Now in its fifteenth year, Ars Nova's ANT Fest offers a wide range of early career artists a point of entry onto the Ars Nova stage and into the greater New York City arts community. Since its inception, ANT Fest has increasingly provided a crucial first step toward an extended artistic relationship with Ars Nova. Rags Parkland Sings The Songs Of The Future began as a one-man song cycle, created and performed by Andrew R. Butler, in ANT Fest 2010. Following subsequent concerts and workshops, the 2018 Ars Nova world premiere went on to win the 2019 Lortel Award for Outstanding Musical. The “in-all-ways sensational” (The New York Times) Underground Railroad Game, created and performed by Jennifer Kidwell and Scott R. Sheppard, was first seen in New York in ANT Fest 2014. Following its 2016 Off Broadway premiere, the Ars Nova production went on to win an OBIE for Best New American Play, tour internationally, and be heralded as “one of the 25 best new American plays in the past 25 years” by The New York Times.
The 15th Annual ANT Fest features 13 shows, 12 of which will premiere in-person and on Ars Nova Supra with one exclusively premiering on Ars Nova Supra. This festival of all new talent showcases new work from New York’s most adventurous emerging artists. Check out this year's lineup:
JUWAN
From JUWAN
June 12 @ 7 PM
Genderless, genreless, and groovy, JUWAN is an artist that shows us how limitless music can be. JUWAN has had a thrilling career since graduating in 2016 from the Hartt School of Music. With Broadway, Netflix and several cast recordings under their belt, JUWAN is excited to share their music with the world. In 2019, JUWAN debuted Becoming, an EP of original music at City Winery, followed by a concert at National Sawdust as a part of the Revolution Series. With their second EP moments away, JUWAN is diving fully into their life as a solo artist!
I’m Fine Though
From SMJ, Natalie Myrick & Next Stop Creatives
June 12 @ 8:30 PM
(Ars Nova Supra Exclusive)
Meet Rae, a content factory. They go live online again after yet another day of writing, producing, recording and creating content in the pursuit of fame. Dealing with institutional trauma, body image issues and rejection after rejection, this cycle continues day after day. Armed with a camera, a timer, an audience, an instrument and their “Other Person,” Rae gives themselves 60 minutes to decide whether to give up on… creating or not. I'm Fine Though explores our mental health when we are alone & online and how we interact with an audience, our mind, our body, and our own creations.
¿baby blue?
From Gian Perez, Pedro Hernandez & Cameron King
June 13 @ 7 PM
¿baby blue? is the story of an intergalactic war criminal sent to exterminate a poisonous planet in a neighboring galaxy. Told entirely through music using Gian Perez’s first album Baby Blue and his hip-hop project Seymour Strange (¿?), this piece is a multimedia concert experience fusing concert, theater, performance art and live music video to create a new form.
Damages
From Taylor Steele & Hillary Fisher
June 14 @ 7 PM
When the reparations checks that three Black sisters received from the government disappear thanks to a hacker, each of the sisters' secrets begin to unravel as they attempt to get their money back.
Penguin Sex With Mr. Morgan
From Dhari Noel, Andrew Watring, Ayla Taffel & Emmie Finckel
June 15 @ 7 PM
A burlesque apocalypse in three parts. As the ice melts melts melts, Baby, a punk rock Penguin, leads a revolt. And the clothes can’t help but fall off. But wait, Morgan Freeman’s voice looms, telling us what to do, what not to do, what we must do, what do we want him to do, this Body-Named-Black. Ice melts melts melts. Another layer peels to the ground. It’s so cold that it’s fiery hot. Twenty minutes left: and wait, there’s more… but I thought you said this was a burlesque? Ice melt melt melt. A striptease down to our raw parts.
Thank You Ryan for a Clean Microwave
From James Caverly & Andrew Morrill
June 16 @ 7 PM
Three Deaf baristas, Otis, Thomas and Marianna, who have discovered that the nefariously filthy microwave in the storage room has suddenly been suspiciously wiped clean overnight. The only remaining clue is the conspicuous note inside with the inscription “Fuck off Ryan.” Led and created by Deaf artists, this show will be primarily performed in American Sign Language, with captioning available for non-signing audience members.
To All the Black Girls Who’ve Waited
From Hope R. Ward & Squeaky Wheelz Productions
June 19 @ 7 PM
To All the Black Girls Who’ve Waited is a choreopoem performed through language, music and movement. This selection of poetry is a celebratory love letter and healing space for the Black experience. To All the Black Girls Who’ve Waited tackles the complexities of Black Womanhood, Black Love, Black Joy and Black Humanity.
Lottie and the Deep Blue Sea
From Beth Golison, Cami Pileggi, Kyle Brenn & Haley Fragan
June 20 @ 7 PM
Lottie and the Deep Blue Sea is a new folk-rock musical in concert about finding a little Queer utopia in a hostile world. Drinking, dancing, treasure-hunting and historically accurate gay pirate marriages converge in this piece brimming with love, life and fear of the oncoming storm.
2 ROSSES
From WeAreMarried
June 21 @ 7 PM
2 ROSSES is ten seasons of Friends meets Taskmaster meets ESPN, as only the clowns of WeAreMarried can deliver. Using a decade’s worth of elaborate Ross Geller choreography and text as our guide, we invite you into an uncanny valley that is part replica piece, part game show and part live athletic event. Settle in for an unsettlingly familiar fever dream of masculinity, nostalgia, internalized homophobia and self-help culture that invites us to face our own Ross-ian fears: needles, lesbian exes and, above all, ourselves.
CUM
From Soojeong Son, Tallie Medel & Joanna Simmons
June 22 @ 7 PM
Soojeong, the perfectionist clown, tries really hard at everything she does including sometimes sex stuff. Then one day a consent issue arises with her date and it gets confusing. But have no fear! Our hero makes the best of it using cute rationalization skills she developed as a 90's liquid rave kid. Soojeong's joyful clown and dance show asks the complex question: what is cum?
SHOWGASM: ANT Fest Edition
Hosted by George Civeris
June 22 @ 9 PM
Ars Nova’s untamed monthly variety-show-meets-party is guest-hosted by one of our favorite comedians, George Civeris, and features a who’s-who of the weird and wonderful — performing comedy to burlesque and everything (and anything) in between.
Boy Crazy
From Amanda Card & Bee Hall
June 23 @ 7 PM
Boy Crazy is an autobiographical solo puppet show that uses shadow puppetry, toy theater, glow sticks and a live feed camera to animate the Adventures of a Queer Engaged Divorced Ex-Evangelical Widow. Getting married at 22 is not so weird when you're an evangelical from Tennessee. Getting divorced at 26, re-engaged at 29, widowed at 30, re-engaged at 32 and then realizing that you're queer at 35? Not! Not as much.
Hartwell Church of God: The Musical - The Search for the Next Divine Pastor
From Ben Langhorst & Charlotte Murray
June 24 @ 7 PM
ATTN: Congregants of the Hartwell Church of God - Pastor Wyatt Greer is dead. There will be no funeral (no cheese plates or cookie cakes with his face made out of icing). In order to save our souls and defend ourselves against the evils of the homosexual agenda…we’re having a competition! With no clear successor, we’re holding a good old-fashioned battle of wills to determine who will be the next pastor of the Hartwell Church of God. All male members of the congregation are encouraged to apply (if you’re a woman and even considering applying, this church has failed you).
