CHAOS & CANDY

CHAOS & CANDY was a musical theatrical extravaganza conceived, written and directed by Adam Dugas that ran for eight years in New York City. The project of CHAOS & CANDY has always been to disrupt received notions about the history and purpose of Christmas, and to open a window on it for those who feel excluded. Beginning as a gallery performance at Deitch Projects in 2002, it progressed in scale, scope and complexity over the years until it was comprised of mostly original songs written by Dugas and the repetory cast. Collaborating with visual artists, designers, dancers and musicians, a new visual and musical theme was incorporated each year to guarantee a fresh perspective. Guest stars included operatic countertenor Anthony Roth Costanzo, Jake Shears of the Scissor Sisters, Lunachicks front woman Theo Kogan, comedian Murray Hill, and musician and writer Our Lady J.

UNHOLY NIGHT

Abrons Arts Center; New York, NY
2009
A “Krystmasse Rock Fantasia” - UNHOLY NIGHT explores the supernatural folk legends of Yuletide with an original score evoking metal, New Wave, classic rock and punk.
Photo by Casey Spooner, Graphics by Michael Bevilacqua

FULL FATHOM FIESTA

**“TERROR CRUISE” / “SUNKEN DREAMS”**
Abrons Arts Center; New York, NY
2008

Act One - “Terror Cruise” - a book musical about Priscilla Danforth, a bitter, holiday-hating woman who blows up a South American-bound cruise ship on Christmas Eve. Priscilla’s henchman falls in love with a passenger and rehearsals for a revue are ongoing, with its diva star “La Tormenta” battling with her fiery director. Everyone dies.

Act Two - “Sunken Dreams” - an underwater Vaudeville hosted by Poseidon. Opening with a ballet set to harp music by Mia Theodoratus, it was followed by a sexy Seuss-like “Dance of the Narwhals” choreographed by Vanessa Walters, acrobatics, filthy sea shanty sung by a pirate, and Angela Di Carlo’s show-stopper “Don’t Turn Your Back on the Sea” with an 8-foot Kraken puppet.
Painting by Alexia Stamatiou with Matt Dugas

CHICKEN IN THE SNOW

The Box; New York, NY
2007
Set in a haunted honkytonk at midnight on Christmas Eve, it featured the ghosts of imaginary country stars coming back to sing their greatest holiday hits.
This is when the shows began to be comprised of mostly original music.

Photo by Matthew Placek

COSMIC YULE

The Box; New York, NY
2006
Merging the aesthetics of outer space and the Renaissance.
Featured the debut of Lizzy Yoder’s instant classic “The Donkey Song.”
Photo by Matthew Placek

Countertenor Anthony Roth Costanzo sings “Music for a While” by Henry Purcell.
Wardrobe by Machine Dazzle.

KABUKI XMAS

Hiro Ballroom; New York, NY
2005
Inspired by a DVD of a classic Kabuki theater production and a general love of Japanese culture.

THE ROYAL COURT OF CHRISTMAS

Deitch Projects; Brooklyn, NY
2004
A return to the Deitch space in Brooklyn for a raucous edition that included the first original song written for the show, “Hail to the Christmas Paper King and Queen” by repertory mainstay Angela Di Carlo, who would continue to write many classic songs.

THE SECOND COMING

Volume; Brooklyn, NY
2003
Basically a repeat of the first year on a bigger scale, in a commercial venue. New York nightlife legend Serge Becker hosted the show as a preview of his club Volume, the first serious attempt to launch a major event and music space in Williamsburg.

Hotmix video of 2002 and 2003.