About fifteen minutes into Duncan Pflaster‘s play, The Empress of Sex, currently showing as part of the Planet Connections Theatre Festivity, a dramatic crisis point is reached. A character, Pistos, has confessed to being in love with one of his paramours, Neara. In accord with the rules of the community of which he is a voluntary member, his life is forfeit. Love and partnered exclusivity are forbidden in this realm, and the self-proclaimed ruler, Empress Salacia, condemns him duly to death. Only, well, that would be a trifle harsh, so the sentence is commuted to banishment. Phew! Crisis averted.

The play gallops forward setting up another potentially dramatic situation. The past lover of Salacia, the faithless man who has compelled her to forswear and outlaw love in her domain, is arriving on the scene in a bid to re-seduce her. Agis, now rueful and lovesick for Salacia, seeks to reunite and redress the wrong he did her. He comes disguised as a woman for this mission, and is accompanied by Adrianna, his sister – disguised as a man, and by Coriolanus, his servant – who frankly will brook no disguises. The scene is ripe for farce and you don’t have to have seen a Shakespearean comedy to sense that a mess of confusion and misunderstanding waits to unfold. Which it does at lightening speed. Unchecked desires in this libertine society quickly connect ill-matched characters and  - oddly amongst the licentious acolytes of Salacia – abruptly deepen into forbidden love attachments. But this spells calamity for Salacia and the domain!  Sounds unbelievable?  Pflaster, and director Glory Kadigan, have chosen to create a comical, almost cartoon world, where nothing really has to be believable.

The actors here are playing for laughs, broadcasting desires and emotions with eye-popping and lip-smacking expressions; while the play is billed as “An Erotic Romantic Comedy” this production is obviously shooting for comedy over eroticism. Which brings us to another salient feature of this production: there are many parts in this play (nineteen performers) and there are many parts on display. The nudity is real, but it’s all played for comic effect.

Pflaster, in tandem with Kadigan, may very well be on to some new sub-genre in entertainment – a pastiche camp, a formally hybridized spectacle that despairs of drama, winks at burlesque review, and esteems bingo parlor humor.  The author has acknowledged a debt to theatrical writer Charles Ludlam (of Irma Vep fame) so perhaps there is a case to be made in favor of a more subversive goal here. The author’s fine language is put in the service of effete play acting and arch silliness; the director encourages mugging on the part of actors, while she also assembles the ensemble into tightly co-ordinated group movements that recall almost a Victorian artificial theatricality. The individual performances are heavily enacted in inverted commas. Except, that is, for Catherine LeFrere who plays the Empress.  LeFrere delivers an earnest deadpan performance – even when she is enjoying public cunnilingual congress in her court.  This interposition seems to place her in another play all together; which makes her turn the comedy performance of the evening. This is artifice within artifice.

Other notable contributions are made by Matthew Menendez (Coriolanus), the over actor’s over actor; Kelly Zekas (Neara), who actually comes close to deploying subtlety; and Eric Percival, whose female impersonation is as (intentionally?) bad as his masculine turn as Agis is sweet and winsome. Marissa Bergman offers a camply atmospheric, pared-down set, and Izzy Fields some knowing and comedic costumes.

This is as profound a work as a set of pasties – and as compelling. The curtain is going up and there’s a new 21st Century Faux in town.

~~~

Related Posts:

• The Empress Of Sex – 5 Things To Know About The Show Before You Go (2012 Planet Connections Festivity)
• The Taint Of Equality Or, I Want Your Sex (2012 Planet Connections Festivity)
• The 2012 National Newborn Festival Is Almost Here!
• The National Newborn Festival: Celebrating Emerging Playwrights In Style
• Twelfth Night, William Shakespeare, Bama Theatre Company (Fringe Festival 2012)

The Empress of Sex

Benefiting: Planned Parenthood
Produced by G-Money Productions
Written by Duncan Pflaster
Directed by Glory Kadigan

“In Ancient Greece, a woman spurned in love finds a deserted island and sets herself up as the Empress Salacia, decreeing that there shall be no love allowed in her domain, only sex. She gathers some sybaritic acolytes and all is frolicsome mindless fun until Salacia’s ex-lover Agis comes to the island in disguise, to attempt to win her back.”

