Cynthia Nixon on 'The Seven Year Disappear;' Author Percival Everett; 'Illinoise' Musical Adapts Sufjan Stevens for the Stage; The Free Portrait Project
In the new play, "The Seven Year Disappear," Cynthia Nixon stars as Miriam, a famous performance artist who disappears for seven years, living behind her son Naphtali (Taylor Trensch) to pick up the pieces until she returns. Nixon, Trensch, and playwright Jordan Seavey join us to discuss the show, which runs at The Pershing Square Signature Center through March 31.
Author Percival Everett had a big year, with the adaptation of his novel Erasure, "American Fiction," taking home the Oscar for Best Adapted Screenplay. Now, he's written a new novel, a retelling of the story of The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn through the perspective of Jim, the enslaved man who joins Huck's journey. Everett joins us to discuss James.
"Illinoise" is a new dance adaptation of the seminal Sufjan Stevens album, with a story by Tony-winning choreographer Justin Peck and Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Jackie Sibblies Drury. The show runs at Park Avenue Armory through March 26. Drury and Peck, who also directed and choreographed the production, join us.
Since 2015, local artist Rusty Zimmerman has painted free portraits of his fellow New Yorkers, while also recording oral history interviews for what he calls The Free Portrait Project. Last year, he painted two hundred portraits of South Brooklyn residents, and a new exhibit compiling the portraits, We Are South Brooklyn, is on view at Industry City’s Building 8 through March 24. Zimmerman joins to discuss the show, his portrait practice, and the importance of The Free Portrait Project.
*This episode is guest-hosted by Kousha Navidar*
