Artist of the Month > 2009 Artists
ARTIST PROFILE
NAME: New York Neo-Futurists
LOCATION: New York, NY
ORIGIN: New York, NY
ART: Theater
MAIN GENRE: Theater, Comedy, Performance Art
LATEST WORKS: “Too Much Light Makes The Baby Go Blind”
INTERVIEW
Please describe your organization’s artistic themes
Neo Futurism, as an aesthetic, approaches theater as a non-illusory way to communicate, share and reach out to others. The primary truths of a Neo-futurist performance are :
1. You are always who you are (yourself and not a character)
2. You are always where you are (e.g. on a stage in front of an audience)
3. You are always doing what you are doing.
In this way, we, as performers live our lives out on the stage, exposing our hopes, dreams, fears, sadness, happiness and laughter. Sometimes funny. Sometimes disturbing. Always aimed at capturing what is real, true and most importantly, generating a unique and irreproducible theatrical experience.
Please describe your organization’s creative process
The New York Neo-Futurists are a collective of wildly productive writer/director/performers who create:
1. Theater that is fusion of sport, poetry and living newspaper.
2. Non-illusory, interactive performance that conveys our experiences and ideas as directly and honestly as possible.
3. Immediate, irreproducible events at head-slappingly affordable prices.
We embrace those who are unreachable or unmoved by conventional theater, inspiring them to thought, feeling, and action. Specifically we collaborate, create and participate in benefits and performances with other theater companies and organizations including Vampire Cowboys, 4th Arts Block, NET, NACL. We also hold workshops on the Neo-Futurist technique several times a year.
What are your organization’s artistic goals?
To continue to generate new and vibrant work through our show piece, “Too Much Light Makes The Baby Go Blind,” and other new and original projects.
Tell us about your organization’s programming
We are in our 5th year of producing “Too Much Light Makes The Baby Go Blind.” It runs on Fridays and Saturdays 50 weeks of the year. Additionally, we look to create a new Neo-Futurists show this year, as well as celebrating our 5th year with an anniversary benefit.
What are your views on the industry?
We are certainly facing challenging times in the independent theater world her in New York. However, there are some great organizations out there helping lead the charge toward brining new audiences, recognition and support like LIT, ART/NY and Free Night/TCG. With the economy as it is, certainly larger theaters are taking a hit, and we feel it too. But, our ticket prices and the topical / connected aspects of the work we create not only helps us continue to attract audiences, but also provides theater-goers with insightful and affordable entertainment.
What advice could you give to emerging artists?
Create new theatre work whenever you can. See new work and other art forms whenever you can; it’s all connected… and this city offers such great opportunities and variety. Take advantage of discount and free tickets to things. Surprisingly, they are out there. Intern for a company you like and find out how they do what they do.
WEBSITE: nynf.org
