Staff Picks No. 137
Internal Audit : Ned Riseley, Ethan Philbrick, Francesca D'Uva, Ashley Pérez Flanagan, Gus Heagerty, Sunita Mani, Erin Markey, Madeline Wise
The Kitchen
March 5th-7th 2026
It's a murderer's row of smart artists (smartists?), and I am unsure what magic they will conjure, but I know I will be happy to have experienced it. A band, some intimacy, and — just in time for tax season! — an audit. Hoping I love it as much as my CPA Lisa O'Keefe loathes sifting through my 1099s each year.
Staffer: Billy McEntee
Whoa what an assembled ensemble of incredible artists doing who knows what… this is one of my “I am there in spirit” shows and I will really try to figure out how to send my spirit on over…
Staffer: Theresa Buchheister
We wear our wheels with pride : Robyn Orlin, Sunnyboy Motau, Oscar Buthelezi, Afikamabiyase Ziqubu, Lesego Dihemo, Sbusiso Gumede, Teboho Letele, Yogin Sullaphen, Annalyzer (Anelisa Stuurman), Eric Perroys, Birgit Neppl, Romain de Lagarde, Jean-Marc L’Hostis, Thabo Pule, Jordan Azincot
NYU Skirball
March 13th-14th 2026
Robyn Orlin is, fascinatingly, known as a “permanent irritation” in South Africa for her works that directly confront the country’s history of apartheid. This 2021 piece finally comes to NYC, inspired by the rickshaw drivers that served the Boer population whose profession generally died out when the country industrialized. Truthfully, I have never interfaced with Orlin’s work, but this seems like a worthy plunge.
Staffer: Reuven Glezer
Gods & Idols: A One-Act Play Festival : Foul Fiend Theatre Troupe, Jake Neville, Wiley June, Nick Salem, Ethan Paulk, Mati Rogers, Stella Oh, Alexander Shayeb, Chris VanLiew, Max Rosenblum, Ian Hubbard, Miles Segura, Micah Carlsen, Jack Ventimilia, Reece Borden, Molly Davis, Marcellus Louise, Connor Bullock, Ally McIntyre, Jared Pesciotta
The Rat
February 28th - March 1st 2026
Lots and lots of good people making good work on this one. I have had the privilege of knowing and rooting for so many of these artists since college, and I want you to root for them too! This is a pro-Foul Fiend household.
Staffer: Leah Plante-Wiener
BEDROT : MISS PHILIP
Otion Front Studio
Saturday March 7th 2026
The speed at which I bought a ticket for this after seeing the poster-- thumbs flying everywhere. (Shoes ON the bed!!!) Miss Philip, I don't know you, but I can't wait to know you. This one looks real crusty.
Staffer: Leah Plante-Wiener
Mabou Mines Cinema : Mabou Mines
Anthology Film Archives
March 13th-19th 2026
This is such an incredible offering… I wish I could go to all of these, but will only be able to get to A Doll’s House (unless something else I am doing cancels, which is always possible… and then I will 100% immediately go to Anthology. I want to see Red Horse Animation so bad!). Mabou Mines is one of the first companies that I learned about when I was a teenager. A COMPANY. Not an auteur situation. A company of collaborators, figuring out how to work with each other. Though I only got to see their live shows in the 21st century, their work in the 1960s-1970s, in particular, are part of my personal foundations of theater. Their applications for SUITE/space are also open… if you have been making your art (outside of school) for less than 10 years, you should apply!
Staffer: Theresa Buchheister
Experiments with Ca Trù : Anh Vo, Jessica Pavone, gabby fluke-mogul, Marija Kovačević, Barley Nortion
Roulette
Wednesday March 4th 2026
Choreographer, performer, writer, singer, Anh Vo leads an evening of music and dance intertwining the histories and sonic palettes of Western chamber strings and Ca Trù. Ca Trù is a Vietnamese performance tradition, dating to the 1400s, that was nearly extinguished in the 20th century by state suppression. Here, a troupe of Ca Trù musicians will improvise alongside a string trio of brilliant locals: violist Jessica Pavone, and violinists gabby fluke-mogul and Marija Kovačević. This is a special chance to experience very rare music! Come through!
Staffer: Joshua Dumas
Dear, : Isabella Thorpe-Woods, Kate Williams, Aminah Ibrahim, Reed Rushes, Aimee Grumbach, Raphael Lelan-Cox, Alice Gong Xiaowen, Silas C. Edgar
ISSUE Project Room
Wednesday March 4th 2026
Curatorial fellow Isabella Thorpe-Woods's first program at ISSUE Project Room, featuring multidisciplinary artists Kate Williams and Aminah Ibrahim. I'm looking forward to getting to know both the space and Thorpe-Woods's curatorial touch, which, for this fellowship, proposes performance as epistolary form-- a transmission of meaning, whether successful or failed. I like how Thorpe-Woods posits if "performance making, like letter writing, is always a question of address." Much to think about. I am also SO DAMN EXCITED to finally see Williams and Reed Rushes of Star & Stan fame perform live and in person yippee!!!!!!!
Staffer: Leah Plante-Wiener
Offerings : Lena Engelstein + Lisa Fagan, River L. Ramirez, evan ray suzuki
Church of Saint Mary the Virgin
Friday March 13th 2026
This lineup... you guys... this LINEUP... Offerings has once again got their finger on the pulse of the zeitgeist. They can't keep getting away with this!
Staffer: Leah Plante-Wiener
Rough Draft Festival : Lester Mayers, Simon Tam, Joe X Jiang, kanishk pandey, Scout Davis, Nadiya Atkinson, Sammy Grob, Libby Carr
LaGuardia Performing Arts Center
March 10th-19th 2026
I look forward to Rough Draft every year. After the wildness of January festival season, I catch my breath and mark my calendar for Rough Draft. It always seems like there is at least one artist I already know & love working on something new and multiple artists who are new to me working on something that intrigues me into attendance.
This year, there is also a great variety in modes and fascinations, which I am particularly excited about. There is choreopoem inspired stylistically by the great Ntozake Shange. There is a musical written by the iconic band, The Slants, intended to be performed in Chinatowns across the country. There is a chance-based mystery-romance-absurd experiment. There is a woven-together lip sync journey of a starlet. There is a mythological shadow puppet musical. There is a queer taxidermy play.
As a person who looooooooves to be surprised and values the personal & unique artistic experiment, I cannot wait for all of these workshop presentations!
Staffer: Theresa Buchheister