Bring back childhood memories:
- 0.5 oz Vanilla Syrup
- 3 oz Orange Juice
- 1 oz Coconut Cream
- Fill with Ginger Beer
A green tea twist with a floral touch:
- 2 tsp Matcha Powder (frothed in hot water)
- 0.5 oz Raspberry Syrup
- 1 can Kin Euphorics Bloom
A crisp, floral highball with refreshing cucumber notes:
- 0.75 oz Hibiscus Syrup
- 2 slices of Cucumber (muddled)
- 0.75 oz Lemon Juice
- 2 oz Club Soda
A creamy, fruity delight:
- 1 oz Almond Milk
- 1 oz Pomegranate Juice
- 0.5 oz Strawberry Puree
- Fill with Sprite
For a playful nod to nostalgia:
- 0.5 oz Chocolate Syrup
- 0.5 oz Orgeat Syrup (contains nuts)
- 0.5 oz Coconut Cream
- Fill with Root Beer
Dry January, the annual tradition of forgoing alcohol for the month, has grown into a celebration of creativity, health, and inclusivity. For many, it’s an opportunity to reset and explore a vibrant world of non-alcoholic (N/A) beverages. From bottled delights to inventive mocktails, there’s never been a better time to sip and savor without the spirits.
For Starters: Bottled Excellence
St. Agrestis Phony Negroni
Brooklyn-based St. Agrestis brings the sophistication of a classic Negroni to the N/A scene with their bottled Phony Negroni. Bold, balanced, and slightly bitter, it’s perfect for those seeking a taste of Italy without the alcohol.
Ghia – Le Spritz
This aperitivo delivers a botanical blend with hints of rosemary and yuzu, creating a refreshing, lightly fizzy experience. It’s the essence of Mediterranean evenings in a glass.
Hella Bitters & Soda
Owned by a women- and minority-owned business (WMBE) in NYC, Hella Bitters & Soda combines aromatic bitters with sparkling water for a sophisticated sipper that’s as versatile as it is delicious.
Spiritless Old Fashioned
Another WMBE gem, Spiritless offers a beautifully crafted N/A Old Fashioned that lets you enjoy the depth and richness of the classic cocktail without the buzz.
Mocktails with a Touch of Magic
Check out some delicious mocktails you can make at home!
Celebrate the Art of N/A Beverages
This Dry January, the options for alcohol-free enjoyment are limitless. Whether you’re exploring innovative bottled beverages or experimenting with mocktail recipes at home, you’ll find that stepping away from alcohol doesn’t mean stepping away from fun or flavor. Cheers to creativity, community, and a refreshing start to the year!
Over a decade ago, as I searched for my next professional chapter, I realized I wanted to merge two passions: my background in the performing arts—both on and off stage—and my love for hospitality and service. Having admired Great Performances for years, I knew it was the perfect match.
Today, I’m continually inspired by our team’s unwavering dedication to service. With a 45-year legacy, Great Performances feels like a “theatrical family,” where many of us share deep roots in the arts. Our team’s artistic journey spans from summer stock productions under tents to Broadway, the West End, TV, and even film. Some have performed as far afield as Australia, bringing vibrant creativity into every aspect of what we do.
By 7:30 PM most evenings, if I’m not planning your event or attending your gala, you’ll likely find me at a theater box office, picking up tickets for a performance (yes, I still prefer paper tickets). Whether you’re enjoying a night out with friends, a group outing, or a solo theater date, there’s a special magic in the glitter of New York stages and beyond.
December Theater Highlights
Death Becomes Her at Lunt-Fontanne Theatre
Pure camp at its best. If you loved the film, you’ll adore the show. If you hated the film, you’ll still love it! Time Out calls it “savagely funny,” with Megan Hilty and Jennifer Simard delivering musical-comedy brilliance.
The Hard Nut at the Peter J Sharpe Opera House at BAM
Since its 1991 premiere, The Hard Nut has redefined holiday traditions. Back at BAM this season, it’s a dazzling, irreverent take on George Balanchine’s The Nutcracker.
