The texts of Richard Foreman—founder of The Ontological-Hysterical Theater—have long been a defining influence on the work of performance artist, director, and Poor Dog Group co-founder Jesse Bonnell.*
As part of Week Three of Redcat’s NEW ORIGINAL WORKS FESTIVAL 2019, Bonnell presents PARADISE ISLAND, “a new work of theater that compresses a decade of writing into an evening-long performance. We are giving new life back into what could soon be forgotten texts of downtown loft-era performance throughout the ’70s.”
Based on Foreman’s writings from 1973 to 1983, PARADISE ISLAND is “part retrospective, part future-bending reinvention, [bringing] new life to one of America’s most influential experimental artists.”*
Also on the bill at Redcat: Austyn Rich’s BL**DY SPAGHETTI, and Source Material’s new music-theater work A THOUSAND TONGUES, performed by Nini Julia Bang and directed by Samantha Shay.
NEW ORIGINAL WORKS FESTIVAL 2019—WEEK THREE
Thursday through Saturday, August 8, 9, and 10.
All shows at 8:30 pm.
Redcat
631 West 2nd Street, downtown Los Angeles.
Top: Jesse Bonnell. Jesse Bonnell, Paradise Island, August 8, 2019, Redcat, from top: Brad Culver (foreground left); SarahJeen François (left) and Gabriella Rhodeen (2); Alex Barlas (left) and Culver; Pricilla Jin Chung (2); Barlas (left), François, Chung, and Rhodeen; Barlas and Rhodeen; Culver (3); performance; François; Rhodeen and Chung. Performance photographs by Vanessa Crocini (14). Images courtesy and © the photographers, the artists and performers, and Redcat.
