Staff Picks No. 147
The Anatomy of Melancholy : Charlie Mayhew, Leo Egger, Tommy Robertshaw, Katherine Mostek, Cat Raynor, Lauren Lee, Madeleine Rubin-Charlesworth, Kitty Cassetti, Jake Eisner, Francie Brewster, Sari Klainberg, Samori Etienne, Avi Glickstein, Pilar Witherspoon, & Adrien Rolet
IATI Theater
May 22nd-June 6th 2026
Fresh off their wondrous hit TWELVE MINOR PROPHETS, the Eno River Players return with a new work at IATI with what I can only describe as…a treatise-cum-resurrection on the subject of sadness? A penguin? No clue what’s happening here champs but that’s all the fun, isn’t it!!! Brush up on your Galen and your Hippocrates and Democritus Jr, we’re curing sadness, bitches.
Staffer: Reuven Glezer
The Life and Times of Daisy Forbes : Scout Davis
La MaMa
May 21st-24th 2026
This show was Billy’s Pick last week and I am doubling down this week. I got to see a workshop presentation at Rough Draft Festival in March and it totally surprised, delighted and moved me. I love showgirls, what can I say?
Staffer: Theresa Buchheister
Filament : Cameron Stuart, Stephanie Beattie
Greenpoint Gallery
Friday May 8th 2026
Cameron Stuart: Brick operations manager, Vivian Oblivion author, DIY theatremaker extraordinaire, primary laialeah victim from laialeah intern days… What isn’t there to say about the guy? This new work of his promises hot blues, invisible ballet, and space opera. Wouldn’t expect anything less. Free admission!
Staffer: Leah Plante-Wiener
Jezus Louisas I am making too many Picks this week, but if I was in NY on Friday, I would 100% be at this show.
Staffer: Theresa Buchheister
Do a Little Dance : Mae B. Tomorrow
Frigid @ Under St. Marks
May 22nd-30th 2026
“A certain gentleman asked Mae to do a little dance, and she froze. She blew it. She blew it!” Mae B. Tomorrow is the drag persona of the always delightful Hannah Weisz, who deserves every drop of your love and attention. Discover how Mae redeems herself by way of needles and simulated body fluids.
Staffer: Leah Plante-Wiener
DIE CUTE : Yiseul LeMieux, Masson LeMieux, Lilly Qualls
The Brick Theater
May 21st-31st 2026
Yiseul is one of the most genuinely magical artists I have ever met. I got to spend a great deal of time with her at Brick Aux in 2024 when she did a gallery show that was also a circus. Her sense of humor is a balance of sweet and absurd. Her creations are definitely cute and also up to something… Do not miss out on DIE CUTE.
Staffer: Theresa Buchheister
BRICKGIRL : Mayah Lourdes Burke, Ryan Stevens, Marie-Josée Bourelly, Jasmyn Tilford, Al Groppi, Mars Wardell, Kareem Browne, Ishika Muchhal, Esme Mitchell, Ellie McIntyre, Katie Royse Ginther, Abby Garraty, Andresa, Keaton Comiskey, Seth Mazlin, Javan Zapata, Christopher Leon
Brooklyn Art Haus
May 7th-17th 2026
What if you were a GIRL with NO SKIN and you KILLED PEOPLE by BASHING THEIR HEADS IN because people were SUMMONING YOU with the HATRED IN THEIR HEARTS? And your show had a SPLASH ZONE?????? >:)
Staffer: Leah Plante-Wiener
Poetry Electric: N.Y.C. SEWER MADE IN INDIA : Janvi Sai, Electric Black
La MaMa
Monday May 11th 2026
Downtown legend Electric Black has programmed the fabulously multitalented Janvi Sai as part of his Poetry Electric series, which regularly champions young playwrights and theatremakers. Make your way to La MaMa for Sai’s tale of poetry and dance— it’s bound to be a memorable time.
