Whisper in the Wings Episode 1864

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1:20Hello, everyone. And welcome back into a fantastic new whisper and the Wings from Stage Whisper. This is one of my favorite episodes we do every year. Not only because of what we're celebrating, but because of the event itself and all the amazing works and artists that come together to put it on. Today we are joined once again by the artistic director and curator, Martha Lerene Preve and the curator, Federico Malay. These two fabulous guests are here to talk to me today about frigid New York's presentation of the Days of the Dead Festival. It's happening on October 16th, through November 1st at Understant Marks. And you can get your tickets to Mark formation by visiting frigid.nyc. This is such an incredible event, a very unique to New York kind of event. I mean, there's nothing bad that plays, there's nothing bad that plays at Understant Marks to begin with, but in this festival, truly, there's nothing bad that's part of it. So I am so thrilled that we get to continue bringing you coverage of this.

2:20And I don't want to waste any more time. I'm excited to learn all about what this year's lineup is all about. So at that in mind, let us go ahead and welcome back on our guest, Martha Federico, good to have you back. Welcome into Whisper and the Wings from Sage Whisper. Thank you. Thank you, Andrew. A thing we're so excited to be here. I'm so excited you're here. And like I said, I look forward to this every year. This is one of those festivals that I just, I'm so glad I got put on to. And it's such a great celebration. So Martha, let us first begin with you. And just from my note, the snorers a bit about what this festival is all about. Well, the festival is definitely to celebrate the spooky season. But that includes to us that, you know, we are Mexicans living in New York. The spooky season also includes the Dia de Muertos. So for us, this is a very important holiday. And we celebrate, you know, we celebrate our loved ones that have passed away. And we believe that the dead are here with us.

3:20Enjoying meals, enjoying life. So it's a combination between the two. This festival deals with like some horror plays, but also with like death dying, the afterlife, mourning and getting over someone's passing. So there's some mix of everything that is usually how we Mexicans experience this season. Yeah. I love to hear that. Yes. And it's, I feel like it's a celebration that has been gaining more and more notoriety and an association in the mainstream when it comes to Halloween and all that here in the States. It's such a wonderful celebration. It really is. I love it. So Martha, I would love to know how did you all go about selecting this year's participants? Well, yeah, maybe, Fede, you want to jump in? Like how do we?

4:21Sure, absolutely. I mean, Martha was saying how, you know, she emphasized particularly because we're Mexican and the festival is a result of our yearly day of the dead cabaret that we put. And that is part of his festival. But at the same time, we always get so many people like you said, Andrew, this is gaining notoriety. Largely thanks worldwide to products like Coco from Pixar, right? And the James Bond film that featured the day of the dead sequence, which was amazing. But that has helped the celebration gain notoriety. And as a result, we get many cultures that come to the cabaret and ask respectfully, can we participate? And our answer is something from a rotis always yes. You are welcome, even though this is a Mexican tradition and it celebrated in other parts of Latin America as well. You are welcome. And our lineup at the cabaret is of many nationalities, many cultures. And so that is our starting point for how to select in the festival because we want to be

5:21what we experience at the cabaret that we experience at large at the festival. So diversity and variety is always the most important thing. We're really, I know it's a cliche to say like, there's something for everyone, but we truly take that to heart in that it's like, let's make sure there's a musical for musical lovers. Burlesque for Burlesque lovers. You want something that's a bit more improv. You want something interactive. You want drama. You want comedy. You want singing. Like we really take it to heart that all as many art forms are expressed and as many sensitivities. So you'll get a bunch of different cultures, many sensitivities and the types of show really, really are varied and we're so excited about that. So but that's the selection process in a nutshell. I love it. Tell me about the work that you selected and what artists are coming to this. Martha, you want to start? Yeah, yeah. Well, we have as as fed as a, we have a variety of shows. We have, for example, one one person shows we have this one.

6:25It's actually one of our one of our company members. Part of our community is doing this PowerPoint presentation. One woman show called Alanis final presentation. About a 13 year girl that is explain in her family why she wants to end her life. But it's comedy. So we met her not. Yeah, that's right. Yeah. Leave it or not is comedy. We also have, well, we already mentioned our cover. We have a what they left behind, which is a. Well, interactive you could say. Yes, yes, it's an interactive show. You know, it's this this woman is inviting people to explore the love once with like bring bring. Yeah, bring objects that your family members left behind. And she's going to kind of do like a. Like explore like dying death and grieve. Sort of like with with the audience, which I'm really excited for.

