The Landless Theatre Company, DC’s purveyor of all theatre that is fun and insane, is setting sail for a most unusual venue this November: The Piratz Tavern of Silver Spring!
This Fall, Landless will present Davey Jones’ Locker, an original “pirate musical extravaganza” loosely based upon The Flying Dutchman legend, at Silver Spring’s Piratz Tavern for three performances in November. The production is written by Landless’ Artistic Director Andrew Lloyd Baughman, and directed by Melissa Baughman (2008 “Best Musical Pick of The Fringe” Diamond Dead, Washington Post Editor’s Pick President Harding Is A Rockstar).
In Davey Jones’ Locker, a band of four scurvy pirates tell the musical tale of a Governor’s runaway daughter who gets a one-way ticket to Davey Jones’ Locker when her rascal buccaneer lover forces her to walk the plank – complete with Pirate Drinking Game and other audience participation. Davey Jones’ Locker premiered in five episodes as part of the 2012 Hope Operas, an annual charity serial-play event at The Comedy Spot in Ballston Commons Mall, where Davey garnered consistent first, second and third place rankings in the audience favorite vote. Davey Jones benefited the Veteran Artist Program.
“It was a no-brainer to perform our new show at the Piratz Tavern,” said playwright-composer Andrew L. Baughman. “There’s no stage or lighting, just four pirates roaming through a bar pulling patrons into their show as they go along. It’s raw and laid-back pirate-y fun, sort of like mixing a pirate-rock concert, Renn Faire exhibition and performance art in a blender.”
The Piratz Tavern is most infamous for appearing in a July episode of Spike TV’s Bar Rescue series. When host Jon Taffer attempted to transform the Pirate-themed bar and restaurant into a “Corporate Bar and Grill,” owner Tracy Rebello and her staff quickly declared mutiny and reclaimed control of the theming.
“We’re also very excited about this production because it brings us back to our original mission, which was to bring live-theatre to new audiences through non-traditional performance venues that uniquely enhance each production,” adds Baughman.
Landless announced in June 2012 that it would be opening its own venue in Adams Morgan after producing theatre for 9 years at The DC Arts Center. The 10th Anniversary Season is currently on hold while the company works through “red tape” to open the new venue.
“We’re currently committed to a building that is over 100 years old, and it’s taking quite a while to secure the appropriate occupancy permits for the space,” says Baughman. “Hopefully those details will work out because the location is really ideal, but in the meantime, we plan to explore other temporary venues for our annual Mash-Up Festival and at least one full-scale production in 2013… keep an eye out for more non-traditional venues and groundbreaking-ly fun shows like Davey Jones at the Piratz Tavern.”
Davey Jones Locker will run at The Piratz Tavern – 8402 Georgia Avenue, in Silver Spring, MD, on Saturday, November 10th at 9 PM; Saturday, November 17th at 9 PM; and Sunday, November 18th at 6PM. No cover. Call (301) 588-9001, or visit Landless Theatre’s website, and Piratz Tavern’s website for more information.
You rock, Andrew.