BRONX RIVER ALLIANCE; CELEBRATING 20 YEARS
By Great Performances
The Bronx River, the only freshwater river in New York City, is rich in history. Originally starting in Westchester County and called Aquehung (River of High Bluffs), it was a source of life for the Mohegans who lived along the river. As Europeans settled in the area, the ecology and landscape changed. Industrialization led to mills and factories being built along the river and waste being dumped into the river. By the end of the 19th century, it was referred to as an open sewer.
In the 1970s, the Bronx River Restoration was launched to turn around the river. Numerous organizations worked with communities to launch activities on the river, working to clean, beautify, and improve the area. In 2001, the Bronx River Alliance was incorporated to coordinate efforts to protect, improve, and restore the Bronx River corridor.
By engaging the communities along the river, The Bronx River Alliance and numerous volunteers have created green spaces and witnessed the return of wildlife including alewife herring, beavers, and many other species. They are bringing vibrancy and life back to the river and creating a welcome space for people to gather and enjoy nature in The Bronx. Last year, Katchkie Farmer Jon grew 150 rhubarb plants for the perennial forest in the South Bronx, a project managed by the Alliance.
There are opportunities for all interests, from recreational activities like walking, running, or exercising along the Greenway and paddling down the river to educational activities in this “Living Laboratory” through school programs and independent activities available on the Bronx River Alliance website.
The Bronx River has become a vibrant part of the communities around it, and the transformation over the past 20 years has been incredible. The rivers’ path, and its rejuvenation, is also the story of privilege and access. North of the city, the river’s restoration brings acres of clean water and land conservation to local communities. As the river winds into the Bronx, where it is the only connection to water and greenery, the need for environmental activism becomes even more critical. The amazing work of local advocates and supporters are making a difference. They welcome your support and a visit!
This year, The Bronx River Alliance celebrates 20 years at The Golden Ball, a sold-out event on Tuesday, October 5.
However, It’s never too late to support the Alliance. You can Donate online or Get Involved to help continue to transform the river by becoming a member, volunteering, or working for The Bronx River Alliance.
Learn more about the rich history of The Bronx River by watching the video below.
By Great Performances
Explore Great Music, Art and More at Our Partner Venues This Month!
BIGGIE: I GOT A STORY TO TELL
Thursday, September 9 at 7:30 pm
Location: Putnam Triangle Plaza (22 Putnam Ave)
Every legend has an origin story. Christopher Wallace, aka the Notorious B.I.G., remains one of hip-hop’s—and Brooklyn’s—most beloved icons, renowned for his distinctive flow and autobiographical lyrics. This documentary celebrates his life through rare behind-the-scenes footage and the testimonies of his closest friends and family, revealing a side of Biggie Smalls that the world never knew.
Sun & Sea
September 15 – 26
Location: BAM Fisher
Tickets: $25
By Rugilė Barzdžiukaitė, Vaiva Grainytė and Lina Lapelytė
Step into a sunny day by the sea. This theatrical installation stunned audiences at the 2019 Venice Biennale, earning its all-female creative team the much-coveted Golden Lion. It comes to BAM for its US premiere, transforming the Fishman Space into a crowded beach. Sunbathing characters offer up a range of seductive harmonies and melodic stories that glide between the mundane, the sinister, and the surreal. From the sprawling tapestry of their lives emerges a piercing exploration of the relationship between people and our planet, brought to life by 13 vocalists and 25 tons of sand.
Audience members stand in the balcony to experience the performance, and are encouraged to move around the viewing area. Accessible seating is available upon request.
A limited number of timed-entry tickets will be sold in advance. Ticketholders will be admitted on a rolling basis as space becomes available, and once admitted, may stay as long as they like.
100 Keyboards
September 30 – October 2
Location: BAM Fisher
Ticket Information: $25
One note, played on a toy keyboard, is followed by a second. Then a third, and a fourth. And with each note added, eventually reaching 100, the room changes. Frequencies multiply, reverberations hover in space, and the slightest acoustic variations emerge.
Experimental Japanese sound artist ASUNA invites guests to gather in the round and move about the space as he nimbly manipulates this room of instruments, using the moiré pattern to create an immersive, unusual, and sublime sonic bath. Simultaneously analog and electronic, minimal and complex, meditative and mesmerizing, 100 Keyboards builds unceasingly toward an infinite and sustained crescendo.
Audience members stand and move around the space to experience the performance. Accessible seating is available upon request.
THE OBAMA PORTRAITS TOUR
August 27 – October 24
Location: Morris A. and Meyer Schapiro Wing, 4th Floor
From the moment of their unveiling at the Smithsonian’s National Portrait Gallery, Washington, D.C., in February 2018, the official portraits of President Barack Obama and Mrs. Michelle Obama have become iconic. Kehinde Wiley’s portrait of President Obama and Amy Sherald’s portrait of the former First Lady have inspired unprecedented responses from the public.
This five-city tour travels the United States from June 2021 through May 2022 and is expected to reach millions of people who might not otherwise have an opportunity to view these remarkable paintings. This special presentation enhances the conversations surrounding the power of portraiture and its potential to engage communities. The Obama Portraits Tour is accompanied by a richly illustrated book published by National Portrait Gallery and Princeton University Press.
Other tour locations include the Art Institute of Chicago (June 18–August 15, 2021), Los Angeles County Museum of Art (November 5, 2021–January 2, 2022), High Museum of Art, Atlanta (January 14–March 20, 2022), and Museum of Fine Arts, Houston (April 2–May 30, 2022).
The Obama Portraits Tour has been organized by the Smithsonian’s National Portrait Gallery, Washington, D.C.
CHRISTIAN DIOR: DESIGNER OF DREAMS
September 10, 2021 – February 20, 2022
Location: Beaux-Arts Court, 3rd Floor
Tickets: $25
The New York premiere of the exhibition Christian Dior: Designer of Dreams traces the groundbreaking history and legacy of the House of Dior. The exhibition brings to life Dior’s many sources of inspiration—from the splendor of flowers and other natural forms to classical and contemporary art.
With objects drawn primarily from the Dior archives, the exhibition includes a vast array of over two hundred haute couture garments as well as photographs, archival videos, sketches, vintage perfume elements, accessories, and works from the Museum’s collection. The haute couture on view exemplifies many of the French couturier’s fabled silhouettes, including the “New Look,” which debuted in 1947.
Presented are galleries devoted to Dior and the artistic directors who succeeded him—Yves Saint Laurent, Marc Bohan, Gianfranco Ferré, John Galliano, Raf Simons, and Maria Grazia Chiuri. A toile room, a tribute to the Ateliers, and adjacent galleries of couture garments showcase the excellence of Dior’s petites mains. The central atrium of our Beaux-Arts Court has been redesigned as an enchanted garden, and a concluding gallery celebrates dresses worn by stars from Grace Kelly to Jennifer Lawrence.
The Brooklyn Museum presentation of Christian Dior: Designer of Dreams is curated by Florence Müller, Avenir Foundation Curator of Textile Art and Fashion, Denver Art Museum, in collaboration with Matthew Yokobosky, Senior Curator of Fashion and Material Culture, Brooklyn Museum.
100 Keyboards
September 30 – October 2
Location: BAM Fisher
Ticket Information: $25
One note, played on a toy keyboard, is followed by a second. Then a third, and a fourth. And with each note added, eventually reaching 100, the room changes. Frequencies multiply, reverberations hover in space, and the slightest acoustic variations emerge.
Experimental Japanese sound artist ASUNA invites guests to gather in the round and move about the space as he nimbly manipulates this room of instruments, using the moiré pattern to create an immersive, unusual, and sublime sonic bath. Simultaneously analog and electronic, minimal and complex, meditative and mesmerizing, 100 Keyboards builds unceasingly toward an infinite and sustained crescendo.
