Candied Camera LIVE!
Nora Burns
Candied Camera LIVE!
A Multimedia Comic Variety Show
Back in the early 1990s, during the Golden Age of Manhattan Public Access cable TV, Nora Burns hosted and produced a variety show called Candied Camera. Filmed bimonthly at the Gay Cable Network studio/sex club, the show was a crazy quilt of downtown doings, featuring saucy skits, in-studio performances (Varla Jean Merman Cheese-whiz anyone?), interviews with personalities from Marc Jacobs and RuPaul to Candis Cayne and Joey Arias, and of course lots of go-go boys and drag queens. Themes of the over 35 shows, which have been archived at NYU’s Fales library include Gay Pride, the 9th Circle, Dead Friends, Old Porn, Cable Madness, Dress Up and Domination.
Candied Camera LIVE! Is a tongue in chic variety show (think The Comeback meets Spinal Tap) with guests, monologues, a multi media mix of video clips and, of course, go-go boys. Directed and edited by Adam Pivirotto, and choreographed by Robin Carrigan (the team behind The Village! A Disco Musical) the show will highlight the '90s performance era (including at La MaMa where several of the guests at the time were doing their shows) in the newly renovated Club at La MaMa.
Cast:
Kevin Herzog
David Ilku
Royston Scott
Fiona St. James
Ricky Roman
Richard E. Waits
Chuck Blasius
Special Nightly Guests (one per episode):
Kevin Aviance
Michael Musto
Linda Simpson
Lauren Ezersky
Surprise Celebrity Cameos!
Guests on the original show include:
Joey Arias, RuPaul, Hilton Als, Michael Musto, Marc Jacobs, Candis Cayne, Jennifer Coolidge, Taylor Meade, Lypsinka, Tama Janowitz, Sarah Schulman, Charles Busch, John Kelly, Julie Halston and many more
Photo by Jason Rodgers
Cast: Kevin Herzog, David Ilku, Royston Scott, Fiona St. James, Ricky Roman, Richard E. Waits, Chuck Blasius
Special Nightly Guests (one per episode): Kevin Aviance, Michael Musto, Linda Simpson, Lauren Ezersky
Surprise Celebrity Cameos!
Guests on the original show include: Joey Arias, RuPaul, Hilton Als, Michael Musto, Marc Jacobs, Candis Cayne, Jennifer Coolidge, Taylor Meade, Lypsinka, Tama Janowitz, Sarah Schulman, Charles Busch, John Kelly, Julie Halston and many more
Sets: Steven Hammel
Costumes: Paul Alexander
Nora Burns is a founding member of the comedy groups Unitard and the Nellie Olesons. Her solo shows include Honey I’m Home and David’s Friend which premiered at LaMama ETC and received a rave review in the New York Times. Her play The Village, A Disco Daydream, opened at Dixon Place in 2022 and had 3 sold-out runs. She has performed in the comedy festivals Just for Laughs in Montreal and We’re Funny That Way in Toronto, and at the Aspen Comedy Festival. Nora curated and hosted a series called New York Stories at the historic Stonewall Inn where celebrated New Yorkers tell entertaining and sordid stories about their lives in the city of yore.
Adam Pivirotto (director) is a theater/filmmaker based in New York City. He most recently directed 3 sold-out runs of The Village, A Disco Daydream at Dixon Place. He was director/producer of drag performer Cleo Berlin’s cabaret series, presented at Pangea through TWEED Theaterworks. His short films have been screened at Richmond International Film Fest, Genreblast Film Fest, NYC Poetry Festival, LA Cinefest, Sixth Sense Film Festival, Filmshortage, and Shondaland. His one act This Place was presented at Dixon Place HOT Festival.