HOLIDAY SEASON FESTIVITIES
By Sarah Prawl
Looking For Something To Do This Holiday Season? We’ve Got You Covered With A List Of The Best Entertainment Taking Place!
IRISH REPERTORY THEATRE’S BOX OFFICE
The Dead 1904
November 17, 2018 to January 13th, 2019
For the third year, Great Performances is playing a co-starring roll in the Irish Repertory’s production of The Dead, 1904 and getting rave reviews! The adaptation of James Joyce’s beloved short story The Dead immerses the intimate audience (only 57 people per show) in the Morkin Sisters’ Feast of the Epiphany celebration as the drama it generates unfolds in an elegant 19th century mansion. Indeed, the audience actually attends the story’s centerpiece dinner party, sharing the celebratory meal – inspired by Joyce’s description and prepared on-site by GP – with the cast as the play’s action continues. Melissa Gilbert reprises her critically acclaimed performance as the female protagonist in this truly singular theatrical experience, which appeals to all the senses, including taste with the likes of Cocoa & Fig Glazed Tenderloin and Parsley & Thyme Roast Turkey with Cranberry Pineapple Relish. For tickets and ticket information, please go to: https://irishrep.org/show/2018-2019-season/the-dead-1904-3/
METTA BROOKLYN
Mettā X GrowNYC – Greenmarket Grains Benefit Dinner
December 10 at 6PM
Metta, one of Brooklyn’s most celebrated restaurants, is hosting a dinner on December 10th to benefit GrowNYC’s Grain’s Project. Tickets are $75 each and the evening will feature two seatings at 6pm and 8:30pm Get your tickets here.
BROOKLYN ACADEMY OF MUSIC
The Hard Nut
December 14 – December 23, 2018
Mark Morris Dance Group’s beloved retro-modern reimagining of The Nutcracker comes back to BAM for the holidays. Learn more.
APOLLO THEATER EVENTS
Coca-Cola Winter Wonderland
Saturday & Sunday, December 15-16, 2018
2pm – 6pm
Hosted by Billy “Mr. Apollo” Mitchell
The Apollo Theater and Coca-Cola invite you to bring the family for holiday-themed activities including picture taking with Santa Claus and amazing performances from local choirs. This event is hosted by the Apollo Theater’s Tour Director and Ambassador, Billy Mitchell. Learn more.
Amateur Night Holiday Special
Saturday, December 15th
Special Guest Performance by The Walls
The Apollo Theater lights up this holiday season with the Apollo Amateur Night Holiday Special, the annual event under its signature program Amateur Night, showcasing recent winners of the show’s “Apollo Stars of Tomorrow” category. This showcase will feature an incredibly talented array of instrumentalists, singers, and dancers from ages 11-18, this program captures the spirit of young performers all hoping to follow in the footsteps of Apollo Legends like Michael Jackson and Ella Fitzgerald, whose careers were launched on the stage of the Apollo. Learn more.
Night Devine
Monday, December 17 at 7:30PM
Tony Award Winner Cynthia Erivo and Billboard #1 recording artist Shoshana Bean star in a one-night-only Holiday Concert Event – NIGHT DIVINE – at Harlem’s World Famous Apollo Theater. Learn more.
Hezekiah Walker & The Love Fellowship Choir, CeCe Winans
Saturday, December 22 at 2 pm
Hosted by Marcus Wiley
Lift your Holiday spirits with an afternoon of soul stirring Holiday gospel music! Cece Winans will warm your soul and Hezekiah Walker and the Love Fellowship Choir will take you higher. Marcus Wiley, host and comedian, promises to delight you and your loved ones throughout the afternoon. Learn more.
CARAMOOR EVENTS
Holiday Tea Musicale
Wednesday, December 5 – Thursday, December 13
Join Caramoor’s great tradition of holiday music with charismatic musicians, festive decorations, and tea service in the majestic Music Room. Enjoy an assortment of finger sandwiches, scrumptious holiday treats, and a variety of teas (hot chocolate with marshmallows for the little ones). Learn more.
