The Greene Space at WNYC and WQXR Present “El Living Room”
Angélica Negrón Named Fall 2021 Artist-in-Residence at
The Greene Space at WNYC and WQXR September 27 – 30, 2021
Tickets Available Now: https://thegreenespace.org/series/el-living-room-angelica-negron/
(New York – September 15, 2021) — The Jerome L. Greene Performance Space at WNYC and WQXR today announced its next Artist-in-Residence: Puerto Rican composer and performer Angélica Negrón, praised by the New York Times for her “capacity to surprise.”
Over four nights from September 27-30, Negron presents “El Living Room,” a wild, colorful, and deeply personal offbeat variety show inspired by a mix of Pee-Wee’s Playhouse, late-night TV, online astrology, and Latin American morning shows. Each night, Negrón will welcome a range of guests — composers, musicians, comedians and more — into “El Living Room” to exchange ideas and delve into ordinary and complex subjects through a humorous lens. Directed by Puerto Rican interdisciplinary artist Macha Colón, the series isa multimedia exploration of sound and story, personal history and belonging. The studio set is part of the musical landscape, evoking the comfort and intimacy of a familiar living room in a friends’ home, transforming The Greene Space into an immersive sonic playground open for free play and deep conversation.
Performances begin each night at 7pm; all shows will be recorded and made available for on-demand viewing at thegreenespace.org and on YouTube at a later date.
Monday 9/27: Los Feelings
So many feelings, so little time/emotional bandwidth. In our first episode, Angélica and friends explore los feelings and their sonic manifestations. Percussion duo NOMON (sisters Shayna and Nava Dunkelman) stop by to take emotional expression to new levels of physicality, while stand-up comedian, musician & writer Marcia Belsky bares her soul through her witty, feminist songs. Plus, a special video call via El Wassap with the queer piñata rey himself, mixed-media artist & podcast host Justin Favela (“Latinos Who Lunch” & “Art People Podcast”) as well as a candid, no bullsh*t, guided meditation by Mela Pabón, who the New York Times called “one of Latinternet’s most beloved Instagram astrologers.”
Tuesday 9/28: La Muerte
In this very special episode, Angélica and friends talk about death, grief, and the accompanying melodrama inherent in Latinx culture. Brooklyn-bred vocalist, composer & visual artist Raquel Acevedo Klein conjures voices from el más allá with her haunting layered vocals and El Living Room’s very own director, the undisciplined artist, musician & filmmaker Macha Colón makes a special appearance to talk about her recent film Perfume de Gardenias, a black comedy about Puerto Rico’s funeral culture. Multi-hyphenate, larger-than-life-and-death Miss Colombia herself, Lido Pimienta, calls in for an El Wassap catch-up to talk transitions, trauma & telenovela-level family secrets. We’ll shed off the heaviness with an escapist, psychic cool-down with Mela Pabón as she guides us through a no-nonsense meditation to soothe our deepest, most irrational fears.
Wednesday 9/29: Los Friends
On this evening’s episode, Angélica sits with her friends—both real and imaginary—to talk empathy, loneliness, communication, and community. Synth enchanter & composer Phong Tran comes over for a live electronics set inspired by internet friends, while his bestie & MEDIAQUEER bandmate (also composer, violinist & interdisciplinary angel) Darian Donovan Thomas joins the fun via El Wassap. Also stopping by is our new friend and musical comedian Dylan Adler, who was this close to being cast in Mulan as the emperor’s gay advisor/BFF. Wrapping up with a daily dose of self-care, the mystical Mela Pabón offers a guided meditation infused with the kind of blunt realtalk that not even our closest friends would dare share. Featuring a special appearance by Angélica’s very own furry best friend, Midi.
Thursday 9/30: Los Not-So-Favorite Things
El Living Room’s season finale is dedicated to Angélica’s favorite championship sport: venting. Things that are lo peor: colonialism, family drama, burnout, imposter syndrome, and Mondays (amirite?). Everyone’s favorite Boricua polyamorous urban poet, Guanina (of Teatro Breve) and caribbean diosa/reina/chula/bella/visionary music-maker Xenia Rubinos both lend their powerful voices to address just a few of these messy subjects. Sonic arts profe La Meme Young drops by via El Wassap to share a selection of niche experimental music jokes-turned-memes lampooning some of his not-so-favorite things. After digging up so much trash, a guided meditation with Mela Pabón (who vows to always hablarte la clara) is just the thing to cleanse the mind, body, and soul.
“I’m beyond grateful to have the space to try this fun, ambitious experiment,” saidAngélica Negrón ” I’ll be joined by close collaborators as well as new friends, comedians, and some of my favorite artists from the comfort of mi nuevo living room at The Greene Space. I hope that through sharing personal stories, sounds, and laughter together we can celebrate the things we love and unpack those we still struggle to understand.”
The Greene Space launched its Artist-in-Residence series in 2017 with the rapper and writer Dessa. Other Artists-in-Residence have included composer and pianist Arturo O’Farrill, writer and critic Hilton Als, photographer June Canedo, musician and curator Madison McFerrin, pianist Jeremy Denk, and journalist Imara Jones.
El Living Room event details
- Performances on September 27, 28, 29, and 30 at 7 PM ET at The Greene Space, 44 Charlton Street
- Tickets available here: https://thegreenespace.org/series/el-living-room-angelica-negron/
Leadership support for The Greene Space’s Artist-in-Residence program is provided by the Jerome L. Greene Foundation. Additional support for this project is provided in part by the MetLife Foundation and the National Endowment for the Arts.
ABOUT THE JEROME L. GREENE PERFORMANCE SPACE
The Greene Space is the street-level broadcast studio and performance venue of WNYC and WQXR, channeling the collective genius in New York City to create forward-looking live art, theater, and journalism that sparks change. Since 2009, The Greene Space has hosted luminaries including Janelle Monáe and The National, actors Frances McDormand and the late Philip Seymour Hoffman, writers Nikki Giovanni and Roxane Gay, newsmakers Mayor Bill de Blasio and Chelsea Manning, among many others. For more information, visit www.thegreenespace.org
ABOUT THE JEROME L. GREENE FOUNDATION
The Jerome L. Greene Foundation supports select programs that make a significant impact on the lives of all New Yorkers in the areas of the arts, education, medicine and social justice. Its 40-year history is grounded in the vision of its founder, Jerry Greene, to give back to the city he loved. Today the Foundation honors his commitment by continuing to fund quality institutions and programs, and by identifying new ways to increase access to the arts and education, create opportunities for ground-breaking medical research, and help ensure social justice for all.