Alter Ego – Vaudeville Surreal (AEVS) is unlike anything you’ve ever seen; I promise. The short description? It is a variety show that celebrates alternative artists. Executive Producer Killy Mockstar Dwyer explains, “I bring the underground above ground and showcase hip-hop, modern and breakdance; burlesque; freak, anti-folk and city music, alternative and sketch comedy, comedic music, performance art and puppets.” The experience, she says, is “a ride of a show — a real journey.”
AEVS is, indeed, a smorgasbord for the senses. Killy says, “One minute you’re watching a modern shapeshifting movement artist, the next you're being treated to masturbating puppet theater, then it's a dark couple of deep cuts by an anti-folk, street busker, and next a rowdy, bawdy burlesque number followed by Jesus Christ: the stand-up comic.” Sounds like a motley crew that wouldn’t necessarily come together to form a unified show, yes? It is, but, luckily, Killy excels at “weaving such different artforms into a cohesive, two hour show [despite no rehearsal], filling the moments in between acts, and, in general, balancing everything.” Unlike a typical show where the audience is seeing one thing — a comedy show, concert, dance recital or play — AEVS “throws it all at them and makes it feel like a trip we all go on together.”
Alter Ego started off as a modern dance and burlesque show under James Rose's company, Cirque De la Nocturne, with James as Executive Producer in early/mid-2009. When Rose made Killy Co-Producer not long after, she began to incorporate more types of alternative performance art forms into the show almost immediately. In October 2010, when Rose decided to focus on his fine art career, Killy took over the role of Executive Producer.
Once at the helm, Killy added the tag "Vaudeville Surreal" to the show’s title. Regarding the name change, she says, “I wanted people to think of an eccentric, contemporary or even futuristic vaudeville show when they heard the name . . . vaudeville on acid.”
AEVS’s core cast has been performing together from the beginning: Jasmin "Jazz" Rituper, a shape-shifting movement artist; Lady Scoutington, a burlesque artist, comedian and musician; and Lucile "Frak" Graciano, a break and modern dancer. Of Jazz and Frak, Killy says, “The kind of sacrifice they put their bodies through to perform is unimaginable, and they have pushed themselves to perform cutting edge pieces at Alter Ego every month. They amaze me every time they dance. They are two of the hardest working performers I know, and they deserve so much credit for what they do.” Other performers Killy selects for AEVS are often people she’s met through her work with Horse Trade theater group.
As AEVS’s Executive Producer, Killy “played around with its shape” until she developed “a unique showcase of underground, alternative and eccentric performance arts with a strong focus on unique comedic expression and dance.” The show, she says, “has evolved into a professional showcase of the best of the alternative performers, rather than an amateur sideshow kind of thing which it used to be.” Killy has high expectations not only for herself, but for all AEVS performers. She “expect[s] them to bring their best game, but continue to push boundaries and explore the edge as much as possible.”
So, who is this mysterious persona-shifting Killy Mockstar Dwyer and what differentiates her from her daytime alter-ego, Kelly B. Dwyer? Killy Mockstar Dwyer simply seemed like a clever way, she explains, “to tell people I'm a comic rock star. I 'm also a huge fan of making fun and mocking fame and famous people.” Killy, she says, is “inspired by art for art's sake, true artists that do art because they can't not do art. I want to push, promote and support alternative artists to perform at their greatest potential in a safe, supportive environment. I want to help them grow and encourage them to become better and, by doing so, become better in my own craft and karma.”
Kelly B. Dwyer, on the other hand, is a woman who needs to pay the bills, so that Killy can be free to do her thing. She wears many hats, most of them show business-related, but all of them more conservative than Killy’s. Kelly performs around New York, writing, producing, directing and starring in commercials, print and voiceovers as well as doing guest spots. She also has a dog walking/sitting business on the side.
Killy (read: Superman for the purposes of this analogy) might very well be wearing a lace-up corset, short tutu, ruffled panties, ripped lace stockings, rainbow socks and leather boots onstage at AEVS and might say things that, offstage, might prompt a – “You kiss your mother with that mouth?” comment. She is bold, bawdy and fearless. In contrast, Kelly’s (read: Clark Kent for the purposes of this analogy) agents prefer that she be conservative and “look like a Mom or Target store clerk or secretary,” so she will get cast in mainstream commercials. Each persona serves a different, yet vital, purpose. Killy explains, “It's effortless at this point going back and forth between all the people I am. I guess you can say I work well with all my alter egos.”
