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Wednesday, October 15, 2008

The Fab Clip: Stacy Meyer's "The Funeralogues"


The Funeralogues from Stacy on Vimeo.

MC Squared Productions presents the New York premiere of THE FUNERALOGUES, a site-specific look at eulogies and the people who deliver them. Conceived and performed by Stacy Mayer, written by playwright Robert Charles Gompers, and directed by Molly Marinik, this unique theatrical experience has found its ultimate home at All Souls Chapel on New Yorks' Upper East Side. Workshopped at Emerging Artists Theatre's One Woman Standing Festival in 2007, previews begin November 7 with opening set for Saturday, November 15.

In the spirit of Six Feet Under, THE FUNERALOGUES is a darkly comedic look at the inside of funeral homes, funeral rituals and one woman's personal obsession with death. The evening uses actual text from real life eulogies including a tribute to soldiers lost in Afghanistan as remembered by a member of The Casualty Assistance Calling Operations, a eulogy for the performers' own grandfather, a fireman's eulogy read by a Minnesota school teacher, a eulogy delivered by Martin Luther King, Jr. for three child victims of a Birmingham church bombing, and even a humorous eulogy that a six year old imparts for her headless Barbie. Find out the not so certain answer to the uneasy question we all ask: "What they will say at my funeral?"

A native of Kentucky, Stacy Mayer is the Artistic Director and founder of Manhattan Comedy Collective. She earned critical praise for her performances in the Off Broadway comedy The Play About the Naked Guy. A member of Emerging Artists Theatre, she has appeared in five EATFests including IT Award nominee 12 Rounds. She is a graduate of The Actors Theatre of Louisville apprenticeship program, where she originated a role in David Lindsay Abaire's History Lesson. For the past 3 years she has curated Emerging Artist's Theatre's One Woman Standing Festival (OWS). Her first show The Woman with the Parasol ran in 2005 at venues including Upright Citizens Brigade and The People's Improv Theatre. Her hobbies include yoga and scuba diving. She attended Catholic school for 8 years, where she petitioned until girls were allowed to become altar boys. For more info visit www.stacymayer.com.

Robert Charles Gompers' The Long Ride Home won both Best Play and Best Ensemble at the 2008 Fresh Fruit Festival. His performance piece Once Upon A Time won top prize at the UNC-Wilmington Poetry festival. Other plays by Gompers' include Honor, Respect, Tradition; Neurasthenia (a nervous breakdown); Museum – a Herstorical comedy; Nothing; The Ward of No Redeeming Qualities; American Icon; and The Relativity of Light and Love. His work has been seen in New York, North Carolina, Maryland, Vermont, and Washington. He is currently working on The Gory Guide to Gay Dating.

Molly Marinik's recent directing credits includes Heaven In Your Pocket (NYMF), George and Bill Are Friends (Emerging Artists EATfest), The List (Emerging Artists EATfest), and Suicide Machine (Directors' Company). She is a member of Emerging Artists Theatre. Molly is also the editor of theatreiseasy.com and the theatre contributor for popdose.com.

THE FUNERALOGUES runs November 7 - December 13, Friday & Saturday at 8pm. All Souls Chapel is located at 1157 Lexington Ave. (between 79th & 80th Streets -- accessible from the #6 train at 77th Street ). Tickets are $25, available at 212-352-3101 or www.TheaterMania.com. For more info visit www.funeralogues.com.

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