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Sticky 04.07.16

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Sticky @ Lovecraft  04/07 7 pm

musical guest Grace Kalambay

King Bart by Maggie Bofill
directed by Michele Travis
w Kyle Carter*, Veronica Newton*, Eric Percival*

Goodbye to All That or Maybe Only Some of That I’m Not Sure
by Kate Tarker
directed by Hondo Weiss-Richmond
fight choreography by Martin Boersma 
w Regina Gibson*, Jonathan Spivey*, Zuzanna Szadkowski*

Out of the In Between by Jesse Wann
directed by Ali Ayala
w Penny Bittone*, Zoe Metcalfe-Klaw*

Eulogy Elegy
created & facilitated by Sherri Kronfeld

To Heather by Gina Femia
directed by Michele Travis
w Kyle Carter*, Erin Healani Chung, Caitlin Morris, Stephanie Shipp

Open by Brett Aresco
directed by Tara Elliott
w Philip Callen, Makia Martin, & Tony Vo

AutoMoron by Libby Emmons
directed by Ali Ayala
with Ali Ayala & Libby Emmons

*Appearing courtesy AEA

One or more of this evening’s plays feature a prop firearm & simulated gunfire.

Photos!

Sticky Bk pics!

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Our last Sticky of the season was on April 2, at Beauty Bar in Brooklyn. Here’s some shots of the action. All photos by Mike Olivieri.

Get to know the actors & directors

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Get to know the actors for Sticky 552, the last Sticky of our mini season.

Sticky 552 Beauty Bar, 249 5th Avenue, Brooklyn, 11215 Thursday, April 2, 7:30 pm $10 advance, $15 at the door, via www.stickyseries.bpt.me 

Not Again, by Cecilia Copeland, directed by Michele Travis, starring Lisa Hickman & Mark Campbell
nolovelost, by Michael Domitrovich, directed by Ali Ayala, starring Mateo d’Amato, Martina Gordon, and Will Carter
Brandenburg Gate, by Libby Emmons, directed by Michele Travis, starring Tricia Fukuhara and Conor Daniel Bartram
Lipstick, by Amina Henry, directed by Ali Ayala, starring David Marcus and James Pravasilis
Re Ducks, by Libby Emmons, directed by Ali Ayala, starring Libby Emmons and Ali Ayala
Love and Order, by Johnny Blaze Leavitt, directed by Ceren Zorlu, starring Ceren Zorlu, Meriel Day and Ray De Vito
A Sweet Serenade, a mini musical by Mim Granahan, directed by Eliel Lucero, musical direction by Megan Cooper, starring Mary Sheridan and Eliel Lucero, with a quartet of Lydia Jordan, Renée Vera Cafiero, Uji Bluet, & Megan Cooper

Mateo d'Amato, Michael Domitrovich's "nolovelost"

Mateo d’Amato, Michael Domitrovich’s “nolovelost”

Mateo d’Amato is a theatre maker from the New York City Area. He has directed End of Party at 13th st. Repertory Theater and Assistant Directed Eduardo Machado’s Worship at Theater for the New City. Recent acting works include: BACK (The Cell); Mariquitas (Theater for the New City); I See Rainbows (STICKY); One Will Speak/ The Other is Dead (Temporary Distortion); Man’s Best Friend (Manhattan Repertory Theater); The Judith of Shimoda (La Mama Experimental Theater Club); and Our Town with Leon Ingulsrud of the SITI Company. Mateo is certified Reiki Practitioner and a graduate from The New School. mateodamato.com

Martina Gordon, Michael Domitrovich's "nolovelost"

Martina Gordon, Michael Domitrovich’s “nolovelost”

Martina Gordon feels joy to make her Sticky debut!!! A Brooklyn native and recent New School theater grad, Martina’s been working at generally surviving but also developing her solo music project/visual multimedia performance work. Maybe you’ve seen her collaborate with castmate Mateo D’Amato in Temporary Distortion’s Speak/Dead at Teatro Latea, or co-devise Elegant Degradation at Theater for the New City last May. Love & thanks to Michael D. for being #1 sooth sayer and overall just very extraordinary.

Lisa Hickman, Cecilia Copeland's "Not Again..."

Lisa Hickman, Cecilia Copeland’s “Not Again…”

Lisa Hickman is an actor/singer/writer based in NYC. She is 1/3 of the amazing cast & creative team of Lipstick Garage, a comedy series– and thrilled to be working on Sticky with Mark Campbell & Michele Travis! More at http://www.lisahickman.com

Tricia Fukuhara, Libby Emmons' "Brandenburg Gate"

Tricia Fukuhara, Libby Emmons’ “Brandenburg Gate”

Tricia Fukuhara is a recent graduate of NYU, you may have spotted her doing backbends in the library basement, sprinkling pixie dust in parades at Disneyland, defeating the Huns on Disney Cruise Line, or toying with your psyche in Blackout “House.” When not performing, she can often be found harmonizing with the Sirens of Gotham and lindy hopping at your local speakeasy. Come see her in Comfort Women: A New Musical at 54 Below. Or just ask her about her cat.

James Pravasilis, Amina Henry's "Lipstick"

James Pravasilis, Amina Henry’s “Lipstick”

James Pravasilis is always delighted to work with all things STICKY!  Thanks to Ali and Michelle for all the work they do to put this stuff together!

