings in READINGS FROM THE DIARIES OF HUGO BALL, by Chris Kraus, Performance Space 122 (Feb l985) and Ward-Nasse and A.I.R. Galleries (Dec l984)

Film/video/internet: performance

ANXIOUS WOMEN, cybercast performance through Franklin Furnace/pseudo, 1998

THROUGH THE LOOKING LASS (Snow White’s Dream), video by Abigail Child, 1991-93

CORPORATION WITH A MOVIE CAMERA, video by *Joel Katz, 1991

OUT OF THE CORNER, video by Adrian Piper, Whitney Museum, 1990

PRIVILEGE, a film by Yvonne Rainer, 1990

Momento Mori, a film by *Jim Hubbard,

HOME, a film by Jim Hubbard, 1987

Film/video: production

Associate Producer, interviewer/artist, and writer, SPHINXES WITHOUT SECRETS, video on women performance artists, 1990

Production assistant, PRIVILEGE, a film by Yvonne Rainer, l989

Performer and technical assistance (camera and sound) for AIN’T NOBODY’S BUSINESS, video on battered women by Marianne Wafer and Karl Sporer, 1978

TRANSLATIONS from the French

Wallworld, by Sesrge Kribus, translation commissioned by Seven Stages (Atlanta) , with funds from Etants Donnes: French American Fund for the Performing Arts, 2004

In the Solitude of Cotton Fields, by Bernard-Marie Koltes, translation commisioned by In Parenthesis with funds from Etants Donnes: the French American Fund for the Performing Arts, 2002; produced May 2003 during a festival of plays by Koltes.

The Mother and the Whore, (La Maman et la Putain), a screenplay by Jean Eustache, 1992

SCREENPLAY

Almost Home 1998

EXHIBITIONS

Shattered Anatomies, a box anthology of objects and texts on performance, Arts Council of England and the Arnolfini, Bristol, England, 1997

Installation (with Vivian Selbo) for the New Museum’s "Art Mall as Social Space” show, 1992