Anastasia at Bucks County Playhouse
A short drive from NYC to beautiful Bucks County, PA, this theater—set on a historic former grist mill by the Delaware River—consistently produces incredible work. Over the years, legends like Shirley Booth, Angela Lansbury, Zero Mostel, and Audra McDonald have graced its stage. Stay for the charming sights and flavors of New Hope!
Tips for Enjoying the Theater
Where to Buy
Tickets can be pricey, but these tips can help:
- Broadway Week: Buy one ticket, get one free.
- Discount Websites & Apps: Check out BroadwayBox, TodayTix, and Playbill.com.
- Memberships: Nonprofit theaters like BAM, Roundabout Theatre Company, and Atlantic Theater Company offer affordable memberships that support the arts. Think of it as a “CSA for theater.”
Where to See
Great theater isn’t limited to Broadway. Explore these options:
- Off-Broadway and Off- Off Broadway: Intimate venues with incredible productions.
- Cabarets: Catch performances at spots like Joe’s Pub or 54 Below.
- Regional Theater: Gems like Paper Mill Playhouse or Bucks County Playhouse.
- Community Theater: Local productions can surprise and delight.
- Unconventional Settings: From pub basements in London to lofts in Florence, theater finds its home everywhere.
Looking Ahead to 2025
Here are a few shows I’m excited about:
Operation Mincemeat (Opens February 15, Golden Theatre)
This West End transfer tells the fast-paced, hilarious true story of a secret mission that helped win World War II.
Mamma Mia! (US Tour)
Celebrating 25 years, this ABBA-filled classic is hitting the road again. A mother, a daughter, and a trip down the aisle set to iconic hits—you can’t resist!
Titanique (Daryl Roth Theatre)
A laugh-out-loud parody of Titanic told through the lens of Céline Dion as if she were aboard the ship. It’s 100 minutes of comedic brilliance.
The Threepenny Opera (Opens April 3, BAM)
In partnership with St. Ann’s Warehouse, this bold, jazz-infused satire from Bertolt Brecht remains as relevant and razor-sharp today as when it debuted in 1928.
Wherever you live—whether in the heart of Manhattan or the outskirts of Tucson—the performing arts await. From local theaters and nonprofit stages to Broadway and beyond, there’s a vibrant world of storytelling to discover and support.
Senior Event Director, Morgan Golumbuk, has a wealth of knowledge when it comes to planning the perfect event. In addition to planning spectacular events for clients across the city, she often plays host for her family and friends. Whether you’re planning a casual social gathering, dinner party, or stunning engagement party, we’ve tapped her brain for the top five tips to help you get started planning the perfect party at home.
Tip #1: The more you can do in advance, the better.
This can be said for a lot of situations, especially hosting. Rearranging your furniture, cleaning, setting the table, and picking up centerpieces and party favors are best done before the morning of the event. And get yourself dressed and ready before you think you need to; that doorbell will ring before you know it.
Tip #2: Pull and plan out your vessels.
Seeing all your serving pieces laid out ensures that all items on your menu have a place to land. In the style of a Great Performances Buffet Captain, use sticky notes to make sure everything is accounted for in the days ahead.
Tip #3: Personal touches go a long way.
Catering to your guests’ tastes can make even the chilliest visitor feel warm and fuzzy. Asking for dietary or beverage restrictions in advance makes people feel heard and eliminates any awkward conversations on the day.
Beyond asking about what they don’t want, I like to bring in personal favorites as much as I can. In my years of hosting, I’ve accumulated enough wine to avoid ever needing to buy alcohol again, but it took me five minutes to buy a bottle of gin that I knew my best friend would appreciate.
I also like to bring in my own personal favorites, much like my family’s Hanukkah gift tradition. It makes the experience just that much more special to truly welcome people with things they love.
Tip #4: Don’t forget the ice!
The party is over once the ice is out; make sure you’re fully stocked for both chilling and serving.