David Marcus, Amina Henry's "Lipstick"

David Marcus, Amina Henry’s “Lipstick”

David Marcus is a senior contributor to the Federalist and the Artistic Director of Blue Box World, a Brooklyn based theater project. His plays have been seen on the stages of Galapagos Arts Space, D Lounge, and Theater Double Rep. A former member of the Bat Acting Company at the Flea Theater he has also performed at the Kennedy Center and Theater for the New City among many others. In addition to his writing for the Federalist his work has appeared in National Review Online, City Journal, PJ Media, Liberty Island and the New York Theater Review.

Conor Daniel Bartram, Libby Emmons' "Brandenburg Gate"

Conor Daniel Bartram, Libby Emmons’ “Brandenburg Gate”

Conor Daniel Bartram is very excited to be a part of Sticky for the first time! He has a degree in theatre performance from Western CT State University with a minor in creative writing. Since moving to NYC he has been working various sound/light jobs at The Mint Theatre and with HorseTrade Theater Group, also he was a venue tech for The Frigid Festival 2014. He is a playwright and enjoys performing improv/comedy. NY acting credits  include The Will of Love (Silvius) The Turtle Shell Theatre, I Love A Piano and Almost Maine (Steve) TBG Theatre. Horsetrade’s DRAFT series. Most recently Conor played Severin in SOYOCO’S production of I am not an Allegory in November.

Will Carter, Michael Domitrovich's "nolovelost"

Will Carter, Michael Domitrovich’s “nolovelost”

Will Carter is a poet, writer and photographer from Portland, Maine living in Brooklyn, New York. A restless traveler he strives to integrate his many experiences abroad with his creative endeavors in an increasingly esoteric fashion. He enjoys plants, free jazz, and Stanley Kubrick films.

Libby Emmons, her own "Re Ducks"

Libby Emmons, her own “Re Ducks”

Libby Emmons performs in plays she writes herself, and writes plays for others to perform. li88yinc.com for more things she writes.

Ali Ayala, Libby Emmons' "Re Ducks"

Ali Ayala, directing Amina Henry’s Lipstick, Michael Domitrovich’s “nolovelost,” and performing in and directing Libby Emmons’ “Re Ducks”

Ali Ayala Sticky Director / Producer 2004-Present. Glad to be back. Not going anywhere.

Ceren Zorlu, Johnny Blaze Leavitt's "Love & Order"

Ceren Zorlu, performing in and directing Johnny Blaze Leavitt’s “Love & Order”

Ceren Zorlu was born in Ankara, Turkey, but has been a New Yorker since she had enough teeth to bite the big apple. Being bilingual has made her a very versatile actress.  She has studied film making at NYU and stumbled into the the world of acting at the insistence of her instructors who saw her as “raw talent”. Since then she has studied the Meisner technique for three years with JoAnna Beckson and completed improvisational comedy training at The Peoples Improv Theater in New York City.

Ray De Vito, Johnny Blaze Leavitt's "Love & Order"

Ray De Vito, Johnny Blaze Leavitt’s “Love & Order”

Ray DeVito performs internationally, originally from Cleveland, Ohio. Hosts the show ‘Northern Discomfort’ every other Tuesday at the Stand, and ‘Shoot the Shite!’ every third Saturday at the Creek and the Cave. He’s been featured on Entertainment Tonight, Comedy Central’s AtomTV, and The New York Times. He’s a regular guest on the popular podcast Keith & the Girl. He was in one of the top grossing comedy Bollywood Films of 2012 ‘English Vinglish’ You can also see him in three episodes of The Jim Gaffigan Show on debuting on TV Land & Comedy Central summer of 2015. He currently has a web video series titled Ray’s Original No Pizza, on MTV2′s GuCodeBlog and Mtv.com.

Mark Campbell, Cecilia Copeland's "Not Again..."

Mark Campbell, Cecilia Copeland’s “Not Again…”

Mark Campbell created the role of the Phantom for the 25th Anniversary tour. Mark toured the country in Mamma Mia and Guys and Dolls. Favorite roles: Harold Hill in The Music Man, Higgins in My Fair Lady, Brick in Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, Michael in Michael Archangel.

Michele Travis, director Cecilia Copeland's "Not Again..." and Libby Emmons' "Brandenburg Gate"

Michele Travis, director Cecilia Copeland’s “Not Again…” and Libby Emmons’ “Brandenburg Gate”

Michele Travis has directed plays in Lower East Side storefronts, Brooklyn basements, Manhattan black boxes, and Boston nightclubs.  She is pleased  to be associated with Sticky, since she is no stranger to directing from a barstool. She is a script reader for the Public Theater, a Lincoln Center Directors Lab alumnus, and a member of the NY Madness company.  MFA in Directing from Brooklyn College, CUNY.

Mary Sheridan, "A Sweet Serenade"

Mary Sheridan, “A Sweet Serenade”

Mary Sheridan is very pleased to be working with the Sticky gang again!  Her past favorite parts include: Alma in “Summer and Smoke”, Savage in “Savage in Limbo”, Ophelia in “Hamlet” & Ann in “All My Sons.”  Her favorite NYC theatres to work at include: Urban Stages, Theatre Row Theatres, the Culture Project & Bowery Poetry Club.  Mary also sings in the West Village Chorale & is a graduate of Yale University. www.marysheridan.net

Lydia Jordan (quartet, “A Sweet Serenade”) sings Alto 2 in the West Village Chorale and St. George’s Choral Society.

Renée Vera Cafiero, "A Sweet Serenade"

Renée Vera Cafiero, quartet, “A Sweet Serenade”

Renée Vera Cafiero has lived in Park Slope since 1989.  A former member of the Stonewall Chorale, she has sung with the West Village Chorale for about 14 years.  Two very long ago stints in summer stock make up most of her acting experience, although she recently participated in New York Theater Workshop’s The Events.  She is a copyeditor in children’s and young people’s books by day and is also active in Brooklyn politics and her union.

