New York is home to so many things that are unique to this city. Other places have what we have for periods of time. There are pop up shops and outposts of our restaurants, art on loan in other cities and even traveling Broadway Shows that you can catch around the world. While the country is beautiful and every place has their thing, one of the events that cross nearly every town in America is a good old-fashioned carnival. You know, rides and games and candy apples. The best.
We don’t mean to brag but New York really does have it all. We have a carnival available to us any time we want. Yes, any time! That place is called Coney Island. Since 1980, Coney Island USA has developed and produced a variety of programming — including some of New York City’s best-loved summer programs, like the Mermaid Parade and Mermaid Ball, and the Coney Island Circus Sideshow. Now, in its 7th year, they bring theater back to the Coney Island USA stage with Coney Island Ritual Cabaret!
International Culture Lab (ICL) and Coney Island USA are thrilled to announce the debut of “Ritual Cabaret Art Brothel,” a groundbreaking immersive theater experience set to captivate audiences from March 15th to 17th, 2024.
At the heart of this provocative production lies Jean Genet’s timeless play, “The Balcony,” renowned for its exploration of power dynamics, patriarchy, identity, and illusion within the context of a brothel. Drawing inspiration from Genet’s masterpiece, “Ritual Cabaret Art Brothel” ventures into the intricate interplay between reality and fantasy while exploring the theatrical nature of politics and the masks worn by individuals in society.
Moreover, these personas have crafted art objects and services offered one-on-one to individual theatergoers, creating an immersive encounter where the audience becomes both client and voyeur, reflecting on the commodification of art and identity in contemporary society. See ritualcabaret.org for details.