Year of the Slut featuring Jen Lieberman (Photo by Lindsay Goldman)

Jennifer Lieberman’s one-woman show, Year of the Slut, is an odyssey through the life of a young Canadian getting her feet wet in the bright lights and big city of New York. The main things on her mind besides getting her acting career in high gear is to successfully 1) lose her virginity 2) survive the land mines of available yet dysfunctional bachelors who she finds herself involved with and 3) meet Mr. Right while opening up her horizons to channeling her sexuality through her creativity.

Playing the role of nearly ten different parts as she narrates her tale, the hour is interspersed with moments where she quotes poetry she has written throughout her life. As a whole, the show did not really work for me as much as I’d hoped it would; this started from the very top of the play when one of these poems is read aloud in complete darkness. Later, when the lighting came down to a spotlight on the actress and she quoted her writing again, it worked so much better. That said, I was sometimes thrown by the poetry, and felt it was too much at times.

Lieberman exhibits a lot of talent, but only certain characters seemed to really come to life (particularly when she plays her mother) and only certain moments seemed to really have much depth (such as her best friend who is hospital-bound back in her hometown and their relationship). I find it interesting that these moments are the ones that have the most at stake, despite the turbulent relationship with a flake Brit ex-boyfriend (taker of said virginity) or her gay cousin, who seems more of a cliché that could have gone deeper. I never really got much of a picture of these people.

Solo Performer shows are tremendously difficult to pull off, and I applaud Lieberman for sharing her story with us. Jeff Murray’s staging is more often than not, fluid. I just feel that the piece slightly overstays its welcome and at times was more of someone telling a very, very long story instead of a theatrical event; and one which didn’t quite allow me to see all the characters as vividly as I would have liked.

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FRIGID New York Festival 2011 will run February 23-March 6 at The Kraine Theater & The Red Room (85 East 4th Street between 2nd Ave and Bowery) and UNDER St. Marks (94 St. Marks Place between 1sr Ave and Ave A). Tickets ($10-$16) may be purchased online atwww.FRIGIDnewyork.info or by calling Smarttix at 212-868-4444. All shows will run 60 minutes long or less.

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Welcome back to another installment of FRIGID New York Festival 2011 Q&A!  We’ll be running these throughout February until the Festival starts, so be sure to check back to read all about the great shows that will be taking part in the festival.  Also – don’t miss the winner-take-all game of Rock Paper Scissors! Today’s Q&A is with Jennifer Lieberman who is the Writer/Performer/Producer of Year of the Slut.

As a horny 18 year old virgin on a quest for romance, a naive Jewish Canadian girl moves to NYC and becomes entangled in seduction, heartbreak and adventure. Jennifer Lieberman weaves her provocative poetry across the stage while bringing nine vivid characters to life.

Jennifer Lieberman in Year of the Slut (Photo by Lindsay Goldman)

answers by Jennifer Lieberman Writer, Performer and Producer

Antonio Asks: What makes FRIGID such a warm and welcoming experience for your production?

Definitely the staff, they have made everything so clear and accessible which is a bonus coming from out of town!  The East Village location is really convenient and I’m super excited to see what all the other participants are doing.

Diánna Asks: What about this play do you feel most drawn to personally, and because of that, what message do you hope the audience walks away with?

I have absolutely fallen in love with some of the wacky characters, because as wacky as they are they are completely relatable.  I hope the audience walks away with a fire to go out and enjoy life without being so judgemental of themselves or others.  “All life is, is to exist so do it now, here, where ever, it’s best in places where you feel pleasure!”

Karen Asks: That’s some title.  How did you come up with it – and what does it mean?

I was working in a restaurant in Tribeca and the Sous Chef would flirt with me on slow days. I was in my early 20′s and kind of a prude…he told me it would all change at 25.  He said 25 was the “year of the slut”…the year all the ‘good girls’ realize that their looks and youth are fleeting and that they’ve wasted their hot years [being a] prude, so they loosen up about getting busy.  This play is the story of my own sexual awakening.

Stephen Asks: You must have a favorite part of your show.  What makes it your favorite?

I have 2, TONY the Italian guy from Brooklyn, and YARA the Hungarian Bikini Waxer.  They are the most fun characters to play.

Lina Asks: How much of your show was inspired by true events?

It’s all true.

THM Bonus Question: If you could play a virtual game of Rock, Paper, Scissors with another FRIGID Show which show would you take on?  And what would you throw?

I would take on “Fucking Girls” (he likes to fuck girls and I’m a slut, how fitting) and I throw down the scissors.

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Thanks Year of the Slut – for participating in The Happiest Medium’s FRIGID New York Festival 2011 Q&A.  And for playing our game!  You’re officially SCISSORS.  So you may win TWICE.  Or, not at all.  This is how it works in the crazy world of the VIRTUAL ROCK PAPER SCISSORS TOURNAMENT! For the rest of you – don’t forget to check out Year of the Slut.

FRIGID New York Festival 2011 will run February 23-March 6 at The Kraine Theater & The Red Room (85 East 4th Street between 2nd Ave and Bowery) and UNDER St. Marks (94 St. Marks Place between 1sr Ave and Ave A). Tickets ($10-$16) may be purchased online at www.FRIGIDnewyork.info or by calling Smarttix at 212-868-4444. All shows will run 60 minutes long or less.

Related Posts:

• Year Of The Slut – It Was A Very Long Year (FRIGID New York 2011)
• Women’s History Month: Celebrating Women In The Arts – Spotlight On Heidi Grumelot
• There is No Good News – Laughing Until Your Sides Hurt (FRIGID New York 2011)
• FRIGID Hangovers – I’ll Have Another Round! (FRIGID New York 2011)
• The Shorebound Swim With A One Click Kick – It’s A Tough Swim, But Worth It (FRIGID New York 2011)