Coney Island USA, the neighborhood’s chief art institute, will toe the line between entertaining and risqué with their latest immersive theater act, Ritual Cabaret Art Brothel, debuting on March 15.
Performers have drawn inspiration from the the 1956 play, “The Balcony,” which follows sex workers in a brothel who are urged to satisfy their clients’ fantasies, but offer their own twist by leading the audience through their own art fantasies.
The show starts with a provocative main stage performance before moving to art installations or “brothel rooms,” where each performer will take on a persona that creatively explores their shadow self. Each segment of the show will explore the nuances between self-identity and the power dynamics of the patriarchy.
Nick Fracaro and Gabriele Schafer, co-artistic directors of International Culture Lab, partnered with Coney Island USA to bring a cast of over 20 dancers, actors, performers and musicians together, and encouraged them to interpret the dated play for a modern audience. This resulted in an immersive act that blurs the line between performance and reality, according to showrunners.
“We’re trying to tie art and acting,” Schafer told Brooklyn Paper. “We were trying to have these personas and this idea that you’re selling your art or you’re selling your acting, your performances.”
She also said the name “Ritual Cabaret” captures the dichotomy of what is real and what is mere performance, revealing an “absurdly ambitious” piece for the audience to enjoy.
“That was the challenge when we called for proposals,” Schafer said. “We asked if you come from a burlesque work or from the clown world, how can you not do your same shtick? How can you ritualize it?”
Talents are coming from across the world for the show’s three-day run from March 15 through March 17 at Coney Island USA, located at 1208 Surf Ave.
For more information, including a full list of performers and ticket pricing, visit ritualcabaret.org.