Audience members stand and move around the space to experience the performance. Accessible seating is available upon request.
BEGINNER’S EAR: RUBÉN RENGEL, VIOLIN
Sunday, September 12 at 10:00 am
Location: Sunken Garden
Ticket Information: $50
Enlighten your Sunday mornings with Beginner’s Ear, a unique series founded by Corinna da Fonseca-Wollheim and designed to bring mindfulness to the concert experience.
Caramoor’s bucolic Sunken Garden provides a fitting setting to clear the mind and nourish the spirit with silence and music. Beginning with a guided meditation and concluding with a group discussion, Beginner’s Ear offers a soul-nourishing new way of hearing music and builds community through the shared experience of silence and sound.
AFTERNOON TEA
Fridays in September at 2:00 pm
Location: Rosen House
Ticket Information: Adult: $45, Child: $20
Spend time relaxing with friends and enjoy an Afternoon Tea in the Spanish Courtyard of the historic Rosen House. Tea service includes a variety of tea sandwiches, scones with crème fraiche and preserves, delicious desserts, and a variety of fragrant teas all served on exquisite vintage china. You are also welcome to reserve a spot for a complimentary, docent-guided tour of the historic Rosen House. As you walk through the House, you’ll learn about the Rosen family, their much-loved country home, and their art collection. Don’t forget to leave yourself time to stroll through Caramoor’s colorful gardens and bucolic grounds or attend an afternoon concert.
ISAIAH J. THOMPSON QUARTET
Thursday – Friday, September 2 – 3, 7:30 pm and 9:30 pm
Location: Dizzy’s Club at Jazz at Lincoln Center
Ticket Information: $35 – $45 plus f&b; Students $15
Pianist, bandleader, and composer Isaiah J. Thompson highlights new works and takes on compositions by the masters at Dizzy’s Club, featuring a quartet of young musicians on the rise. New Jersey native, Thompson has performed with major artists, including Wynton Marsalis, Ron Carter, John Pizzarelli, Christian McBride, Steve Turre and Buster Williams. His recording debut was featured on Jazz at Lincoln Center’s Blue Engine Records’ Handful of Keys album with the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis, and his debut album as a leader, Isaiah J. Thompson Plays the Music of Buddy Montgomery, released in 2020.
Thompson has worked on the Golden-Globe nominated soundtrack for Motherless Brooklyn, and was named a Steinway Artist and has been awarded accolades including, the 2018 Lincoln Center Emerging Artist Award, and second place in the 2018 Herbie Hancock Institute of Jazz International Piano Competition.
CATHERINE RUSSELL
Thursday – Sunday, September 16 – 19, 7:30 pm and 9:30 pm
Location: Dizzy’s Club at Jazz at Lincoln Center
Ticket Information: $35 – $45 plus f&b; Students $15
“…Russell’s natural, unforced way with a song, and the personal touch she brings to it…she virtually stands alone on today’s jazz landscape.” — Los Angeles Times
Grammy Award-winning vocalist Catherine Russell has been a part of Jazz at Lincoln Center’s family for over a decade—from leading her various groups in the Appel Room and Dizzy’s Club, to touring with the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis for Big Band Holidays, to mentoring and teaching our music’s next generation as a host for multiple Jazz For Young People concerts.
ENDEA OWENS AND THE COOKOUT
Saturday – Sunday, September 25 – 26, 7:30 pm and 9:30 pm
Location: Dizzy’s Club at Jazz at Lincoln Center
Ticket Information: $45 plus f&b; Students $20 plus f&b
Lincoln Center’s Emerging Artist of 2019 and Detroit native Endea Owens, is a vibrant up and coming bassist, bandleader, composer, arranger and educator. Recently commissioned by Jazz at Lincoln Center, her composition “Ida’s Crusade” was performed by the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis this past March, inspired by Ida B. Wells, America’s leading anti-lynching crusader, who was a courageous journalist, crusader, activist, and orator. While she’s performed with a diverse array of jazz, R&B and pop artists, including Jennifer Holliday, Rhonda and Diana Ross, Jazzmeia Horn, Dee Dee Bridgewater, Steve Turre, h.e.r. and Lea Delaria from the Netflix original series “Orange is the New Black,” she continues to dedicate herself to hard-swinging jazz projectes, while finding time to hold down the bass for Jon Batiste’s Stay Human and and the Late Show with Stephen Colbert. For these shows, she leads her own dynamic band “The Cookout” that encompasses the spirit, culture, and rhythm of Black American music.
INFINITE LIFE
Fall 2021
Location: The Alice Griffin Jewel Box Theatre
A play about no end in sight. After the critically acclaimed premiere of John and sold-out run of The Antipodes, Pulitzer Prize winner Annie Baker returns with the final play of her Signature Residency, directing a new work that tackles persistent pain and desire.
TWILIGHT: LOS ANGELES, 1992
Fall 2021
Location: The Alice Griffin Jewel Box Theatre
One verdict can change the course of history. The news of the police officers’ acquittal in Rodney King’s police brutality case reverberated throughout the streets of Los Angeles. Variously called a “riot, a revolution, or a social explosion,” the events that followed the verdict drew worldwide attention. Playwright, actor and scholar Anna Deavere Smith responded artistically by dissecting the anatomy of the unrest. She interviewed over 350 Los Angelinos in preparation for the performance. Declared a “rich, panoramic canvas of a national trauma” by The New York Times, Smith’s transformative study of the 1992 L.A. riots reveals the fault lines that set the city ablaze. Twilight: Los Angeles, 1992 is equal parts meticulously researched reportage and stirring cry for reform.
Signature is excited to work with Anna Deavere Smith and director Taibi Magar to reimagine this play for new performers and collaborators.
WINGS OVER WAVE HILL
Sunday, September 12
Location: On the grounds
Wave Hill is home to many different pollinators, including our resident honeybees. Spend the day chatting with beekeepers, visiting our honeybee hives and creating art with the Family Art Project. Swing by The Shop to purchase tasty honey, beeswax candles and host of honeybee-themed gifts. Can’t make it to Wave Hill? Check out our online videos to learn about the Wave Hill bees from the comfort of your home.
ECO-URGENCY: MUSIC AND NATURE WITH THE STRING ORCHESTRA OF BROOKLYN
Sunday, September 19, 5:30 pm – 6:30 pm
Location: Great Lawn
This program is held in conjunction with Eco-Urgency: Now or Never, an exhibition organized by Wave Hill in partnership with Lehman College Art Gallery. Enjoy an outdoor evening concert in the garden with the String Orchestra of Brooklyn, a close-knit group of musicians dedicated to exploring the breadth of the string repertoire, from the concerti of Bach to the latest experimental works by emerging composers. Featured in this evening’s program is Zach Layton’s Stridulitrum (2013), a composition for strings, bowed electric guitar and insect chorus. Layton is a guitarist, composer, curator, teacher and media artist whose work explores human and non-human sound production techniques, biofeedback, improvisation, indeterminacy and histories of the visual representation of sound and vibration. In Stridulitrum, he incorporates field recordings of crickets and other chirping insects with his string arrangement, creating sonic connections between humanmade music and harmonies found in nature. Also on the program will be Scott Wollschleger’s Outside Only Sound and Darian Thomas’ Floret Ephemera, which also work in concert with ambient sounds of the natural environment.
In the event of rain or other inclement weather, the concert will move indoors to Armor Hall, which has limited capacity. Registered guests will get priority seating.
This event is free with admission to the grounds, but registration is strongly encouraged. Register here or by calling 718.549.3200 x251. If you have any questions about this program or registration, please contact us at visualarts@wavehill.org or by calling the number and extension provided above.
