Primordial Futurist Crabaret with Eli Nixon

Calling all lichen-lovers, bird nerds, queer ecologists and modern humans looking to expand your performance/survival toolkit!

Ahead of a 2026 theatrical performance at SPACE, join award-winning “cardboard transformationist” artist Eli Nixon with a cabaret-style variety show including excerpts of their always-evolving suitcase theater show, live music, innovative community creations made in the naturedrag workshop, and highlights from the ‘Crabaoke’ power ballad catalog.

Join us for some low-stakes experiments in transformation. Part clown training / part movement workshop / part science fair...Naturedrag is an ancient/emergent practice of absurdist consumed presence — an alternative beyond-binary 3rd form, neither king nor queen but dragkin — celebrating horizontal relation over royalty, indulging in anthropomorphism as a way to destabilize anthropocentrism. Eli Nixon and Patrick Costello will facilitate costumed play, opportunities for individual work, and group collaboration.

No experience necessary. All abilities and identities welcome. Participants can bring their own costuming materials or use the ones we bring.

There will be a free workshop from 5:30-7:30, a short dinner break, and at 8 pm we have a public sharing of anything workshop participants are game to share woven through a "Crabaret" of music, acts, and banter that Eli and Patrick perform.

Made possible with a New England Foundation for the Arts New England States Touring (NEST) grant.