Members in Absentia

When you give in to creative passion, it will bring you to the ultimate thresholds of transfiguration and renewal. This growth causes pain, but it is a sacred pain. It would be much more tragic to have cautiously avoided these depths and remained removed on the shiny surfaces of the banal.” – John O’Donohue, from his book Anam Cara, A Book of Celtic Wisdom

Marianne first witnessed the creative passions of Reverend Billy, Savitri D., and The Church of Stop Shopping at the Astor Place Starbucks in New York City. Both enlivened and fascinated by their synthesis of art, performance, song, and activism, Marianne was soon singing and participating in the event she came to watch. Such is the nature of street theater, where the street is the stage and the spectators often become part of the performance.

Marianne’s first real experience with social awareness, service engagement, and peace activism came from the Dominican sisters and her teachers at Molly College. Growing up in the 80’s she was also influenced by the activism of pivotal groups who called for radical and proactive responses to the crises of the Cold War nuclear arms race and emergence of AIDS.

Marianne has been in several vocal groups and celebrates the opportunity to be a part of this performance community. When not with the Church, crafting, reading, traveling, or dancing, Marianne teaches Naam Yoga at Cat Cow Yoga Studio in Greenpoint, Brooklyn and studies at the Universal Force Healing Center in New York City. 

Nasser is from Uganda, he is a world class Boxer. He is a happpy new father living in Poughkeepsie these days.

Billy and I met when he came to see a Peculiar Works Project show I was in at the Dixon Place Theatre, which at that time was located at the Vineyard 26 space. I didn't know him at the time but we talked a bit after the show and did some hamming it up, a la Southern Baptist Church. Unbeknownst to me he was not just auditioning me but creating a role, the 1st Lady of the Church, for me. And the rest, as they say, is history 

Maraluna Rivas, Native New Yorker, was born on a stage. Her parents Margie and Bittman "Bimbo" Rivas, legendary
for their work in the housing movement and revolutionary theater, her talent comes as a part of the blood line. Acting since she was a child, and watching her father and mother work as historical theater giants, has moved Maraluna to become an actress. It is an honor and a privilege for her to work with Reverend Billy and the Stop Shopping gospel Choir. A full time student at Hunter College and being a stellar mother as well.

She would like to thank her son Mason; Glen, her brothers Bimbi & Kaita, her niece Majic, her cousin Gina, her God-father Chino, Luis Guzman and ALL of her friends for all their love, support and inspiration. 

Several years ago I came to the realization that choice of product has become one of the few avenues Americans have to assert their individuality and sense of self. Increasingly, life is dictated from the minute one awakes until the television is turned off after the nightly news at 11. Then I read an article in the New York Times printed a few years ago about this performance artist, Reverend Billy, who had the audacity to confront this very subject. Not only did he decry our emotional and spiritual state but the ethical reaches of consumerism in this country and its tentacles that reach far and wide. I had to meet this person and, once I did, was more than willing to join his battle to thwart the grotesque evils of shopping!