Killy has been performing for as long as she can remember and counts performers such as Steve Martin, Andy Kaufman, Lucille Ball, Carol Burnett, Reggie Watts, Gilda Radner, Lady Gaga, Penny Pollak, Joe Yoga and Bill Hicks among her inspirations. About four years ago, wanting to combine her strengths in comedy, music and performance art, Killy began writing original comedic music, using a computer and a loop machine. Garageband allowed her to set music to the comedy and performance art she had been developing, and her loop machine facilitated the layering of different vocal sounds that mimicked instruments and sound effects.
At some point, Killy decided that she wanted more from her music though. She envisioned “performing in regular rock venues and ambushing people — catching audiences off guard with comedy and theatrics while, at the same time, wowing them with killer, tight full band music.” Anyone who has seen AEVS knows that Killy has been wildly successful in this endeavor. AEVS is a circus of the senses, theater of the absurd come to life set to amazing quality music, and Killy is both mastermind and ringmaster.
The source of AEVS’s amazing music? KILL THE BAND, a “punk performance art shock mock rock and roll band” that Killy founded in 2009 and fronts. KILL THE BAND (KTB) opens every AEVS show and is the house band for any cast member who wants to collaborate on a piece. Joe Yoga (bass) and Mike Milazzo (guitar), with whom Killy had collaborated at Penny's Open Mic at USM Theater, were the first two members of KILL THE BAND. “With them,” she says, “it seemed like a natural progression from performing during the same show to performing together as a team. We pretty easily completed each other and had natural chemistry.”
All that was missing was a drummer. In her typical style, which, hopefully you’ve realized by now is anything but typical, Killy decided to bring a skilled beatboxer to the band, rather than a traditional drummer. Thus, Bamboo Silva became member #3 of KILL THE BAND. That lineup of KILL THE BAND “had a good rookie run,” in Killy’s words, including performing an original play she wrote for the Frigid Festival in 2010 and winning the Festival’s Audience Choice Award.
Change was in the air, however. Current beatboxer Nick Fox replaced Silva, and, as luck would have it, Killy discovered that one of KTB's biggest fans was an amazing sax player, Blair Frowner, who joined on soprano saxophone.
Of working with KTB, Killy says, “It's beautiful, but mostly it's hard.” A self-described “bossy diva” with a “limited attention span” and “lacking in ‘official’ musical training,” Killy is always rearing to go, sometimes, perhaps, too much so. “I want the songs to be great automatically,” she says, “and skip the often tedious, even annoying, work of creating successful arrangements. I just want to get to the stage and perform. I want to wear costumes and create an ‘experience.’ I want it all, and I want it now.”
Despite what she terms her “impatience” and the challenges that all bands face (ego, style and personality clashes), the band, she says, is like a family — “a very dysfunctional family full of artistic savants in which I try to be a good mom to four rambunctious, sensitive boys.” Trials and tribulations aside, Killy realizes that she has hit the jackpot with this group. “I am so lucky,” she says, “that they stay, and I think they feel lucky to be a part of something so unique and outrageous.”
KTB is a delicate balancing act between Killy as founder and frontwoman and bandmembers each of whom is a top-notch musician in his own right. “When we begin a new piece, I play my Garageband version at rehearsal and sing a melody, and, in the ‘workshop stage,’ each person starts riffing on that idea and writes his own parts. Eventually, we find what works for us, and it makes us feel alive.” Although collaboration for Killy involves suppressing the part of her personality that makes her a natural leader, creator and self-professed “control freak and perfectionist,” she strongly believes that “collaboration is an art form in and of itself and, if you can master or at least give in to it, your creative power can be endless.” It is this spirit of collaboration that makes AEVS possible. Killy is grateful to have the opportunity to “give artists a polished, professional environment to perform in that is also safe and supportive and fun” and pays.
As for what the future holds, KILL THE BAND will be recording a full-length album in November (with an expected winter release). In addition, Killy is working on creating an AEVS touring company (including KILL THE BAND) which will “begin on the east coast and eventually take over the world.” (Did I say Superman? Maybe I should’ve said Lex Luthor. ;)
Of AEVS, she says, “I always say at the beginning of the show that we are going on a journey. Consider me your guide for the ride. Your sherpa through a night of mayhem, spectacle and true raw talent. After all, it's the journey that matters, not the destination, right?”
Having seen AEVS’s performance last month, I wholeheartedly agree. I laughed; I cried; it was better than CATS. Seriously though, I actually did laugh so hard that I cried, and I had a smile plastered on my face throughout the show. AEVS is, indeed, a night of mayhem, spectacle and true raw talent. It was unique, incredibly entertaining and simply one of the most fun nights I’ve experienced during my 13 years (this week!) of living in NYC. I am “on the bus” when it comes to this particular Magical Mystery Tour. Are you?!?
Note: Next AEVS is tonight at Fontana's Bar - see Nearsay calendar for details.