2024 has been a year of beautiful beginnings at Great Performances, as we’ve welcomed a new generation to our extended family. These moments of joy remind us of the importance of connection and growth—values that resonate deeply with our work and community. We’re thrilled to introduce you to the newest members of the GP family!
Meet Mila Deuel
Chef Mike Deuel, Executive Chef of Catering Operations welcomed a beautiful baby girl this year:
She was born on November 1st at 8:53pm. Another Scorpio in the family!!
She currently has been enjoying many walks outside at the NY Botanical Gardens and the Bronx Zoo. As well as visits to The Met, The Guggenheim, and the Museum of Natural History. Anastassia and I have had the great pleasure of spending the last weeks getting to know her.
She wakes up with the cutest stretches I’ve ever seen, eats, then takes a nap on me. She also gives us a great concert during “the witching hour” on a daily basis. Each day something new happens and we cannot wait to see what happens next!
Meet Bowie Mayer
Zachary Mayer, Director of Fulfillment, welcomed his second child:
Bowie is 3 months old already and doing great! He loves being a part of the action, especially when his toddler sister is singing Disney songs right in his face. He’s smiling and growing each day and we’re excited to see what he has in store for us next!
Meet Olivia Asimeni Georgedakis
Chef Stratos Georgedakis, Executive Production Chef, also welcomed a darling daughter:
Olivia Asimeni Georgedakis was born on 12/20 at 6:58am. She weighed 7lbs 10oz. Her big sister, Meli, is very excited to have a baby sister and is taking her new role as big sister very seriously.
We celebrate these precious moments with our team members and their families, knowing that they enrich the heart and soul of Great Performances.
Legacy, Lineage and Liberation
Monday, January 13th
Location: The Apollo Stages at The Victoria
Tickets: FREE
The Apollo celebrates the 40th anniversary of the Black women-led theatrical dance company and social activism ensemble, Urban Bush Women with a stunning visual exhibition in the Laura and Frank Baker Gallery. With special pop-up performances on select dates, Lineage Legacy and Liberation: An Examination of Urban Bush Women’s Art-Making and Community Organizing Praxis contains rare photographs, performance footage, manuscripts, costumes and memorabilia from the groundbreaking ensemble’s 40-year history.
Claudine
Friday, January 17th at 7:00pm
Location: The Apollo Stages at The Victoria
Tickets: Start at $25
Celebrate the 50th anniversary of the 1974 classic film Claudine and the life of the late James Earl Jones at The Apollo Stages at The Victoria, in partnership with the Harlem Festival of Culture Foundation.
Experience the powerful performances of Diahann Carroll and James Earl Jones in this timeless story of resilience, love, and community. Claudine tells the tale of a strong-willed single mother raising six children in Harlem, whose budding romance with a charismatic garbage collector is tested by the struggles of life within an oppressive system.
Duration of Mountains and Seas (穿越·山海经): Musical Showcase
Asia Electric
Saturday, January 11th from 7:00pm to 9:00pm
Tickets: Free with registration!
Duration of Mountains and Seas (穿越·山海经) is a musical showcase that reimagines ancient mythology, creating a fantastic universe where Chinese music meets electronica to traverse through time and space. Conceived and created by composer/ musician Hu Chenyun, the showcase includes the electronic music duo Frankfurt Helmet and a group of renowned musicians from the Shanghai Chinese Orchestra. This contemporary performance is inspired by the great classic of ancient Chinese mythology, Classic of Mountains and Seas (3rd Century B.C.), exploring a world of mythical beings and vast geographies. The creative intermingling of Chinese instruments such as suona, pipa, and konghou with electronic voices creates a space where technology and nature—and past and future—are placed in vibrant dialogue.
Moon Over Manhattan: Lunar New Year Family Day 2025
Celebrating the Year of the Snake
Saturday, January 25th from 1:00pm to 4:00pm
Tickets: $15 adults, $10 children over 2, $8 members
Join us in welcoming the Year of the Snake at Asia Society’s 2025 Lunar New Year Family Day program! On Saturday, January 25, come watch exciting lion dances and martial arts demonstrations, sing along to fun New Year songs, and enjoy some Year of the Snake-themed arts and crafts! Don’t forget to enjoy some delicious Lunar New Year snacks at the Leo Cafe as well.