Eliel Lucero, directing and performing "A Sweet Serenade"

Eliel Lucero, directing and performing “A Sweet Serenade”

Meriel Day, Johnny Blaze Leavitt's "Love & Order"

Meriel Day, Johnny Blaze Leavitt’s “Love & Order”

Meriel is a UK actress and makeup artist. Previously working for MAC, she now does makeup freelance for companies such as Bumble and Bumble as well as fashion blog EYEmica. Having studied mostly classical theatre in the Uk, since relocating to New York she has been working towards commercial work, as well as studying improv comedy at The Peoples Improv Theater. Future plans include creating an independent improv team and writing sketch comedy. She is currently a student of Doriane Elliot.

Uji Bluet, singer in "A Sweet Serenade"

Uji Bluet, singer in “A Sweet Serenade”

Uji Bluet is a freelance fashion designer/stylist/maker of things to adorn human body and spirit, and an Opera lover who recently started singing in a choir and enjoys everything musical. Her current (as in since last week) ambition is to be involved in theater works (esp acting), and Voila, what she has manifested! You may see her on stages, directly or indirectly, more often in the future. So I say, you want to look out!

Megan Cooper, musical director and singer in "A Sweet Serenade"

Megan Cooper, musical director and singer in “A Sweet Serenade”

Megan Cooper is excited for this reunion!  She’s returning to Sticky as a performer and music director after having previously directed a few pieces here in NY and performing many moons ago in Sticky’s last show in Philly.  She’s also returning to a piece for which she previously composed and music directed, but this time she also gets to perform!

Get to know the plays & playwrights

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Get to know the plays and playwrights for Sticky 552, the last Sticky of our mini season.

Sticky 552 Beauty Bar, 249 5th Avenue, Brooklyn, 11215 Thursday, April 2, 7:30 pm $10 advance, $15 at the door, via www.stickyseries.bpt.me 

Not Again, by Cecilia Copeland, directed by Michele Travis

nolovelost, by Michael Domitrovich, directed by Ali Ayala

Brandenburg Gate, by Libby Emmons, directed by Michele Travis

Lipstick, by Amina Henry, directed by Ali Ayala

Re Ducks, by Libby Emmons, directed by Ali Ayala

Love and Order, by Johnny Blaze Leavitt, directed by Ceren Zorlu


On the inspiration for “Not Again… ” Finding myself in a situation that keeps repeating like a bad dream that I can’t wake up from. It’s like being trapped in a nightmare, but I’m not asleep. Every time I think it’s not going to happen, it happens again. I want to wake up.

Cecilia Copeland, writer, Founding Artistic Director of NYMadness, Indie Theatre Hall of Fame and Kilroy’s Nominee. Her plays have been Produced or Presented at the Culture Project, Cherry Lane Theatre, Ensemble Studios Theatre, HERE Arts Center, INTAR Theatre, The Anarchist Theatre Festival of Montreal, Venus Theatre, 13th Street Rep, The Chain Theatre, IRT Theater and IATI Theatre among others. Her Full Length Plays include RCulture, Light of Night (Kilroy’s Nominee), Tiene Duende -It Has Soul (semifinalist for MultiStages New Works Competition), COURTING (semifinalist O’Neill Playwrights Conference and Winner of Best New Play Stage Left Productions), BIOLIFE (semifinalists O’Neill Playwrights Conference and The Emerging Playwrights Prize at The Marin Theatre, Finalist for Mabou Mines Residency), “The Wicked Son” (Top Three Best New Jewish Plays, Jewish Plays Project). Awards include Special Effects Grant Metro Screen Australia for her film Amusement Bomber and the Lennis J. Holm Playwriting Scholarship from University of Iowa Writers Workshop for her Honors Thesis One Woman. She has been published by The International Center for Women Playwrights, Indie Theater Now, NoPassport Press and RAABE-Verlag in Germany. Copeland is a member of the League of Professional Theatre Women, and alumna of New Perspectives play lab, University of Iowa Theatre BA with Honors and a Minor in Dance, Ohio University MFA in Playwriting.

On the inspiration for “nolovelost” I wrote this play to figure out if true love can survive a progressive liberal arts education.

Michael Domitrovich is obsessed with Sticky so he’s done lots of plays with them. Most of them were directed by Ali Ayala. Dirtfag was published in the 2009 New York Theatre Review. Other plays have been performed at Theater for the New City, DR2, 59E59, EST, Galapagos, the Bowery Poetry Club and La Mama etc. as well as the Avenue Theater in Denver, CO. He writes books, articles, recipes and poetry. He also works as a psychic. His website is ediblespirit.com

On the inspiration for “Lipstick” I was inspired by a bit by comedian Bill Burr in which he talks about the crazy pressure men out on each other to be masculine. It’s like this crazy pressure! Also, I’m interested in men who are brave enough to embrace their feminine sides.

Amina Henry is a poet-playwright who creates poetry for the stage. Recent productions include: Happily Ever at Brooklyn College, An American Family Takes a Lover, produced by The Cell: a 21stCentury Salon and presented by Theatre for the New City (New York, NY), Water produced by Drama of Works (Brooklyn, NY) and The Minstrel Show, produced as part of the 2013 Bring a Weasel and a Pint of Your Own Blood Festival 13th Street Theater/CSC. Her work has been developed/presented at: Little Theater at Dixon Place, Oregon Shakespeare Festival in the 2013 Black Swan Lab Series (Ashland, OR), Kitchen Dog Theater, The Brick, HERE Arts Center,The Cell: a 21st Century Salon, HERO Theatre, the Hive Theater, Shakespeare’s Sister Company, the Bowery Poetry Club and Brooklyn College. She was a 2012-2013 Core Apprentice playwright at ThePlaywrights Center and a 2013 Finalist for the Leah Ryan FEWW Playwriting Prize for her play Bully. She was a featured playwright at the2013 Black and Latino Playwrights Conference at Texas State University. Publications include Hello, My Name Is Joe in the compilation 24 Gun Control Plays, published by NoPassport Press. Amina Henry is a graduate of Yale University, NYU’s Performance Studies MA program and Brooklyn College’s MFA Playwriting program, lead by head weasels Mac Wellman and Erin Courtney.