This concert was curated by former Curator of Performing Arts Ginger Dolden.
A NEW LENS ON KATCHKIE FARM: A PHOTO JOURNAL BY PATRICIA COOK
Patricia Cook and Liz Neumark first connected years ago through the Women’s Forum, enjoying meetings and dinners together, and they shared a love of cooking during cooking classes in the pastry kitchen of Stone Barns led by Chef Adam Kaye (founder of The Spare Food Co.). Over years of sharing incredible ingredients and delicious recipes, they developed a warm friendship.
Then Covid changed the world and meeting for dinners and spending time with friends was put on hold.
But during pandemic, Pat rediscovered her camera, taking trips to sanctuaries, beaches, gardens and parks. She published her photos in a book, Finding The Light, available on her website at this link.
Then in mid-August, Liz and Pat ran into each other at Dizzy’s opening night for board members and supporters of Jazz at Lincoln Center. Great Performances operates the food and beverage services at Dizzy’s, and Liz attended to greet board members and friends while Pat attended as a guest. It was a happy reunion, and over the course of conversations, Pat asked if she could visit Katchkie Farm, our organic farm in upstate New York, to take some photos. Armed with her new Leica lenses, Pat captured the beauty of the farm and equipment and shared it with us to share with you.
Enjoy!
BEHIND THE SCENES: SPECIALTY EVENT TASTING
By Great Performances
Working with Great Performances is a delicious journey.
We engage in a discovery process with our clients, starting with the basics like event style, size and goals; the essentials like venue, location and budget; and the fun parts including concept and theme, so we can turn ideas into reality.
Talking about favorite foods, researching culinary trends, and incorporating an event theme into the meal, is a delicious process. We brainstorm with our clients, discover their dreams and share our insights while our chefs work to create the perfect menu.
As part of the planning process, we book tastings with our clients as we fine tune the details of their menus and service styles.
We host these specialty event tastings at our home in The Bronx. These turn into fun, engaging, and of course, delicious opportunities to share a meal with our clients. Our chefs share the story of the dishes, sources of inspiration and answer any questions. Copious notes are taken to make any adjustments and to help ensure that the food at the actual event exceeds expectation. And though guests attend events for practical reasons, enjoying a memorable meal enhances the experience!
Check out these photos from our most recent specialty tasting event.
Spectacular food, an attentive service staff and a warm client-caterer bond made for an afternoon party months before the actual event.
Specialty Tasting Menu
Hors D’Oeuvres
Spaghetti & Meatball
beef meatball, fra diavolo sauce
Boneless Lamb Chop
mint chimichurri, pretzel
Potato Cornet
portobello mousse, sorrel
Habanero Smoked Tofu Taco
watermelon radish wrap
PB&J
hudson valley foie gras, pistachio butter, sour cherry preserves
Duck Rillette Fritter
cranberry port jam, rosemary skewer
Beef Carpaccio
saffron aioli
Peekytoe Crab on Togarashi Rice Crisp
jalapeno, miso aioli
Mozzarella Cup
gaeta olive, sundried tomato chutney
Peruvian Potato Cup
comte fondue
Korean Chicken Bite
gochujang fried chicken, kimchi slaw, sriracha aioli
BBQ Shortrib
roasted poblano, stone ground grits
Specialty Carving Stations
Carving Station: Veal
Sage-Stuffed Veal Breast Roulade
braised gigante beans
gemelli al pesto, green beans
grilled zucchini, ricotta salatta, lemon, basil
Carving Station: Duck
Roast Duck Breast Lapérouse
gruyere, mustard
foie gras mousse profiteroles
pommes duchesse
Carving Station: Jamon
Hand-Carved Jamon Mangalista
white anchovy barquettes
Carving Station: Ribeye
32oz Bone-In Ribeye
bordelaise, chimichurri, horseradish cream
Carving Station: Kobe
Seared 45-Day Dry-Aged Kobe Sirloin
japanese uni, shiitake summer roll, madeira gastrique, oyster sauce, chive puree
Specialty Seafood Stations
Toro Station
Fresh Cut Toro
caviar, yuzu pearls, gold leaf
Colossal Shrimp & Arctic Char Station
Colossal Shrimp
lemon-tarragon aioli, horseradish and smoked tomato cocktail sauce
Lightly Cured Arctic Char
olive oil poached peppers, anchovy
Ceviche Station
Red Snapper
leche de tigre, red onion, chili pepper, lime
Specialty Vegetarian Station
Mushroom Station
japanese turnips, erynggi mushrooms, matsutake mushrooms, trumpet mushrooms, black truffle, smoked dashi broth
By Great Performances
Explore Great Music, Art and More at Our Partner Venues This Month!
HARLEM WEEK VIRTUAL TOUR
Wednesday, August 11 at 4:00 pm
Location: Zoom
Ticket Information: $15 per household (plus service fee)
Celebrate HARLEM WEEK with a virtual tour of the Apollo — an interactive look into the historic space and legacy of the Apollo Theater. Guided by Billy “Mr. Apollo” Mitchell, the virtual tour provides audiences an opportunity to explore the legendary history of the Apollo Theater and gain behind-the-scenes access to this iconic venue. This live tour connects the past, present and future through entertaining and inspiring storytelling, photographs, and video from the Apollo’s archives. Get your tickets today to experience the magic of the Apollo from the comfort of your own home.
JENNIFER HUDSON LIVE AT THE APOLLO PRESENTED BY MASTERCARD
Thursday, August 19 at 8:00 pm
Location: Apollo Historic Theater
Ticket Information:$59.99 – 99.99 (must be purchased with valid Mastercard)
Mastercard proudly presents Jennifer Hudson Live at The Apollo on August 19th. This intimate in-person gathering of Black women entrepreneurs and select cardholders features Ms. Hudson performing classic Aretha Franklin hits featured in the upcoming biopic Respect, as well as songs from her own catalogue.
PLEASE NOTE: This is a specially priced event exclusively for Mastercard cardholders.
For the safety of our audiences and staff, all ticketholders and attendees of this event must provide proof of vaccination in order to enter the theater. Click here for more information about our COVID safety policies.
RESPECT
Location: Peter Jay Sharp Building, BAM Rose Cinemas
Ticket Information: GENERAL ADMISSION: $16; MEMBERS: $8 (free for Level 4 and above)
Academy Award winner Jennifer Hudson is the Queen of Soul in this star-studded new drama that’s bursting with song, with a cast that includes Audra McDonald and Mary J. Blige. Following the rise of Aretha Franklin’s career from a child singing in her father’s church’s choir to her international superstardom, Respect is the remarkable true story of the legendary singer’s journey to find her voice.
BEATS, RHYMES & LIFE: THE TRAVELS OF A TRIBE CALLED QUEST
Thursday, August 26 at 7:30 pm
A Tribe Called Quest was one of the most commercially successful and artistically significant musical groups in recent history. The band’s sudden break-up in 1998 shocked the industry and saddened the scores of fans, whose appetite for the group’s innovative musical stylings never seem to diminish. This insightful film takes viewers on a behind-the-scenes journey, chronicling the group’s rise to fame and revealing the stories behind the tensions which erupted in the years to come.
KAWS: WHAT PARTY
February 26 – September 5
Location: Brooklyn Museum
For twenty-five years, Brooklyn-based artist KAWS (Brian Donnelly, American, born 1974) has bridged the worlds of art, popular culture, and commerce. Adapting the rules of cultural production and consumption in the twenty-first century, his practice both critiques and participates in consumer culture. KAWS: WHAT PARTY is a sweeping survey featuring more than one hundred broad-ranging works, such as rarely seen graffiti drawings and notebooks, paintings and sculptures, smaller collectibles, furniture, and monumental installations of his popular COMPANION figures. It also features new pieces made uniquely for the exhibition along with his early-career altered advertisements.
