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I’m trying to bring theatre back to the city! Back in January Sam Rolfes and I directed a huge one-night-only musical show called Diskokina, and I’m currently developing the Club Cringe showcase for festivals. As a result, theatre is seeping into everything else I’m doing right now. I’ve been spending a bunch of time in the Theatre archives up on 64th st, where you can watch the city’s archive of musicals and plays dating back over 50 years - but the catch is you can only view each production once in your lifetime. It’s so depressing that the only shows we see talked about online is shit like Hamilton. Plays used to be such a big part of New York’s cultural export and it feels like it’s kind of been handed off to the tourists. I think performers in general play it very safe and calculated these days, which is why I’m drawn to musicians who get up there and present a whole idea in their live shows. Frost Children and Club Eat come to mind immediately. It’s vulnerable and cringe to get up on stage and start sharing things that used to be just in your notes app, to a whole room full of people. I guess that’s where the name Club Cringe comes from. It’s more about the risk of performing something big and high concept and being okay with potentially seeing it flop or be ill-recieved, “coming off cringe” than it is about the work actually being intentionally cringey.
Mar 29, 2023
Related Recs
Great movie to kick off the new year, on at 9 PM on the 31st at the Studio Galande cinema in the 5th arrondissement, lots of fun and probably very nice people to meet. Come dressed up for extra fun.
As a bonus, I believe it's the only theatre in the world that's been showing the movie weekly with actors since it first came out in 1975, so that's pretty cool !
Dec 27, 2024
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If you’re from brooklyn or new york city or just moved here, i know, this is cliche. But i! Don’t! Care! The truffle popcorn is addicting, even if I'm farting for the rest of the movie, it’s worth it. Plus they have cute little trailers to gab about with your date or friend, but i also go alone because nobody tried to have small talk with you at the movies and you can just disassociate peacefully in blissful high-power air conditioning on a hot nyc summer day. They have guest curators on a monthly basis and do fun screenings of old flicks. Highly recommend it. Nitehawk > Alamo.
Aug 7, 2023
I have another indie theater that I prefer because it’s cozier, has better vibes, is much closer to me, and everybody who works there is genuinely passionate about film. It’s not really anything special visually but it’s a beautiful institution and it’s so fun to be there ❤️
But this one is an old art deco theatre designed by architect John Eberson (he designed Loew’s Paradise in the Bronx and the Paradise Theatre in Chicago)! It’s pretty run down/poorly managed and staffed but it’s a gorgeous building and definitely worth visiting. Not my photos but included for illustrative purposes!!
Nov 14, 2024
Top Recs from @jake-sillen
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I’m shocked whenever I hear that someone hasn’t watched the Monster Ball. It’s probably the best touring show ever produced. She toured it around the world for two years without stopping. It’s a perfect spectacle of camp, raw talent, and high budget theater. Most people go for the HBO Madison Square Garden filming but personally I prefer another version that’s free on YouTube. Philly, shot right after her five-night Madison Square Garden stint, is Gaga at her loosest. The wigs are unbrushed. The muscle relaxers are flowing. There’s a branded Virgin Mobile part where she calls a fan on a flip phone. She calls herself a tranny and she fucks up some of her keytar solos, but it’s impossible to look away. It’s a masterpiece of improvisation and I’ll take it over the squeaky clean HBO version anyday
Mar 29, 2023
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If you’ve been living under a rock, let me tell you. This is probably the best game released last year and it’s only $3. My business partners would be horrified to learn how many hundreds of hours I’ve given to this game. After a long day on set, there’s nothing better than posting up horizontal for a few half hour runs through the Inlaid Library while you listen to the new Lana album.
Mar 29, 2023
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Probably the funniest two girls on the planet. They have me waiting by my inbox for each new drop. Anyone reading this should subscribe to their patreon immediately.
Mar 29, 2023