‘The Village! A Disco Daydream’ Returns By Popular Demand
By Lawrence Pfeil, Jr.
It’s déjà vu for The Village! A Disco Daydream as it returns to Dixon Place this week for a month long run after its sold-out premiere last fall. The encore engagement will be performed the next four weekends staring Thursday, February 2 at 7:30 PM and running through Friday, February 24. Tickets cost $20-$28, and are available at Dixonplace.org
“‘The Village!’ is a revelation, spectacular – rocked my world! A stellar cast tearing up 1979 Greenwich Village, leaving you at once ecstatic & deeply moved – gogogo see it!”
– Sandra Bernhard
“Set in New York City in 1979, The Village! is loosely based on Our Town (if Thornton Wilder had lived on Christopher Street). A colorful collage of characters drink, drug, dream, and dish about love, life, death and taxis, and, of course, break out into disco dance numbers. The show is a valentine to fashion, fantasy, fun, New York City and Donna Summer.”
Last October, I posted about the original run of then titled The Village! A Disco Musical and it’s extension.
“‘The Village, A Disco Musical!’ EXTENDS RUN”
Not able to see the production until its last week, which by then was sold out, I didn’t cover it. But suffice it to say I’m thrilled The Village! is returning and I’m able to now.
I’ll admit, initially I was both intrigued and terrified reading the description of The Village!. I tend to have a sharp sense whether a show will work or not, but a NYC, disco era, Our Town set to music had me flummoxed. I estimated it would be all or nothing — fabulous or trainwreck. Much to my disco delight The Village! is all fabulous.
All shows do something; some shows do a few things; but few shows do everything like The Village! It is fun, sexy, smart, hilarious, and unexpectedly moving. The cast of ten is across the dancefloor stellar in diverse roles from hustler, NYU student, bitter queen, drop dead hysterical junkie and more. But the accolades for achieving the seemingly impossible must go to writer, Nora Burns.
Echoing Thornton Wilder’s framework of Our Town is not that difficult, but using it to achieve the same emotional impact and insight is a feat which Nora Burns does superbly. What’s more, she does it in a laugh out loud comedy with music (not many laughs in the original masterpiece). It’s a pivot few writers could accomplish, but then again, she’s lived through it. Much of what Burns has put in The Village! is thought to be autobiographical.
If that’s even remotely true, oh to have been a fly on those walls. Head down to Dixon Place next month where you can be. You can bet I’m going back again with bellbottoms on!
The Village! A Disco Daydream
Thursday, February 2 through Friday, February 24.
Performances are Thursday and Friday evenings at 7:30 PM,
Except for the second weekend, Sunday, February 12 at 3:00 PM and Monday, February 13 at 7:30 PM.
All shows are at Dixon Place (161A Chrystie Street between Rivington and Delancey).
Tickets cost $20-$28, and are available at Dixonplace.org
(Main Image: Cast of The Village! Photo by Peter Yesley)