TECHNE
Saturday, January 4th through Sunday, January 19th
Location: BAM Fisher
Fishman Space
Tickets: Tickets are $35 for all four experiences or $10 for each individual experience
BAM, Onassis and Under the Radar Present
TECHNE
Four Digital Installations
Curated by Onassis ONX
Part of Next Wave 2024 & Emerging Visions
TECHNE is a multi-part experiential program comprising four large-scale digital artworks. Created with generative AI, real-time interactive displays, and immersive sound, this program transports viewers into four distinctive new realms, brought to life by visionary creators.
The 39th Annual Brooklyn Tribute to Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
Monday, January 20th at 10:30am
Location: Peter Jay Sharp Building, Howard Gilman Opera House
Tickets: Tickets are free for this event and will be distributed on a first-come, first-served basis beginning at 8am on January 20 in the BAM Howard Gilman Opera House lobby.
We honor the life and legacy of Dr. King at this vital Brooklyn tradition. Join us for a very special solo presentation by Ailey II, vibrant music with The Fire Ensemble led by Troy Anthony, and more. Ring in the New Year with friends, neighbors, artists, and civic leaders in a day of activism, music, and family-friendly activities.
Salsa Party
Thursday, January 9th from 6:00pm to 9:30pm
Location: Martha A. and Robert S. Rubin Lobby, 1st Floor
Register for Free
Celebrate the art of salsa and join in our monthly dance-filled evenings hosted by Balmir Dance Society! Start the night with a class led by professional dancers at 6 pm, followed by live music, social dancing, and performances by Brooklyn’s best Latin dance teams.
Brooklyn Poetry Slam
Wednesday, January 15th from 7:00pm to 9:00pm
Location: Martha A. and Robert S. Rubin Pavilion, 1st Floor
Tickets: Register in advance and pay as you wish (suggested admission: $10)
Amplify the voices of Brooklyn at a series of pay-what-you-can slams, presented by poets and cofounders Mahogany L. Browne and DJ Jive Poetic. Come to listen to poets, or arrive early to sign up if you’d like to join the slam (limited availability).
Celebrating Cedar Walton with Willie Jones III and Friends
Tuesday, January 16th through Sunday, January 19th
Tickets: start at $20
On what would have been Cedar Walton’s 91st birthday, we pay tribute to the prolific composer and hard bop pianist whose works have left an indelible mark on jazz. Timeless pieces like “Bolivia” and “Firm Roots” will come to life through an all-star ensemble of artists who shared the stage with Walton. Led by drummer Willie Jones III, a longtime collaborator and mentee of Walton, this group includes Steve Turre, Ralph Moore, Vincent Herring, and David Williams. Joining them is Juilliard’s rising talent, pianist Tyler Bullock, in a dynamic celebration of Walton’s lasting legacy.
Chico Pinheiro and Romero Lubambo Duo: Two Brothers
Tuesday, January 28th and Wednesday, January 29th
Tickets: start at $20
Romero Lubambo and Chico Pinheiro, two of the most celebrated Brazilian guitarists, come together to perform music from their new album Two Brothers, a stunning collection of Brazilian and jazz guitar works. Both masters of their craft, Lubambo and Pinheiro have spent their careers perfecting the unique sound that Brazilian music brings to the guitar. Lubambo, known for his performances with Dianne Reeves and Trio da Paz, and Pinheiro, a frequent collaborator with legends like Rosa Passos, promise an intimate evening filled with lush melodies and vibrant rhythms.
The Unity Jazz Festival
Friday, January 10th and Saturday, January 11th
Location: The Appel Room
Tickets: $87
After its successful debut in 2024, the Unity Jazz Festival returns to Jazz at Lincoln Center with a brand-new lineup featuring Rachael & Vilray and brings together acclaimed artists, first-time listeners, and longtime fans. A roster of diverse, intergenerational acts convene in the Ertegun Atrium, Agnes Varis and Karl Leichtman Studio, Dizzy’s Club, and the Appel Room to perform and uplift the JALC community.