New York Polyphony
Saturday, December 15
This a cappella vocal quartet brings their exquisitely blended voices to the Music Room in Sing Thee Nowell, a program of sacred Christmas music spanning seven centuries. The Rosen House, splendidly decorated for the holidays, will be open for self-guided tours between the two performances. Ring in the holidays with New York Polyphony’s “rich, natural sound that’s larger and more complex than the sum of its parts” (NPR). Learn more.
Santa Visits The Rosen House
Sunday, December 16
Santa comes to Caramoor to fill the Rosen House with holiday cheer. The little ones will be in for an adventure with I Spy a Santa or Two in the Music Room followed by a 30-minute concert of favorite holiday songs, then Santa Claus appears to delight the whole family. Santa’s favorite snack — milk and cookies — will be served in the Summer Dining Room. Bring your cameras and begin the festive season with joy! Learn more.
DIZZY'S CLUB EVENTS
Riley’s Red Hot Holidays
Tuesday, December 13 at 7:30 pm
Join trumpeter and music director Riley Mulherkar for this swinging holiday show featuring a collective of New York’s finest rising stars. Learn more.
Christmas Eve with Barry Harris
Monday, Dec 24 at 7 pm
Legendary pianist and staple in jazz, Barry Harris, treats us to an iconic performance on Christmas Eve that you don’t want to miss! Learn more.
New Year’s Eve with Carlos Henriquez
Monday, Dec 31 at 7:30 pm & 11 pm
Carlos Henriquez and his all-star octet will ring in the New Year with a series of energetic concerts. Hailing from the Bronx, Henriquez is a rare virtuoso in both jazz and Afro-Cuban traditions. Learn more.
Photo Credits: ©BAM (Julieta Cervantes), ©Caramoor, ©Dizzy’s Club, ©Metta Brooklyn, ©Carol Rosegg
THE JOY OF GIVING BACK!
By Liz Neumark
IT’S SIMPLE: WE ENJOY AND CELEBRATE THE BLESSINGS OF A PLATE FILLED WITH DELICIOUS FOOD.
That’s why having the opportunities to bring nourishing food to hungry New Yorkers is so meaningful. Here are a few organizations we know well and respect that could use your help any day of the year – and during the holiday season.
Support them with your hands, hearts and funds!
WEST SIDE CAMPAIGN AGAINST HUNGER
West Side Campaign Against Hunger is an emergency food pantry that provides assistance to people who struggle to meet the food needs of themselves and their families. They offer fresh fruits, fresh vegetables, whole grains, protein, and dairy in a supermarket-style pantry, where they can choose the food that is best for them, thus serving our community with dignity. They also offer various social services to connect customers to benefits and other community resources, a Chef Training Program, and a new Mobile Food Pantry which is bringing healthy food directly to NYC neighborhoods with high rates of poverty and food insecurity.
To learn more about WSCAH and see their current volunteer opportunities click here.
Contact Info:
263 West 86th Street New York, New York 10024
Phone:(212) 362-3662
Volunteer Coordinator: Maria Valdez, mvaldez@wscah.org.
NEW YORK COMMON PANTRY
New York Common Pantry is dedicated to reducing hunger throughout New York City while promoting dignity and self-sufficiency. NYCP’s whole-person approach starts with food provision through the distribution of nutritious, fresh food pantry packages in Choice Pantry and hearty balanced breakfast and dinner in the Hot Meals program. Supplemental food is provided to seniors aged 60 and older through Nourish. The third vital element in their whole-person approach is education offered through our Live Healthy! program, which teaches children and adults about the importance of a nutritionally sound diet and active living, as well as provides them with the skills necessary to make healthier choices for their families.
NYCP is looking for volunteers for the month of December! Check out their calendar to see available volunteer shifts in their Choice Pantry and Hot Meals programs.
For additional information contact Stacy Gonzalez at sgonzalez@nycommonpantry.org.
