{"id":1706,"date":"2017-03-31T10:32:23","date_gmt":"2017-03-31T14:32:23","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/nickzaino.com\/departmentoftangents\/?p=1706"},"modified":"2017-03-31T11:17:06","modified_gmt":"2017-03-31T15:17:06","slug":"jamie-loftus-performs-swan-lake-in-a-locked-basement-for-jash","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/nickzaino.com\/departmentoftangents\/2017\/03\/31\/jamie-loftus-performs-swan-lake-in-a-locked-basement-for-jash\/","title":{"rendered":"Jamie Loftus Performs “Swan Lake In a Locked Basement” for Jash."},"content":{"rendered":"

It is an undeniable truth that the Internet is full of strange things. And it will get even stranger around 3PM EST today when Jamie Loftus<\/a> presents her show Swan Lake (Live from a Locked Basement) on the JASH network<\/a>. The plot, as she describes it, is something that would give David Lynch absurdist fits. Loftus plays a ballerina\/spy trying to escape a basement that is slowly filling with gas, caused by a stove full of ham upstairs. It is set on March 30, 1981, and Loftus and (also her character name) and an associate (played by Gary Petersen<\/a>) need to keep themselves alive to stop an assassination attempt on President Ronald Reagan. They will be doing this live on Facebook, with a \u201cchoose your own adventure\u201d element of audience feedback. <\/p>\n

This actually makes sense on the JASH Network, the comedy production company owned by Sarah Silverman, Tim & Eric, Reggie Watts, and Michael Cera. Their site is a repository of wonderful strangeness \u2013 animated shorts, music videos, and series like Pound House and Dynasty Handbag. I got in touch with Loftus to ask her about working with JASH and today\u2019s show. <\/p>\n

Tune in to watch the show on the JASH Facebook page here<\/a>. <\/p>\n

How did you hook up with JASH? <\/strong><\/p>\n

They were familiar with my animation work and I\u2019d done a few livestreams with them in the past, and after I did ballet-comedy shows in Boston and Chicago they asked if I\u2019d be interested in doing one as an experimental livestream. The whole thing functions as a choose-your-own-adventure play, which is a little different from the livestreams they usually do (Getting Doug With High and Norm MacDonald Live are their big ones, I think). <\/p>\n

JASH’s mission statement says they give their artists full autonomy to create. How has that worked in your case? What do they provide if not feedback?<\/strong> <\/p>\n

JASH gives us studio space, covers production expenses, gives us camera and tech operators who know what they\u2019re doing and are extremely patient when I make a mess, and feedback throughout. The autonomy element has been completely true in my case – once I had the concept of a production of Swan Lake that took place in a locked basement on the day of the Reagan assassination attempt approved, they let me go with it and make it look and sound however I wanted. I ended up writing it with help from my brilliant friend and the other person locked in a basement with me Gary Petersen, made a bunch of cartoons, learned how to sew sequins and feathers and make tutus, made a pinata of Jodie Foster\u2019s head, and filled another pinata with fake blood. I had to argue that I should be able to buttchug a little, but once I proved I could do it they said yes to that, too. Autonomy rules. <\/p>\n

What was the inspiration for Swan Lake? IS this a show you\u2019ve done live before? <\/strong><\/p>\n

I\u2019ve done a version of this show in Chicago earlier this year, but all the historical and choose your own adventure elements were added to flesh it out from fifteen minutes to a full hour. All I\u2019d done previously was tell the story of Swan Lake, dance and chug milk, so we had to add some more stuff and making the space into a basement felt like a cool way to take advantage of static space and no live audience. I\u2019d taken dance classes for fifteen years or something crazy growing up, and I\u2019ve been experimenting with ways of putting it to practical use for maybe two years or so. Ballet was always a big part of my life and I developed a similar kind of show built around The Nutcracker at the end of last year, so Swan Lake felt like the next logical step because most people will recognize the music. Selling people on watching ballet is tough, so the more familiar I can make it, the better. PlusI for sure still secretly want to be a ballerina and this was the easiest way I could think of without actually having to get good.<\/p>\n