A Collection of Shiny Objects

Brooklyn, NY USA

A Collection of Shiny Objects is a performance collective founded and led by Elizabeth English, Jesse Geiger and Nathan Leigh, with a rotating group of collaborators and associate artists. We create live performance to explore the complexity of contemporary society and popular culture, especially representations of gender, sexuality, class and race. We are committed to blending performance disciplines: incorporating theater, music, dance, puppets, multimedia, and the deconstruction of the artifacts of popular culture. Our process is highly collaborative, involving many participating artists and multiple readings, workshops and developmental in-progress presentations. Our goals for open, in-progress showings are to allow audiences to view and to respond to the work and continue an artistic dialogue about its content and social meaning.

ABOUT US

 

Previously...

Jesse and Liz met in 1999, just in time to defeat the somewhat anticlimactic Y2K virus. Ten years later, they joined forces with Nathan. The rest is history.

 

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Elizabeth R. English (Co-Artistic Director & Producer) is an independent producer, dramaturg and the founder and Co-Artistic Director of Brooklyn-based theater company A Collection of Shiny Objects. Her artistic practice blends development, production and curation. With A Collection of Shiny Objects: QUEERSPAWN by Mallery Avidon; DARLING (as part of Ars Nova’s 2011 ANT Fest), THE COLLECTIONS (an ongoing series of experimental time-based art happenings in Brooklyn) and projects currently in development. Broadway: DOCTOR ZHIVAGO (Associate Producer). Off-Broadway (with Women's Project): WE PLAY FOR THE GODS (Producer) and APPLE COVE (Associate Producer). Other NYC: UBU by Adam Szymkowicz (for terraNOVA Collective, IRT Theater & One-Eighth); THE TRUING by Joe Norton ("Best of 2014 FringeNYC); HUMAN FRUIT BOWL by Andrea Kuchlewska (soloNOVA Arts Festival 2012, FringeNYC 2013 and Fringe Encore Series; Awards: “Overall Excellence” FringeNYC) and THE COME HOME WITH ME PLAYS by Alexandra Collier, Sara Farrington & Ariel Stess. LA Credits: THE EXILE OF PETIE DELARGE by Jennifer Barclay (Son of Semele Theater & REDCAT/NOW Fest 2010); Rogue Artist Ensemble’s workshop production of HYPERBOLE: ORIGINS at the inaugural Hollywood Fringe; SILVER YEARS OF DUST at Highways Performance Space and the LA premiere of Thomas Bradshaw’s STROM THURMOND IS NOT A RACIST for Blank-the-Dog Productions. Liz was a member of the 2010-12 Producers Lab at Women's Project. BS in Theatre, Northwestern University; MFA in Producing, California Institute of the Arts.

Jesse Geiger (Co-Artistic Director) is a Brooklyn-based theater artist and Resident Director of the Naked Angels Issues Project Lab, where he creates new work exploring issues of social justice with MFA & BFA students at The New School for Drama in collaboration with professional playwrights and theatre artists. For Shiny Objects he has directed QUEERSPAWN by Mallery Avidon and DARLING in concert (Ars Nova ANT Fest) as well as workshops of GOODS & SERVICES (a collaboration with Greg Moss and puppeteer Stefano Brancato) and THE HERCULINE/CASTER PROJECT. Other credits include SYD ARTHUR by Kenny Finkle (Keen Company), INTRODUCING MOLLY POPE (Ars Nova & The Adelaide Cabaret Festival in Australia), THE BACCHAE (The Hangar Theatre), THE STRANGLER by Joe Waechter, ANGELS IN AMERICA: PERESTROIKA, FULL CIRCLE and FUNERAL WEDDING (Chicago Tribune, Best of “On The Fringe” 2006). He is a frequent director of classical comedy, particularly Moliere, including productions of THE MISANTHROPE, THE SERVANT OF TWO MASTERS, LOVERS' QUARRELS and THE LEARNED LADIES. Jesse has developed work with Naked Angels, SPACE on Ryder Farm, The Public Theater’s Emerging Writers Group and The American Repertory Theater Institute among others. He is the recipient of a Drama League Fellowship, a New Directors New Works seed grant, a Geva Theatre Center Directing Fellowship and a 2014 Rough Draft Residency. He teaches acting for Marymount Manhattan College. BS, Northwestern University, MFA in Directing, Brown University/Trinity Rep. www.jessegeiger.com

Nathan Leigh (Composer): is an award-winning composer, producer, and writer. As a composer for theatre, Nathan has written scores for shows at the Berkshire Theatre Festival, American Repertory Theatre, Connecticut Repertory Theatre, Williamstown Theatre Festival, PS122, and Off-Broadway at New World Stages. In 2007, his work on the Debate Society's THE EATEN HEART was the Gothamist's Sound Design of the Year. Nathan was a recipient of the Boris Segal Fellowship in 2008 to develop the musical BIG MONEY with Super Mirage bandmate and Obie Award-winning playwright Kyle Jarrow at the Williamstown Theatre Festival. In 2011 Nathan received a fellowship from the Banff Center for the Arts to develop the score for the play FROGGY by Jennifer Haley. With Kyle Jarrow, Nathan is the co-author of BIG MONEY, and THE CONSEQUENCES (world premiere: Wellfleet Harbor Actors Theatre, June 2012). With book writer Jesse Geiger, Nathan is the co-author of the musical DARLING. Nathan has written music and lyrics for SONG OF SONGS (world premiere: BCA Plaza June 2011) and ICARUS with book writer Jason Slavick for Liars and Believers (NYMF 2013). www.nathanleigh.net