WORLD PREMIERE OF DEATHLESS AND TAXLESS: A CORPORATE EXORCISM

July 15, 2021, Hollywood CA. We are dying and paying taxes while doing so; this is certain. The corporation believes it is beyond death and taxation; it would have us sacrifice ourselves, offer ourselves to its engorgement, for the sake of its immortality. What’s worse, the corporation possesses us, has possessed us; we are possessed. Let’s perform a corporate exorcism! Opens Sunday, August 8, 2021 @ 3:30PM PST via Zoom.

Join Benjamin Ross Nicholson, PhD (pending) as he guides you through Deathless and Taxless: A Corporate Exorcism, both a didactic lecture concerning the mysterious figure of the “Man in Business Suit Levitating” (an avatar of the corporation) and a collaborative ritual exorcism to remove the corporation from the cavity of your corpse. By accepting your death and your debt, you will discover that the quest for profit can be replaced with a desire for the well-being of others; this feels very nice, at last.

In addition to PowerPoint and demonic expulsion, you are likely to encounter the following in this performance: pork pie hats, lengthy quotations, one (1) original folk ballad, comradeship, and the Malleus Corporatum.

For your protection from further corporate possession, all performances are to be communicated via Zoom; August 8th, 16th, and 28th.

Presented by Theatre Asylum

Written by Benjamin Nicholson, PhD (pending)

Facilitated by Benjamin Nicholson and Pam Noles

WHERE – Zoom, the prevailing telepresence platform (condolences to Webex and Skype)

WHEN (all performances to be communicated via Zoom)

Sunday, August 8, 2021 @ 3:30PM PST – Preview
Monday, August 16, 2021 @ 5:00PM PST
Saturday, August 28, 2021 @ 7:30PM PST

Running time: 60 minutes

TICKETS

Pay what you can, given your personal fiscal circumstances ($6.66, if available, could help oust the corporate demon): http://hff21.co/7116

Appropriate for human persons aged 13 and greater.

Comps available for members of the press upon request. Please contact [email protected]

ABOUT THE PRODUCTION TEAM:

Benjamin Nicholson (Writer/Possessed)

Benjamin Nicholson is a writer, musician, pedagog, and performer currently pursuing a PhD in USC’s Media Arts + Practice program. He holds undergraduate degrees in Electronic Writing and Electronic Music + Multimedia from Brown University, as well as an MFA in Visual Arts from the University of Chicago. This is to say, he has been to a lot of school. Ben has also worked in Silicon Valley business development and international consulting. He is particularly fascinated by corpses and potatoes.

Ben’s last HFF play, 2019’s “The Last PowerPoint” (recipient of an Encore! Producer’s Award), was reviewed by its audience thusly: “A collage of dead corpses and humongous potatoes that are the result of our unsatisfying allegiance to corporate America”; “I went in not knowing what I’m expecting, and walked out not sure what I just witnessed”; and “Nicholson might be the devil.”

www.brnart.com

Pam Noles (Stage Manager/Zoom Host/Master of Ceremonies/Exorcist)

Pam Noles is a former journalist whose work appeared in outlets ranging from the Los Angeles Times to Vibe Magazine. She debuted her longform story show, “! Death 40-Feet Tall !,” at the first Hollywood Fringe Festival. She hosts the Turbine Arts Collective Montage show and often performs on storytelling stages throughout Los Angeles. A graduate of the Clarion Writers’ Workshop, her writing has appeared in anthologies from Warner Books, The Infinite Matrix, Dark Horse Comics, Terra Major, and Pulphouse, among others. Do not ever ask her why Grendel should have kicked Batman’s ass during that crossover unless you have a lot of time on your hands.

*in the spirit of corporate exorcisms, we have eschewed social media at this time; we are, however, happy to get to know you if that sounds enticing; please reach out via email at your leisure: [email protected].