7:26We also have I'm that witch and that it's a musical. Also kind of like with a little bit of of clown and it's a new musical. And this is Jackson Sturkey, who I'm sure you've had here before. In collaboration with other artists, but I'm really excited about this one. It's visually so cool. Stunning. Yeah, yeah, we have another clown show called three pigs and a wolf. Yeah. And this one is basically the story of the. The three little. Three little pigs in English. It's like a clown slash the three little pigs, but also the afterlife of what happened after the wolf ate them, I believe. So yeah, it seems like a family reunion of sorts where the pigs sort of like get together and want to expect the friend. And I think we can all expect to that is to sort of like revisit what what happened in the original tale. But it's it's leaning towards the spooky, which is exciting. Like those original fairy tales, for example. Yeah.

8:26There's a more less show called hex appeal as well. And then there's more sort of like apocalyptic tales like there's one called the outside. Yeah, outside. That's sort of like that what's sort of like for you zombie fans is not necessarily a zombie show. But that is like that post apocalyptic feel. But it really intends to. It's story. There's another lovely beautiful like sort of like romantic story of two souls communicating. One is dead. One is not. I believe that's called let me go or or no roses. Sorry. No roses. Yeah, no roses. And then yeah, go ahead. Oh, we have a psychic. The Clarence show we have. I want to sure I try to mention all of them. Yeah, then the witching hour is our. Yes, that features three short plays, which one is called bleach. When I read those first five pages, I knew immediately I was just like this is a Larry's is about sort of like. A couple trying to conceive, which and a sort of like. I don't want to give too much away because the death aspect of is kind of like giving it away.

9:28But there's bleach. There's a sorcery aisle. A wizard into which is walking to a big box store and you know, it's a comedic piece. And then the yellow wallpaper, which is based on the famous story, the yellow wallpaper as well. In fact, but those are all presented going to be presenting together. As part of a collection of short pieces. Yeah, we also have an you got to have Edgar Allen Poe. We have a show that is like based on Edgar Allen Poe's work and. Our cabaret, of course. Chaos chaos. What was chaos? I'm. Oh, yes. This one I'm like expected to be really funny. There's some chaos happening in this city, but these people work at a 311 call center. So like I'm really excited for that one. And we actually have. We had a couple of shows like that. Could it be here? Actually, I think this is an important conversation. You know, some people had.

10:28We had people coming from port to go that had visa, you know, visa problems and. So we had some shows join us like kind of like last minute. And we have one that is a fringe extension extension called way. I want to say the name. I want to say the name correctly. It's because it's like, okay, it's. Berra puta loca brujas. She'll be joining us. She was on French. So she got an extension and she'll be joining us for this festival. And we'll have also a reading. Called the bridge. Which have joined recently due to these scheduling conflicts that we. That we ran into, but yeah, we we try to have something for everyone. We we try to have stuff in Spanish this year has been a little bit. Challenging with that because like people. A few shows that we selected were not able to be in New York. But other than that, you know, we're very excited for this lineup. We're very. It's it's a very diverse lineup. And it's like just so.

11:28I don't know. I love this book. You see some. I love the days of the dead. I love Halloween. I'm just so excited for all this. I love that. So I love it. I love it. I love it. And that's how you mentioned that was at the French festival this year. We got to host and it. Yeah, that was a brilliant show. So it's bad to hear that some of these participants weren't eight. Like it was able to make it happen. But also the artists that can come and and and and support this great work and support these artists that aren't even that aren't able to come. This is wonderful. And I appreciate you mentioning that because it is a conversation that still needs to be had. And I'm glad that this isn't the forefront over celebrating all this wonderful DSL and where it is. Also to remember that unfortunately in the times we're living. We can't have access to all of the art that deserves to have access to. So that's my piece. Oh, I forgot to mention actually the show that we do have in Spanish pizza party. That is a show and like this a bilingual musical comedy.

