Wednesday, July 29, 2009

Blue Man Group Creator Announces Camp Wanatachi!




13 YEAR-OLD CHRISTIAN LESBIAN IS CUTEST THING EVER!

CAMP WANATACHI is a spirit-soaked, hormone-charged new musical comedy about two 13-year-old girls who fall in love at Christian summer camp.

(New York City, New York) Produced by the star of Disney - ABC's Legend of the Seeker, Bridget Regan, and Ian Pai, co-founder of The Blue Man Group and drummer of Fischerspooner, this genre-mashing new musical tackles faith and sexual identity with thick beats and weird humor. Written and composed by performance artist Natalie Weiss (of Unicornicopia), CAMP WANATACHI is an official selection of Playbill when it opens at the 2009 New York International Fringe Festival - FringeNYC.

Largely autobiographical, CAMP WANATACHI is the story of two young girls, a bulimic slut, Titi, (played by nightlife impresario Biet Simkin), and Jana: angsty, earnest and religious. Their relationship develops surrounded by an ensemble of eccentric characters, including a recently converted pot-head (played by Natalie Weiss), a hick swimming instructor (played by Calvin Kline taste maker Lauren Bahr), a homesick goth, a catty gymnast and a pair of queer hobo-punks who haunt the woods surrounding the camp.

With beats by glitch-hero Machinedrum, video effects by Chad von Nau (Animal Collective's My Girls video), and a lush live orchestra, CAMP WANATACHI features songs like the mind-blowing electro-spiritual "We All Need Jesus in Our Lives," and the mysterious, epic and exultant "Let's Ride Bareback." Visually hip and stylized, this nostalgic musical is super futuristic.

Praise for other productions helmed by Ian Pai:

“One of the most delightful performance pieces ever staged in NYC Theatre.”- NEW YORK TIMES

“Blue Man Group is perfect entertainment... so much fun it has to be experienced to be believed.” - CHICAGO TRIBUNE

Praise for Machinedrum:
“Street-smart, book-smart, beat-smart genius. [9 out of 10].”- PITCHFORK

A Fringe Festival FEATURED RECOMMENDATION:
PLAYBILL.COM, NYTHEATER.COM, NEWYORKTHEATRENET.COM


About Ian Pai (Producer):
Ian Pai is a Grammy Award nominated songwriter, producer, and musician from Brooklyn, New York. He is one of the founding members of Performance Art sensation Blue Man Group. He has worked with artists such as Philip Glass, Dave Matthews, Moby, Jill Scott and Carina Round. His current projects include the third album release of electro-pop band Fischerspooner, a theatrical production with Fischerspooner and The Wooster Group, performing on the Blue Man Group “How To Be A Megastar” tour.

About Bridget Regan (Producer):
Bridget Regan is a film, television and stage actress originally from Carlsbad, California. Her film credits include the upcoming “The Best and the Brightest” starring Neal Patrick Harris and Amy Sedaris, and “Sex and the City: The Movie.” She originated the role of Cecile Leroux on Broadway in the comedy “Is He Dead?” and is a graduate of the North Carolina School of the Arts. Bridget presently lives in New Zealand where she is shooting the second season of “Legend of the Seeker,” the epic action adventure fantasy television series produced by ABC Studios and Sam Raimi.

About Natalie Weiss (Creator):
DJ/Composer/Playwright /Performing Artist Natalie Weiss creates music under the moniker Unicornicopia. Her eclectic Unicornicopia performances are as well received at Performa Biennial and P.S. 1 as they are at The Knitting Factory and Joe's Pub. She collaborates extensively with costume designer riderhood and prominent music producers such as Joe McGinty (Psychedelic Furs), Jeff Saltzman (The Killers, Will Oldham). She also duets with Ann Magnuson (of Bongwater) on the new Fischerspooner single “A Modern World.” Natalie has written, composed, directed, designed and produced three full-length musicals and is icurrently in the midst of developing her 4th original musical – CAMP WANATACHI. As a DJ Natalie has shared a stage with everyone from Psychic TV to Steve Martin, and she promotes CassetteNYC, the most popular experimental electronic party in New York.


CAMP WANATACHI At The New York Fringe Festival!
Saturday, August 15th 1:30pm *
Sunday, August 16th 11:00pm *
Tuesday, August 18th 7:00pm *
Friday, August 28th 8:15pm *
Saturday August 29th 3:15pm *

* = All shows will be held at Dixon Place (161A Chrystie St., Manhattan)
Tickets: $15. For tickets visit www.FringeNYC.org or call 866.468.7619

To hear songs from CAMP WANATACHI, and for more information, visit:

www.campwanatachi.com