The 'Sex Fest' Comes Again

Do you like to play?

At Heart and Dagger's "Sex Fest II" Boston's sexiest playwrights explore the ins and outs of sex in a series of titillating and thought-provoking examinations of one of our favorite (and most anxiety-ridden) activities.

This, the festival's second year, is the next installment of what is destined to be one of Boston most penetrating yearly cultural events, May 30 - June 14 at The Factory Theatre.

The "Sex Fest" has two different shows this year, the ever-popular Sex Fest shorts, which the company calls "Safeword: F#ck You, Master," and a full-length production of Charles Mee's "Jesus."

From "Oedipus" to "Streetcar," dramatists have plumbed the depths of sexual desire in an attempt to better understand our greater humanity. Heart and Dagger continues this long-standing theatrical tradition, artistic director Joey C. Pelletier explains.

"Plus, this year there'll be more full nudity," he adds.

The "Sex Fest" quickies, "Safeword: F#ck You, Master," are original short plays by some of Boston's most popular provocateurs, playwrights who are willing to delve into the annals of all kinds of sexuality.

"There are some cute pieces," says artistic director Joey Pelletier, "and there are piece that are funny, scary and just really sexy."

Men hide some aspects of each other while revealing almost everything else in "Bathroom Games." Two alpha males from UMass Lowell battle for dominance (and the honor of a woman) by stripping down and mutilating some fruit in "The Melon Balla'." And a virtuous and handsome penis proves his valor by winning the clit of a lovely (if uptight) vagina, in John J King's "Cock Tales," a phallic coming-of-age story.

"In Rick Park's play, 'Mind Your P's & Q's,' a couple decides to explore water-sports," says Pelletier, "and just when they're about to, you know, start..." He leaves his sentence hanging.

What? What happens? You may wonder.

"I'm not going to tell you," says Pelletier. "You'll have to come see the play."

You can imagine all of this quickly devolving into extreme tastelessness. But Rick Park's "The Doppler of My Heart" was one of the highlights of the Boston Theater Marathon. And it was his keen ear for dialogue and astute examination of character that made his play appealing. Not sensationalism.

Other authors include, Grant MacDermott, Mikey DiLoreto, Lyralen Kaye, Lizette M. Morris and Cassie M. Seinuk whose play in last year's fest was called "the culmination of some of the finest insights this production has to offer" by one critic.

"The dialogue is natural and the performances are believable," the critic continued, "The audience is carefully seduced into a complex, upsetting and deeply human sexual relationship."

In some of the other short plays, two women in therapy discover that Freud was all wrong about "penis envy." Daddy confesses to daughter his love of lingerie. And a wife gives her hubby a hand with his porno hang-ups.

Closeted vampires, a dominatrix, Crisco and Star Wars sex play will all come together, (if not simultaneously.)

In addition to the shorts, Heart & Dagger will produce a full length production as well. "Jesus," is a strange and haunting performance art piece by Charles Mee with supplementary material by Silvia Graziano and Lizette Morris.

"Unlike the shorts, which are more narrative, this experimental piece really bares the Heart & Dagger look," says Pellitier. "Stylistic and full of movement, it's shocking and in your face. It features all the awful things an audience can imagine and ends with a prayer. "

"Something about the feelings I'm asking these actors to play," continues Pellitier, "is just too raw, too - for lack of a better word - 'naked' for the average actor to handle. It takes a special kind of performer to do plays like this. I gave the roles to people who wouldn't be scared of the material... or people who were incredibly hot."

WARNING: These plays contains graphic nudity, language and scenes of sexuality. So get you tickets right away at www.HeartandDagger.org.