KAWS’s practice acknowledges that works of art can occupy multiple realms—the aesthetic and the transcendent, the commodified and the priceless—and emphasizes that even within a cultural environment shaped by image and consumption, universal emotions such as love, friendship, loneliness, and alienation remain constant. KAWS invites us to engage with his work, both in person and virtually, and explore our own relationship with and connection to objects. Teaming up with Acute Art, a digital art platform directed by acclaimed Swedish curator Daniel Birnbaum, KAWS presents new augmented reality works, allowing visitors to interact virtually with his sculptures using their smartphones to create their own experience.
DRINK AND DRAW: THE SLIPSTREAM WITH NONA FAUSTINE
Thursday, August 19 from 7:00 – 9:00 pm
Location: Biergarten, Steinberg Family Sculpture Garden
Ticket Information: $35 and include after-hours admission to The Slipstream, art materials in your own Brooklyn Museum tote, and a complimentary drink. Member tickets are $25.
Sip and sketch in our backyard Biergarten this summer with a monthly series of life drawing classes, open to all levels and accompanied by a refreshing beverage and musical vibes by local DJs. This month, celebrate our newest contemporary art exhibition, The Slipstream: Reflection, Resilience, and Resistance in the Art of Our Time, with special guest host Nona Faustine. The artist offers insights based on her experience representing the body in photographs, which are on view in the exhibition. Sketch from live models and experiment with materials in a casual class led by teaching artist Mellasenah Nicole Edwards.
CONCERT ON THE LAWN: FLOR DE TOLOACHE
Friday, August 13 at 7:00 pm
Location: Friends Field, World Music
Ticket Information: Adult $35; Child $15
The women of Flor de Toloache fuse together influences from across genres and cultures to produce a unique and powerful take on traditional Mariachi music.
THE MUSIC CONTINUES: CONCERTS ON THE LAWN On three Fridays in August, we invite you to a laid-back evening concert as the sun sets on our expansive Friends Field. Relax (or get up and dance!) as world-class musicians fill the air with music. Make it a date night, a family outing, or just another Friday at Caramoor by pre-ordering a picnic during checkout.
Please bring your own blanket or seating. In the event of rain, the concert will be moved into the Venetian Theater.
CONCERT ON THE LAWN: SHENEL JOHNS
Friday, August 27 at 7:00 pm
Location: Friends Field, Jazz
Ticket Information: Adult: $35, Child: $15
POWER TO THE PEOPLE
With a voice that embodies grace and passion and a personal style that sways effortlessly from jazz to R&B to gospel, Shenel Johns has emerged as one of the shining stars of her generation. A native of Hartford, CT, Johns has been performing since she was fourteen years of age, and has developed a distinctive, eclectic style that has increasingly caught the attention of her peers and some of the industry’s top performers.
THE MUSIC CONTINUES: CONCERTS ON THE LAWN On three Fridays in August, we invite you to a laid-back evening concert as the sun sets on our expansive Friends Field. Relax (or get up and dance!) as world-class musicians fill the air with music. Make it a date night, a family outing, or just another Friday at Caramoor by pre-ordering a picnic during checkout.
Please bring your own blanket or seating. In the event of rain, the concert will be moved into the Venetian Theater.
HERLIN RILEY QUARTET
Thursday – Sunday August 19-22, 7:30 pm and 9:30 pm
Location: Dizzy’s Club at Jazz at Lincoln Center
Ticket Information: $35 – $45 plus f&b; Students $15
Veteran drummer and founding Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra member Herlin Riley has been the drummer of choice for bandleaders such as Ahmad Jamal and Wynton Marsalis. Riley’s sound is rooted in his home of New Orleans, but his rhythmic vocabulary expands miles beyond any one style or location. At Dizzy’s, he will demonstrate his skills as bandleader, with a quintet featuring some of the best young talent in New York, including trumpeter Bruce Harris, pianist Emmet Cohen, bassist Russell Hall, and saxophonist Godwin Louis. Groove comes first when Riley is on drums, and these reopening weekend performances at Dizzy’s are sure to be a good time!
TRIO DA PAZ PLAYS JOBIN AND OTHER BRAZILIAN CLASSICS
Tuesday – Sunday, August 24 – 29, 7:30 pm and 9:30 pm
Location: Dizzy’s Club at Jazz at Lincoln Center
Ticket Information: $35 – $45 plus f&b; Students $15
Trio da Paz comes back to Dizzy’s Club to revive the tradition of their summer residency. Formed in 1990 by three of Brazil’s most in-demand master musicians—guitarist Romero Lubambo, bassist Nilson Matta, and drummer Duduka da Fonseca—Trio da Paz embodies the infectious spirit of jazz-oriented Brazilian music. Joining them are Maucha Adnet on vocals, Joe Locke on vibraphone and Harry Allen on tenor saxophone.
INFINITE LIFE
Fall 2021
Location: The Alice Griffin Jewel Box Theatre
A play about no end in sight. After the critically acclaimed premiere of John and sold-out run of The Antipodes, Pulitzer Prize winner Annie Baker returns with the final play of her Signature Residency, directing a new work that tackles persistent pain and desire.
TWILIGHT: LOS ANGELES, 1992
Fall 2021
Location: The Alice Griffin Jewel Box Theatre
One verdict can change the course of history. The news of the police officers’ acquittal in Rodney King’s police brutality case reverberated throughout the streets of Los Angeles. Variously called a “riot, a revolution, or a social explosion,” the events that followed the verdict drew worldwide attention. Playwright, actor and scholar Anna Deavere Smith responded artistically by dissecting the anatomy of the unrest. She interviewed over 350 Los Angelinos in preparation for the performance. Declared a “rich, panoramic canvas of a national trauma” by The New York Times, Smith’s transformative study of the 1992 L.A. riots reveals the fault lines that set the city ablaze. Twilight: Los Angeles, 1992 is equal parts meticulously researched reportage and stirring cry for reform.
Signature is excited to work with Anna Deavere Smith and director Taibi Magar to reimagine this play for new performers and collaborators.
WALKS WITH GARDENERS: AQUATIC AND MONOCOT GARDENS
Wednesday, August 18 from 5:00 pm – 6:00 pm
Location: Meet at the Perkins Visitor Center
Ticket Information: $30 / Members receive 10% discount; Includes admission to the grounds
The summer heat encourages tropical plants to flourish in the Aquatic and Monocot Gardens. Evening offers an escape from the heat, and the garden seems to come alive with the hum of insects, the rustle of leaves, and the antics of fish skimming the surface of the water. Guided by Wave Hill gardener Christopher Bivens, explore the design of these two formal gardens, where neatly trimmed hedges and symmetrical pergolas provide a framework for lush grasses, tropical plants and exotic water lilies.
Rain date: Wednesday, August 25
Registration required, online or at 718.549.3200 x251, and closes at noon on Tuesday, August 17. The program fee includes admission to the grounds. Space is extremely limited. Questions? Please email us at information@wavehill.org or call the telephone number and extension above.
By Great Performances
Explore Great Music, Art and More at Our Partner Venues This Month!
Asia Society at the Movies: My People, My Country — Hello, Beijing
Friday, July 9 at 5:00 pm – Monday July 19 at 5:00 pm.
Location: Online
Ticket Information: Beginning July 9 at 5 p.m. New York time until July 19 at 5 p.m. New York time, Hello, Beijing will be available to stream, with a 24-hour viewing window once the screening has started.
