The A.N.T. Fest is a six-week festival dedicated to showcasing the work of new semi-unknown artists like us. We were one of 30 acts selected out of 200 applicants to this year's festival and this is a tremendously exciting opportunity. It's really our chance to have our concept fully realized and do the show the way we've always intended.
I was especially thrilled to find this article because it validates the work that we've been doing and it always feels great to be invited to get involved with something bold and new. It's always never a bad thing to have something in print to prove to your family that you're doing something beneficial and noteworthy with your time. ;-)
(In case they archive this article in the future, I've copied and pasted the article into my blog below)
TIME OUT NY - Fall preview ’08 - Comedy
Anything goes
Ars Nova’s first festival defies definition.
By Allison Williams
The A.N.T. Fest will be something you don’t see coming—literally. The event, hosted by the avant-garde Ars Nova theater, specifically showcases never-before-seen acts, culled from more than 200 comedy, theater and musical submissions. “The point of the festival is to be undefined,” says head of artistic development Emily Shooltz of the 30-night lineup. About a third is in some way comic, including nontraditional sketch performances and improv-rock-band shows. “There’s a sense of daring or irreverence,” Shooltz adds, explaining that each newcomer will command the stage for a single night. The format lends the festival a sense of urgency, a “blink and you’ll miss it, rapid-fire series of events,” she says.
Because Ars Nova specializes in undiscovered acts, some submissions consisted of little more than YouTube videos and MySpace pages. “It’s really hard for people to get that first foot in the door, especially for those who only have shows with their friends or perform in a bar,” Shooltz explains. “People need tools beyond what they have as artists if they’re going to make it on their own.” The festival is a prepackaged starter kit in the form of a 99-seat performance space, and comes with marketing and technical support for budding performers. And then there’s Ars Nova’s audience, who will scour the festival program descriptions, hungry for the next big singer-comedian or character-based stand-up. “Because these artists are really young, there’s a certain energy to it,” says Shooltz. “It doesn’t feel stale.”
A.N.T. Fest runs Oct 16–Nov 24 at Ars Nova, 511 W 54th St between Tenth and Eleventh Aves (212-868-4444, arsnovanyc.com).
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