A Conversation with Joey Arias

On 6 April 2026, TORCHES continues with a conversation with the incomparable performance artist and cabaret singer Joey Arias. Joey is also a published author, comedian, stage persona, and film actor. 

Joey Arias is an American artist best known for work as a performance artist and cabaret singer, but also as a published author, comedian, stage persona, and film actor. Joey is a legendary artist who for decades has performed and collaborated with the likes of Klaus Nomi, David Bowie, and Basil Twist. He has commanded the stages of US, Europe, and Asia with his hit show Strange Fruit where he magically channels Billie Holiday. Thierry Mugler, renown fashion designer and director, personally chose Joey for his role of MC in Cirque Du Soleil's Zumanity which he performed for over 5 years. He has appeared in many high profile films including Pee Wee's Big Top, Flawless, To Wong Foo Thanks For Everything! Julie Newmar, Elvira Mistress of the Dark, and is a sought after fashion muse internationally. 

TORCHES: 30+ Years of Downtown Performance

As co-founder of HERE Arts Center—described by the Obie committee as “a lasting home for the weird and wild in downtown performance”—Kristin Marting spent the past three decades immersed in making, witnessing, and supporting groundbreaking performance in New York City. TORCHES is a much needed exploration of New York City’s unique and influential downtown performance world from the 1990s through the 2020s. Part memoir, part oral history, and part cultural inquiry, TORCHES offers in-depth video conversations with more than thirty of the most imaginative and boundary pushing artists working in the field today. TORCHES is both a living archive and an offering for the future. Learning about these artists and their work is not just looking back; it can ignite what’s coming next. They are not only inventors of form—they are keepers of community, fire-starters for our future. See more about the project on the TORCHES website at torchesnyc.org.

About HowlRound TV

HowlRound TV is a global, commons-based, peer-produced, open-access livestreaming and video archive project stewarded by the nonprofit HowlRound. HowlRound TV is a free and shared resource for live conversations and performances relevant to the world’s performing arts and cultural fields. Its mission is to break geographic isolation, promote resource sharing, and develop our knowledge commons collectively. Anyone can participate in this community of peer organizations revolutionizing the flow of information, knowledge, and access in our field by becoming a producer and co-producing with us. Learn more by going to our contribute content page.