Mt Rushmore
photo by Ken Schles
Mt Rushmore
We can change our world.
The newest show from award-winning New York performer, Monica Hunken. This is the story of one American woman's fantastical life in the throes of the rebellious Reagan era. A true 1980's adventure with espionage, unexpected friendship and second chances.
With live music
ABOUT:
Mt. Rushmore is a time travel, punk rock voyage that lands the audience in the throes of the rebellious Reagan era, where they help the performer on her quest to save her mother from a lifetime of grief and Conservatism. This wild quest is a true 1980s adventure - packed to the brim with espionage, unexpected friendships, and even a chance for redemption. Mt. Rushmore also features live original music with a band.
Mt Rushmore is sponsored, in part, by the Greater New York Arts Development Fund of the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs, administered by Brooklyn Arts Council (BAC)
WHO:
Writer / Performer: Monica Hunken
Dramaturg: Josh Bisker
Play Consultant: Melissa Chambers
Music Director: Phil Andrews
Previous Iterations:
Band:
Drums: Nikkie McLeod
Trumpet/ Electric Bass: Ben Eshleman
Upright Bass/ Music Arranger: Phil Andrews
Performer: Caio D’aguilar
Co-Director: Theresa Buchheister
Co-Director: Nehemiah Luckett
Play Consultant: Melissa Chambers
Dramaturg: Phillip Santos Schaffer
Photos by Ken Schles and Erik McGregor
Developed with generous support from artist residency SPACE on Ryder Farm in upstate NY and a month long residency at Fish Factory in Iceland
“Monica Hunken’s wildly fun 1980s queer punk rock rebellion fantasia, Mt. Rushmore”
““Mt Rushmore has it all: badass women, time travel, punk rock, political activism, family dynamics, the ’80s, and live music. There’s injustice, deadly corporate malfeasance, a fear-mongering politician, and espionage. But also hope and strength and humor. It’s like you took The Americans, made it a DIY sci-fi with a strong social conscience, and set it to a Black Flag soundtrack. I’m in.”
”
“A thoroughly enjoyable evening in the theatre. Monica Hunken is a wonderful storyteller who knows how to play to and with an audience and we are happy to go along for the ride. The satire is funny, the poignant mother-daughter moments are lovely and Monica transforms into each character with specificity and simplicity. I had a great time. Mount Rushmore rocks!”
“The show had a well-developed and captivating personal voice, and her stage presence was larger than life. There was not a wasted word as she (somehow) seamlessly transitioned between starkly contrasting musical styles, a variety of characters and story lines. Monica left everything on stage in a performance that is difficult to forget after experiencing.
”
Photo by Shradha Raj
Audience Responses:
“Everyone needs to see this show.”
Congratulations on such an entertaining, thoughtful, powerful and loving piece.”
“The play was more than I hoped for; Loud, funny, honest, moving and ultimately uplifting.”
“What a great show!! You’re storytelling unbelievably articulate and full of emotions. You had me all over the place! Just really brilliant theatre.”
“Monica, congratulations on an absolutely amazing, successful and moving piece you have created. It was so inspiring.”
“I loved how you managed to create something so deeply personal and self reflective that was universally relatable and relevant to the current moment we're all living in. I thought it was brave and vulnerable… You did it beautifully and it came across marvelously, thank you so much for sharing your incredible and moving stories with the world and for helping us all imagine a better one.”
“ I was privileged to see it last evening & found it powerful, funny, rocking, vulnerable, angry, & uplifting. Monica (& the band) can break your heart and make you rock your body. See them if you can.”
“The way you weave the threads of your life and family history with US and global politics is so powerful, a profound model for personal repair. Thank you.”
“So moving and engrossing, Monica - you are amazing! So glad I got to see this iteration. Kudos to you and everyone involved at Mt Rushmore”
“It was so great to see the show and to see you thriving in your element on stage”
“You’re such an excellent damn performer”
“It was great to see you too and I really really loved the piece! So brave, so healing, so rock n roll!!”
“Truly amazing work”
“Oh monica honestly that was absolutely fucking incredible, Not just the story and your performance but every single design detail, everything. It was magnificent”
“Incredibly engaging and magnetic!”
“Really appreciate your piece yesterday. My girl and I wanted to watch a piece from someone with a different perspective and we found you. Thank you so much for the story you shared yesterday. Would love to see you perform again!”
“What a performance! Thoroughly enjoyed it. I hope you get to perform in Chennai as well!”
“We absolutely loved it. We wanted to thank you in person but couldn’t unfortunately.”
“Thank you again for a wonderful show. Here’s to hope and the future. Cheers!”
“Thoroughly enjoyed the show. What a great performance 👏👏”
“A raw and unapologetic portrayal of personal and political rebellion. A story from far away but similar to our inherited ideologies. Amazing writing. Amazing performance. Beautiful singing. Left us with hope in our heart.”
“Monica Hunken was a force to be reckoned with in this weekend musical. She single-handedly engaged the audience, telling a story that I feel strongly about. What do we do when family members or those we love, hold harmful ideologies? How do we reconcile with that? We empthatize because their life experiences have shaped their beliefs, but how do we help them see reason now?
The ribbons we wrote the names of inspirational women on were used as symbolic propellors by Monica to travel back in time to free her mother from the politically conservative grip of the 1980s. The journey was both a personal and political rebellion, offering her mother a glimpse of a different life, celebrating the freedom and emotional healing she eventually experienced, albeit in a humorous time travel fantasy. Simultaneously it highlighted everything her family had suffered at the hands of a beastly government funded corporation, reflecting the principles Monica upholds today and her efforts to bring about change in the world.
Bad ass women, time travel, political activism, family dynamics, friendship, emotional healing and hope. I was left with many thoughts. At the end, shouting in unison, We deserve better, than what the system enforces on us, felt cathartic and empowering.
Monica, setting the play aside, I want to tell you how inspirational it’s been to listen to you and hear about all that you’re doing to spread your message. Had I known earlier, I would’ve written your name on that ribbon.
If you’re reading this, keep up the amazing work! Your community is growing stronger and Im sure there are countless women who look to you for inspiration. And wow you have such a beautiful voice!”
Photo by Ken Schles
Previous performances:
-Colombo International Theater Festival, Sri Lanka August 2024
-Ranga Shankara Theater in Bangalore, India September 2024
-Ov Off Space, Athens Greece September 2024
-On Women Festival at Irondale Center in Brooklyn, NY July 2022
-Theater of Changes Festival in Athens, Greece August 2021
-The Brick Theater April 2019
-Exponential Theater Festival at Triskelion Arts January 2019
-Charm City Fringe November 2018
-MKE Fringe Festival in late August 2018