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.

Today we continue our series with Penny Pollak. I picked this photo above ‘specially for her: “DON’T let your woman announcer be too agressive.  She will antagonize all men, and many women.  She must, however, speak with authority, either form experience or special knowledge of the product.  A woman announcer is always a hazardous risk and few can please all viewers.” (snicker.)

If you’re part of the downtown NYC scene and an emerging artist (or a seasoned artist who just needs a comfortable place to work through some new material) then chances are you know Penny Pollak best as the producer and host of “Penny’s Open Mic“.  Yes, Penny is the ringleader – but she’s so much more. Ms. Pollak welcomes the crowd, sets the tone, supplies the rules (there are very few, but they matter) and keeps the night humming along at a solid pace.  You only need to attend one of these open mics to find yourself hooked.

Hearing each performer refer to Penny’s Open Mic as “Home” before they launch into their own song, story, routine or reverie is to understand that you’ve walked into a sacred space where magic happens week after week  - and while regulars count on the rituals and habits the truth of it is – no two nights are ever the same.  And therein lies the reason people come back time and again.  To rediscover the joy of the first time – every time.

Penny Pollak herself is a gifted actress, a talented writer, but most of all, an all encompassing spirit that moves artists every week to dig deep and hone their craft, share their heart, and sharpen their skills.  The world could use a million more like her, but for now I’m grateful that the one Penny Pollak we’ve been alotted  this time around has been put straight in my path.  I’m honored to showcase her here :

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

Honestly, I don’t think about it that often. My parents did a really good job raising me to be completely independent; supporting the idea that I could be anything I wanted. But of course the world doesn’t work that way and I still find myself surprised and offended by the double standards and the simple language difference. For example, a man who is in charge and exerts his authority is strong and just doing his job whereas a woman who does the same thing is a diva, a cold princess or just a bitch. I’m very lucky that the men who surround my shows and projects don’t see the world that way, and when I work I feel I’m treated as an equal. But the inequality is so ingrained into our society — and the fight is far from over — which is why I’m delighted you’ve made this issue a feature this month.

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

These days not as much; I’m in a great place in my life now and surrounded by amazing people. The fact that I do more theater now than bartending is the biggest change. A few years ago I used to manage a bar on First Avenue for a short time which is actually where I started my open mic before I moved it to UNDER St. Marks Theater. Managing a bar I was constantly presented with those problems. By patrons as well as management. In fact that’s the reason why I quit working there. I’ve butted heads for months with the owner over the women I hired and so forth. He wanted me to base my decision on the picture they sent in rather than the resume. Oh – and I wasn’t allowed to hire men as bartenders, only barbacks. Then one day he told me to fire three of our very talented bartenders because “They weren’t hot enough”. That was it for me, not only did I quit but I told everyone who worked there. Everyone quit immediately and in protest we all stayed in the bar all night drinking his booze until he came in the next morning apologized and begged us ALL to take our jobs back. It was a small triumph but it felt pretty good at the time.

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

As writers we are taught to above all, write what we know. I am a woman, so my writing reflects that. There have been a few instances where a piece I think is universal and human has been remarked as being ‘woman’s issues’ and ‘Men just can’t connect.’ There may be some truth to that but I think it’s just a lazy way of thinking. My play No Traveler (which will be in the Winnipeg Fringe Festival this summer) addresses themes such as suicide, abuse, self-destruction and control brought together in a very dark humorous way. I think our society allows woman to connect more freely to these subjects but they really do touch everyone in some way, male or female. As I’ve taken it around to different festivals and countries I was very excited to receive those responses. One goal I’d like to achieve with my writing is to express that ‘woman’s issues’ are actually human issues and affect everyone.