12:29That also has to do with like Halloween, but a death and well, again, I want to give it out too much. But pizza party. That one isn't is bilingual Spanish and English. And I want to make sure I mentioned everyone. As always, we have some adjacent things that are part of the, you know, the. The resident shows like paper crane. хочется and starters were less are doing there there are spooky were less We have also fridge and nightcap as part of a part of the lineup. So yeah an amazing milestone lineup. Great. something under that is different this year that we're very excited about is like our company Something for overall is gonna open this year with the day of the did cover a a recap of that is

13:31that It's a it's a cover of artists that are dedicating their either song poetry monologue, etc, etc, etc To someone in particular who passed away and we have the altar With all the pictures of those people We have another altar that is sort of like encompasses the entire festival where you play tribute to the death And so you have a picture and something that they like maybe an object maybe something that they like to eat or drink But we're closing with our Open mic or open stage that's called as called this panglish affair and That is we're excited we do that every month and it's open stage so anybody can join But this time in particular we're inviting the artist that participate in the festival To bring something to the end so that it serves as a culminating piece where we all Together hopefully or most of the shows you and they can perform something from the show something else entirely But each each one will get sort of like their own little Time frame and at the end it will serve as a closing party for for the festival

14:35So if for whatever reason you missed some of the shows that already happened But you're free that final day of November 1st Come because you'll see a bunch of the artists in a single show performing So I think that's something exciting that we have this year that we wanted to make sure we shared yeah That is wonderful What mark I'm going to pick this next question off with you and love to know Is there a message or thought you hope audiences are going to take away from this this event I think to me the the main thing About this festival is this Reconciliation with death and with the afterlife and with Whatever is it that you believe and then To me it's a very important part of life And we all experience it we all go through love once passing away and I hope that

15:37In the mix of shows that we have that celebrate the death and the days of the dead and Halloween in different ways I hope that audiences get this feeling of community of how how these rituals and these you know this cultural practices are very much a community event so that translates to like getting all together showing up to see in the theater You know and supporting artists supporting artists audiences supporting independent artists So the days of the dead has always had this feeling of community Right and always has this feeling of like we accept death as part of it So I would love for that to translate To the festival and to the audience that oh we're here When they enter as Federico mentioned the pictures of the loved ones of everyone in the festival that chooses to participate Are on the wall so you know so our loved ones are there with us so all of these wonderful traditional is something I hope that the audience

16:41Gets out of it as well as you know the the excitement that this type of This type of shows have like just inane with the spooky season and with the death theme I love it Federico. What about you? Is there a message or thought your hoping audiences take away? Yeah, absolutely. I think that there are many As many ways to interpret death as there are people So I think That's why the diversity of shows is so important to us because we want to make sure that it doesn't matter what you make of death that there will be something in there that'll Connect to your beliefs that'll tickle your imagination That that I think that's why it's so important to have all these things or some that are Mysterious like the the the Clarence show for example So that everybody can see like oh I have grew my relation to My relationship to death is valid and important and is somehow reflected in this I dare to say that the content here in relationship to death is more diverse than what you might get mainstream

17:47You know there's there's more variety there's more for whoever doesn't seem Themselves in mainstream culture or you know content it's more likely that they'll find something they'll connect to here I do believe that so I think that and also the access to theater is really important because not just not just about Making sure Many different sensitivities are represented, but also that people have access to a lot more affordable shows than you know Say like a Broadway show as wonderful as they are, but think that Creating this platform is important. So people who are artists in the making who come to see the shows and realize It's possible to produce your own show is also important for us. So I think that's a takeaway that we are we're also hoping for that people I realize I don't have to be whatever you call like fully fleshed out artists to come on stage and and share my art Right because we tend to be hard on ourselves So I think things like like the the open mic for example is a great example of that of just like just go for it

18:48And if you want to talk for five minutes about how it is to Accept death you can so I think those are some of the things we're hoping they take away That is wonderful wonderful What now Federica starting with you for the next question tell me who are you hoping to have access to this Yeah, well, I think That I'm going back to the your your question of cultures It is so important to us that for example with our day of the dead Cabaret that Mexican Families Mexican immigrants can come to this Space here in in New York in the US and and show for example their kids who might have been born here Right, it's like oh this is how you do the altar and this is like sort of like a bigger and we share with the audience Pandemuerta, which is a sweet bread that that goes with a holiday and the hot chocolate and That along with the other nationalities, right? But I think yeah, I'd say that is a personal

19:52Obviously close to our hearts community that that we're hoping will come come join us But I think also I think people because frigid the wonderful thing about frigid is like this mentality of like no one gets turned away You know, and so that sliding scale is there to ensure that anybody and everybody can can have access to a show and that If you are for whatever reason my hope is if there's an audience that is struggling right now because of some sort of grief That they can no matter what their situation is they can knock on the door and they'll get to see a show That that's quality that we've ensured has a certain level to it. So yeah, I'd say that those two audiences We're hoping we'll have access to the show Love that that one another reason why I love this festival The audiences you you try it you well the audiences you attract and and the community you continue to To grow Martha how about you who are you hoping have access?

