Johnny Blazes’ wo(n)man show is an evening-length performance that blends cabaret arts with theater to create a charming semi-narrative series of vignettes. These vignettes are character-driven comedic moments that explore notions of gender and embodiment. Unseen forces seem to possess Blazes in this journey through a world that is constantly pressuring us to choose a gender, a persona, a stance. Utilizing a rich background in theater, clowning, drag, dance, opera and circus arts, Blazes fuses genres and expands notions of gender performativity, all while keeping the audience laughing.

Recommended for teenage and adult audiences.

TECH RIDER

Stage Space: at least 12′ x 12′ ; ceilings at least 9′ high. Easy access to the audience from the stage.

Lighting: sufficient lighting to create a neutral or warm wash over the entire stage space. Lights controllable on separate dimmers to light center stage, downstage left and downstage right are preferable but not required.

Sound: PA and sound board with laptop playback capability, 1/8″ to 1/8″ wire to connect laptop.

Personnel: I bring my own sound technician whenever possible.  If she is unavailable, then the venue must provide a sound technician who can be available to learn the sound cues and run a cue-to-cue 2 hours prior to the house opening. Cue-to-cue should last one hour, barring unforeseen technical difficulties. If lighting is controllable as stated above, then a lighting technician is also needed– however this is optional. House manager/front of house person to sell tickets needed.

Other: One chair or stage block.

BOOKING

To book wo(n)man show at your school or venue, please contact Johnny here.

(c) 2008 Steph Plourde-Simard

www.thefemmeshow.com

The Femme Show is a revue of smart, sexy, interactive performance about queer femme identity that features film, dance, literary readings, burlesque, drag, and performance art from award winning artists

Johnny joined The Femme Show for their premiere in October of 2007 in Jamaica Plain, MA. Since then, ze has toured with the delightful cast to Portland, Philadelphia, Baltimore, Emerson College and the True Colors Conference.

Inversation is an improvisational dance piece created in collaboration with Jake Wise, performed only at The Femme Show premiere. The dancer and clarinetist interact both musically and physically, at times clearing following each other, and at others seeming to ignore each other. Overlaying this is a recording of Johnny’s voice, a parody of the self-critique of which improvisers are constant victims. The comments are selected semi-randomly by a computer program, and sometimes includ instructions that would affect the dance, or self-criticisms about Johnny’s gender. “Does it look silly to wear a dress with a butch haircut?” was the line that sums up the image of Johnny improvising this dance in a red satin dress, petticoat and fauxhawk. The piece ends with the self-negation building to a crescendo as Johnny’s dancing and Jake’s playing become equally frenetic. The piece is intended to be a humorous comparison between a dancer’s inner monologue and the doubts of a genderqueer person attempting to fit into a community that expects hir to maintain a consistent gender presentation.

New Dawn is a simple, elegant reverse-striptease that demands, “Do not assume to know what I am wearing underneath these corduroys!”

Check One Please was created in the fall of 2008 for The Femme Show. The first part creates a simple visual metaphor for the dilemma faced daily by trans, genderqueer, and other gender variant people: which box do I check? The second looks at the tendency of communities to demand “proof” of one’s trans identity and history as a transperson. Both sections use humor, props, and vibrant physicality to position Femme as part of a larger, complicated identity.

Swizzle Styx is flamboyant and fabulous. He is gayer than a P-Town pride float and saucier than fettucine alfredo. He has been seen at Jacque’s Cabaret, TraniWreck, Northeastern University and is probably headed to a college near you– so watch out!

In June of 2008, Johnny collaborated with The ExtraTerrestrial Circus Experiment to create Quantanime, and anime-inspired circus. The ensemble-based show told the story of twins searching for lost items of magical significance. Johnny assisted the cast with story-writing, staging, dialog and choreography. The dialog for Quantanime was entirely pre-recorded; the cast lip-synched the dialog with intentional misalignment, in reference to the infamous quality of Japanese animated movies that have been poorly dubbed in English. While Johnny did not perform with the touring cast, ze was featured in the show as the voice of the characters Gaia and Lilith.

In 2004, Johnny co-founded Oberlin College’s student circus with Naomi Altman. During hir tenure at Oberlin, Johnny directed three large-scale productions and one smaller cabaret-style show. The latter was titled Hotel Bermuda, and featured smaller acts that incorporated adult-themed material, such as burlesque acrobalance and dildo juggling. Johnny served as artistic director for OCircus!, as well as performing in each show.

Part of Johnny’s mission with OCircus! was to help Oberlin College students connect with their broader community in the town of Oberlin. During hir final semesters, Johnny connected Oberlin students with sixth graders at the local middle school, running a week of circus arts instruction in their physical education class, and included local seniors in OCircus!’s spring show, as part of a Lawn Chair Precision Drill Team. OCircus! continues to thrive at Oberlin, and has recently expanded to include a Saturday circus school for local kids.

In June of 2007, Johnny took OCircus! on the road. The small ensemble circus drew upon vaudevillian traditions as well as theatrical storytelling to create a dark and sexy narrative with a cabaret feel. The dedicated and talented cast and crew wowed audiences in Cleveland, Columbus, Detroit, New York, DC, Richmond, and Boston. They were featured in “Unusual Attractions” on WETA, Washington D.C.’s public television station, and received mention in the Boston Metro’s “T Time”. http://www.weta.org/tv/local/wetaguide/unusual#watch

Mischief in the Machine was a full-length narrative circus created to the music of Emperor Norton’s Stationary Marching Band. The circus embodied a steampunk-inspired aesthetic and told a dark tale of a land “where a malevolent Autocrat rules over a ruined world of silent labor.” The show featured musical guests HUMANWINE, and included amateur and professional circus performers alike. It played to sold out houses May 30 – June 1, 2008, at Boston University’s Dance Theater. Johnny served as choreographer and stage director and collaborated with Chuck LeChien and bonnie denis to write the storyline. Johnny also performed as a vocalist in the show, singing a revamped version of the folk song “Bella Ciao.”

Press:

Boston Globe: http://www.boston.com/ae/theater_arts/articles/2008/06/03/the_spirit_of_mischief_lies_in_flights_of_fancy/

Sepiachord: http://sepiachord.com/mischief.htm

Jonathan and Madge of Honor

Jonathan is a hopelessly nerdy young man who is constantly trying to impress the ladies with his suave moves. His boyish charm might some day bring him romantic success, if only he could overcome his immense shyness. He is often prey to unseen forces, and seems to lose control of his limbs and voice as internal desires possess his body. His adorable timidity makes him a crowd favorite, as he outwardly represents the awkwardness we all feel from time to time. He has been seen in duets with Frieda Fries and M. Hanora, and performed at TraniWreck, The Theater Offensive’s Works-in-Progess, Mumbles and The Dust’s Zombiepocalypse, The Femme Show, Tea and Strumpets, Queen For a Day II, Transcriptions, Suffolk University, and IDKE X. Look for him in Johnny’s upcoming project, wo(n)man show.

(c) 2009 jmjfoto / sendai77

Connie Traction is a fierce, femme queen who is 10 months pregnant. She has been seen at Jacque’s Cabaret and TraniWreck, and in an earlier incarnation as Preggers the Clown in OCircus! 2007. She is making a cameo in Johnny’s upcoming project wo(n)man show. Connie’s enormous belly never keeps her from busting a move or wooing the crowd with her parturient charms.

(c) 2008 Truth Serum Productions

(c) 2008 Truth Serum Productions