Show Times:

• Mon 6/4/12 – 7:30pm
• Wed 6/6/12 – 9:30pm
• Sat 6/9/12 – 5:30pm
• Tues 6/12/12 – 4:00pm
• Wed 6/13/12 – 9:00pm
• Sun 6/17/12 – 9:00pm
• Mon 6/18/12 – 4:30pm
• Fri 6/22/12 – 9:30pm

Answers by Duncan Pflaster (Playwright)

Karen Tortora-Lee’s Question
How did you come up with the title for your show?

Duncan: Well, the play is about a woman who gives up on love and devotes herself to sex; she sets herself up as Empress of an island devoted to sybaritic pleasures. Unlike my other play, that was always the title from the genesis of the project. I only found out later that “The Empress of Sex” was also a title for Mae West, which I think is awfully appropriate.

Diánna Martin’s Question
If you were going to invite 5 people (from the past or present) to see your show – who would you invite … and why?

Duncan:
1. Mae West – she fought so hard against censorship in the theatre in the 1920s with her ribald plays, often going to prison and being fined for presenting her work; it would be an honor to have her in the audience (though she would probably insist on taking over the show and playing the lead).

2. Pierre de Marivaux – seeing a production of his play The Triumph of Love was a HUGE inspiration for this piece (though I inverted the sexual tropes); the character of Agis in Empress is named after a character in that play.

3. Heinrich Von Kleist – Likewise, his tragedy Penthesilea was a big influence (Which I encountered through Eric Bentley’s translation/adaptation The Fall of the Amazons).

4. Charles Ludlam – I am continually inspired by his plays and his Ridiculous Theatre ethos; with his recrafting of classical tropes infused with modern sensibilities, he’d feel right at home here. He and Mae would need to have a slap fight for the titular role.

5. Patricia Comstock – one of my favorite actresses, the play is dedicated to her (I think she already has tickets).

Antonio Minino’s Question
What is the biggest sacrifice you’ve made for your art and was it worth it?
Duncan:  Continually sacrificing. Usually worth it.

Geoffrey Paddy Johnson’s Question
Was there any unexpected discovery made during the development of this production and can you share it with us?
Duncan: I’ve been super-busy this year, since I have two shows going up in Planet Connections; Glory Kadigan is directing this one, and I’m directing The Taint of Equality ~or~ I Want Your Sex. I discovered I get very grumpy when I can’t be present at rehearsals and am thus out of the loop.

Michelle Augello-Page’s Question
What do you hope the audience receives from the experience of seeing this show?
Duncan:  Like my other show, I hope they laugh, are titillated, and still go home thinking about the philosophical issues related to love and sex that are the meat of the play.  Hehe, I said “meat”.

Another great show by playwright Duncan Pflaster! See his other 5 Things To Know …for The Taint Of Equality. Why not see both shows? Twice the Duncan – Twice the Fun!

___

Planet Connections runs from May 30 – June 24 at The Bleecker Street Theater located at 45 Bleecker Street, New York, NY. To purchase tickets to this or any of the shows click here.

Related Posts:

• The Empress of Sex (2012 Planet Connections Festivity)
• The Taint Of Equality, Or I Want Your Sex – 5 Things To Know About The Show Before You Go (2012 Planet Connections Festivity)
• Bubby’s Shadow: Whose Shadow Is It? (2012 Planet Connections Festivity)
• The American Play (2012 Planet Connections Festivity)
• Scene/Unseen – 5 Things To Know About The Show Before You Go (2012 Planet Connections Festivity)

As part of the Board of Directors of MTWorks I’m really proud to be involved with the National Newborn Festival. Part of my job was to help choose the Excellence in Playwriting Award (see below for the winner!) and this year I’ll be introducing one of the plays — but I won’t tell you which one!  You’ll just have to come join me at the festival.

So what is Newborn?