My People, My Country is a 2019 Chinese anthology consisting of seven short films directed by top Chinese filmmakers including Chen Kaige, Zhang Yibai, Guan Hu, Xue Xiaolu, Xu Zheng, Ning Hao, and Wen Muye. Released to mark the 70th anniversary of the People’s Republic of China, the stories are based on seven historic moments in the nation’s history since its founding.
In one of the shorts in the anthology, Hello, Beijing directed by Ning Hao, a taxi driver meets a young boy from the zone affected by the 2008 Sichuan earthquake. The driver ends up giving him a ticket to the opening ceremony of the 2008 Beijing Olympics, which was originally intended to be a birthday gift to his aloof son.
Join us for a weekend-long screening of Hello, Beijing.
Asia Society at the Movies: My People, My Homeland — A Beijing Good Person
Friday, July 16 t 5:00 pm – Monday, July 19 at 5:00 pm
Location: Online
Ticket Information: Beginning July 16 at 5 p.m. New York time until July 19 at 5 p.m. New York time, A Beijing Good Person will be available to stream, with a 24-hour viewing window once the screening has started. The accompanying conversation will stream live on July 19 at 8 p.m. New York time.
My People, My Homeland is a 2020 Chinese anthology consisting of five comedic short films directed by acclaimed Chinese filmmakers including Ning Hao, Chen Sicheng, and Xu Zheng, among others. The hilarious and heartwarming stories take place in different parts of rural China in Beijing, Guizhou, Shaanxi, Hangzhou, and Shenyang, and depict how various characters explore what makes their communities unique.
The first short film in the anthology, A Beijing Good Person directed by Ning Hao, is a heartfelt and bittersweet story about a man, Zhang Beijing, helping his uncle to receive thyroid cancer treatment in Beijing. With no other options, Zhang ends up turning to identity fraud and has to fake his uncle’s medical insurance card.
Join us for a weekend-long screening of A Beijing Good Person, followed by a conversation on July 19 at 8 p.m. New York time with director Ning Hao and Ellen R. Eliasoph, a veteran film executive and producer. The discussion will offer a closer look at Ning’s career, Chinese film, and more.
Summer of Soul (…Or, When the Revolution Could Not Be Televised)
Location: Peter Jay Sharp Building, BAM Rose Cinemas
Ticket Information: $16
Making his filmmaking debut, Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson presents a powerful and transporting documentary—part music film, part historical record—about an epic event in Black history, culture, and fashion. Over the course of six weeks in the summer of 1969, just 100 miles south of where Woodstock was taking place, the Harlem Cultural Festival was filmed in Mount Morris Park (now Marcus Garvey Park). The footage was never seen and largely forgotten—until now.
Summer of Soul shines a light on the importance of history to our spiritual well-being and stands as a testament to the healing power of music during times of unrest—both past and present. Featuring never-before-seen concert performances by Stevie Wonder, Nina Simone, Sly & the Family Stone, Gladys Knight & the Pips, Mahalia Jackson, B.B. King, the 5th Dimension, and many others. Winner of both the Grand Jury Prize and Audience Award at this year’s Sundance Film Festival.
What to Send Up When It Goes Down
June 20 — July 11
Location: BAM Fisher, Fishman Space
Ticket Information: $25
Aleshea Harris’ acclaimed, groundbreaking new work is a play, a ritual, and a home-going celebration that bears witness to the physical and spiritual deaths of Black people as a result of racist violence. Setting out to disrupt the pervasiveness of anti-Blackness and acknowledge the inherent value of Black people, What to Send Up When It Goes Down blurs the boundaries between actors and audiences. These participatory performances ask audiences to join in a spirit of openness, offering a space for catharsis, discussion, reflection, and healing.
The play was originally scheduled to take place at Brooklyn Botanic Garden. With expanding health and safety regulations permitting safer indoor performances, the location change provides an opportunity for an extension in the production schedule and expands performances for more patrons to attend. Thank you for your understanding during this unprecedented time—we’re thrilled to welcome you back into our theater.
All performances will adhere to protocols developed in accordance with New York State regulations and in consultation with medical professionals for the safety of our artists, audiences, and staff.
Accessible seating is available for this event. Contact info@BAM.org to reserve, or for more information.
Pop-Up Market
Sunday July 11, 18, 25
Location: Brooklyn Museum Plaza
Stop by our market to shop one-of-a-kind, handmade items from local artisans. This weekly event features more than twenty vendors offering artwork, jewelry, fashion, home and apothecary goods, and more.
This event takes place outdoors. We’re following procedures and guidelines laid out by the CDC and local health officials, including practicing social distancing for all activities. Masks are required for all adults and children over the age of 2.
Pop-Up Performance: Brooklyn Symphony Orchestra
Sunday, July 18 from 2:00 pm – 4:00 pm
Location: Brooklyn Museum Plaza
Ticket Information: $15, $30, $45 / Members Free
Catherine Russell dazzles her audiences with familiar favorites and forgotten gems alike. Russell excelled as a backup singer and multi-instrumentalist with David Bowie, Steely Dan, Cyndi Lauper, and Paul Simon, before launching a remarkable solo career, featuring Grammy award-winning and chart-topping recordings. In 2019 she released her seventh album, Alone Together, which was then Grammy-nominated for Best Jazz Vocal Album.
Celebrating
Stephen Sondheim’s
91st Birthday
Saturday, July 10 at 8:00 pm
Location:
Venetian Theater / $50, $84, $116, $147
Garden Listening / $20
Tony Award-winning composer and lyricist Stephen Sondheim celebrated his 90th birthday last year, but the pandemic ruined our party. No matter! We invite you to join the celebration of his 91st!
Broadway stars Betsy Wolfe (Waitress, Falsettos), Scarlett Strallen and Bryce Pinkham (A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder), and Ben Davis (Violet) will be on hand, with Tony Award winner Ted Sperling as Music Director and host for this evening of songs from Company, Follies, Sweeney Todd, Merrily We Roll Along, Anyone Can Whistle, and more.
Afternoon Tea
Fridays in July at 1:00 pm
Location: Rosen House
Ticket Information: Adult: $45, Child: $20
Spend time relaxing with friends and enjoy an Afternoon Tea in the Spanish Courtyard of the historic Rosen House. Tea service includes a variety of tea sandwiches, scones with crème fraiche and preserves, delicious desserts, and a variety of fragrant teas all served on exquisite vintage china. You are also welcome to reserve a spot for a complimentary, docent-guided tour of the historic Rosen House. As you walk through the House, you’ll learn about the Rosen family, their much-loved country home, and their art collection. Don’t forget to leave yourself time to stroll through Caramoor’s colorful gardens and bucolic grounds or attend an afternoon concert.
Live from Dizzy’s
Thursdays at 7:30 pm
Location: Online
Ticket Information: Suggested donation $10
Live From Dizzy’s welcomes club favorites & emerging artists back to the Dizzy’s Club stage. Join us from the comfort of your own home as we bring stunning New York views and the live jazz club experience to your living room. Additionally, each live performance will include an artist interview with Dizzy’s Club manager Roland Chassagne.
THE WATERING HOLE
June 22 – August 8
Location: YouTube
Ticket Information: Free with Registration
Over a year after closing our doors, Signature Theatre is excited to present The Watering Hole, an immersive experience envisioned by resident playwright Lynn Nottage, director Miranda Haymon, and a renowned group of creative designers. This grand experiment deviates from the norm, presenting a new kind of theatre—one that is collaborative, accessible and safe.
In-person, physically distanced audiences will move through a series of installations entirely curated by creatives of color at the beloved Pershing Square Signature Center. The multidimensional and multidisciplinary pieces disrupt traditional notions of theatre-making and challenge viewers to converse with what is most essential to us all, water. Excerpts from the in-person experience will also be available online in order to bring The Watering Hole to as far an audience as possible.
