The festival, which runs through Aug. 5, is designed to feature successful works that, rather than being limited to brief runs, could be incorporated into a rotating repertory company, thus extending their theatrical lives and exposing them to a broader audience. In all, over 16 productions will be presented as part of the UndergroundZero Festival.
The theatre companies set to participate are WOW Company, Stolen Chair, The Flying Machine, East River Commedia and Pinchbottom's Burlesque. Several plays that were developed in the Columbia MFA Program will also be part of the festival.
The League of Independent Theater will take part in the festival to discuss future repertory options and solutions as well as Equity showcase codes and procedures in an open panel discussion on July 31.
A selection of titles scheduled for the festival follow:
It Came from New York: The Battle of New York, curated and hosted by Michelle Carlo on July 19. Bottoms Over Broadway: Burlesque Goes Legit: Pinchbottom's Burlesque, hosted by Johnny Porkpie and Nasty Canasta on July 20 and 21.
The Ted Haggard Monologues by Michael Yates Crowley, directed by Michael Rau on July 21.
Let Us Go Then You and I, directed by James Dacre and inspired by the Dramaticules of Samuel Beckett on July 21 and 26.
Go!, written and performed by Gillian Chadsey and Michelle Talgarow on Aug. 2, 3 and 4.
SICK: Sick of it All, written and directed by Caleb Hammond on Aug. 2, 3 and 4.
In addition to the repertoire of productions, Collective:Unconscious will also host several auxiliary and ongoing events throughout the UndergroundZero Festival.
All tickets for plays are $15; box office is (212) 352-3101. Schedule and online ticketing are available at www.weird.org
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The Mission of Collective:Unconscious is to foster an inclusive, creative community in Lower Manhattan that serves as an incubator and launching pad for emerging artists in New York City. Founded in 1995 by a group of multi-disciplined artists, Collective:Unconscious was conceived both to perform unique experimental theatre and to administer a space that would serve as a community resource and laboratory for the performing arts.
