Out Rage Us

Patrick Scully might be dubbed our veteran provocateur. Since 1986, when the first Patrick's Cabaret opened at St. Stephen's Catholic Church, Scully has been presenting performance art at once naive, sophisticated, out there, and in synch with the times. But Scully really ups the ante with "Out Rage Us Cabarets," a series designed to show the wild side of love, life, and political discourse in a very cold climate. A different show runs the last Tuesday of every month through 2008, with a rotating group of artists. Tuesday's offerings include an evolving Cabaret theme song written by Charles Schuminski with music by Joe Chvala, during which audience members participate by following some pretty zesty bouncing balls. Choreographer Justin Leaf will preview a new work for a Queerographers Evening in April, while Kats Fukasawa shows what he learned studying with a Butoh master in India for six months. Meanwhile, Dante's Dancers, the naked writhers who rather sensationally opened last month's show with a descent into hell, will be back with fresh ordeals; Amy Salloway will reflect on her always fascinating life; and David Amdur will give us uplifting images of how bodily urges have been debased over the centuries. Is this Mel Brooks's 2000 Year Old Man revisited? Or prewar Berlin revamped? Either way, Scully knows how to throw a good party.— Linda Shapiro