Following hit runs of Fabulation, or The Re-Education of Undine and By the Way, Meet Vera Stark, The Watering Hole culminates Pulitzer Prize-winner Lynn Nottage’s residency at Signature Theatre.
Lessons from Wave Hill: Seasonal Container Displays
Monday, July 12 from 10:00 am – 12:00 pm
Location: Meet at Front Gate
Ticket Information: $65, including admission to the grounds. Wave Hill Members save 10%
Container plants play an important role in the seasonal displays at Wave Hill. Every summer, the gardens are filled with hundreds of potted plants enjoying a summer vacation from our indoor growing areas, together with seasonal containers planted with tropical and annual plants. Wave Hill Gardener Shane Pritchett has perfected the art of container gardening at the Pergola and on Wave Hill House’s Kate French Terrace, arranging a myriad of planted containers that highlight shape, height, texture and color. In this workshop, his shares his container-gardening expertise, including soil mixes, care requirements, design considerations and recommended plant species for sunny and shady locations.
Please note that Wave Hill is not open to the public on Mondays; participants are invited to bring their lunch to enjoy on the Kate French Terrace but will not be allowed to wander the grounds.
Registration required, online or at 718.549.3200 x251, and closes at noon on Friday, July 9. Space is extremely limited. Questions? Please email us at information@wavehill.org or call the telephone number and extension provided here.
By Great Performances
Explore Great Music, Art and More at Our Partner Venues This Month!
Footprint – Design & Creativity in Sneaker Culture
Monday, May 17 at 7:00 pm
Location: Apollo Digital Stage
Ticket Information: Free with RSVP; Donation Suggested
Presented by Apollo Theater Education, Harlem 2020, and GoodThin.gs, FootPrint – Design and Creativity in Sneaker Culture will celebrate the cultural, societal, and aesthetic impact of the sneaker through interactive storytelling, demonstrations, and conversations with leaders from the creative and business industries.
Imagenation’s Cocktails and Sol Cinema
Wednesday, May 20 at 7:00 pm
Location: Apollo Digital Stage
Ticket Information: $12, $10 fo Apollo A List Members
MUSE: BLACK ART UNSEEN
ImageNation brings together a diverse collection of short films in a variety of genres ranging from documentary and experimental to psychological thriller in an evening that explores the creative process from four different perspectives. MUSE: Black Art Unseen fuses music, movement, and visual presentation to take a deep dive into unexplored areas of Black creativity. Collectively, these films center artists as the subject and challenge our systems of traditional and mainstream Western creativity to ask the questions: What drives us to innovate? How does our creativity impact communities? and How do we honor our legacies and find freedom through self-expression?
Films include:
- My Father the Mover (2020), Tribeca Film Festival winner directed by South African writer/director/producer Julia Jansch
- A Concerto is a Conversation (2021), Sundance Film Festival selection executive produced by Ava DuVernay featuring Emmy Award winning, Grammy-nominated composer Kris Bowers who has created scores for popular series including Netflix’s Bridgerton and When They See Us.
- Music is My Mistress (2017), directed by Kahlil Joseph, director for Beyonce’s Lemonade, starring Tracee Ellis Ross, Jesse Williams, Kelsey Lu and Ish from Shabazz Palaces and Digable Planets
- Rhyme Animal (2007) starring the late Craig “muMs” Grant and Al Thompson.
Following the screening, stay tuned for a talkback with filmmakers Kris Bowers, Julie Jansch, Philippe Roc and Jorge Rivera moderated by ImageNation’s Moikgantsi Kgama.
*Due to strong language and mature content, these films may not be suitable for all audiences. Viewer discretion is advised.
2021 Asia Arts Game Changer Awards
Wednesday, May 5 7:30 – 8:30 pm
Location: Online
Ticket Information: $500+
Asia Arts Game Changer Awards is a signature gala celebration honoring visionaries across the arts field making an impact in the world. Major art collectors, artists, gallerists, dignitaries from the art world, and Asia Society trustees and patrons will gather online to celebrate the contemporary arts in Asia for their significant contributions.
For more than thirty years, Asia Society has been a pioneer in identifying and fostering contemporary Asian artists and engaging new audiences in their work.
Past honorees include: Christine Ay Tjoe, Cai Guo-Qiang, Fang Lijun, Subodh Gupta, Hon Chi Fun, Shirazeh Houshiary, Ju Ming, Bharti Kher, Lee Ufan, Liu Guosong, Nalini Malani, Nyoman Masriadi, Takashi Murakami, Yoshitomo Nara, Park Seo-Bo, Imran Qureshi, Rashid Rana, Shahzia Sikander, Hiroshi Sugimoto, Do Ho Suh, Natee Utarit, Wucius Wong, Xu Bing, Zeng Fanzhi, and Zhang Xiaogang.
Global Talent, Diversity & Inclusion
Wednesday, May 12 – Thursday May 13
Asia Society’s 2021 Global Talent, Diversity and Inclusion Virtual Symposium, presented by Marriott International and hosted by Katie Soo, SVP, Growth Marketing HBO Max, is a timely and important annual event that will bring together our partners and supporters to discuss the challenges and opportunities facing the Asian-Pacific American (APA) community, and other communities, within and outside the workplace in an environment marked by the ongoing pandemic and an increase in anti-Asian sentiment in the U.S. During this concerning time, we seek to come together to tackle injustice and embrace our common set of beliefs that we are all part of one human family.
This year’s theme is In Solidarity, We Rise!
Eat, Drink & Be Literary 2021: Luis Alberto Urrea
Tuesday, May 4 at 7:30 pm
Location: Online
Ticket Information: $10
Presented in partnership with the National Book Foundation
Join Luis Alberto Urrea for an evening of intimate discourse and reflection at this digital event, rescheduled from last spring due to the shutdown.
A novelist, essayist, and poet, Urrea is the author of the landmark nonfiction work The Devil’s Highway, which was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize. He also wrote the novels The House of Broken Angels, Into the Beautiful North, The Hummingbird’s Daughter, and Queen of America, as well as the story collection The Water Museum, which was a PEN/Faulkner Award finalist. He is the recipient of a Lannan Literary Award, an Edgar Award, a 2017 American Academy of Arts and Letters Award in Literature, and a 2019 Guggenheim Fellow, among other honors. Urrea currently lives outside of Chicago and teaches at the University of Illinois at Chicago.
1:1 Concerts
May 8-9 & 15-16
Location: Brooklyn Navy Yard
Ticket Information: Free with reservation
This event is currently at capacity. Please check back later, as additional seats may become available.
BAM Presents 1:1 Concerts© at the Brooklyn Navy Yard, Curated by Silkroad
Conceived for BAM by Stephanie Winker, Franziska Ritter and Christian Siegmund
Featuring Members of the Silkroad Ensemble & Guests
Step into a world-class concert curated just for you. Nestled in secluded corners of the Brooklyn Navy Yard, acclaimed artists from the Silkroad Ensemble and their guests from New York’s thriving music scene await. Follow your unique path to a socially distant, private stage and discover which musician will share their artistry in a ten minute, one-to-one concert. The safety restrictions of the pandemic open up new performance possibilities, inviting you to an intimate musical experience unlike any other, and encouraging you to give back the profound gifts of an appreciative audience: admiration, connection, and joy. In a world where we are more separated than we have ever been, this series encourages audiences and musicians to re-connect, one person at a time.
The musicians and producers of 1:1 Concerts conceived this experience as a show of solidarity to artists who lost their income as a result of the pandemic. Music is a gift, and there is no charge to attend these concerts. Instead, BAM and Silkroad invite you to reciprocate by supporting a local cultural institution. We are taking this opportunity to raise funds for Weeksville Heritage Center, a historic site and cultural center that uses education, arts, and a social justice lens to inspire engagement with the history of one of the largest free Black communities in pre-Civil War America.