Cool School & Hard Bop: The JLCO with Wynton Marsalis
Thursday, January 16th through Saturday, January 17th
Location: Rose Theater
Tickets: start at $42
The cool jazz movement is known for its mellow lyricism and striking, often surprising arrangements, while hard bop is distinguished by its bluesy melodicism and virtuosic vocabulary. Music-directed by JLCO saxophonist Sherman Irby and frequent collaborator, pianist Joe Block, Cool School & Hard Bop explores the shared themes of these two genres. The performance includes reinterpretations of iconic recordings by Miles Davis, the Modern Jazz Quartet, the Max Roach-Clifford Brown Quintet, Horace Silver, and Art Blakey, alongside newly commissioned works by Benny Green and Luther Allison. Benny Green will also perform his newly commissioned piece.
Afro-Futurism and Nike
Thursday, January 23rd from 6:00pm to 7:00pm
Tickets: Free with RSVP
The sports world has often been a critical marker of future trends in celebrity, style, marketing, and youth culture. The museum’s current exhibition, Just Frame It: How Nike Turned Sports Stars into Superheroes, demonstrates how posters of notable athletes set the tone for the future of sports branding, fostering the idea of the “Sports Star.” Poster House is thrilled to host a panel discussion about the ways in which Nike allows us to consider Afro-Futurism within the messaging and styling of a brand that has had special appeal for Black people.This panel will examine Afro-Futurism in the context of fashion history, literature, and visual language to investigate a future that never was. Join us in thinking about Nike branding from a new perspective.
BEARING WITNESS: Black Printmakers “Calling Out” America!
Friday, January 24th from 6:30pm to 7:30pm
Tickets: Free with RSVP
In conjunction with the acclaimed exhibition Lester Beall & A New American Identity, Poster House is pleased to partner with the EFA Robert Blackburn Printmaking Workshop for an engaging conversation with esteemed scholar and historian Leslie King Hammond. This presentation reflects on the artistry of African American printmakers in the era of President Roosevelt’s Works Project Administration of 1935 to 1941, work that had a powerful impact on subsequent generations of Black printmakers. Each artist–then and now–sought to create original and truthful prints in their chosen mediums and modalities to “signify on” (or indirectly criticize) the realities of their lives as citizens in the United States.
Family Art Project: Fan of Lunar New Year!
Saturday, January 25th and Sunday, January 26th from 10:00am to 1:00pm
Location: Meet at Wave Hill House
Tickets: Free with admission to the grounds
Celebrate the start of the Year of the Snake by learning about their role in the Chinese zodiac. Then, assemble and decorate a fan inspired by snakes in nature that call the Bronx home.
ICE SEASON IS IN FULL SWING!
Ice skating at Wollman Rink NYC is an iconic winter experience that captures the magic of New York City. Nestled in the heart of Central Park, the rink offers skaters of all ages and skill levels the chance to glide across the ice while taking in breathtaking views of the city skyline. Whether you’re a seasoned skater or a first-timer, Wollman Rink provides a welcoming environment, complete with skate rentals, lessons, and a festive atmosphere that embodies the spirit of the season.
Beyond just skating, Wollman Rink NYC is a place where memories are made. The rink hosts special events, themed skating nights, and live performances, making it a hub of wintertime activity. Whether you’re looking for a romantic date night, a family outing, or simply a moment of peace in the bustling city, Wollman Rink offers a unique and unforgettable experience that has been a cherished New York tradition for generations.
Igloo Village
Elevate your skating experience at Wollman Rink NYC inside our cozy, private, heated Rink Side igloos, under the Midtown Manhattan skyline in Central Park. Each of our transparent igloos feature an electric fireplace, soft lighting, and comfy seating for eight, as well as delicious food and beverage options.