Contact Info:
8 East 109th Street New York, NY 10029
Phone: (917) 720-9700
THE SALVATION ARMY — GREATER NEW YORK DIVISION
The Salvation Army Social Services of Greater New York (SSGNY) manages an extensive network of 46 social service programs designed to assist vulnerable adults, families and children: community centers, homeless shelters and outreach programs; soup kitchens, food pantries and mobile street feeding; foster care, group homes and adoption services; residences and programs for the developmentally disabled; AIDS casework centers; employment training and many other programs
They are always looking for volunteers for the many programs that they offer, and you can signup to register here.
Contact Info:
120 W. 14th Street New York, NY 10011
Phone: (212) 337-7200
THE BOWERY MISSION
One of New York City’s oldest homeless services organizations, The Bowery Mission has served homeless, hurting, and hungry New Yorkers since 1879. Today, The Bowery Mission provides a full continuum of care, with the goal of ending and preventing homelessness. These services include: basic needs and emergency care to people experiencing homelessness, long-term recovery programs where adults overcome homelessness, collaborative social services for the unemployed and working poor, and mentoring and enrichment programs for children.
There are many volunteer opportunities available at The Bowery Mission, and openings can be viewed on their calendar.
Contact Info:
432 Park Avenue South, 3rd Floor New York, NY 10016
Phone: (212) 684-2800 x107
Email: volunteer@bowery.org
FOOD BANK FOR NEW YORK CITY
FBFNYC aims to end hunger by organizing food, information and support for community survival, empowerment, and dignity. Food Bank For New York City has been working to end food poverty in our five boroughs for 35 years. As the city’s largest hunger-relief organization, we employ a multifaceted approach centered on helping low-income New Yorkers overcome their circumstances and achieve greater independence.
For a complete list of open volunteer opportunities, check out their calendar.
Contact Info:
39 Broadway, 10th Floor New York, NY 10006
Phone: (212) 566-7855
Fax: (212) 566-1463
CITY MEALS ON WHEELS
Citymeals on Wheels provides a continuous lifeline of nourishing meals and vital companionship to New York City’s homebound elderly.
Learn more about their volunteer opportunities here.
Contact Info:
355 Lexington Avenue, New York, NY 10017
Phone: (212) 687-1234
Email: info@citymeals.org
HOLY APOSTLES SOUP KITCHEN
As New York’s largest emergency food program, Holy Apostles Soup Kitchen serves a hearty and nutritious meal to 1,000 homeless and hungry New Yorkers every day. They offer guests a refuge from the streets, a safe place they feel welcomed, connection to additional services and food for the soul as well as the body.
Contact Info:
296 Ninth Avenue, New York, NY 10001
Phone: Revere Joyce Volunteer Manager at (646) 998-6118
Email: rjoyce@holyapostlesnyc.org
GrowNYC's 'Concord Crush' Happy Hour at Project Farmhouse
By Liz Neumark
FRIDAY NIGHT AT PROJECT FARMHOUSE WAS A BACCHANALIAN TRIBUTE TO THE CONCORD GRAPE!
According to GrowNYC: “New York State is the second largest producer of Concord Grapes in the United States. Not only are Concords grown in the ‘Grape Belt’ across Lake Erie significant to New York State’s vibrant agricultural composition, they are crucial to the economic stability of communities there. They are also delicious!
To revitalize this iconic Northeastern fruit, Greenmarket has reached out to some of the best chefs, restaurants, and mixologists in New York City. Throughout the month of October, Greenmarket highlighted Concord grapes, as well as the delicious dishes (from appetizers to desserts) and drinks created in New York City restaurants, and capped off the month with a ‘ConcordCrush’ Happy Hour at Project Farmhouse on October 26th, where New Yorkers sampled Concord-infused cuisine.”
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Representing Great Performances (or shall we say Grape Performances!) were Chefs Monica Ng and Saul Bolton.
Chef Monica, who is the Executive Pastry Chef for the company and oversees the creation of countless desserts, breads and treats daily, created a Concord Grape Marble Cheesecake. Chef Saul, Michelin Starred for his landmark restaurant in Brooklyn and oversees, The Norm at Brooklyn Museum for the company, created a Terrine of layered Hudson Valley Duck Rillets, Smoked Breast and Foie Gras served with Concord Grape Gelee, Concord Grape Raisins and toasted sweet-salty Walnuts.
