‘The Joys of Armageddon’ Coming to Hoboken

Mike iLL tells me about his new musical

If you’ve been in Hoboken for the past week or so, you may have been handed what looks like a brochure from a religious cult.

A closer look (and repeated readings) will reveal that it is actually a flyer for an experimental new musical called ‘The Joys of Armageddon‘.

Driven by visions of the end of civilization, the Mutiny Zoo community, living in an abandoned subway tunnel, upload mass communications to an orphaned cell phone satellite, to be triggered by the emergency broadcasting system during and after the 2012 holocaust. Recent collaborator, Macon Trachtenberg, a genius computer hacker escapes institutional intervention and joins them in their underground compound where they’ve been preparing for post-holocaust survival, but the tunnel floods just days before the first calamities are expected to occur. Driven from their haven, Macon and the Mutiny Zoo make their way to New Orleans, where Macon plans a lethal confrontation with his estranged father…before their ultimate confrontation with the Divine.

Despite my constant complaints about the dwindling culture of Hoboken, this town is still home to some of the brightest and most talented musicians, artists, writers and actors anywhere. Mike iLL — a Hoboken native, now residing in Pensacola, FL with wife Rivka and daughter Rinah — knows where to go for talent.

Amid the clanking of pint glasses and passing cars, we chatted outside of Carpe Diem (1405 Grand St, Hoboken).

“It’s definitely been a blast working with all these people that we’ve known for so long,” Mike said. And while assembling such a great cast and crew — a venerable who’s how of the Hoboken scene — would seem a calculated move, he added, “It really just kinda came together like that. Very organically.”

A key player in this has been Hair co-author James Rado who created the piece with Mike and Rivka. “We probably had the initial idea for this musical many years ago,” said Mike. But the birth of daughter Rinah (who at 10 months old will be in the show) was the impetus to move forward with production.

Although Mike went on to tell me more of the finer points of the storyline, I will be keeping them to myself for now. I’m sorry but, due to the talent of the cast and the twists in the story, I insist that you all go see it to find out more.

Details:
Monroe Theatrespace
720 Monroe St, Hoboken, NJ 07030
June 18, 2010 & June 19, 2010
8:00pm–10:00pm

For tickets, go to madhappy.com/tickets

Cast & Crew:
Widget: J McElfresh
Antoinette LaFíte: Brenda Bergman
Pitzy Jonawitz: Dominick Della Fave
Holy Jonawitz: Rivka
Macon Tracktenberg: Mike iLL
Oshun: Suzy Q
Pong: Kate Silver
Zelda: Babe Borden
Berzerk: Christina Silver
Super Mario: Armen Setrakian
Static: Abbe Rivers
Muerdonk: Patrick “Mr. Taps” Guden
Pulse: Jaime Della Fave
Candace Tracktenberg: Tina Krause

Lights: Anthony Arena
Props: Kristalina Arena
Sound and DJ: Tommy Costagliola
Lighting Design: Emilio China
Photos by: Carlos Gonzalez

Really, go see the show. It comes from the minds of very talented artists and is being staged by a troupe of amazing people.

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