20:55Well on top of what Fredica just said I think Our community you know our Lower Eastside community our neighbors or other artists friends like people that are around Frigid and they come to our space We're hoping to have that community but also to expand to you know other people in the city that they would Maybe travel a little you know if you're not in the area to come see one shows or stream it a lot of the shows are streaming So with that We're hoping to reach people also in in other places of the world are Personally like our families watch the streaming of our shows right from Mexico So definitely anyone that doesn't have access or any mobility issue or is somewhere out located somewhere else they can also stream the shows and those also have a sliding scale so Yeah, we're hoping to see new faces are same I won't say same old faces

21:57But you know our same old friend but also new faces that are perhaps don't even know that the space is there I Love it and That's that's the great thing not just about this festival But all the work that Frigid and why Frigid and New York does is it attracts new audiences Not just to this great venue this very intimate venue, but this wonderful neighborhood as well It I I've since getting put on a Frigid and New York. I truly feel like it's a great cultural hub right there in New York City So I love those answers Well, I can't let you to go of course without asking my my favorite question, which is you know what's what's the favorite theater memory of yours or what's another of your favorite theater memories that you'd like to share with us It's a good and and we always know it's coming and yet I've always liked to like to have it be in provides somehow and trusting that that it'll come

22:58I have one yeah, I think it's a combination, but I have like one reason one where I We do this spanglish affair open stage open mic once a month and We you know our company something from abroad tries to be there For like all of us try to be there every time and there was this one time. I don't even remember which month it was but I was like You know, I was feeling Tired it was a Monday or I don't know. I had a lot going on something And I just I just went Kind of like dragging my feet a little bit like I have to be there. I have to support I like I'm part of the team of course, but then it was such a wonderful night of talent of artists of like Multidisciplinary things someone dense someone saying people share poetry, you know Play instruments. So After that beautiful night, I think I got on stage and said like oh my god

24:00I was going through a lot, but yeah, just being here and seeing all of you Kind of like renewed me, you know like it's was like an a shot of positive energy that I just every time I'm like hesitant of going or feeling like that. I remember how good I feel Leaving that stage or that place if I wasn't performing after seeing This group of talented people that have also become like a family and we see them once a month. It's just like it's a very fulfilling thing I love that. Oh, that made my heart so full. Thank you for sharing that Martha Federico, what about for you? Yeah, thank you. I think you know because we're talking about the day of the dead I want to make it perhaps specific to that because it is it has been very meaningful that I think for the past at least four to five years

25:00I've had the the privilege of hosting that that cabaret that means that I guide the audience through the different numbers and also the history of Of a day of the dead and the the significance and the meanings behind all the decorations that you see, etc and to See people because I get to see them right the light is such a such a way sometimes that I get to see the audience and I really get to talk to them and seeing their really like Focused so curious so taking it all in asking questions about the culture even at the end when we gather and have the the hot chocolate To ask their questions to make to draw the comparisons between their culture and ours That and that people choose to stay after after a 90 minute show or so They they choose to stay and break bread with us and you see our little tiny saint marks packed with people that you know There's people can't really move but people choose to stay to connect and I do feel that's because it's so much vulnerability

26:03Was shown on stage because people are talking about my beloved who passed away And and performing with that in mind that I think there's a tenderness That it is like instant community building and people want to stay and break bread together And we we like all end up cleaning up together as well So I think that is Why I love this not only this holiday, but this festival on this this time of year What a tremendous answer as well. I love that like I said a cultural hub that you're all This true sense of community. Oh, that is so wonderful. Thank you both so much for sharing that with us Of course, thank you. Thank you so much. Thank you As we wrap things up. I would love to know and I'm sure there's an answer to go with this But do either of you have any other projects or productions coming on the pipeline that we might be able to plug for you? Yeah, yeah sure Thank you our our company something for overall has this this show