Now on its sixth year, The National NewBorn Festival is MTWorks playwriting competition and flagship program created to find talented emerging playwrights from across the US, introduce their work to the New York community, and open new doors to regional voices.

READINGS ARE FREE AND OPEN TO THE PUBLIC

TO RESERVE YOUR SEATS CLICK HERE
(OR VISIT http://tinyurl.com/72h4jfw)

February 2-4, 2012
The City College of New York (map)
North Academic Center, 160 Convent Avenue  New York, NY
First Floor Lecture Hall (1/202)

THE 2012 PLAYS & SCHEDULE

Thursday, February 2nd at 7pm

The Tragedy of Dandelion by Duncan Pflaster, directed by Leah Bonvissuto, produced by Jessica Thornhill.

The Tragedy of Dandelion follows a Princess named Dandelion, who attempts to escape, by dressing as a boy, a forced marriage to Ratliff, a man who raped and impregnated her. She collaborates with Prince Crispin, son of Queen Alice, telling him that the baby is his, to gain a place in that kingdom and while waiting in the Queen’s orchard, meets the Queen’s daughter, Princess Cèlie, and shares a kiss with her. She gains a place in Alice’s kingdom, till Ratliff and her father King Stephano, come to Alice’s palace and point out that Dandelion is a female, and drag her away. A new lesbian verse play by Duncan Pflaster.

Friday, February 3rd at 7pm

Denny and Lila by August Schulenburg, directed by Tom Wojtunik, produced by London Griffith.

After her husband Marcus divorces her for their much younger maid Lucia, Mary turns to the con artist team of Denny, Lila and Jabber for revenge. They take the job, with Denny pretending to be the Neruda-quoting electrician ‘Fred’ to seduce Lucia; and Lila pretending to be the daffily charming British novelist ‘Mara’ to seduce Marcus. All goes well until Denny develops an unexpected connection to Nettie, Mary and Marcus’ manic-depressive daughter.

Saturday, February 4th at 5pm *Excellence in Playwriting Award Winner*

The Excellence in Playwriting Award is bestowed by the MTWorks’ Board of Directors. The board selects the winner before the festival takes place and is not influenced by the work the director and actors are achieving at the readings.

Absinthe by Joe Musso, directed by Dev Bondarin, produced by Martha Goode.

It’s July 1900, and a race riot has engulfed New Orleans, sparked by a black man killing two white policemen. At first, the violence on the streets is far removed from the genteel parlor of Grace Newman, a blind white woman cared for by her house servant, Curtis, a former slave owned by Grace’s father. Grace and Curtis’s relationship is forged by respect and compassion. However, their true feelings for each other must remain hidden from Grace’s racist brother Henry, a Civil War vet who fought for the South and who is hell-bent on bringing justice to a black man who killed two white policemen. As a race riot in the streets unfolds, Grace and Curtis’s relationship unravels.

Saturday, February 4th at 8pm *Resident Reading*

On Egdon Heath adapted by David Stallings from Thomas Hardy’s novel The Return of the Native directed by Glory Kadigan, produced by David Stallings.

Award-winning playwright David Stallings’ adapts one of the most powerful works of famed author Thomas Hardy, “The Return of the Native”. The ensemble of townspeople On Egdon Heath will take you on a journey of love, passion and folklore, centered around the beautiful and mystical Eustacia Vye. Her hunger for escape and a devastating twist of fate will affect the lives of the Yeobrights, the Wildeves and the heart of the heath.

Related Posts:

• A Day In The Life … “The Family Shakespeare” By The Numbers
• MTWorks National NewBorn Festival Kicks Off Tonight
• The National Newborn Festival: Celebrating Emerging Playwrights In Style
• Delving Into DARK WATER With Diánna Martin
• The Empress of Sex (2012 Planet Connections Festivity)

March is Women’s History Month and The Happiest Medium would like to take the opportunity to highlight, showcase and celebrate just a fraction of the wonderful women we’ve had the great good fortune to cross paths with over the last year. These women of the arts hail from different disciplines, but they all have an indomitable spirit and a luminescent spark that makes them amazing human beings who are out there every day, doing amazing work.