Photo Credit: ©Amanda Gentile
10TH ANNUAL LATKE FESTIVAL
By Shelley Clark
IT’S BEGINNING TO LOOK A LOT LIKE…LATKE SEASON!
This year’s Latke Festival on December 3 at the Brooklyn Museum will mark the tenth edition of the event produced by Great Performances as a fundraiser for The Sylvia Center, the nutrition education non-profit that helps young people develop the healthy habits that will lead to happier, more productive lives.
The festival, dedicated to the potato pancake and the myriad creative interpretations it can inspire, has become one of the New York City Holiday Season’s most eagerly anticipated – and delicious – annual events.
New for 2018 is an additional winning category. In addition to the Best Latke, as determined by a panel of distinguished food expert judges and a People’s Choice Best Latke voted on by the evening’s guests, there will be Best Traditional Latke, also decided upon by the official judges. This year the panel will see the return of Alicia Glen, the deputy mayor of the City of New York and David Berliner, CEO of the Brooklyn Museum, who will be joined by some notable newcomers, including: Actress Debi Mazar and her Chef husband Gabriele Corcos, the hosts of the Cooking Channel’s Extra Virgin; former longtime Editor-In-Chief of Food & Wine and now Executive Director of Speaking Broadly, Dana Cowin; Editor-In-Chief of Gastro Obsura, Alex Mayyasi; and CEO of Four Freedoms Park,
There will also be a number of new restaurants joining Latke Festival veterans such as Benchmark, the 2017 winner for Best Latke with their Plantain, Sweet Potato and Tortilla Latke with Ancho-Braised Chicken, Pickled Onion and Crema and Shelsky’s of Brooklyn, the People’s Choice Winner with a Latke Reuben Caraway Seeded Latke Stuffed with Riesling Braised Sauerkraut and Swiss Cheese, Topped with Corned Beef, along with The Norm, Burger & Lobster, Dizzy’s, Kulushkat, and Velselka. Among the newcomers to the 20-plus restaurant roster are Bricolage, Baoburg, Dutch Boy Burgers, FONDA and White Tiger.
Tickets for the 10th Annual Latke Festival are $75 for General Admission and $110 for VIP perks such as an exclusive lounge. They can be purchased via Eventbrite.
BizBash Honors Liz Neumark As One of The Top 500 People in Events
By Shelley Clark
“IT’S ESPECIALLY GRATIFYING TO BE RECOGNIZED IN THIS MANNER BY BIZBASH, WHICH IS SUCH A RESPECTED AND IMPORTANT RESOURCE FOR OUR INDUSTRY.”
Liz Neumark, whose Great Performances was cited as one of the 25 Largest Women Owned Businesses in the New York Area by Crain’s New York Business earlier this year.
The Fall issue of BizBash, the quarterly publication of the country’s top resource for meeting and event planning professionals, named Liz Neumark, founder and CEO of New York City-based Great Performances as one of The Top 500 People in Events in the Catering category – one of just 19. The publication prefaces its first compilation of such a list by stating “Representing corporate events, associations, trade shows, social events and more, these people represent the best of the meeting and event industry across North America.” The fact that the list is divided into 26 categories ranging from Agencies, Audio Visual-Lighting and Corporate Producers & Strategists to Sports & Arenas, Sustainability & Corporate Responsibility and Weddings, is testimony to its comprehensive nature.
Liz grew the company into a regional catering, events and retail hospitality powerhouse with 300 full-time employees, 700 part-time and annual revenues in excess of $50 million. In the process, Neumark pioneered now common practices, such as exclusive venue partnerships, incorporating local restaurants into major multi-day events such as The Miami Open and The Miami International Boat Show and a focus on seasonal, locally sourced ingredients.
In fact, she made Great Performances an early adopter of the farm-to-table movement by introducing menus with ingredients sourced completely from within a 100-mile radius of New York City. Subsequently, she purchased 60-acres in Columbia Co., NY, where Neumark established an organic farm that is now a year-round operation supplying produce for the more than 3,000 events that Great Performances caters annually, as well as for the nine restaurants, cafés and food trucks the company operates. Great Performances was the first catering company in the country to own and operate a farm and remains the only one.