Oh, and one more thing about Penny?  My dad is completely smitten with her.

~~~

More about Penny:

“PENNY POLLAK earns major points for her creativity in her dark and fascinating No Traveler” (stagebuzz.com)
No Traveler a comedy about suicide written and performed by Pollak received glowing reviews in this year’s Edinburgh Fringe Festival and NYC Frigid Festival. She recently starred in Broken Dog Legs a one-woman play by Emily Conbere.

For almost three years now she has hosted and produced Penny’s Open Mic, (featured in The New York Times, New York Magazine, Backstage.com, NY Press and Time Out NY) a weekly show at UNDER St. Marks Theater dedicated to supporting artists of every kind to experiment and workshop in a safe environment.

A past resident of Horse Trade Theater Company she has produced and performed in just about every performance venue, bar and street corner in the east village since she moved here in 2007. She graduated with a degree in Theater and a minor in Sociology. After graduation she studied at the TVI London theater intensive program at Rose Bruford College, UK. She was nominated for Best Actress in this year’s Strawberry Festival and has won awards for her writing as well as been featured in a number of readings in NYC.

Related Posts:

• Following The Path Of Yoga
• Early Risers / Night Owls … Come With Me – Help Save UNDER St. Marks
• Brrrrrr! Temperatures Are Dipping! Must Be Time For FRIGID 2010!
• Interview With Mads Jeppesen: Somewhere In The Dark
• Mike Milazzo — Open Mike

No Traveler - Contemplating What Lies Beyond (Penny Pollak / photo by Rebecca Chiappone)

The opening scene of Penny Pollak’s No Traveler (directed and co-created by Samantha Jones) immediately reminded me of The Triplets of Belleville (not the movie, but the weirdly enjoyable music video by M).  Ms. Pollak, or rather her character Abigail, is having a great time dancing around her room to an equally bouncy French tune; she spends much of the song drinking wine, primping, getting frisky with a door, and setting the stage for some grand finale.  Of course, when she pulls out the straight edged razor and steps into the bucket it becomes obvious that this was all nothing but a frivolous preamble to the real task at hand … ending her life.

Once the deed is done a series of bizarre events follow, beginning with the fact that she’s wound up in some strange purgatory and can only get out if she can save enough souls who are pretty much facing the same decision she just faced.  This leads Abigail through a maze of other people’s tragic last moments and she’s expected to stop them right before they go splat or squish or doink or whatever their chosen method of suicide sounds like.  Saving them will save her, and get her out of her crazy little room of purgatory.

Much like Clarence trying to get his wings, she must show each of these people why their lives are worth living.  But unlike Clarence who got a whole movie to escort Jimmy Stewart around, Abigail just gets a few last minute interactions to sum up her charge and gather enough evidence to convince them to choose life instead of ending it all.   And frankly, sometimes the things she bears witness to just makes it even easier for her to cast her vote along with Ms.-Pill-Taker-Behind-Door-A … sometimes she just can’t help from  blathering out the truth which is … heck, if my life was as bad as all that, I’d be offing myself too.  I mean, look … I DID!

I won’t spoil the ending here except to say that it is far more satisfying than It’s A Wonderful Life, in part becuase Penny Pollak is more entertaining to watch than Jimmy Stewart (there!  I said it!), but also in part due to the fact that she doesn’t find Zuzu’s petals in her pocket in the last scene which I always found to be a bit of a cheat.

Penny Pollak (photo by Rebecca Chiappone)

No Traveler is probably one of the best produced one-woman-shows I have ever seen; the music by Mike Milazzo (yes, the very same Mike Milazzo I’d seen perform in Kill The Band one night earlier) wove its way throughout this piece and created almost another character which Ms. Pollak could interact with and lean against.

Ms. Pollak brings a physicality to her roles that make her captivating to watch; she has amazing energy and vulnerability at the same time which coats each one of her characters with a layer of authenticity that reverberated throughout her performance.  While every now and then one of her accents waivered a bit I was so drawn in by her body language and her movement that I could forgive a few questionable choices.  Ms. Pollak is an actress who can flip from funny to tragic in one scene, often in one line, and dexterity like that makes for a show that is facinating to watch.  Couple that with the fact that there are some really thoughtful themes packed into this one hour show, and you’re left with a play that will be with you for a while.

~~~

Related Posts:

• Women’s History Month: Celebrating Women In The Arts – Spotlight On Penny Pollak
• Brrrrrr! Temperatures Are Dipping! Must Be Time For FRIGID 2010!
• Lickin’ With Bricken – An Interview With Bricken Sparacino
• Following The Path Of Yoga
• Vodka Shoes Fit All Sizes (Frigid Festival 2010)

Okay, okay, so these last few days have been relatively mild, I admit.  Even that giant pile of grey gunk that the plow flung upon my curb which – at it’s all time high – reached up to my shoulders has now evaporated enough to reveal the mounds of garbage that were piled there so eagerly just before the snowstorm hit a few weeks ago.  So, in all fairness, it’s not really “brrrr” worthy out there.  Still, don’t let that stop you from getting in the Frigid spirit!

This morning while you were nestled all snug in your bed, the Frigid Fairy came down the chimney and … hell … I don’t even know where I was going with this.

