The Ontological-Hysteric Incubator’s Downstairs Series provides a place for performing artists to present works-in-progress. Downstairs artists have the unique opportunity to present their material as it is being created and to receive feedback from a general audience. It is a great opportunity for the artists to get feedback as they work and for audiences to watch art-in-progress, thus taking an active role in the creative process.

The Downstairs series is once a month from January-March, all shows are at 10pm in the Parish Hall of St. Mark’s Church, 131 East 10th Street. Tickets are $5 cash at the door.

The artists showing work are Uzi Parnes (January), Jonathan Zalben (February) and Michael Chung (March)

More details after the jump.

January 28, 2006

I Shot Jack Smith/The Glitter of Trash
written and peformed by Uzi Parnes

An absurdist works-in-progress with costumes, projections, text, and live performers. The trash sisters -Olga, Masha and Irina- are a trio of drag queens obsessed with their past, Jack Smith, and getting to perform at the fabulous Club Moscow… but every dream has its price. An homage to Jack Smith’s play I was a Male Yvonne De Carlo for the Lucky Landlord Underground; Featuring photo Projections of Jack Smith shot by Uzi Parnes from 1982-1989. “Trash is the material of creators; it exists if you approve or not.” -Jack Smith

February 11, 2006

Organized Color Intoxication
written and performed by Jonathan Zalben

Poetry generated by exploiting flaws in online language translators becomes the basis for an interactive multimedia performance.

March 11, 2006

The Manifesto of the Masochistic Clown (The Problem of Evil)
written and performed by Michael Chung

The Manifesto is the first part of a trilogy entitled The Masochistic Clown and the Evil Neighborhood. The trilogy is about a cult of satanic circus clowns and their quest to give birth to the Antichrist, who will then preach the true, hidden meaning of “the Good News” of Jesus Christ. The Manifestor is the main character’s – and the audience’s – initiation into the cult.

For more information visit www.ontological.com