As a precursor to our production of POOR SUPER MAN, Funkopolis created a work in progress, dealing with the themes of eroticism, morality, difference, and the creative struggle. The result was PIERCED, which used a variety of texts, including poems by Tennessee Williams, magazine advertisements, the Morality Code of the Maryland Legislature, and writings by the cast. PIERCED was planned always as a one-night-only event; however, when a line waiting for tickets stretched literally around the block, a second performance later that evening was hurriedly added. Both were SRO peformances that gave the piece standing ovations.
Studio Theatre
Baltimore, Maryland USA
April 22, 1996
Damion Clark
Donna M. Fox
Robin Garvick
Justin Skinner
Jason Tinney

Director Gabriel Shanks
Text Constructed By Gabriel Shanks, Damion Clark, Donna M. Fox, Robin Garvick, Justin Skinner, Jason Tinney
Stage Manager Maria Knapp
Production Photography C. Richard Gillespie
Costume Design Shannon Maddox
Sound Design Gabriel Shanks
Sound Technician Lynn Caisley
  • Portions of the text were adapted from the writings of Antony Grey, Thom Gunn, Michael Hathaway, Sam Shepard, Tennessee Williams, and staged performances of songs by Clannad, Prince and The Waterlillies. Text was also written by the cast members and director.
  • The title PIERCED comes from the original piece by Gabriel, a ritual retelling of his personal experiences with body piercing.
  • The opening scene, "One Of Us", detailed intimate and revealing facts about the amorous adventures of the cast...all of which, as it turns out, were completely true.
The final scene in PIERCED, "ObScene", was adapted verbatim from the Annotated Law Code, Crimes and Punishments Section, regarding obscenity in the State of Maryland. The director and cast decided to perform this legal text when concerns arose over the sexual nature of their planned production of POOR SUPER MAN -- and they were handed the Morality Code as a guide by their producer.

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