Pipeline Theater's acclaimed site specific noir comedy/murder mystery returns for extended encore engagement.
June 14 - September 27 at The Box
"Unabashedly silly but also shrewd… enjoyably absurd." -- The New York Times
"Szymkowicz (is) one of the leading theatrical voices of his generation.” —NY Press
“A perfect storm of ridiculousness…it’s weird how well this works.” -- Theater is Easy
"Campy and clever… A charming indulgence, we recommend donning your best clown nose and catching this scrappy production." -- Flavorpill
"Clown Bar pours its pulp strong enough to tickle fans of Bogart and Mitchum too… seriously funny." -- The Fifth Wall
"A refreshingly absurd take on crime drama… Clown Bar is a grand old time." -- Washington Square News
"Original and terrific…inspired." -- Times Square Chronicle
After a critically acclaimed and extended run in 2013, Award-winning Pipeline Theatre Company will present an encore engagement of CLOWN BAR by Adam Szymkowicz, with music & additional lyrics by Adam Overett. Directed by Andrew Neisler, performances begin June 14 at longtime clown hangout The Box.
In CLOWN BAR, Happy’s junkie brother Timmy is found dead, so he returns to his old clown life to ask a few questions. But can Happy go home again without getting sucked into the seedy clown underbelly of vice and violence? Put on your red nose, throw back your shot of extra-funny, and get swept into this immersive who-done-it as bad-guy-gone-good Happy Mahoney confronts his past in a vengeful attempt to solve his brother's murder.
CLOWN BAR stars Willy Appelman, Salty Brine, Andrew Farmer, Jessica Frey, Daniel Johnsen, Michael Lorz, Iris McQuillan-Grace, Claire Rothrock, Gianmarco Soresi, Dan Tracy, Amir Wachterman, and Shane Zeigler. The production team includes Andy Yanni (Production Manager, Set & Prop Design), Joe Cantalupo (Lighting), Meghan Gaber (Costumes), Turner Smith (Fight Direction), Ben Hobbs (Choreography), Ian Axness (Musical Direction, Additional Music, & Accompaniment), Ari Schrier (Producer), Anna Lauren Farrell (Associate Producer) , Kristin Bodall (Stage Manager), Darragh Garvey (Casting Director), and Heather McDevitt Barton (Wardrobe Supervisor).
Adam Szymkowicz studied playwriting at Juilliard and Columbia. The New York Times has called his plays, “sweet, sexy, neurotic friendly,” “fabulously weird and weirdly fabulous,” “weird but likable,” “hysterical,” and “disturbing but touching.” His plays, which include Deflowering Waldo, Pretty Theft, Food For Fish, Hearts Like Fists, My Base and Scurvy Heart, Incendiary, Fat Cat Killers, The Why Overhead, UBU, and Nerve, have been presented or developed at such places as MCC Theater, Ars Nova, South Coast Rep, Playwrights Horizons, LAByrinth Theater Company, Primary Stages, The New Group, Southern Rep, Rising Phoenix, The Lark, Kitchen Dog, and Chicago Dramatists. He is a two-time Lecomte du Nouy Prize winner. He also runs a blog where he has interviewed over 540 playwrights and his web series, Compulsive Love, is coming out soon. For more, go to www.adamszymkowicz.com.
Andrew Neisler is a Georgia-raised, Brooklyn-based theatre artist and director. Recent directing credits: The Gray Man (HERE Arts Center with Smith + Tinker), Charlatan (Ars Nova Project Residency), Shoot the Freak (Not Just 3 New Plays), Golden Baby: Good Point! (Ars Nova ANT Fest), Tape (Strasberg Institute), Clown Bar (Pipeline Theatre Company, NY Times Critic’s Pick), Folk Wandering (Ars Nova ANT Fest/Joe’s Pub), Bebe Zahara Benet’s Creature (XL Cabaret), Alfridge Von Waddlegrave (Aggrocrag/Ars Nova ANT Fest). Artistic Director,Political Subversities. Co-Founder/Co-Director, Fresh Ground Pepper. BFA, NYU/Tisch. www.fgpnyc.com.
Founded in 2009, Pipeline Theatre Company makes theater of the imagination. Their company thrives on adventure and believes no story is worth telling without a little risk. Past productions include: Nate Weida's gibberish musical BYUIOO, Brecht’s The Caucasian Chalk Circle (2011 NY IT Award winner & ITBA Special Citation for Outstanding Production), Bekah Brunstetter’s Fat Kids on Fire (directed by Tony-nominee Peter Frechette), Tim Chawaga's Sleepless City, Charles Busch's Psycho Beach Party, Colby Day’s Felix & The Diligence, Giant Killer Slugs, and Timberlake Wertenbaker's The Love of The Nightingale and Ash Girl. For more info visit www.pipelinetheatre.org
CLOWN BAR June 14 - September 27, Saturdays at 7:30pm. The Box is located at 189 Chrystie Street between Stanton & Rivington, two blocks below Houston -- accessible from the F train at 2nd Avenue. Tickets are $25-$45 available at 800-838-3006 or www.brownpapertickets.com.