On the inspiration for “Re Ducks” Much like Pauline Reage returns to the Château, I felt myself compelled to find out what happened to the ladies of Puff Puff once their dastardly plans have run their course. Could there possibly be a downside renting your womb to your transsexual boss, who only wanted you for an incubation chamber?

On the inspiration for “Brandenburg Gate” Cecilia Copeland asked me to write a short play for and undergrad acting showcase, specifically for two actors just finishing college. This is what I came up with.

Libby Emmons is a playwright and theater maker, whose plays include Puff Puff (Festival of the Offensive, NYC 2014, winner “Most Offensive”), Radio Mara Mara (The Kraine Theater, FringeNYC 2013), Zeropia (Clubbed Thumb Biennial Commission 2009), The Girls from Afar (East/West Players, LA, 2010), “Animal/Animal,” (Best Short Plays, 2013, Smith & Krause), “The Worm Turns at the Fort Peck Hotel,” (New York Theater Review 2009), and many more. She is co-founder of 10-minute play series Sticky, Bowery Poetry Club 2007-12, now Beauty Bar, Brooklyn. Libby is a graduate of Sarah Lawrence College (BA), Columbia University School of the Arts (MFA), and blogs the story of her life at li88yinc.com. She lives in Brooklyn with her husband, son, and a very mean cat.

JBL 001

On the inspiration for “Love & Order” I had been giving a lot of thought to how we all casually lie, even unintentionally, and how that affects the world around us. And after conversation with a group of friends about dating etiquette in the information age, the script just started to take shape in my mind.

Johnny Blaze Leavitt is an actor, playwright, producer and comedian, Johnny is happy to be part of Sticky, the 10-minute bar play series. His one-act play ‘Acushla’ recently had a successful 2 week run at the American Theatre of Actors and his two-act S&M romantic comedy ‘Hurt So Good’ is currently under consideration
for a movie adaptation. Recent TV/Film/Internet appearances includes ‘MYTH, A Short
Film’ (Loosely Translated Prod.), ‘Remedy’ (The One That Got Away Prod.) and the web
series ‘Hot Mess’ (Amy Kersten, Prod.). Johnny can also be spotted doing stand-up comedy around NYC (including Caroline’s on Broadway) and performing monthly as a zombie Dean Martin in ‘The Rat Pack Undead’ cabaret. Thank you to Joe, Leighton and Alexa for their amazing work and to the American Theater of Actors. SAG-AFTRA/EMC

 

On her inspiration for “A Strange Serenade” I originally wrote A Strange Serenade for a one-act musical festival. I wanted to submit something, but I don’t write music. So I cheated. I always loved the barbershop quartet in Music Man, and I thought it would be funny to have a quartet act as a Greek chorus. 

 Mim Granahan began writing plays at a very early age, and performing them for her mother with a cast of puppets. More recently, many of her one-act plays have been produced in New York City, including Cougars in the Outfield (published in the Book of Estrogenius 2010), The Tale of the Gaoler and the Witch (Verse Play Winner, Turner Cassity Literary Festival 2014), and Episode (called “the triumph of the evening, a taut and absorbing thriller” by Martin Denton of nytheatre.com). Mim directed her full-length play, Bromance of the Exes, for the 2013 Planet Connections Festivity and her most recent play Making History is currently being produced by Dysfunctional Theatre. As an actor, she has appeared in numerous classical and contemporary plays and several indie films. You can visit Mim’s website at freewebs.com/mimgranahan.

pics from the last show

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We had a blast at the last show! Come to the next one:

Sticky 552
Beauty Bar
249 5th Avenue, Brooklyn, 11215
Thursday, March 5, 7:30 pm
$10 advance, $15 at the door
FOR TICKETS AND DIRECTIONS

meet the actors

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Sticky 552
Beauty Bar, 249 5th Avenue, Brooklyn, 11215
Thursday, March 5, 7:30 pm
$10 advance, $15 at the door, via www.stickyseries.bpt.me

Ali Ayala in Libby Emmons' "Soft Song Like Doves" and in Anthony Noack's "Apple Martini"

Ali Ayala in Libby Emmons’ “Soft Song Like Doves” and in Anthony Noack’s “Apple Martini”

Sticky Director / Producer 2004-Present. Glad to be back. Not going anywhere.

Cate Bottiglione in Liam Kuhn's "Kissing Weird"

Cate Bottiglione in Liam Kuhn’s “Kissing Weird”

Actor, director, cat litter connoisseur. resumes.actorsaccess.com/cateb
Tricia Fukuhara in Anthony Noack's "Apple Martini"

Tricia Fukuhara in Anthony Noack’s “Apple Martini” and J. Michael Grey’s “Moment of Truth”

TRICIA FUKUHARA is excited to make her “Sticky” debut. A recent graduate of NYU, you may have spotted her doing backbends in the library basement, sprinkling pixie dust in parades at Disneyland, defeating the Huns on Disney Cruise Line, or toying with your psyche in Blackout “House.” When not performing, she can often be found harmonizing with the Sirens of Gotham and lindy hopping at your local speakeasy. Come see her in Comfort Women: A New Musical at 54 Below. Or just ask her about her cat.

