What Tammy Needs to Know about Getting Old and Having Sex: The Concert Tour
“Lois Weaver is a playful pixie of performance art.”
– New York Times
Conceived and Directed by: Lois Weaver
Written by: Lois Weaver
in collaboration with Peggy Shaw
Performed by: Lois Weaver and special guests
A special concert performance to launch Tammy WhyNot’s debut album. The “Tammy” in question is former famous country and western singer turned performance artist Tammy WhyNot. She is also the creation of artist, writer, director, scholar and activist Lois Weaver. Tammy will be giving a special performance to launch her musical exploration into aging, desire, pleasure and intimacy. In preparation for the tour, Tammy investigates her subject using a series of workshops and public interventions with LGBT elders in NYC in order to generate local stories and recruit participants for the show. The show will also feature special guest appearances by established artists such as Peggy Shaw, Bette Bourne, Precious Pearl and many more…plus music videos created in the workshops in London Zagreb and New York! The concert will feature tracks from Tammy’s debut album.
“The lines between musical revue, variety show, and daytime talk show converge in this truly unique piece of theatre… The highlight of the show is the cast of 17 people in their 70’s and 80’s, called the WhyNets, that Tammy met by conducting research about sex and aging at several retirement homes in New York… Their willingness to talk about their sexuality so openly is both life affirming and inspiring… leaves us with an overwhelming sense of compassion that is well worth the cost of admission.”
– Ken Kaissar, Theatre is Easy
“These New Yorkers are black, white, Latino, and Asian; they’re gay, straight, widowed, celibate, and (surprisingly) libertine. But most of all they’re hot — because experience always is…. Carmen and Jorge show off salsa moves. Tom reads his stunning poem. A geriatric couple recommends daily lovemaking. “I want to be that badass,” said a twenty-something woman sitting near me.”
– Tom Sellar, The Village Voice
“Lois Weaver brings fun for all ages…The hour-long variety show is a charmer–a little sugar, a little spice. Weaver doesn’t so much break the theatrical fourth wall as completely ignore it…There’s no resisting Tammy.”
– Eva Yaa Asantewaa, InfiniteBody