KAWS: What Party
February 26 – September 5, 2021
Location: Morris A. and Meyer Schapiro Wing and Iris and B. Gerald Cantor Gallery, 5th Floor
For twenty-five years, Brooklyn-based artist KAWS (Brian Donnelly, American, born 1974) has bridged the worlds of art, popular culture, and commerce. Adapting the rules of cultural production and consumption in the twenty-first century, his practice both critiques and participates in consumer culture. KAWS: WHAT PARTY is a sweeping survey featuring more than one hundred broad-ranging works, such as rarely seen graffiti drawings and notebooks, paintings and sculptures, smaller collectibles, furniture, and monumental installations of his popular COMPANION figures. It also features new pieces made uniquely for the exhibition along with his early-career altered advertisements.
KAWS’s practice acknowledges that works of art can occupy multiple realms—the aesthetic and the transcendent, the commodified and the priceless—and emphasizes that even within a cultural environment shaped by image and consumption, universal emotions such as love, friendship, loneliness, and alienation remain constant. KAWS invites us to engage with his work, both in person and virtually, and explore our own relationship with and connection to objects. Teaming up with Acute Art, a digital art platform directed by acclaimed Swedish curator Daniel Birnbaum, KAWS presents new augmented reality works, allowing visitors to interact virtually with his sculptures using their smartphones to create their own experience.
Livestream: Catherine Russell
Presented in Collaboration with Jazz at Lincoln Center
Saturday, May 8 at 8:00 pm
Location: Online
Ticket Information: $15, $30, $45 / Members Free
Catherine Russell dazzles her audiences with familiar favorites and forgotten gems alike. Russell excelled as a backup singer and multi-instrumentalist with David Bowie, Steely Dan, Cyndi Lauper, and Paul Simon, before launching a remarkable solo career, featuring Grammy award-winning and chart-topping recordings. In 2019 she released her seventh album, Alone Together, which was then Grammy-nominated for Best Jazz Vocal Album.
Livestream: Junction Trio
Sunday, May 23 at 3:00 pm
Location: Online
Ticket Information: $15, $30, $45 / Members Free
Three renowned visionary artists of the next generation combine talents in this eclectic new piano trio, Junction. Violinist Stefan Jackiw (Evnin Rising Star, 2007), recognized for musicianship that combines poetry and purity with an impeccable technique, returns with pianist Conrad Tao and cellist Jay Campbell of the trail-blazing JACK Quartet. Tao, who appears worldwide as a pianist and composer, has been dubbed a musician of “probing intellect and open-hearted vision” by the New York Times. Approaching both old and new works with the same curiosity and emotional commitment, Campbell has been called “electrifying” by the New York Times. Join these soloists-turned-trio for two classic yet contrasting chamber music masterpieces.
Following the concert, there will be a Q&A with Junction Trio, with an opportunity for the audience at home to ask questions; moderated by Caramoor’s Artistic Director, Kathy Schuman.
Paquito D’Rivera & Alex Brown
Thursday, May 6 at 7:30 pm
Location: Online
Ticket Information: Suggested donation $10
Like his mentor Dizzy Gillespie, virtuoso clarinetist and saxophonist D’Rivera possesses a deep commitment to the cultural exchange between jazz and Latin music. He’s also an 11-time GRAMMY® Award winner, NEA Jazz Master, and Carnegie Hall Lifetime Achievement Award recipient, who ranks among the likes of Benny Goodman and Sidney Bechet.
This performance will feature the music of Dizzy, Chano, Bebo & Mario — all friends of Paquito who’ve left their contributions on American culture, jazz and much more.
Lakecia Benjamin
Pursuance: The Music of the Coltranes
Thursday, May 13 at 7:30 pm
Location: Online
Ticket Information: Suggested donation $10
Rising star saxophonist and Essentially Ellington alumna Lakecia Benjamin returns to the Dizzy’s Club stage for a special Livestream performance. Benjamin has developed a reputation for energetic, genre-crossing performances, and she has played with musicians ranging from Jimmy Heath, Joanne Brackeen, Charenee Wade, and Harry Belafonte to Macy Gray, Stevie Wonder, Alicia Keys, and The Roots. For this performance she will return to a favorite source of material by leading her quartet through an evening of Coltrane repertoire from her new album, celebrating and exploring her major saxophone influence, John Coltrane, and the great multi-instrumentalist Alice Coltrane.
Freedom
Justice
And
Hope
Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis
And Special Guest Bryan Stevenson
Premieres Friday, May 21 at 7:00 pm
On-Demand through May 26
Location: Online
Ticket Information: $20; $15 subscribers; $0-$15 members
Witness the world premiere of new music by emerging composer/trumpeter Josh Evans as well as guest performer and bassist Endea Owens (Jon Batiste’s Stay Human). In collaboration with Bryan Stevenson—a globally acclaimed activist, public interest lawyer, and founder of the Equal Justice Initiative—the band will perform works that address freedom, justice, and hope.
Though the program asks the composers to consider some enormous questions, the musical outcome will be as compelling and personal as anything in the Jazz at Lincoln Center’s Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis’s oeuvre. Witness this important new body of work come to life, as Stevenson recounts the historical significance of these new pieces of music. Join us in the ongoing search for truth and unity through art.
WHAT TO EXPECT
• A creative collaboration with founder of the Equal Justice Initiative and social justice advocate Bryan Stevenson.
• New music by Endea Owens on the life and work of Ida B. Wells and Josh Evans inspired by the terrible events of 1919’s Red Summer.
30th Anniversary Gala
Three Decades Together, One Future For Us All
Virtual Celebration
Thursday, May 6 at 7:00 pm
Location: YouTube
Ticket Information: Free with Registration
For 30 years, Signature Theatre has been an essential part of our cultural landscape. As we look ahead to Signature’s reopening, we hope you’ll be a part of this remarkable evening celebrating our beloved community of resident playwrights, artists and audiences.
Presenting the inaugural
Signature Outstanding Artist Award to
Resident Playwright
ANNA DEAVERE SMITH
Featuring
Signature Resident Playwrights Katori Hall, Samuel D. Hunter, Dominique Morisseau, Lynn Nottage, with performances by Dave Malloy and members of the Off-Broadway cast of Lauren Yee‘s Cambodian Rock Band: Abraham Kim, Jane Lui, Joe Ngo, and Courtney Reed.
Directed by
Lila Neugebauer
Signature Theatre is committed to making theatre that’s affordable and accessible. We have chosen to make this event free to the public. If you’re able, please consider making a donation to support our programming and the
Signature Ticket Initiative.
Family Art Projects
Saturdays and Sundays in May at 10:00 am
Location: Conifer Slope
Ticket Information: Free (does not include admission to Wave Hill)
Family art projects vary each day. Visit the Wave Hill website for more information.
- The number of families able to participate at any given time will be limited to about five. If you arrive and capacity is full, program staff will provide a “come back” card so you will have first entry for the next session.
- Shine only. Check the website starting at 8AM morning of, for the status of the day’s program.
- Be sure to dress appropriately for the weather and to work with natural materials.
- Have your masks on when you arrive! And please be prepared to respect physical distancing throughout your stay.
- The location will be the Conifer Slope, just to the right of, and below, Wave Hill House. Please enter from the paved roadway that runs along the front of Wave Hill House, then cross the lawn leading down to the Conifer Slope. Staff will greet you there!
- Throughout the program, staff will follow strict cleaning and physical distancing protocols to be sure that all materials and surfaces are safe for you to use.
- The Conifer Slope is on a grassy hill. If getting there will be difficult for you or any family member, please contact Mallory Muya, our Arts Program Coordinator, at mallorym@wavehill.org. We want to accommodate your needs whenever possible.
