in nyc? want to check out great femme theater? the one and only Johnny Blazes is coming to town!

Johnny Blazes and I met when we had the pleasure of working together as part of the 2008 tour of The Femme Show. Johnny’s work there was fantastic and really spoke to me as a genderqueer femme with a complicated gender history.  As someone whose performance work is almost exclusivly word based, I also really appreciated the way that Johnny uses all sorts of movement to convey stories- it’s not a style I ususally have an easy time following, but Johnny’s style is so smooth I found myself picking up on nuances of movement that normally wouldn’t connect for me.

One of the things I’ve loved about work of Johnny’s that I’ve seen is how ze challenges labeles, expereinces, and socialization in a style which maybe can best be summed up in the first part of Johnny’s statement of purpose on hir website:

“Perhaps somewhere along the line you got the message that you are ordinary.  Or if you are not, that you should strive to be.  Fit in.  Follow the trend.  Be normal.  Yet in a world of 7 billion people—each with their own way of expressing, being, living—how can any one thing be considered “normal”?  This seemingly simple question is one that we often forget to ask.  We allow ourselves to be persuaded by media and power structures in place that there is a correct way to be.  Their labels—“white,” “woman,” “middle class,” have strict definitions.  When we allow ourselves to believe these definitions, to assimilate them into our consciousness, then we become limited by their immovable boundaries and stop being truly ourselves.”

I’ve never seen Johnny’s full-length solo show wo(n)man but am really excited that it’s coming to the city! The show will be up at WOW Café Theater here in NYC. Wo(n)man is a one-person, evening-length show that incorporates theater, dance, drag, circus arts, clowning and classical voice to humorously explore notions of gender performativity.
Friday January 15 – Sunday January 17, all shows at 8 pm
WOW Café Theater
59-61 East 4th St, Fourth Floor
$15

I’ve already got my tickets and will be there Sunday night! Now I just have to figure out what to wear!!!!

Other posts by Sassafras

• September Femme Writing Prompt! - September 1st, 2010
• Rebel girl, Rebel girl, Rebel girl you are the inspiration to my femme gender - August 25th, 2010
• Trust Your Love... - August 18th, 2010
• August Femmes Guide Prompt - August 4th, 2010
• Femmepop ! - July 31st, 2010