44 Charlton: Zenizen, Ike Ufomadu and Jack Barrow
44 Charlton: A Variety Show
Originally Aired: Friday, May 3, 2019
Zenizen (Photo by Timothy Murray)
Overview
(Above photo credit: Julian Fleisher/Matthew Septimus)
Bite into a hot slice of NYC life every first Friday of the month at 44 Charlton — the world’s first and only variety show smashing together the gutsiest comedy, music, dance, theater, spoken word, and genre-bending performances on a single stage, hosted by the sometimes salty, always sexy Julian Fleisher.
On this show: a boylesque performance by Jack Barrow, comedy from Ike Ufomadu and music from Zenizen, a band that fuses soul, jazz R&B and rock.
Come for the cheap drinks. Stay to become a part of spontaneous genius. The wheels might come off! The clothes might come off! Bring your expectations to the door, then pick them up again after the show.
Zenizen was created by Opal Hoyt who was born in Alaska and raised between Vermont, Jamaica, Washington DC and Brooklyn. She found herself infatuated with writing songs and creating musical landscapes with an emphasis on all things soulful. Minnie Riperton, Mariah Carey, London Nu-jazz is where she came from and ended up. Since heading to Australia for the second time to write/record the band’s debut EP, she has been back in New York simultaneously playing shows and working on the band’s ‘vaguely seasonal’ full-length. The ‘Australia’ EP is currently available on transparent blue vinyl via Don Giovanni Records and all major streaming platforms.
Credit: Photo by Da Ping Luo
Imagine if Freddie Mercury and Liza Minelli had met at Studio 54, partied way too hard and ended up conceiving a child. That magic moment might have been the birth of Jack Barrow, the Charming Bastard of Burlesque. He can be seen dancing with The House of Noire at House of YES! this summer, and can be seen heating up such stages as Birdland, the Laurie Beechman and Coney Island, the Slipper Room. Stay up to date by following @mr.jackbarrow on Instagram.
Credit: Photo courtesy of the guest
Ikechukwu Ufomadu is an actor, writer and comic entertainer. Time Out New York named him 1 of 5 “Comics to Watch in 2018”, and he’s an inaugural recipient of the 2019-2020 Jerome Foundation Artist Fellowship.
He is creator and host to a number of original, live shows including: the talk show Ike at Night (Public Theater, Bushwick Starr, JACK); the comedy and music variety hour Nightcap | by Ike (Joe’s Pub at The Public); the one-man variety show Ike Night (Ars Nova, San Francisco Sketchfest, Good Good Comedy Theatre); the Christmas special Ike for the Holidays (Joe’s Pub at The Public); the game show Ike by Chance (Ars Nova, Union Hall); the murder mystery Inspector Ike (Comedy Central Corporate Retreat); and more.
His short-form series Words with Ike has aired on VICE and IFC. He’s written for the TruTV series Paid Off w/ Michael Torpey, and made recent appearances on Patriot Act with Hasan Minhaj and VICE Live.
Ikechukwu has collaborated with several OBIE-winning theatre companies and artists including: Young Jean Lee’s Theater Company, Clare Baron, 600 Highwaymen and Hoi Polloi. He was in the Off-Broadway world premiere of Dance Nation at Playwrights Horizons.
He trained at NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts; the International Theatre Workshop in The Netherlands; and Studio Five’s theatre and dance programs in Indonesia. Ikechukwu has been an artist-in-residence at Joe’s Pub at The Public and SPACE on Ryder Farm. He’s been featured in the New York Times, Time Out New York, New York Magazine, Playboy and more.