Our project is about New York and we actively reflect the diversity and inclusion of this great city in front of and behind the camera. Season One's cast and crew included several people of color, immigrants, and members of the LGBTQ community. In Season Two, we are expanding our inclusion!

THE SERIES

Fang Du (as Fang) and Peter Romano (as Jimmy Spazzatura) in Episode 1: 9 Lives

Our creative team met through Columbia University’s Graduate Theatre program. The elements of clown and physical comedy they learned in training were directly applied to Season One of this project. Peter, our creator, began writing episodes that highlighted the specific comedic talents of a few actors he knew and soon had enough material for a full season. 

Since beginning this project, the condition of the world has changed. As the Refugee Crisis has escalated and Xenophobia has found more seats in our government, it became that much more important to make art that promotes diversity and inclusion. Through comedy, we set out to champion this cause and to make this message accessible to all. 

 

Amber Chardae Robinson (as Wanda Wilson) and Fang Du in Ep. 2: How You Doin'

What can we expect in Season 2?

Fang, obviously! Also, new faces (and some you've seen before), plus this season, we are heading to Manhattan (bye Brooklyn). Some neighborhoods we are visiting include Lower East Side, FiDi, and Times Square, but we can't tell you what characters we are meeting - you will have to wait and see! We are shooting 7 episodes this season, and hope to release these in Spring 2019. 

 

Why should you support this project?

Kenard Jackson (as Geoffrey Galliard III) in the Season Finale.

This Series is for Everyone, Not Just Artists.

You don’t need to know New York to like this series. We’ve created a show that has a unique non-linear format. Our episodes stand alone or can be watched consecutively; we’ve created a format that allows for both. Our goal was to create vignettes that are accessible to everyone. Each character has a dream, and this universal theme provides our comedic elements and a chance for audiences of all backgrounds to engage with the material.

 

Matthew Dunivan and Aaron Morton (above) in Ep. 3: Carnie Island

Fang Du and Brynne McManimie (below) in Ep. 7: Key ExChainge

We Thrive On Diversity and Inclusion.

Our stories reflect the diversity of New York City. In a time where diversity is not always seen at an asset, we are determined to make it so. Our mission comes right from Emma Lazarus's poem "The New Colossus" in the Statue of Liberty. Lazarus writes of the "tired and poor," from far off lands being welcomed by a "mighty woman with a torch.” We want to be that woman. We met people from many backgrounds in Season 1, and are exploring more communities and cultures in Season 2.

 

Fang Du and the Gypsters (Eric Williams, Keith Pinault, Alice Renier, Nico Keifer, Nick Shea) in Ep. 6: Gypsters

Every Dollar Matters.

A little goes a long way! Our team comes from a theatre background, so we know how to create art from nothing (we literally did theatre in a basement of a dorm with three clip lights and two blocks). Even a small contribution will provide us the means to create this season. You will see we do not have equipment rental in our budget breakdown - that's because we do not need to rent or pay for any equipment thanks to our friends over at Blackbox Productions, who have generously donated their time and equipment to this project.

 

(Side note: this campaign is only funding our production itself - all post-production, marketing, and festival submission fees will be funded separately).

 

Lauren Maykut and Michael Mullen (above) in Ep. 3: Park Slope Parents

Frank Ritorto (below) in Ep. 5: Bagels on Me

You’re Giving Artists Jobs.

Our project is fueled by a talented and diverse group of artists. The characters were written for the specific artists portraying them. We provide a platform for their artistic voices in an industry that doesn’t always have a job for them. 

 

IT'S FANG!

We've Done This Before.

This is our second season! We have a solid cast and crew that has (mostly) been with us from the very beginning. Season 1 received consistent positive feedback from viewers and fellow filmmakers, and we were even accepted into several film festivals! We are lucky enough to get to do this all over again, and we are learning from our past mistakes to make Season 2 even better than Season 1. We are very excited to continue exploring these stories and characters, and to expand our audience!

 

Can't pledge today? That's okay!

You can still "follow" our campaign (click the button above!) and share on social media. Both of these things help us tremendously.