“We are using this list to showcase the talent in our industry. Liz represents one of the longtime leaders who keeps doing incredible things year after year to stay fresh and relevant” states David Adler, CEO and founder of BizBash.
THE 11TH ANNUAL NEW YORK CITY WINE AND FOOD FESTIVAL
By Sarah Prawl
Great Performances was honored to partner with Food Network & Cooking Channel New York City Wine & Food Festival for the 11th year in a row and support Food Bank For New York City and No Kid Hungry. This year’s festival also marked 11 years that we have partnered with NYCWFF as the official caterer, as well as providing kitchen resources, staffing, planning, execution and design services throughout the festival weekend.
This is always an exciting weekend for us, and we were happy to be directly involved with many events such as the Chrissy Teigen Book Release Party, Tacos & Tequila, Food Network’s 20th Birthday Party, Drag Brunch, The Grand Tasting, Backyard BBQ, Broadway Tastes, Yappie Hour and more.
We are still reeling in excitement from all of the behind-the-scenes action with Chef Lish Steiling from GDL Foods and Chef Miles Landrum from Johnny Sanchez New Orleans prepping in the GP Kitchen, as well as our Design and Culinary teams prepping around the clock for numerous events.
Thank you to everyone involved for your hard work and for making NYCWFF 2018 a weekend to remember!
Photo Credit: ©Getty Images
Not All Heroes Wear Capes
How Sous Chef Ira Brown's Quick Thinking Saved the Day!
By Sarah Prawl and Ira Brown
WHEN IT COMES TO ANY EMERGENCY, TIME IS OF THE ESSENCE, AND GP’S SOUS CHEF, IRA BROWN, WASTED NO TIME IN RUSHING TO THE AID OF SOMEONE IN NEED.
We would love to know more about you!
I’ve worked with Great Performances for 6 years now. For the last 5 years I have worked mostly on-site at events, but have recently moved into the kitchen where I oversee kitchen assignments, prepare food for events and make sure that all food items are labeled correctly for each event.
Can you tell us about your thoughts on the day the incident occurred?
I really believe that everything happens for a reason. I have only been in the kitchen for a month now, and it was just like any regular day. I had just arrived at work about an hour before and heard that someone was in distress in another part of the building. Some staff members ran into the kitchen and asked if anyone knew how to perform the Heimlich Maneuver, which I had done before, and as soon as they explained what was going on I immediately ran over there. When I arrived, the individual was unconscious, and I immediately got behind them and performed the Heimlich step-by-step until the particle had come out and they regained consciousness.
Do you consider yourself a hero?
I definitely don’t have that “Hero Complex”, I am just really thankful that I was at the right place at the right time, and really do believe that everything happens for a reason. Now that I think about it, there was a reason why I moved from on-site events to full time in the kitchen.
Food Tank
Ending Food Loss and Food Waste Together
By Sarah Prawl
AT GREAT PERFORMANCES, WE STRIVE TO HIGHLIGHT THE IMPORTANCE OF ADDRESSING FOOD WASTE AND SUSTAINABLE PRACTICES, WHILE EDUCATING THE COMMUNITY ON FOOD WASTE REDUCTION, RECYCLING AND FOOD RECOVERY INITIATIVES.
We are always excited to partner with organizations which align with our mission, and were proud to partner with Food Tank for the second annual NYC Food Tank Summit at New York University’s Tishman Auditorium and feed another sold-out (and hungry) crowd.
Focusing on topics pertaining to Food Loss and Food Waste, The Summit featured 35 speakers and panelists, as well as an engaging dialogue with audience members. Together, everyone tackled tough subjects pertaining to food loss and waste such as systematic challenges, the role restaurants and companies play in fighting food waste, solving food loss on the farm, and fighting food loss and waste from within communities. Going to the core, the discussions educated everyone on the connections between sustainability, food waste, racial justice, public health, etc., and how they all directly affect each other.
To learn more about Food Tank and how you can get involved in the fight against food waste and food loss, click here.
