So, The View UpStairs ended and I got hit with a wave of Brooke Shields post-partum emotions and had to go deal with that for a moment.
The past couple months have been filled with spiritually replenishing binges of netflix, ice cream, vintage 90s RPGs, crystal bedazzling, and jumping head first into my next massive creative project, KPOP!!!
All of which is to say, I'm finally ready to dig myself out of a hole and update ya'll on all the crazy life-changing sh*t that went down between Spring and Summer. READY??
Here goes:
1. I WENT TO MUTHAF*CKIN MOROCCO???? Yeah gurl I did. Here's me finding out there's a sale on Berber Jewelry happening 5 miles away.
And this tasteful photo montage.
2. The View UpStairs went on to play 105 performances, to audiences of over 12,000 people (!!!) with many sold out houses like dis one below (definitely slept with at least two of the peeps in this photo, #sorrynotsorry)
who gave us some standing O love
& some more sparkly queer icons showed up like Drag Race royalty Bianca Del Rio, Latrice Royale, Peppermint, as well as theatre legends ANDRE DESHIELDS, Tony nominee Keala Settle, and 90s rockstar Sophie B Hawkins.
some even created beautiful fan art! (thank you Dramatic Inking)
3. The View UpStairs had a GIANT LED BILLBOARD IN TIMES SQUARE for a month!!! WTF??? Seeing my name up there was truly one of the most surreal experiences of my life. I'm still not sure it happened, except that I took these photos so I'm pretty sure?
5. Was commissioned by the Public Theatre for a pop performance in their lobby commemorating the 60th Anniversary of their Mobile Unit. I pissed all over the floor, srry.
Then later that same night, was back at Joe's Pub as the secret guest for Justin Sayre's final performance of the Meeting. A very gay ole time was had:
6. I wore a kimono to closing night bc it's a known fact that that's what a lady do.
and gave my final curtain speech
7. The View UpStairs was ultimately nominated for 2 Lortel Awards, 3 Drama Desk Awards, and an Off-Broadway Alliance Award for Best New Musical- not to mention Frenchie & Nathan who won Jose Munoz awards for their amazing performances! We got dolled up all swanky like, and I crashed the Obies just cuz.
8. It wasn't to be the end however bc Samuel French picked up TVU for its catalog. It will be published in the near future and is now avail for licensing (so all you kweens with theatres out there- jump on it!)
happy to say rehearsals are already underway for new productions in Virginia (Richmond Triangle Players) and Los Angeles (Celebration Theatre), and a few more in the works I can't announce yet ;)
9. We recorded the cast album with Broadway Records and I truly believe it is one of the greatest sounding rock musical records of all time. I say that as someone who grew up listening over and over to Rocky Horror, Hedwig, Hair, and Rent- we did it RIGHT, ya'll. I just hope the next gen of weirdo queer kids comin' up hear this record and get inspired to make some dope art...so plz preview and order that sh*t now- hot off the presses!
10. So now, we bid goodbye to 1973 New Orleans with its gritty glam rock, cruise-y sex, tits that exploded confetti, queer history, and tale of romance, and flashed forward to KPOP- 2017 Korea, high fashion color blocked couture, dub-step beats and pulsing synths, snail mucus, pop celebrity, and nationalism.
featuring this lovely cast of 284902131203 people!
after only 1 week, 30% of our entire run is sold out, so don't sleep on getting tix. Use KPOPSICLE and LOLLIPOP codes to save $$$$$ http://arsnovanyc.com/KPOP
11. To feel my KPOP star fantasy, I had to give myself a lil makeover, and bedazzle I dunno...EVERYTHING!
After 4 YEARS of development, we start rehearsals in ONE WEEK. I can't believe KPOP is finally here. Now I just gotta get that pop star body.
Til' next time, Kweens and KPOP idols. Gotta go slather on my snail cream :*