Amina Henry in Judith Leora's "Where We Ended Up"

Amina Henry in Judith Leora’s “Where We Ended Up”

Amina Henry is a playwright and teaching artist who occasionally moonlights as an actress. As an actress she has worked with the Hangar Theater, Classical Theater of Harlem, Rehabilitation Through the Arts, and Sticky, among others.

Eliel Lucero in Judith Leora's "Where We Ended Up"

Eliel Lucero in Judith Leora’s “Where We Ended Up”

Jimmy Pravasilis in Anthony Noack's "Apple Martini"

Jimmy Pravasilis in Anthony Noack’s “Apple Martini”

An Actor and Musician, Jimmy Has been a Sticky regular for a few years and thanks to all those who cast him and support Sticky for all these years.

 

Jacob Saxton in J. Michael Grey's "Morning of Truth"

Jacob Saxton in J. Michael Grey’s “Morning of Truth”

Jacob Saxton is excited to be working with Sticky again! As he has now for the past few years. Hailing from the mountains of North Carolina, Jacob came to this crazy town 12 years ago to chase the dream. When not acting he likes to be crafty, working as a leathersmith and woodworker. He is single, and you wont find him on tinder so come to the show!

Stephanie Shipp in Judith Leora's "Where We Ended Up"

Stephanie Shipp in Judith Leora’s “Where We Ended Up”

Stephanie Nicole Shipp is thrilled to be performing with Sticky again! She was last seen in Target Margin’s Stein Lab series at the Bushwick Starr. She is a member of East River Commedia and co-producer of The Underground Theater Festival. She has collaborated and performed in Lhotakova & Soukup Company’s production of  “Beethoven Live” in Prague at Divaldo Archa and New York’s PS122. As well as with Obie-award winning Hoi Polloi Co. production “All Hands”. She has performed several seasons at the Metropolitan Opera in “Das Rheingold” and “Parsifal”. More information http://www.stephanieshipp.com

Joel Stigliano in Judith Leora's "Where We Ended Up"

Joel Stigliano in Judith Leora’s “Where We Ended Up”

Joel Stigliano National Tour Elf: The Musical, NY: Daylight Precision,Tooth Fairy Tale Regional: Complete Works of William Shakespeare (abridged),The Full Monty, Sherlock Holmes, The Buddy Holly Story, The Crucible, The Cherry Orchard, and Blithe Spirit among many others. MFA Acting: Ohio University. Proud member of NYMAC. Many thanks to Judith for being a writer, to Michele for being a director, and Marissa for everything else. http://www.joelstigliano.com

Lindsay Torrey in Liam Kuhn's "Kissing Weird"

Lindsay Torrey in Liam Kuhn’s “Kissing Weird”

Lindsay Torrey is an actor and teaching artist living in Brooklyn. Theater credits include NYTW, Clubbed Thumb, Polybe+Seats, Target Margin, Premiere Stages, The Clarence Brown Theater and Project Shaw. TV/film: “Blue Bloods,” “Onion Sportsdome,” “Guiding Light,” First World Problem. BA from Columbia University, MFA from The University of Tennessee. www.lindsaytorrey.com

Eve Udesky in Libby Emmons' "Soft Song Like Doves"

Eve Udesky in Libby Emmons’ “Soft Song Like Doves”

Eve Udesky is THRILLED to be back with Sticky. That’s it.

Ari Vigoda in J. Michael Grey's "Morning of Truth"

Ari Vigoda in J. Michael Grey’s “Morning of Truth”

Ari is excited to get Sticky once again!  It’s been his longest relationship in the city and the one worth keeping, even when she moved to Brooklyn.  Be sure to check out the web-series “Brunch on Sundays,” now playing on Funny or Die.  Thanks for supporting independent theater.  Cheers!  http://www.arivigoda.com

Sticky 552
Beauty Bar, 249 5th Avenue, Brooklyn, 11215
Thursday, March 5, 7:30 pm
$10 advance, $15 at the door, via www.stickyseries.bpt.me

meet the plays and playwrights

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Meet the plays and playwrights for Sticky 552.

Sticky 552
Beauty Bar, 249 5th Avenue, Brooklyn, 11215
Thursday, March 5, 7:30 pm
$10 advance, $15 at the door, via www.stickyseries.bpt.me

Morning of Truth, by J. Michael Grey, directed by Ali Ayala
Kissing Weird by Liam Kuhn, directed by Ali Ayala
Where We Ended Up by Judith Leora, directed by Michele Travis
Apple Martini, by Anthony Noack, directed by Michele Travis
Soft Song Like Doves, by Libby Emmons, directed by Eliel Lucero

J. Michael Grey, writer "Shamed to the Heart"

J. Michael Grey, writer “Morning of Truth”

On his inspiration: “I didn’t have any inspiration for a play, but I wrote one anyway. I listened to my characters.​”

Over the past several years J. Michael Grey has written many pieces for Sticky.  He now is producing the first Sticky spin-off in Normal, Illinois where he directs and acts as well.
www.facebook.com/normalsticky

Libby Emmons, writer of Ipsa Domus

Libby Emmons, writer “Soft Song Like Doves”

On her inspiration: “I have a house guest. He’s been there for a long time. He even has his own keys. He’s probably in my house right now. That’s why I wrote the play.”

