that paradise place
An erotic puppet musical about the love, sex, and fantasy lives of artists with disabilities debuted at Abrons Arts Center on November 1 & 2, 2024.
Read about it in Hyperallergic and Hell Gate.
In a culture that often overlooks the internal worlds and erotic desires of people with disabilities, we are forming a creative community where all facets of our humanity are worthy of being seen, sung, and celebrated. A shame-free space where creation is an act of love, and love is an act of creativity.
That Paradise Place will bring to life intimate and extraordinary tales through song, celebration, and puppetry. Each of the songs in the show begins with a first person story shared by an artist with a disability. These stories then embark on a collaborative, alchemical journey – they’re adapted into songs, adopted by puppet alter-egos, embodied via dazzling, larger-than-life puppets, and brought to life on the big stage.
A fiery phoenix reminisces on how fate brought him together with his life partner, a sunflower. A robot dinosaur imagines what it will feel like to fall in love and have sex for the first time. A woman recalls her intimate encounters with her open heart surgeon. A haunted doll is introduced to two demon daddies who suggest an unusual erotic proposition.
Artists with disabilities are intimately involved in every aspect of the show’s creation to ensure their stories are told in their languages, through their bodies, and according to their deepest desires. The 12 vignettes included in the final performance will expand viewers imagination and understanding of inclusive love.
We believe eroticism and creativity are essential to a full-bodied human life. That Paradise Place invites viewers into the wild and sparkling erotic fantasies of human beings whose sexuality deserve recognition and celebration.
That Paradise Place is presented by Summertime, with generous support from New York State Council of the Arts, Brooklyn Arts Fund, Bronfman Alumni Venture Fund, The Andy Warhol Foundation, The Puffin Foundation, and so many beloved members of our community.