BUT, what I do know is that today is the start of the Frigid Festival, which is something we take very seriously here at The Happiest Medium!  For more information please visit the official Frigid site and check out the blurbs for some of the shows that are on deck.  And also check this spot often, because we’re going to be covering some really good 1 hour shows.  Here’s what we’ll be reviewing in the next few days:

Fishbowl - Written by Mark Shyzer

“Shockingly funny and equally moving, Mark Shyzer’s Fishbowl slyly reveals the connections between five outrageously hilarious characters: a nerdy schoolgirl obsessed with physics, a nihilistic teenage hipster, a gin-soaked divorcee, a perky aerobics instructor and an octogenarian with an odd sense of humour… all played by Shyzer.”

The Red Room   Wed 2/24,9:30,Fri 2/26,6:30,Sat 2/27,3:30,Tue 3/02,6:30,Sat 3/06,9:30,Sun 3/07,5:00

It or Her – Written by Alena Smith

“Somewhere between Pee-Wee’s Big Adventure  and The Tell-Tale Heart, this provocative dark comedy explores the basement of a suburban home where Andrew has devoted himself unconditionally to his incredible collection of figurines.  Suffering the loss of The Red One, he seeks to uncover The Ultimate Arrangement before his hideout is invaded, and his dark secret is revealed.”

The Red Room  Wed 2/24,6:30,Fri 2/26,8:00,Sun 2/28,2:00,Mon 3/01,6:30,Thu 3/04,8:00

“With delightful and poignant tales of a Southern Songstress and her gay family, Alex Bond and David Carson read selections from Ms. Bond’s novel and transport you to Dallas 1977, a magical time before HIV/AIDS, but not before ignorance and prejudice. A favorite at the 2008 San Francisco Fringe and the 2009 Fresh Fruit Festival.”

UNDER St. Marks Wed 2/24,6:00,Sat 2/27,7:00,Mon 3/01,9:00,Fri 3/05,6:00,Sun 3/07,2:30

“A physical exploration of limits, perspective and chocolate cake.  Rooted in physical comedy and set to music, it takes a magical look at the mundane where two people stumble into the extraordinary. It peeks at human loneliness and hits up against reality’s glass ceiling to poke about in the breathing space beyond.”

UNDER St. Marks  Fri 2/26,6:00 PM,Sun 2/28,1:00 PM,Mon 3/01,7:30 PM,Wed 3/03,7:30 PM,Fri 3/05,9:00 PM,Sat 3/06,8:30 PM

Directed by: Samantha Jones

“In a narcissistic attempt to win her family’s attention, Abigail decides to perform the greatest stunt of all- attempted suicide. When her childish venture turns into unexpected reality, Abigail finds herself trapped in purgatory – a warped version of her apartment with two exits.  Heaven or Hell. As a result of her foolish mistake, there is atonement and penance to be paid… and time is running out.”

UNDER St. Marks  Thu 2/25,10:30, Sat 2/27,10:00, Sun 2/28,7:00, Wed 3/03,10:30, Sat 3/06,5:30

“KILL THE BAND IS THE ORIGINAL, COMEDY ROCK AND ROLL, ANTI-CABARET! Coinciding with the release of their first concept album, KILL THE BAND takes you on a cleverly comedic, musically theatrical trip through the band’s breakdowns and breakthrough.  Free CD with every ticket!”

UNDER St. Marks, Wed 2/24,10:30 PM,Fri 2/26,10:30 PM,Tue 3/02,7:30 PM,Sat 3/06,10:00 PM,Sun 3/07,4:00 PM

“Rather than abuse her, Leslie’s alcoholic father would buy her shoes, drag race the lawnmower, and burn the neighbor’s bills, while her mother managed a doomed Christian bookstore and prayed in tongues over Leslie’s ailing sister. Leslie’s storytelling navigates a humorously tragic journey through childhood with frighteningly endearing characters.”

UNDER St. Marks Thu 2/25,7:30 PM,Sat 2/27,4:00 PM,Thu 3/04,9:00 PM,Fri 3/05,7:30 PM,Sun 3/07,1:00 PM

Related Posts:

• Women’s History Month: Celebrating Women In The Arts – Spotlight On Penny Pollak
• Following The Path Of Yoga
• Review- Legs And All (Frigid Festival 2010)
• “Kill The Band” Knocks ‘Em Dead (Frigid Festival 2010)
• It’s Time For Mini-Fridge Elevenses With Kill The Band – Mock Bottom Mockumental CD Release Experience!