Libby Emmons is a playwright and theater maker, whose plays include Puff Puff (Festival of the Offensive, NYC 2014, winner “Most Offensive”), Radio Mara Mara (The Kraine Theater, FringeNYC 2013), Zeropia (Clubbed Thumb Biennial Commission 2009), The Girls from Afar (East/West Players, LA, 2010), “Animal/Animal,” (Best Short Plays, 2013, Smith & Krause), “The Worm Turns at the Fort Peck Hotel,” (New York Theater Review 2009), and many more. She is co-founder of 10-minute play series Sticky, Bowery Poetry Club 2007-12, now Beauty Bar, Brooklyn. Libby is a graduate of Sarah Lawrence College (BA), Columbia University School of the Arts (MFA), and blogs the story of her life at li88yinc.com. She lives in Brooklyn with her husband, son, and a very mean cat.

Liam Kuhn, writer "Kissing Weird"

Liam Kuhn, writer “Kissing Weird”

On his inspiration: “I wrote Kissing Weird about a year and a half ago, with Sticky specifically in mind. A lot of my stories and plays tend to take place in bars anyway, but usually seedy, shot-and-a-beer type places where the seats are duct tape and pleather and your feet stick to the floor. I set this play in more of an upscale, silly kind of bar and then tried to think of who would go there, and why. The characters kind of took over from there.”

Liam Kuhn is a writer and television executive. His plays have been performed in New York, California, Vermont, New Hampshire, Oregon, Ireland and England. His first play, Absolving Buckner, was published in New Playwrights: Best New Plays of 2002, by Smith & Kraus. He recently began acting in some of his shorter plays, to the delight of no one. Kissing Weird is his third play to be produced as part of Sticky, and he’s glad to be back and thanks everyone involved with the production. Liam studied English and Creative Writing as an undergrad at Dartmouth College and has a Masters in Writing from the National University of Ireland – Galway. He lives in New Jersey with his wife, daughters and dog, Madigan.

Judith Leora, writer "Where We Ended Up"

Judith Leora, writer “Where We Ended Up”

On her inspiration: “I realized recently that some of the most intriguing, awkward and contentious experiences I’ve had in bars have been with day job colleagues.  So I decided it was about time to write about that.”

Judith Leora‘s work includes: Recent: NYC Icon Plays/Ego Actus, One Minute Play Festival:  Indie Theatre Edition; Elijah (reading) – Lone Star Theatre, Gideon (production), UMass at Lowell, The Raven (co-librettist) Notes From a Page, Emerging Actors Theatre March 2012. Numerous short plays produced in New York, including multiple plays with the ESPA Detention series, New York Madness, One Minute Play Festival.  Managing Director of New York Madness.

Anthony Noack, writer "Apple Martini"

Anthony Noack, writer “Apple Martini”

On his inspiration: “Inspiration comes from disparate places: A bartender who used to get drunk and blend things that shouldn’t be blended, a conversation in broken english via text messages, and stories heard about language teachers overseas. A request to write a play set in a bar brings them together.”

Anthony Noack is a writer from Melbourne, Australia. His plays include Brighter Whiter and The Gift, which premiered at the Melbourne Comedy Festival in 2011, and Banana Republic, which premiered at the Melbourne Fringe Festival in 2012. He is currently developing his new
play Gingerbread.

Sticky 552
Beauty Bar, 249 5th Avenue, Brooklyn, 11215
Thursday, March 5, 7:30 pm
$10 advance, $15 at the door, via www.stickyseries.bpt.me

It felt like a question about our marriage: talking Sticky with David Marcus

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When Dave and I started Sticky in 2000, which you can read about here, we could not have guessed that it would still be happening 15 years later. Not only is this thing we created still happening, it’s happening without our creative involvement. (I mean Dave’s going to host the show Thursday, and Ali’s directing my play Ipsa Domus, but we’re not like deciding things or running around to rehearsals.) So I figured I’d talk to Dave about that.

This is us in 2002 in the space where we produced our last Philly show. I think Dave is showing Libby how to work his Palm Pilot.

This is us in 2002 in the space where we produced our last Philly show. I think Dave is showing Libby how to work his Palm Pilot.

Libby
Do you remember when we were doing Sticky at Bar Noir in Philly and Brad Rothbart asked us if we could forsee a Sticky ever happening that did not have us at the helm? Do you remember what we said?

Dave
I recall Brad asking if there could be a Blue Box production without us, which I think is a different question. I said no. I don’t recall what you said. A Sticky without us is not the same. Sticky is a form we invented, but one which anybody can use. I remember sensing that Brad’s question was about more than art though, it felt like a question about our marriage, about the way we choose to relate to each other. When we run a show it kind of revolves around us, Everybody else, (though to a lesser extent Scholnick, Matt or Ali, our co producers) seem to be in our orbit. But I think that’s how we wanted it. At least it’s how I wanted it.

Libby
I don’t remember what I said either. Alot of our marriage has been about art. There’s always like this external thing that we’re beholden to, and until 5 years ago that main thing has been art projects. It’s interesting because over those past 5 years– since C was born– we’ve worked much more independently, and the blue box designation has faded. I do things under li88y inc, like Puff Puff, or How to Sell Your Gang Rape Baby for Parts (that’s right kids), and you do freelance writing or Spotlight Right. Even Sticky is on this new site. It’s like the new blue box production is our kid. I wonder if we’ll do more big art projects together or if that’s run its course. What do you think?

Dave
It’s hard to say. I suspect we will at some point. There is so much to do now that everything is a blur, so it’s the stuff lands that we focus on, not the stuff that needs nurturing. Right now our individual projects are the ones landing, so it’s what we do. When it was just the two of us it was easier to throw spaghetti against the wall. But these things have a way of coming around.

