The Public Theater’s kooky, visual-arts-major son, Under the Radar, turns 10 this year, and it’s having one heck of a birthday. For those not in the know, this yearly festival of plays, music and performance pieces introduces NYC audiences to emerging, experimental and noteworthy theatrical artists from around the world. UTR runs January 8 through 19, and it would be crazy to try to see all of them; so what we did for you was judge some books by their covers and combine those shows with our favorite downtown/Brooklyn TV characters from HBO’s Girls. Here’s what we think your favorite Girls character would see at this year’s Under the Radar Festival.
Hannah’s Pick
UTR Show: BigMouth
Why: Valentijn Dhaenens’ one man show about the language of power and history of words is just what Hannah needs to get those creative juices flowing again. 2,500 years of spoken word woven together in 90-minutes of performance? There’s definitely a novel in that...or a blog…or maybe just a really powerful and insightful tweet that then gets retweeted by someone in the literary world.
Shoshanna’s Pick
UTR Show: John Hodgman: I Stole Your Dad
Why: Because she’s like totally seen him on the The Daily Show a bunch of times, and the official description has the words Downtown Abbey in it, and because she was pretty sure the world was going to end in 2012 and she’s freaking out because there is no plan in play on how she’s going to be a grown up woman in 2034.
Adam’s Pick
UTR Show: Feast
Why: Andrew Ondrejcak’s piece about the final feast in the collapsing empire of Babylon is just as feral and carnal as Adam. And this Babylonian king has a chorus of Concubines? You can bet Adam is there front row, with his shirt off.
Jessa’s Pick
UTR Show: Helen & Edgar
Why: Jessa relates to the central characters of Oliver and Helen because she too had to grow up in an unstable home with a mad woman. Then after the 75-minute play, Jessa sneaks into El Ano en Que Naci because the plight of the Chileans is something she is also very passionate about.
Ray’s Pick
UTR Show: Eternal
Why: This is not to be repeated, but since his break-up with Shoshanna, Ray has been Googling how to Eternal Sunshine from the Spotless Mind her, and if this performance piece about Eternal Sunshine can help, he’ll sit through it.
Marnie’s Pick
UTR Show: The Baroness Is the Future (Excerpts)
Why: Marnie is pro all things Baroness since watching Laura Benanti’s scene-stealing, life-affirming performance on The Sound of Music Live. So when she heard there was a play about a baroness named Elsa, she snagged a ticket. And for $20, that Baroness better make this face at least once.
Bonus
All the ladies (and the guys by defult) would end the night at the Festival Lounge at the Public Theater. This UTR-centric party goes from 9:30 PM to 1:30 AM every night from January 9 through January 19. The scene is going to feature a cash bar, a ton of new UTR friends and DJs, like AndrewAndrew who actually appeared on Girls.
