WATER ALWAYS WANDERS
A RITUAL OF STORYTELLING
About thIS EVENT:
​Originally debuted and workshopped as part of the Tennessee Williams inaugural “Last Bohemia Festival” (2023) “Water Always Wanders” is an embodiment of remembered futures told thru original stories; in honor of the poetic legacy of BronisÅ‚awa Wajs. A curated performance ritual facilitated thru Storytelling from a cohort of queer and trans Romani artists Tsarina Hellfire, Jezmina Von Thiele, Ylvadroma Marzanna Radziszewski, Moonbear, Kiki Robinson, Baby Reckless & Konstantin Polyakov; with special guest LadyBabyMiss (non-Roma.) Join us for an evening of object theater, shadow puppetry, & music as we join our voices in prayer with our queer & trans Romani ancestors. With multimedia installations from The Living Altar, Kiki Robinson & Baby Reckless. As we approach the Winter Solstice, we offer this performance as a blessing and a prayer for Safe Travels on our descent into the depths of Night. The title of this show is taken from the poem, Water that Always Wanders by Polska Romani poet Papusza (BronisÅ‚awa Wajs; 1909-1987) NOTE: this is performance art and storytelling as ritual by queer, trans and allied Roma artists in celebration of our queer and trans Romani ancestors & not a sharing of closed cultural practices.
ABOUT the Performers
Tsarina Magdalena hellfire
Tsarina Magdalena Hellfire (she/they) has been on, behind, and in front of the stage professionally since 2002. She is a queer, Sinti/Gitano/Kale Roma/Gipsy, witch and performance artist. She produces Les Vampyre Cabaret, Swing Night at Allways Lounge Cabaret and many other productions in the beautiful city of New Orleans. She is also one of the main Krewe members of the International Endless Night Festival, Babylon the inner Vampyre Court. Since 2011, Madame Hellfire has sung with The Slick Skillet Serenaders.
Jezmina Von Thiele
Jezmina Von Thiele (they/she) is a writer, editor, educator, podcaster, and fortune teller. They write poetry, fiction, & nonfiction published in Prairie Schooner, The Kenyon Review Online, Narrative Magazine, & elsewhere. Jezmina is of mixed heritage and reads tarot, palms, and tea leaves in her Romani family’s tradition, both online, and in-person. Jezmina specializes in teaching creativity, art, writing, and literature workshops; divination; and other spiritual topics. Jezmina also tells fortunes and performs with The Poetry Brothel—Boston. They are co-host of Romanistan, a podcast celebrating Romani culture, alongside co-host Paulina Stevens. Jezmina and Paulina authored their debut book, Secrets of RomaniFortune Telling.
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Website: https://linktr.ee/jezminavonthiele
Bimbo Yaga
Ylva Mara Radziszewski (she/they) is Bimbo Yaga, the Trans MILF of your wet dreams. She is a traditional witch and artist of Romani and Eastern European heritage; residing in Bulbancha (New Orleans) the traditional land of the Chitimacha Nation. Their ritual and art practice are interwoven; for them magic is art and art is healing. Founder of the School Of Traditional Magic, author of A Practical Guide for Witches, co-creator of The Living Altar, with writing featured in WITCHCRAFT an anthology of modern magical tradition by TASCHEN, Secrets of Romani Fortune Telling by Jezmina Von Thiele & Paulina Stevens.
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Moonbear
Moonbear Aguilar (they/them) aka "Butylene O’Kipple," is a gender expansive, two-spirit artist and energy worker of Mexican, Indigenous North American, Romani, and mixed European heritage. Their 30+ years as a performer and musician continue to be fueled by curiosity and self discovery, while exploring the intersections of ancestor veneration, energy work, dance, mediumship and drag.
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Baby reckless
Baby Reckless (they/them) is a visionary artist, musician, and witch whose work is focused on self- actualization, myth, mystery, the occult, sexuality, and gender. On any given day they can be found bringing new worlds to life through the use of magic, music, and their paint brushes. Keep up with their adventures, art and musings on all socials
Website: www.babyreckless.com​
Kiki Robinson
Kiki Robinson (they/them) Kiki Robinson (they/them) is a multi-media artist, tarot reader, and healing arts practitioner. They are a queer and non-binary practicing witch with ancestral roots in Irish, British Isles, and Romani traditions. Their work focuses on embodying healing and magic through various creative mediums. Based on unceded traditional lands of the Multnomah, Kathlamet, Clackamas, Tualatin, Kalapuya, Molalla, and bands of Chinook, now called Portland, OR. Kiki is dedicated to community healing and magical activism.
Website: www.opulentwitch.com
Konstantin Polyakov
Konstantin Polyakov (he/him) a Russian-born Romani and Ashkenazi multi-instrumentalist and songwriter. Music has been refuge for Konstantin all his life while growing up without knowledge of his heritages. He sings his loves and concerns for nature and humans alike.
The living altar
The Living Altar is the ritual & performance art project of multimedia artists & community witches, Kiki Robinson & Ylva Mara Radziszewski. As queer and trans witches of Romani heritage; we seek to embody, through our art and ritual, a faithless devotion to life in support of collective liberation
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Website: www.livingaltar.com
Lady Baby Miss (she/her) Composer, singer and lyricist Olivia Klein, performs under the name LadyBabyMiss, a composite of how a stranger may address a femme someone in New Orleans. It is there that she has come into her own musically, taking on multiple roles in varying projects as an instrumentalist, bandleader, musical director, scorer, and producer. Over many years, she has built a local and dedicated following and is known for her banter and storytelling employed between each of the songs she chooses to share with the audience.
Ladybabymiss