Libby
How does it feel to have Sticky happening here in Brooklyn, under the guidance of Ali Ayala, Eliel Lucero, and Michele Travis, and out in Normal, IL, with J. Michael Grey at the helm?

Dave
It feels wonderful. These are all accomplished and talented artists. I’m really grateful to see Mike doing it in Illinois and for the producers who we have here at Beauty Bar. I’ve always thought theater has to be faster, drunker and more social, so anytime anyone is moving in that direction I’m happy. And its humbling to have people want to do it with the name Sticky. A lot of times, when there is innovation in any area you see the initial cats who envision the thing eventually overtaken by the ones who can perfect it. I’ve always thought of us, as producers anyway, as the former. We don’t have the patience or desire to run a big theater company, to have a huge impact, we just have fun and try to present good work. It it can spread and grow through the artistry and hard work of others then I think we did what we can do.

Libby
Speak for yourself! I still want a venue. I would be a kick ass venue owner. I have it all planned out, even the part where the place doesn’t go broke. Do you think Sticky still has a place in the NYC indie theater scene? There’s loads more bar play shows happening now than there were when we started.

Dave
I wasn’t sure if Sticky had a place, but given that there are people here, and in Illinois who won’t let it die I guess there must be. Sticky is the embodiment of my theories on theater. The idea of event over object, the low overhead, the profane rather than sacred nature of it, the whole notion of being in a room together. I’m not sure the other bar series are quite the same, most don’t have quite the same slacker quality. But in general I’m always happy to see theater move off the stages and into more social environments. I have little doubt it is the future of the form, and that’s probably why it’s being propagated so regularly now.

You can come see Sticky this week! It’s on Thursday.
Beauty Bar, 249 5th Avenue, Brooklyn, 11215
Thursday, February 5, 7:30 pm
$10 advance, $15 at the door
via www.stickyseries.brownpapertickets.com

introducing the actors and directors

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Sticky 552
Beauty Bar, 249 5th Avenue, Brooklyn, 11215
Thursday, February 5, 7:30 pm
$10 advance, $15 at the door
via www.stickyseries.brownpapertickets.com

Ali Ayala, is in and directs J. Michael Grey’s Shamed to the Heart, and directs Libby Emmons’ Ipsa Domus.

Dewey Caddell

Dewey Caddell, in Libby Emmons’ Ipsa Domus

I do lots of things in front of people.  Visit my website at thedewey.com and follow me on Twitter @deweycaddell

Faulkner_Todd_2092_xret

Todd Faulkner, in Hal Corley’s Dolor

Todd Faulkner is deep in revisions on his first novel, and recently wrote a one-act play for Route 66 Rodeo (of which he is a founding member, http://www.route66rodeo.org). As an actor, Todd has appeared in recurring roles in The Americans, The Following, Blue Bloods, Nurse Jackie, and Law & Order: Special Victims Unit. He will also appear in the upcoming gothic horror film Angelica, starring Jena Malone. Onstage, he recently appeared as Sarge/Scarlett in the York Theatre’s critically acclaimed off-Broadway production of Yank! A New Musical. Much love to my amazing co-star (of many years), and our greatest co-production, our son Griffin.

Nicole Greevy, in Hal Corley's Dolor

Nicole Greevy, in Hal Corley’s Dolor

Nicole Greevy is thrilled to be working with Todd Faulkner and Michele Travis.  Together, they last collaborated on a production of Down the Road, and Nicole has worked with Michele on many other projects.  With Todd, she co-created the web series Exorcists Local 667 and Extreme Parenting, and she is also co-creator of the independent pilot Living in Captivity, and appeared in the Bravo series Pregnant in Heels. She can be heard narrating a variety of characters in audiobooks available on audible.com, including FBI Special Agent Constance Mandalay, of In the Bleak Midwinter.  nicolegreevy.com

Travis Hendricks, in David L. William's Sing Your Song Quickly

Travis Hendricks, in David L. William’s Sing Your Song Quickly

Eliel Lucero, directs David L. William’s Sing Your  Song Quickly

Zoe Metcalfe-Klaw, in Libby Emmons' Ipsa Domus

Zoe Metcalfe-Klaw, in Libby Emmons’ Ipsa Domus

Zoe is super excited to be back with the STICKY crew! She’s been getting sticky with most of these people for years. When she’s not acting, she can be found practicing yoga, eating avocados, or running around the mean streets of Park Slope. www.zoemetcalfeklaw.com

 

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Veronica Newton, in J. Michael Grey’s Shamed to the Heart

Veronica Newton is an actor and writer. She is delighted to be part of Sticky. Prior Sticky manifestations include acting in Libby Emmons’s The Sustainable Future and Jeremy Basescu’s Sensitive Eyes, and writing A Toast with Champale. Follow me on Twitter @veronicanewton

James Pravasilis, in J. Michael Grey's Shamed to the Heart

James Pravasilis, in J. Michael Grey’s Shamed to the Heart

Sarah Sakaan, in Brooke Berman's Quiet Bar

Sarah Sakaan, in Brooke Berman’s Quiet Bar

SARAH SAKAAN is a New York City based Syrian-American theater maker, actress and writer. She is the Associate Artistic Director of the Brooklyn, NY based theater company Polybe + Seats. As a Playwright in Residence at LPAC- LAB for 2014-15 she is writing the new play, The Art of Hijab, Kohl Black and the Right Way to Pray. With Polybe + Seats she recently developed Anna Asli Suriyah (I Come from Syria). Some acting credits include The Corsair and Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, Columbia University; King Lear with Balloon Heaven Productions; Sybil Kempson’s KurbisGeistNacht at Dixon Place; BlueBox Production’s Stickies, and Connie in Detroit; and Post Mortem, Offending the Audience and Dawn at the Flea. Film credits include “Oh Boy!”, Shot at Sundown and Project NIM. She has a B.F.A. in Acting from Emerson College.