HARPER’S BAZAAR ICONS PARTY AT THE PLAZA HOTEL
By Ali Papalia
What Better Way To Open New York Fashion Week Than An Extravaganza At The Plaza?
On Friday, September 7, Harper’s Bazaar threw the party of the year in honor of Carine Roitfeld’s icons – a stunning portfolio of “The First Families of Music”, worthy of picking up the issue at the checkout counter. This event was a who’s who of the fashion world — models, designers and the like pulled out all the stops when it came to picking their outfit of choice for the evening. Not only were all of the guests dressed to impress, but the most chic of them all was the Grand Ballroom. The inspiration of the evening was “families that rock” – with dark red, giant gold lipsticks, the signature black carpet and a Moet Champagne tower took the party to another level.
Dressed to the nines, guests entered through Fifth Avenue crossing through the Palm Court to get the chance to view the black carpet in action! The carpet was completely abuzz with celebrities including Christina Aguilera, Adriana Lima, Gigi Hadid, Cardi B, Nicki Minaj, Christie Brinkley, Heidi Klum and many many more – click here for Harper’s Bazaar official gallery. Top show stopper Bella Hadid, in a nude cat suit, got the cameras flashing non- stop. The drinks were flowing and guests indulged in specialty cocktails by Belvedere Vodka and Stella Artois, and splits of Moet Champagne – so incredibly chic.
Christina Aguilera, the featured musical icon this year, paid tribute to the first families of music including Bruce Springsteen, Kanye West, Erykah Badu, and many more. As soon as she was ready to perform, drinks and iPhones were in hand ready to snap photos and videos of the concert. This was my first time seeing her perform and she was amazing! She has so much energy when she gets on stage and it definitely radiates throughout the crowd. She was singing for just about 50 minutes and the crowd could not stop dancing!
This event was truly memorable, it was a triple threat blending fashion, music, and The Plaza.
BEAUTY, BOMBSHELLS AND BRAZILIANS
By Jennifer Machen
BRAZIL, THE LARGEST COUNTRY IN BOTH SOUTH AMERICA AND LATIN AMERICA, CHOSE THE PLAZA TO HOLD THEIR 2018 GALA.
The Plaza is notorious for lavish affairs, and these Brazilian Bombshells seriously raised the bar. One by one, the glamorous guests dressed in brilliantly colored gowns adorned with feathers, beads, and extravagant accessories, immediately became the focal point of the event. They entered the Grand Ballroom Foyer through a rainbow of umbrellas, unveiling a festive flow of celebratory cocktails, delicious Hors d’oeuvres, including the famous Brazilian Cheese Bread, Pão de Queijo. Guests bid on rainforest and Amazonian pieces as well as inspirational art to raise money for the fearless Brazil Foundation.
The room was filled with beautiful woman and yet three very special and very tall ladies stood out especially. Gracing the guests (as well as the ceiling), these stunning “tall women” (on stilts) perfectly captured the fun essence of the evening. Dressed as flowers, they danced and breezed through cocktail hour and made Instagram moments for all, including the many Victoria’s Secret Models that were in attendance. Pictures were captured, glasses were passed, and the sociable crowd at the cocktail hour began to trickle into the Grand Ballroom.
A Brigadero Sweets table, 18 feet long and dressed to the nines, graced the Grand Ballroom upon entrance, as it does in Brazilian homes when they have guests over. Bentley Meeker designed a lighting scheme that filled the room with ambiance, inhabited the feel of the event, and enhanced the beauty of the guests. The green floral arrangements were fitting and transported the space to the rainforest. The incomparable Chef Geoff Rudaw specially designed classic upscale Brazilian fair and served a decadent Cashew Crusted Branzino with Coconut Rice, Mango Salsa, and Sweet Plantains. Devoured by the 450 guests, the plates were cleared and everyone danced the night away.
Would be remiss to not mention the beyond handsome, very famous Actor Cauã Reymond (the Brad Pitt of Brazil, if you will) who caused a photo frenzy on the red carpet and stole the hearts of every woman in the room…as well as some men (AKA our very own Mr. Manners).
What a Plaza Party.