Obie Awards and The Creative Block After Party
In a world that is currently plagued with budget cuts and job loss it was incredibly refreshing to experience something new and exciting. The Obie Awards went down last night like a crazy runaway circus, in a good way, and for the first time ever running tandum to the Village Voice theater Awards was the Creative Block. The Creative Block was a sort of showcase for artists, and performers and gave the Obie’s that extra umpth to set it apart from all other award shows.
Martha Plimpton and Daniel Breaker co-hosted the awards portion of the night, Plimpton claimed the venue brought back memories of her first cocaine use and losing her virginity. Presenters like Anne Hathaway and Karen Olivo gave out awards to Stephen Sondheim for Music and Lyrics, David Cromer for Direction of Our Town, and Francois Battiste for Performance in The Good Negro.
Hot shirtless men walked around showcasing artwork by Michael Breyette, musical performances by Joey Arias, and Project Jenny Project Jan, burlesque so hot and steamy it made the venue smell like dirty crotch, a woman who could fling herself around on a rope, two girls called “Gravity plays favorites” that could pole dance like non other, made up some of the acts to keep the night going.
Webster Hall was enthusiastically charged and rightfully so. The OBIES celebrate the countless talent of all those involved in off-broadway productions. It’s a night to remember, a night to dazzle, and a night to inspire.
I had never been to anything like ‘Creative Block’, so when I got the invite to attend and have my artwork paraded around by male models in nothing but swimwear I didn’t know quite what to expect but had to say yes!