Jacob Saxton, in Brooke Berman's Quiet Bar

Jacob Saxton, in Brooke Berman’s Quiet Bar

Jacob Saxton is excited to be working with Sticky again! As he has now for the past few years. Hailing from the mountains of North Carolina, Jacob came to this crazy town 12 years ago to chase the dream. When not acting he likes to be crafty, working as a leathersmith and woodworker. He is single, and you wont find him on tinder so come to the show!

Michele Travis directs Hal Corley’s Dolor and Brooke Berman’s Quiet Bar

Eve Udesky, in Libby Emmons' Ipsa Domus

Eve Udesky, in Libby Emmons’ Ipsa Domus

Eve Udesky is THRILLED to be back with Sticky.  That’s it.

Ceren Zorlu, in David L. William's Sing Your Song Quickly

Ceren Zorlu, in David L. William’s Sing Your Song Quickly

Ceren Zorlu was born in Ankara, Turkey, but has been a native New Yorker since she had enough teeth to bite the big apple. Being bilingual has made her a very versatile actress.  She has studied film making at NYU and stumbled into the the world of acting at the insistence of her instructors who saw her as “raw talent”. Since then she has studied the Meisner technique for three years with JoAnna Beckson and completed improvisational comedy training at The Peoples Improv Theater in New York City.

Sticky 552
Beauty Bar, 249 5th Avenue, Brooklyn, 11215
Thursday, February 5, 7:30 pm
$10 advance, $15 at the door
via www.stickyseries.brownpapertickets.com

 

I have done terrible things and things I am ashamed of: talking Sticky with Ali Ayala

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Ali, Michele, and Libby checking out Grace McLean's set at Lincoln Center last night.

Ali, Michele, and Libby checking out Grace McLean’s set at Lincoln Center last night.

Ali has been with Sticky since 2004, and has been co-producing since 2005 (I think). She is anti social media, but I got her to do the interview anyway. The above blurry picture was the best I could get her to give me.

Libby
What’s your favorite thing about being alive?

Ali
I guess this is a ridiculous answer, but my favorite thing is the act of being alive itself. Being alive is no easy thing. It is heartbreaking and breathtaking, terrifying and beautiful. Your life is the greatest asset that you can own. You get to shape it and plan it, but there is no real road map so it ends up being this huge glorious mess of mistakes and triumphs and you never know where you will end up or what you will end up with, but it is yours whatever it is.

Libby
Are there any you don’t want to own? I have some memories that come upon me unsummoned in which I find myself behaving in a way that is completely humiliating, or perhaps anathema to who I think I am. I’ve known you long enough to guess that you have those too. If you could change those moments, would you? Or do you think a person needs to redefine themselves? Or do we suffer our continuous faults?

Ali
Memories? Experiences? Mistakes? Yeah, there are PLENTY that I don’t want to own! I have done terrible things and things I am ashamed of and things that when I think about my actions I want to weep for that ridiculous person that could not possibly have had anything to do with the person I believe myself to be. But I do own them and I can’t change them. The best I can hope for is that maybe I won’t do that one particular thing again. But, knowing me, I probably will. People constantly redefine themselves and yes, we do suffer our continuous faults. We are all trying to cope with who we are and what we might become. But that is not a unique feeling to me. There is no one without regret. We are all just trying to figure it out.

Libby
What’s your favorite thing about Sticky?

Ali
I have been doing Sticky with you and Dave for I think 11 years now, so obviously I love everything about it from production meetings to rehearsals to performance. Every time we do a Sticky (and we have done a lot) I am as excited and amazed by the show as I was at the first Sticky. And I think it just keeps getting better. If I had to pick what is most important to me about Sticky is the community that it has created. Many of my closest friends have come from the Sticky family in some way. And those that did not show up at every show!

Libby
If you could make Sticky happen anywhere, money and vacation time are no object, where would it be?

Ali
Though I think that Sticky is just tailor made to work best in NYC, when I see people’s reactions to Sticky and when I see what J. Michael is doing with Sticky in the Sticks and how he has had such an outpouring of support from his community there, I know it can work anywhere. That said, for my own personal enjoyment and if money / time / vacation were no problem, I would love for Sticky to be the vacation. Or rather be something of a traveling show. I would love to take a small Sticky team and travel around, spending a few weeks to a month in each city before moving on to the next. Roadtrip Sticky!

Libby
If it was frontier times, would you head out West or stay home?

Ali
If it was frontier times, I think heading West would be the way to go. It would be an adventure. We could do shows, run a bar and try not to get shot. Not so different than our trip to Crete!

Libby
Do you think danger makes things more fun? Like that time in Crete at the monastery with the olive trees and the gun shots? Is danger part of what makes life more enjoyable?

Ali
Danger certainly makes things more exciting and more memorable. If we had gone to that monastery in Crete and been able to go inside and look around and then walked around the hillside, that would have been lovely and enjoyable and we likely would not have discussed it again. But as it was, it was locked despite our best efforts to get in, and your uncle is crazy and wanted to steal an olive tree and then someone shot at us! Now that is a story! I like stories.

Sticky 552
Beauty Bar, 249 5th Avenue, Brooklyn, 11215
Thursday, February 5, 7:30 pm
$10 advance, $15 at the door
via www.stickyseries.brownpapertickets.com