Interludes

VIEWPOINTS – Downtown Divas

• By drediman
• October 17, 2014
• No Comments

You know the New York theater season is in full swing when the boards of the Great White Way are lit up by the glamorous star wattage of the dames of the silver screen. Blythe Danner in Donald Margulies’ Chekhov-inspired mash-up, “The Country House”. Check. Stockard Channing and Megan Mullally in Terrence McNally’s farcical ode to the theater, “It’s Only a Play”. Check. Maggie Gyllenhaal and Cynthia Nixon in, in my mind, Tom Stoppard’s masterpiece, “The Real Thing”. Check. Glenn Close and Martha Plimpton in Edward Albee’s biting Pulitzer Prize-winning “A Delicate Balance”. Check. And the list goes on (which should include the theatrical event of last summer – recent Oscar-winner Cate Blanchett in Jean Genet’s absurdist dark comedy, “The Maids”). This is all well and good for the masses that flock to the city to bask in the undeniable thrill of seeing their favorite Hollywood celebrities live onstage, but true theater geeks like myself are equally ecstatic about checking out the latest work from the daring divas of New York’s Off-(Off-)Broadway theater scene and downtown cabaret circuit. In no particular order, here are ten of those magnetic, singular, and altogether sensational “downtown divas”.

1. Penny Arcade

Although she provokes with the best of them, what sets the fireball that is Penny Arcade apart is her contrasting neediness and capacity to give that makes you just want to hug (or smother?) her to pieces. I could not take my eyes off her in last year’s “The Mutilated” (a rarely-performed Tennessee Williams play courtesy of the New Ohio), and I am very much looking forward to her upcoming, sure-to-be-outrageous show at Joe’s Pub.

2. Elizabeth Marvel

Ever since I first saw Ms. Marvel’s gutsy, no-holds-barred performance in Ivo van Hove’s unforgettable and polarizing take on Henrik Ibsen’s “Hedda Gabler” at the New York Theatre Workshop, I’ve been a huge fan. A few years later at the same theater with the same director, she tore up the stage again in the Lillian Hellman’s classic, “The Little Foxes”. I eagerly await her return to the stage.

3. Kathryn Hunter

Kathryn Hunter is a wonder – a petite woman with boundless energy (and almost freakish flexibility) and a presence that can captivate like few can. Although based in London, the raspy-voiced Ms. Hunter has conquered a number of roles in New York: from Puck in Julie Taymor’s “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” at TFANA to an ape (!) in “Kafka’s Monkey” at the Baryshnikov Center. She recently wrapped up performances as a synesthetic character in Peter Brook’s “The Valley of Astonishment” (in which Ms. Hunter dialed-back her trademark physicality to utterly heartbreaking effect), also at TFANA.

4. Kathleen Chalfant

The regal, fiercely intelligent Ms. Chalfant has created a number of iconic characters in American theater – for example, she originated a number of roles in Tony Kushner’s “Angels in America” and Vivian in Margaret Edison’s “Wit”, both Pulitzer Prize-winning plays. Despite her success in the theater industry, she’s stayed away from the bright lights of Broadway and generally concentrated her considerable, albeit less flashy, talents on edgier works Off-Broadway. Ms. Chalfant can currently be seen in Lee Blessing’s political two-hander relic, “A Walk in the Woods”.

5. Charles Busch (and Julie Halston)

One of the legends of New York’s downtown theater and drag scenes, as both performer and playwright, is Charles Busch (he has also broken into the mainstream with his very funny 2000 Broadway play, “The Tale of the Allergist’s Wife”). In contrast to other drag performers, who typically bring a sharp-edged egotism to their work, Charles Busch’s performances are marked by their generosity and gentleness of spirit. Which is not to say he lacks comic flair; he was hilarious in the two plays I’ve seen him in, “The Divine Sister” and “The Tribute Artist” (both of which he also wrote). It would be impossible to mention Charles Busch without also mentioning his muse, the irresistibly sardonic Julie Halston (who is currently a scene-stealer in a miniscule role in the current starry Broadway revival of “You Can’t Take It With You”). Mr. Busch can also be spotted working the cabaret circuit.

6. Taylor Mac

For a number of years now, Taylor Mac’s electric presence (as well as his fabulous and eccentric sense of style, whether in or out of drag) has set the downtown scene aglow. Like Charles Busch, his performances come from a place of honesty and generosity, first and foremost. Aside from working on a 24-decade performance history of popular music, Mr. Mac is also a very accomplished actor. His Shen Te in last season’s vibrant revival of Brecht’s “The Good Person of Szechwan” was one of the most extraordinary and moving performances of the season.

7. Bridget Everett

Bridget Everett is a force of nature, without a doubt. Ms. Everett has been working the scene, slowly but surely, over the past decade or so. All that hard work has paid off – this outrageously unpredictable, larger-than-life (in all senses of the word), foul-mouthed broad is a bona fide star of downtown cabaret, as evidenced by her continuously sold out shows. She’s even been picked up by the Public Theater as an offering in its current theater season (the sensational “Rock Bottom”).

8. Joey Arias

Joey Arias is unmistakable. Those Bettie Page bangs! That Billie Holiday voice! The truck driver mouth! Over the decades, he’s been an undeniable and integral force in the downtown scene. I’ve seen Arias a number of times over the years, most notably his memorable performances at the Abrons Arts Center, HERE (his phantasmagorical collaboration with master puppeteer Basil Twist, “Arias with a Twist”), and Joe’s Pub. Joey Arias is a living legend.

9. Justin Vivian Bond

Unlike his brethren in the downtown scene, Justin Vivian Bond trades in shock value for a brooding, almost melancholy, persona. Once the “Kiki” to Kenny Mellman’s “Herb”, Mr. Bond now usually performs solo at venues like Joe’s Pub and even 54 Below (Kiki and Herb did perform in mainstream Broadway). Despite performing in drag, his shows rarely devolve into kitsch, which makes him unique in the field. He brings true soul to all his performances.

10. Lady Rizo & Meow Meow

In recent years, two performers have catapulted to the top of my list as “must-see” performers in the alt-cabaret world: Lady Rizo and Meow Meow. Unfailingly, I jump at the opportunity to see either perform (I last saw Lady Rizo last year at Joe’s Pub, and Meow Meow I caught in London this past summer). These two artists are striking in that their wild antics are matched by voices that wow. Bridget Everett, watch out!