We kick off our series today with Glory Kadigan – Executive Director/Artistic Curator of the Planet Connections Theatre Festivity.  Ms. Kadigan has served as the Planet Connections Theatre Festivity’s Executive Director for two seasons. Prior to founding Planet Connections, she worked as the Artistic Director and as the Managing Director of various other theater festivals. She has also worked extensively as a Special Events Coordiator, Box Office Manager, Stage Manager, Director, and Internship Coordinator.

The Happiest Medium was honored to be a sponsor of Planet Connections last year and we hope to continue that partnership for years to come!  I’ll let Glory tell you more . . .

Glory Kadigan

Talk to me about being a woman who does what you do.

I don’t want to glamorize it and say that it is always easy and perfect – it isn’t. But I do believe that more people like me should step up to leadership positions because not everyone in a capitlist society thinks about their community. I’m very passionate about my community. My ability to care about the world, and about other people, has sometimes been viewed by my competitors as a weakness – but really – it is a great strength and should be valued.

Are there days it makes a difference – good or bad?

Definitely. I know that me and my team always make a difference not only to the artists we support but to the causes they have elected to champion and to the enviroment over all which means we have global impact.

Are there barriers you fought against in the past that are now becoming easier?

I’m not affected as much by the challenges – but yes, there are still barriers. It is never easy to lead anything – but, I believe its important to use whatever strengths you were given, to help others – and Planet Connections – as well as directing plays – is how I do that.

The men that you work with and interact with – do they treat you as an equal?

Well I’m not really sure that any straight man I’ve EVER met has thought of me as his equal – one way or the other. When I meet this man, I’d like to go on a date with him.

For more information about Glory you can visit her website and also see what’s happening at the Planet Connections Festivities site.

A little more about Ms. Kadigan:

She is an alum of the Lincoln Center Directors Lab and of The Labyrinth Theater Company’s Master Class. Ms. Kadigan is an associate member of the Society of Stage Directors and Choreographers and has been the recipient of the Meritorious Achievement Award in Direction from the Kennedy Center A.C.T.F.

Among her directing credits are: Always Family (The Kirk Theatre at Theatre Row), The Picture of Dorian Gray (Robert Moss Theatre), Two Rooms (Active Theatre Company at The Workshop Theatre), North of Providence (Altered Stages), Serenading Louie (Stella Adler Black Box) Anomal (ATA-Off Broadway), Avalon (Looking Glass Theatre), The Tempest, Measure For Measure, The Snow Queen, Special Delivery, Foursome (HERE), Evening with Family (The Brick), Golem Stories (Chashama), and the Maternal Instinct (Workshop Theatre).

Regional Credits Include: The Glass Menagerie, Pippin, Joseph and his Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, Uncommon Women and Others, Brighton Beach Memoirs, The Lady of Larkspur Lotion, The Effects of Gamma Rays on Man in The Moon, Marigolds, and Ten Little Indians.

Besides directing, Ms. Kadigan is an actress and playwright. Her work as a playwright has been performed at The Public, The Looking Glass Theatre, The Players Club, and Playwrights Horizons. As an actress she has performed at The Bleecker Street Theater, TADA, and The Connelly.

Outside of theater, Ms. Kadigan has been an active supporter of her community. She works in a soup kitchen, leads a Girl Scout Troop in Harlem and has raised thousands of dollars for Breast Cancer research and other causes. Ms. Kadigan is also part of The New Orleans Initiative and has traveled to New Orleans to work with Katrina survivors.

Thank you so much, Glory, for sharing a little bit about yourself with us today, and for helping us kick off our celebration of Women in the Arts.

Related Posts:

• Women’s History Month: Celebrating Women In The Arts – Spotlight On Alex Bond
• Women’s History Month: Celebrating Women In The Arts – Spotlight On Robin Rice Lichtig
• It’s A Triple Play For Natalie Menna!
• The Empress of Sex (2012 Planet Connections Festivity)
• A Brief History Of Thyme (2012 Planet Connections Festivity)