27:06It's the first one person show if I'm not mistaken. We've We just like produced that we have under our repertoire It's our wonderful artist Pellejo AF whose the mine behind our open mic the the spanglish affair he wrote a Show called death by nine to five So to all those who are not enjoying their nine to five who are just like feel like they're slowly dying in their job This may be a really cathartic experience. It's insanely Funny talented is is this farce farce a call of of what it means to work at an office space particularly in the united nations Which is very interesting timely very timely too because it's happening right now This is like based on true events of him working at the United Nations Yeah, so You know Regardless of that if you have a nine to five you you'll relate you'll be cathartic and it takes it to to really

28:07Ridiculous but one men show incredibly talented guy. We got someone saying it's it's better than snl That's been a while Because he just is this powerhouse you'll see he goes from one thing to the other to the other to the other and it's Get another character and like it just it's such a wild ride so we would love for you to join us That's gonna be October 4th at under Saint Marks as well to matinee show So you could get tickets at frigid and yc as well Yeah, and for the rico is a director. He forgot to mention that's right. That's why that's why it's so So present in my mind. Yes That sounds amazing. Oh Amazing. I love it. I love it What about for you Martha? What's going on with you? Right other than the cabaret that we're doing on October 17th. I don't have another project except our company something from abroad is turning 10 Yeah So we're planning to do we're planning to have our open mic be a little bit more of an elevated event to celebrate 10 years of this company

29:14so we're really excited for that and Other than that I we have we have other projects that are outside of theater We shot a short film that is sort of like a gents into our company something I wrote in fiddico produced But yeah, I'm pretty much full hands on frigid right now Well, that is absolutely wonderful. So y'all got your hands full. You are Busy busy away and that is a wonderful setup for my final question Which is if our listeners would like more information About the days of the dead festival or about either of you perhaps I'd like to reach out to you. How can they do so? Yeah, I I'm on Instagram at Martha underscore And also we are on Instagram as a company at something from abroad frigid also is on all I think frigid is on all social media as at it spelled at frigid new york

30:19and Yeah, we'll be at on their same marks a lot. So come find us there. Yeah As far as me. Yeah, you can reach again for any if you want to be in the open mic Don't forget at something from abroad on Instagram My personal one is at fede fede mallet ma l l et And this separate Production company that I also run chemo cion if you're an artist and you want to have a writer's room that To go to to pitch your work. Let's chemo cion. That's q u e m o c i o n fab you love Well, Martha federiko Thank you both so much for taking the time to stop by and share Like I said one of my favorite events that happened every year. This has been such a great conversation I am so jazz about this here's lineup and everything that both you at frigid new york as well as something from abroad are up to This is amazing. You keep raising the bar and I so appreciate that. So thank you both so much for your time today

31:25Thank you. Thank you so much for having us and it's always nice to talk to you. Yeah Yeah, and thank you for helping us celebrate in advance. So we're we're really excited to get get things going Thank you, Andrew. Thank you My guests today have been two incredible artists just two amazing humans the artistic director and curator Martha Lorene Prive and the curator federiko male They joined me today to talk about frigid new york's presentation of the days of the dead festival Now this is happening on October 16th through November 1st at under st. marks and you can get your tickets while they last As well as more information by visiting frigid.nyc We also have some contact information for our guests which will be posted in our episode description as well as on our social media posts but Seriously, if you've never been to this, this is your year to go Anyone who's in the know knows this is an amazing event and it is a small venue So get to frigid.nyc now get your tickets for you your friends your enemies your neighbors the strangers around you

32:27Don't miss out on the days of the dead festival October 16th through November 1st So until next time I'm Andrew Cortez reminding you to turn off your cell phones unwrap your candies and keep talking about theater in a stage whisper Thank you If you like what you hear please leave a five star review like and subscribe You can also find us on facebook and instagram at stage whisper pod And feel free to reach out to us with your comments and personal stories at stage whisper pod at gmail.com And be sure to check out our website for all things stage whisper and theater You'll be able to find merchandise tours tickets and more simply visit stage whisper pod dot com Our theme song is maniac by jazar other music on this episode provided by jazar and billy murry

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