Staffer: Leah Plante-Wiener
21st Century Princess : Jordan Baum, Jess Barbagallo, Misha Brooks, La Daniella, Zach Donovan, Andrew Hardigg, Keyana Hemphill, Maggie Hoffman, Carolyn Kettig, Eliana Mullins, Pauli Pontrelli, Rosemary Quinn, Benjamin Simpson, Jane Irma Velko, Amanda Horowitz, Evan C. Anderson, Zach Donovan, John Walraven Davis, Richard Lowenburg, Hanna Novak, Immediate Medium, The Barn at Lee
The Collapsable Hole
May 20th-31st 2026
I honestly have no idea what to expect from the description… However, the combination of the show title, the show image, most definitely the show creator and the brilliant/wild/iconic creative team is pretty formidable… the description could have been “stinky foot bath and real-time jorts” and I would buy a ticket anyway. I am especially interested to know what Rosemary Quinn is doing in the show! You must go see for yourselves!
Staffer: Theresa Buchheister
If You’re a Man at Night… You Gotta Be a Man in the Morning: Di Lobontiu, Em Hausmann, Utkarsh Rajawat, Dani Koenig, Cori Diaz, Whimzee Lee Hanna, Sid Diamond, Steffany Poveda-Solorio
The Tank
May 15th-23rd 2026
Ooooooh another piece of theater which I got to see in an early form! I attended a reading at Brick Aux a while back and was really vibing on all the theater people doing sports shows at that time lol. There was something in the water that year, I think… Wear your Olympic-grade Speedo and make your way to Di’s Ryan L*chte show!
Staffer: Theresa Buchheister
CROSSROADS : Pioneers Go East Collective, Anabella Lenzu, Noa Rui-Piin Weiss and Miranda Brown
La MaMa
May 8th-9th 2026
This great line-up is part of the incredible La MaMa Moves Festival that happens every May! Check out everything, obviously. But for sure get out to see these uniquely charming dancers serve up variety and physical feats on 4th Street!
Staffer: Theresa Buchheister
Swell : Sacha Vega, Rose Luardo
Fresh Tracks @ NYLA
May 15th and 16th 2026
This is a very cool collaboration between stunning choreographer, Sacha Vega, and iconic Philly performer, Rose Luardo. This kind of collaboration does not happen all the time! Sacha shared - “The piece began with questions of power: Who gets it? How did you learn to perform it? What if we imagined not to care?” Shit. I wish every project started with these questions.
Staffer: Theresa Buchheister
DRIFT: Axine M & Solid Choir : Maxine de las Pozas, Ali Carter, Martina Gordon, Lea Jaffe, Leni Kreienberg, Christina Lan, Tayla Roberge, Mallie Sanford, Amanda Schmidt, Jemila MacEwan
SUPR OMEN
May 14th-16th 2026
Newly opened venue SUPR OMEN launches DRIFT, a monthly series of cutting-edge artists curated by founding director Jemila MacEwan. The inaugural DRIFT spotlights Axine M (Maxine de las Pozas), who has re-arranged her own music for a three-part, eight-person choir. A beautiful chance to witness iterative process in action.
Staffer: Leah Plante-Wiener
Canciones : Radical Evolution (Rebecca Martínez, Julián Mesri, Beto O’Byrne, Sara Ornelas, and Meropi Peponides), Raul Abrego, Tye Hunt Fitzgerald, María-Cristina Fusté (MC), Christopher Vergara, tbd casting co., Mayelah Barrera, Johanna Carlisle-Zepeda, Kai An Chee, Cristina Contreras, Chino Ramos, Sammy Rivas
Secret!
May 2nd-24th 2026
Radical Evolution might be your next favorite theater troupe, and this time, come to a Brooklyn apartment for a dinner you'll never forget. Secrets! Mariachi! Linda Ronstadt! Get some tamales.
Staffer: Reuven Glezer