Philly Fringe Vital Stats: Ruchama Bilenky
Ruchama Bilenky founded DysFUNctional Theater in 2001 as a pioneer of obscure, and female-centered theater in Philadelphia. A decade in, DysFUNctional Theater is reimagining Georges Rodenbach’s novella Bruges la Morte for the 2012 Philly Fringe; the product is Le Mirage/Dead City Philly. Bilenky, who also works as a yoga instructor in Philly, let us forage her brain for sage morsels. This is what we found.
Name: Ruchama Bilenky.
Show Title: Le Mirage/Dead City Philly
Explain your performance in 2 sentences. To an 8-year-old. There’s videos and a rock band with bagpipes and a man with a top hat. A lady loves him, but a ghost loves him, too.
What was your favorite toy as a kid? I had a box full of things to play “dress-up” with…
Your refrigerator: condiments and beer, or real food? Are you planning to come over for dinner? I have food in the fridge.
Marvel Comics, or DC? Marvel.
A doctor puts a scope inside your ear. What does she see? Monkeys with pitchforks doing the Lindy.
Do you have relatives more famous than you? My dad is legendary bicycle builder Stephen Bilenky.
Le Mirage/Dead City Philly runs September 10 and 11 at 8:00 pm at The Rotunda, 4014 Walnut Street, University City. $10.
–Audrey McGlinchy