Theater is gang warfare. Two factions squabble over their turf: in one corner, holding down the stage, are the performers; on the other side, clapping hands and snapping fingers, is the audience, holding down their chairs for dear life. The two sides try to overpower each other, win each other over, cut through their built-in defenses and biases. On a good night, peace treaties are signed, and both sides link arms and head off into the night with fond memories of their encounter. On a bad night, silence and boo’s fill the air. On a really bad night, like the premiere of “Ubu Roi”, the gang warfare metaphor stops being a metaphor and chairs get thrown instead of insults. Most theater operates under the old principle of “strength in numbers”, the ensemble against the world. Safety in numbers. But some performers are crazy enough to face the audience gang alone, to sit or stand onstage, bathed in light, and make their stand. The Spalding Grays of the world, armed with their notebooks and glasses of water. The character monologists, channeling other people’s voices. The one-man/one-woman shows, walking a thin line between beautiful truth and narcissistic exhibitionism. The performance artists, ready to dump their buckets of paint, blood and guts on themselves and on their audiences. And now these theatrical lone wolves have their own turf, a place to call their own, every 4th Saturday night at Space55.
Starting on July 28th at 10:30pm, Space55 is debuting a new show, “HI|LO SO|LO”, happening every 4th Saturday of the month as part of their Late Night Series. “HI|LO SO|LO” will be focusing entirely on local performers doing solo performances, monologues and performance art. Just one person, alone onstage, working without partners in crime or safety nets. The shows will be curated by Kim Porter (who runs the Space55 Solo Performance workshop) and Ashley Naftule (a Space 55 writer/performer who did his own one-man show as part of the 2011 Phoenix Fringe Festival). Ticket prices are $10 for an hour long show with 6 acts.
The line-up for the July 28th show:
Charlie Steak
Pina
Greg Lutz
Todd Lambert
Michelle Burchfield
Porter and Naftule are currently booking for the August show. Interested performers should contact them for more information at:
Kim Porter — kim@kimporter.net
Ashley Naftule — theemperornorton@gmail.com
