East Village’s ‘wild project’ looks to keep
the arts going amid COVID-19 pandemic
BY BOB KRASNER
It’s safe to say that everyone
is looking forward to the
day when social distancing
is a thing of the past and
there’s some optimism that we
will soon be going back to our
favorite bars, concert halls and
theaters. But if those spaces
are going to be there when the
smoke clears, they may need
some help now.
Just one of the struggling
venues in the East Village is
wild project, an 89-seat theatre
on East 3rd Street that
describes its mission as devoted
to “specific initiatives toward
LGBTQIA+ and POC projects
and the work of local East Village
artists, to ensure that our
nonprofit theatre sustains its
roots in the community.”
Heather Litteer, an awardwinning
actress, writer and
performance artist who has
been part of the downtown
performance scene for decades,
has done her share to help out
the venue and she’s determined
to keep it going.
“I’ve helped produce shows
there, worked the door, tended
bar and cleaned the bathroom,”
Litteer recounts.
When they announced
a GoFundMe
campaign, Litteer
stepped up with an
offer to produce a live
streaming benefit featuring
one of her own
projects, WOeRD. An
acronym for Women
of Experience Reading
Downtown, Litteer
started the group as a
response to an all-male
group that was reading
at the now-defunct
Black and White bar.
While past readers
have included Chi Chi
Valenti, Jo Weldon,
Pamela Sneed, Ada
Calhoun, Pamela De
Barres and Penny
Arcade, Litteer has
put together a diverse
lineup for the upcoming
show and given the women free
rein to decide on their subject
matter.
Dael Orlandersmith is a
writer, actress and Pulitzer
Prize finalist who notes that
“the wild project is for those
who need the place/space
wild project gets serious with Elizabeth Koke, Ana Mari de Quesada, Dael Orlandersmith, Tanya
Selvaratnam, Raffaele Mary and Heather Litteer
to work/grow —
particularly those
who are not in the
mainstream.”
Viewers will have
a chance to witness
the creative process,
as Orlandersmith
notes that “the piece
I’m doing is a workin
progress, and
sometimes I do add
while reading. I often
act in my own work.
The theme is usually
about outsiders.”
Elizabeth Koke,
a writer, performer
and organizer who
is currently the
Creative Director for
Housing Works, has
been in the audience and on
stage at the wild project.
Koke describes the venue as
“my neighborhood arts space
where I can always count on
something interesting happening.
It’s a beautiful, intimate
space with a talented and
dedicated team that is open
to innovation. I’ve witnessed
works-in-progress and full
productions across every genre
imaginable – films, dance,
story-telling, music, musicals! “
Artist, writer, Emmynominated
and multiple
Webby-winning producer
Tanya Selvaratnam says that
“the wild project embodies the
spirit of the wild downtown
community, which I am proud
to be a part of.”
Selvaratnam will be “reading
excerpts from my new
book ‘Assume Nothing,’ about
my experience with abuse by
the former attorney general of
New York State. Reading this
work out loud is painful and
emotional but also liberating.”
Raffaele Mary, who had her
most visible presence in the
East Village as the lead singer
of the 80s glam metal band
Cycle Sluts from Hell, has
managed major nightclubs, gogo
danced on bars, bartended
endlessly and currently heads
a music management company
based in New York and
London.
“I lived next door to the
wild project for years and
always loved the energy and
creativity of the place — very
warm and inviting to artists
and patrons alike,” she says. “I
chose a story from the far past.
I had originally wanted to write
something new incorporating
all of the things we’ve been
through over the last year, but
I haven’t fully processed it all,
so I decided it might be better
to take the listener out of the
present completely. “
Litteer will also be reading,
but it’s going to be a surprise —
possibly to her as well.
“True to form, I am still writing
and editing, and I will be up
until the moment I get on the
PHOTO BY BOB KRASNER
mic on Sunday,” she confesses.
“So I don’t know exactly what
I will be reading, but I am very
much continuing an old East
Village tradition – make the
flyer, then make the show!”
Producing Artistic Director
Ana Mari de Quesada will be
there behind the scenes, hoping
for the best for her theatre and
the community.
“Wild Project places the
utmost importance on engendering
a climate that supports
and cultivates artists who commit
to artistic excellence,” she
states. “The uniqueness of the
wild project is our ‘mom-andpop’
approach. Every artist is
thought of as a family member
and we want to help them succeed
however we can. This is
their home.”
More info on the wild project
can be found at thewildproject.
com.
Tickets for the March 14
WOeRD benefit performance
at 7 p.m. are available here:
https://web.ovationtix.com/
trs/pe.c/10643858
PHOTO BY BOB KRASNER
Producing Artistic Director Ana Mari
de Quesada of wild project.
10 M Maarrcchh 1 11, ,2 2002211 Scchnepss Mediiaa
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