Nothing cures our social confinement better than laughter. Erin Markey, recently named one of “Brooklyn’s 50 Funniest People” (Brooklyn Magazine), fosters this idea in her new, exotic performance art piece, “A Ride on the Irish Cream.”
Opening in darkness, accompanied by no spotlight, Markey begins her enchanting monologue as a young Michigan girl, Reagan, whose imagination turns their family’s new pontoon boat, “Irish Cream,” into a horse. Cream, played by the captivating Becca Blackwell, soon becomes not only Reagan’s closest friend, but also her love interest.
Though the plot of this product may have been very obscure, hard to follow, and vague, it is rare when adults are able to truly capture all the innocence and confusion that is woven into the contract of being young. Yet, Markey and her imaginary friend, Blackwell, awaken their inner child, and become two kids stomping around the stage, yelling at the top of their lungs, making “A Ride on the Irish Cream” the perfect combination of reality and comedy.
“I’m very interested in what love actually looks like in all of its glory, and ugliness, and weirdness,” Erin Markey explains in an interview with the American Repertory Theater, or A.R.T., whose lending the Oberon stage to host this colorful performance of music, laughter, and complete confusion.
This musical is accompanied with a live, four piece band including Emily Bates on guitar, Chenda Cope on bass, Ian Axness on piano, and Mike Marcinowski on drums. Through their music, the audience is consumed within the movement of lyrics and the spirit of juvenile affection.
With lyrics written by Erin Markey and musical composition by both Markey and Emily Bate, the story is brought to life. The emotion and desperation is embedded deep within their sound, leaking out the struggles of sexual awakening and youthful play.
“The dialogue ends up articulating the problems with language, while the music focuses on the feelings, and how murky, beautiful, and painful all of that is—to want to connect with somebody and then to fail,” says Markey.
“A Ride on the Irish Cream” is immersed with both depth, as well as complete absurdity, mimicking the makings of an adolescent imagination. Markey’s performance art piece is not only engaging, but will keep the audience laughing for hours.
For more information visit americanrepertorytheater.org, or follow them on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram or YouTube under the name “American Repertory Theater.” For tickets call 617.544.8300 or they are available for purchase online. You can see more of Erin Markey by visiting her blog, erinmarkey.com
