I have admired Talya Epstein’s work since I was first exposed to it back in Boston. Talya was a student of the Boston Conservatory‘s dance department while I was enrolled as a theater major there. We quickly became friends due to our similar interests and common feelings of social unrest. Though she grew up in New England and I grew up clear on the other side of the country, our quick disenchantment with the city of our residency became a basis for our bond and we learned to rely on each other for support, inspiration and a balancing of sanity. Now that we both live in New York City, very little has changed in terms of our relationship towards one another. The city we are in is a different one and our problems with it differ from those of Boston, but our friendship and communication in relationship to all things art and life (life and art?) still come from the same place, even if they now they have grown into something larger and rarer.

Talya as an artist and Talya as a person are obviously two different things, though Talya comes closer than anyone I have ever met to merging both beings as one. There is no hypocrisy that flows from the art she makes into the life that she lives. Some things are more exaggerated, stranger or more whimsical in her work as an artist, but these are factors that are not unusual in terms of art vs. life.

Talya’s newest work, showgame, which premiers this Thursday and Friday at “The Tank” in Manhattan is unquestionably her best work yet. Having the privilege of seeing her process grow over the years and watching showgame progress over the course of its evolution have been some of the more satisfying artistic indulgences of my life, though I must make it clear I do not simply say this because Talya is my friend. From the very beginning of her time in my life, Talya has been an original. I have yet to meet anyone who thinks as outside of the box as Talya does, and this quality is seen more and more clearly through the work that she makes. showgame, is no exception.

Featuring Talya and three other dancers; Halee Beucler, Cherie Burnett, and Maggie Jones, who also helped greatly in the creation of the piece, showgame depends upon its audience for the way that it unfolds, making it impossible to perform without people in attendance, participating . It also plays with the lines between dance, performance art and movement study, suggesting many at once and quickly moving between all three. The results are often surprising and exciting though sometimes unsettling, and funny. As the action progresses and you find yourself (the audience) shaping what happens before you and develop a relationship to what your watching that is unique and involuntarily involving.

I am both honored and excited to announce the debut of showgame in its entirety tonight Thursday May 7th and tomorrow Friday May 8th at “The Tank” which is at 354 w. 45th st. between 8th and 9th Avenues. I will be in eager attendance on Thursday night and you can be as well.
To purchase your tickets via the web simply visit
www.brownpapertickets.com
and type in Talya’s name in the search box. Then follow the simple instructions on your screen. Though online purchasing guarantees you a seat, Ticket’s are also available at the door. Now simply shell out that 10 dollars you were going to spend on shit beer and take in some art that doesn’t suck.

The line up:

LOVELY LOIS
Choreographed & Performed by James McGinn
Music by Earth, Wind & Fire, Spandau Ballet, Rick Astley

SHOWGAME
Conceived and directed by Talya Epstein in collaboration with Halee Beucler, Cherie Burnett, and Maggie Jones

JANITORS OF LUNACY
Choreographed & Performed by James McGinn & John Jasperse
Music by Nico

Ps. James McGinn shares the bill with Talya and her dancers during both performances and his being added to the bill only makes your attendance more validated. Plus he’s performing a duet with John Jasperse who is kind of uber famous in the dance world and this performance is a special (almost secret) appearance. EEEEEEEE!!!!

Here are some pictures I took at a rehearsal of showgame earlier this week:

Here is a Daniel Johnston song that is used in the piece:

Daniel Johnston – The Sun Shines Down on Me