YC-based feminist theater group Tapestry Collective is proud to present the in-person world premiere of “#SoSadSoSexy”, a play designed to explore Western culture’s continued fascination with depressed and unstable women and their misrepresentation. The play will be performed in person at NYC’s The Tank (312 W 36th St, 1st Floor, New York, NY, 10018) and streamed live online via CyberTank, March 24-26, 2022 at 7 PM EST.
Drawing inspiration from contemporary internet culture and narratives around mental illness, as well as tales of Victorian insane asylums, “#SoSadSoSexy” follows the overlapping stories of Lucy, an asylum patient from the Victorian era, and Izzy, a “modern day internet sad girl”. The play travels through time and circumstance to explore the parallels between each period’s approach to mental health, gender politics, and the personal and collective identities we create. Western culture’s obsession with women tragic, beautiful and mentally ill. The play drew connections between today’s ‘sad girl on the internet’ culture and Victorian era treatment and public depictions of ‘hysteria’;” it stuck with me and I joined collaborators Alison Leaf and Kendra Augustin to explore the deeper themes embedded in this age-old conversation. Through the play’s side stories, we seek to illuminate and subvert established narratives about the mental health of individuals identifying women, and to foster empathy, truth, and dialogue in the face of stigma. – Writer/Creator Emily CordesTickets are $15-25 for in-person performances* and $12 for the CyberTank live stream, and are available at https://thetanknyc.org/calendar-1/sosadsosexy.* Please note that performances will be presented at the Tank’s in-person performance space at 312 W 36th St. All attendees must show proof of full COVID-19 and booster vaccinations before being admitted to the space, either by showing a vaccination (vaccination card) at least two weeks after the last dose of an approved vaccine, or using the free New York Excelsior Pass service. Patrons will also be required to wear masks indoors at all times, and no food or drink will be permitted to be consumed in the theater. , and other sensitive topics. Please take note and take care of yourself accordingly.”#SoSadSoSexy” is designed and created by Emily Cordes, Alison Leaf and Kendra Augustin, and directed by and with additional contributions from Simha Toledano. The cast is Uma Paranjpe, Jes Davis, Lauren “Wren” Mitchell, Dave Rideout, Esra Dayani, Charles Kennedy IV, Samia Omari, Emily Caffrey, Melissa Melendez, and Emily Cordes. Direction of movement by Ezra Goh. Direction of Intimacy by Lauren K. DeLeon. The production manager is Sara Minisquero.
Emily Cordes (writer/collaborator/performer/executive producer) is a New York-based stage, film and new media actress specializing in engineered ensemble theatre. Recent roles include Eleanor in “Casa Valentina” (The Heights Players), Stenographer in “Waiting For Lefty” (Staten Island Shakespeare Theatre); Ursula in “Short-Haired Domestic Silver Tabby” (King Lahiri Productions); and social worker in “Happy Tuesday” (The Living Lab/Columbia University). A graduate of Smith College and Columbia University, she has also studied acting with Siti Company, Primary Stages/ESPA and Lucid Body House, and designed plays with Tapestry Collective (“StellaMaris”, August 2017 ) and The Laboratory of Soul. (“The Lonely Death of George Bell”, November 2017). In October 2020, she co-produced “NYSeeing 2020”, an evening of original monologues to benefit the Nuyorican Poets Cafe and the Artist Relief Fund, and performed in the showcase as Theodora in Fengar Gael’s “Bat Scat Fever”. . Emily is an active member of NYC’s in-person and online spoken word communities, and published her first collection of poetry “Armful of Poppies” in November 2021 (Read or Green Books). http://Bit.ly/EmilyCordes.
Alison Leaf (Writer/Collaborator) is a writer, performer and artist currently based in New York. His theater reviews have appeared in South Florida’s Around Town magazine, his essays have appeared on MookyChick.co.uk, and his poetry can be found on Looking Glass Fragments. She is currently working on an epic high fantasy series. Kendra Augustin (writer/collaborator) is a New York-based playwright, screenwriter and performer. In 2021, his full anthology play, Death in the Family, had four shows at Dixon Place from October 28-30. She is currently the first resident of The Bechdel Group’s 2021-2022 “The Bechdel Test-it’s a damn low bar” playwriting residency. KendraAugustin.comSimha Toledano (director/collaborator; she/they) is an award-winning filmmaker and screenwriter based in Lenapehoking, aka Philadelphia. Simha is a founding member of Tapestry Collective, and is thrilled and honored to lead this production of #SoSadSoSexy at The Tank. Simha was recently spotted performing as Pearl in the Paperdoll Ensemble’s play “WASPS Nest,” which was part of the Philadelphia Fringe Festival. They are currently in pre-production for their upcoming script and film “The Agnostic Foundation For Dying With Dignity’s 50th Annual Lottery”. In addition to being a writer, theater and filmmaker for 20 years, Simha offers healing and support as a certified hypnotist, creative coach and Hebrew priestess.
