This summer Dysfunctional Theatre returns to Governor’s Island to turn House 8B on Nolan Park into a grab box of art, poetry, dance, theater and song.  Each week new works will be offered. Stop by weekends May 29th through September 25th between 12pm – 5pm to explore the house and experience art created by New York City independent artists for the public.  Have your picture snapped, hear a song, see a short play and explore the house with us.

To get to Governor’s Island you’ll need to take the ferry! For departure times and locations as well as more information about Governor’s Island visit: www.govisland.com. Once you’re on the island we’re easy to find, follow the signs to Nolan Park! Our house is marked on the map below. Click to enlarge!

The Dysfunctional Collective Summer 2016 Schedule

 The Winter’s Tale – Weekends in June

Dysfunctional Theatre Co. invites all of Governors Island to come backstage with them and watch as they rehearse their production Shakespeare’s romance The Winter’s Tale.  Come by any weekend in June and get a sneak peek of the show, which will be presented as part of the Shakespeare in the Theater Festival at The Brick in Brooklyn in July & August of this summer.  www.dysfunctionaltheatre.org orwww.bricktheater.com for more info!

 I Heart Show tunes – Sundays in June

Downtown princess and musical theater enthusiast Mel DeLancey sings her favorites from the Broadway genre, rediscovering each old song with personal stories and history lessons.

 

 

 Mike Cho Photography – June 1^st– 30^th

Mike Cho and nycityofmike. present “from here you can see everything”, a collection of music photography from small and medium-sized venues in NYC, 2009-2016. Occasional live musicians will also be on hand for you to capture photographically yourselves, or to gently accompany your discussions of the relationship between audience engagement and celebrity, the difficulties of translating emotion and personality between different states and media, or of attempting to articulate such abstractions at all.

 Bobby Oahu Sings! – Various Dates All Summer Long!

Appearing at Governor’s Island for the first time, Bobby Oahu (Josh Hartung) takes his act out of the lounge and onto the porch!  Yes, that Bobby Oahu!  The one you’ve heard about when people say, “who else is playing?” or “did we actually pay for this?” or “that poor ukulele!”
Bobby Oahu (vocals and ukulele abuse) will also be joined on vocals by his ex-wife Shirley (Nicole Aiossa) and on violin and even more vocals by his ex-niece-in-law Doris (Kirsty Sadler), whenever they get out of bed on time or their medication wears off. You lucky, lucky people.

 Miss Jane Periwinkle & the Prohibition Cocktail Party – July 9^th,16^th & 17^th

Nothing will stop Evelyn Forrester from throwing a cocktail party to honor famous mystery writer Miss Jane Periwinkle — not even Prohibition or the suicide of Evelyn’s sister’s fiancé. But was it suicide? Miss Periwinkle is not so sure. And she finds plenty of people at the party who had reason to want him dead. There may not be any booze, but there’s plenty of intrigue! You can be a guest at the party – mingle with the suspects and see if you can figure out who-dunnit before Miss Periwinkle!

 The Dysfunctional Swingers – July 10^th, September 4^th & 25th

The Dysfunctional Swingers – Interested in diving into the world of swing dance but don’t know where to start? Join The Dysfunctional Swingers Emily Edwards and Brendan Patrick McGlynn with special guest appearances by Bryce Weinert and get a free introductory lesson and demonstration! We’ll be twisting and grooving all summer long to those sweet big band sounds. Perfect for all ages and dance levels! For specific times and more information, check our fb page at facebook.com/dysfunctionalswingers!

 Iron Heel – July 23rd & 24th

A stage adaptation of the first-ever dystopian novel, written in 1908 by Jack London as a socialist propaganda piece. Set in 1912 – 1931 (London’s future), it imagines an election between a socialist candidate and an oligarch.  The oligarchy wins and makes America into a fascist state, triggering the Marxist revolution.  A 27th Century historian living in a future socialist utopia presents this “historical reenactment drama” as a learning tool. Performed as a communal experience and incorporating folk songs from the early 20th Century, with altered lyrics to fit the circumstances. 90 minutes.

 Life Lines – July 23 & 24, 26 & 27, 29, 30 & 31

“Life Lines” is a collective cycle of poems woven from the threads of visitors’ life stories. Poet Adam McGovern will start off the study-like space with mementos of lost loved ones, and empty frames on the walls will be filled over time with photos or written reminiscences that visitors can bring of important people in their own lives. A variety of recorded voices will read McGovern’s own poems on these themes, and he will be present for readings himself. A volume of verse by host and visitors will grow over time, with the love we keep being just as much the story this room can tell.

 The Paper House – Weekends in August

The Paper House: Winter Spring Summer Fall, an Interactive Installation presented by The Pragmatists: What if a year turned into a house? For the month of August, the cycle of seasons becomes a self-guided journey through a series of rooms filled with activities and delights – all created from paper, pencils, cardboard and crayons. Visitors of all ages are invited to touch and play with the art – and add their own as the house evolves, helping it grow and change from day to day. Sprinkled with live performance, music and other surprises, the Paper House is a magical place where you can stop time – even if just for a little while.

 Metrostitchers – July 30^th

For World Embroidery Day the Metrostitchers will gather at House 8B to share their work with the public. Celebrating their 20th year in 2016, the Metrostitchers is a group of residents of New York City (and nearby environs) who gather frequently to carry on the art of needlework. On display will be works by members both finished and in progress. We invite you to come sit and stitch with us – supplies will be on hand for those interested in learning a new skill!

 Merde! – September 10^th & 11^th, 17^th & 18th

We’d like to meet you in the house, the one we dreamt of when half-asleep, where our secrets whisper to us from under the stairs and between the books on the bookshelf, where the Freedom Tower is framed by every window. Sometimes what we see makes us scream, hide, seek. This is and is not an installation performance, this is and is not a piece about what has gone unseen, about what has blown up in front of our eyes, this isn’t about Godot or God but it isn’t not about those things either. It is an experiment in speaking, in invitations, in the performance of public and private truths in a house on an island in a city of dreams.  Words by Julia Lee Barclay-Morton; direction by Patrice Miller; players with us TBA.

 small female –  September 10^th & 11^th

small female is a multimedia piece of theatre that will explore trauma, healing, and the body.  The piece began workshopping as a part of the Dysfunctional Collective last summer, and will return on Sept 10-11th, 2016 when the house will collectively hold space for dialogue, community, and art-making as relates to survivorship of sexual abuse. The complex and cyclical nature of feeling passed between the body, the memory, and emotional feeling will be a focus. Please check the Dysfunctional Theatre Company Facebook page for performance times. Rebecca Gray Davis is a small female (4’11.5″), who has been performing and creating theatre since she stopped getting taller. To get in touch, please visit www.rebeccagraydavis.com