Most important: Please come prepared to relax and connect fully with the beauty and serenity of Wave Hill in spring!
Mother’s Day Picnic
Sunday, May 9 from 11:00 am – 3:00 pm
Location: Wave Hill Lawn
Ticket Information: $99 per picnic for 2-3 adults/$23 for each child’s picnic
Premium Day Admission ($2 additional)
This year, Mother’s Day and our traditional Mother’s Day picnic are so very welcome! In addition to the opportunity to start your morning at the Family Art Project, or join our first Garden Highlights Walk in the afternoon, we invite you to enjoy a custom Mother’s Day picnic provided by Wave Hill exclusive caterer Great Performances. Be sure to make your reservations now for whatever menu of events you’d like to share with Mom. May we suggest you cap off the day with a browse in The Shop at Wave Hill? We think Mom will be grateful!
Picnic on the Wave Hill House Lawn
Outdoor picnicking will happen on the lawn in front of Wave Hill House only, but there will be limited space indoors in Armor Hall, on the Kate French Terrace and in the Café dining space, on a first-come, first-served basis. As a special Mother’s Day exception, we invite you to bring a blanket to enjoy the gardens in all their spring glory.
Each Picnic Order Serves Two to Three
Each bountiful picnic includes four dishes—lemon rosemary roast chicken, a quiche, couscous and a strawberry rhubarb linzer torte—and is served with coffee or tea and sparkling water. Great Performances is also offering salmon as an alternative to chicken. A “Junior Gardeners Picnic” is also available for children ages seven and younger. Each picnic comes with a reusable, insulated picnic bag and cutlery kits. Oh, and you will have a chance to add champagne to your order, or pinot grigio, a bottle of red wine or two Bronx beers! By the way, if it gets stormy, you are welcome to pick up your picnic and head inside Wave Hill House to enjoy it.
Each picnic, perfect for two to three people, is $99 plus tax; the children’s picnic is $23. Wave Hill Members, remember you save 10%! Want to become a Member? We invite you to join now.
Picnic Reservations by Thursday, May 6, at 3PM
Be sure to make your reservations by next Wednesday. When you do, you will select a pick-up time—sometime between 11AM to 3PM. Make your reservations by emailing WaveHillReservations@greatperformances.com. You will be picking up your order in Wave Hill House’s Mark Twain Room.
Mother’s Day is a Premium Day at Wave Hill
Be sure to also register for admission on Mother’s Day! On Premium Days at Wave Hill, admission to the grounds is $2 more for all visitors.
We love all holidays and celebrations here at Great Performances, but there’s really nothing quite as special as celebrating the moms in our lives! With Covid restrictions being lifted and warmer weather coming, we hope you’ll be able to celebrate with your loved ones in person this Mother’s Day weekend.
We’ve rounded up some great activities for you to enjoy with the moms in your life. You can head upstate to the First Annual Women in Food and Farming Festival at Stone Ridge Orchards; head to the Bronx to enjoy the jewel that is Wave Hill and their annual Mother’s Day celebration — this year, as a picnic on the lawn; or enjoy a picnic meal outdoors at Brooklyn Museum or to take home.
Our venue partners are also sharing special Mother’s Day packages. Picnic on the lawns of Wave Hill, an idyllic garden in The Bronx, or pick up a basket at Brooklyn Museum and enjoy al fresco dining.
Looking for something a little different? The First Annual Women in Food and Farming Festival takes place on Saturday, May 8 at Stone Ridge Orchard a quick two-hour drive from New York City. It’s the perfect way to celebrate mom and women as you explore the outdoor market – and perhaps pick up some goodies for Sunday!
Mother’s Day in Brooklyn
Mother’s Day Picnic at the Brooklyn Museum
Sunday, May 9 from 11:00 am – 4:00 pm
Custom picnics are available for pick up from 11-4 pm at the Brooklyn Museum Food Truck, located in front of the museum. Bring a blanket, and enjoy your lunch in the sculpture garden, or near by Prospect Park. Each picnic includes your complete meal, cutlery and bottled water.
Mother’s Day in the Bronx
Mother’s Day Picnic at Wave Hill
Sunday, May 9 from 11:00 am – 3:00 pm
This year, Mother’s Day and our traditional Mother’s Day picnic are so very welcome! In addition to the opportunity to start your morning at the Family Art Project, or join our first Garden Highlights Walk in the afternoon, we invite you to enjoy a custom Mother’s Day picnic provided by Wave Hill exclusive caterer Great Performances. Be sure to make your reservations now for whatever menu of events you’d like to share with Mom. May we suggest you cap off the day with a browse in The Shop at Wave Hill? We think Mom will be grateful!
Mother’s Day Weekend Upstate
First Annual Women in Food and Farming Festival
Outdoor Market at Stone Ridge Orchards
Saturday, May 8 from 11:00 am – 4:00 pm
Location: Stone Ridge Orchards, Stone Ridge, NY
Ticket Information: Tickets must be purchased in advance
REFLECTIONS ON THE YEAR AND ANTICIPATING THE RETURN OF EVENTS
by Brian Hanley
2020 was an unprecedented year, and each day brought on new uncertainties. But, throughout all the ups and the downs, the afternoon of June 28, 2020 is a day that stands out in my mind the most. It was the date that the annual New York City Pride Parade was scheduled to take place, and it was an especially hot and humid summer afternoon in New York. During any year prior, the city’s streets would have been filled with thousands of supporters and proud members of the LGBTQIA community. But this year was different. There was no parade to march in; no large gatherings to attend; and no clear answer as to what the future of parades and events would look like.
I spent that afternoon walking all the way from the Upper West Side to the Stonewall Inn, and I recall feeling so many emotions. It had been months since I had seen many of my loved ones, and exciting weekends spent at parades, weddings and events seemed like a distant memory.
As I made my way downtown, so many thoughts ran through my mind. “Will there ever be a Pride parage again?”; “Will people even want to gather in groups once this all ends?” …The questions kept coming, but I did not have an answer to any of them.
As I arrived at the West Village, I immediately recognized the masked faces of my two friends, Andrew, and Kyle. Coincidentally, they had the same idea that afternoon to walk to Stonewall; a landmark that is so important to the history of the gay community. I had not seen them since before the pandemic, and since then, the two of them had become engaged. They joked when I congratulated them that Great Performances would plan them “the most extravagant wedding New York has ever seen” once state guidelines allowed for it. This was something they had repeatedly told me ever since they found out we catered Nate Berkus and Jeremiah Brent’s wedding; the first same-sex wedding to ever be held at the New York Public Library. I was thrilled for them, but those same questions I had during my walk popped up again; “Will wedding receptions even be a thing once this all ends?”
Throughout that afternoon, more masked faces began to appear along the streets. It was evident that everyone wanted to escape the apartments they had spent the past few months inside, and to embrace the weather. But, as the day progressed and I was about to begin my trek back uptown, the sun faded, and it began to rain. And not just a drizzle—it was torrential downpouring. Everyone on the street stood in their tracks, unsure on what to do. At the time, there was no indoor café or restaurants open to run into to take cover.
To my surprise, no one on the street ran, but instead broke out in dance. In an almost movie-like moment, Lady Gaga and Ariana Grande’s latest hit, “Rain on Me,” was playing from the Stonewall Inn’s speakers. You could see the pure joy in everyone’s eyes. For many, it was the first time they had danced in months.
It was then that my worries faded, and I knew the future of weddings and events was promising. People were craving togetherness, and in that moment, they felt it, even if only for a short time while they danced with their neighbors at a distance.
Today, almost a full year later, so many of the uncertainties that I worried about during that afternoon have been answered. Great Performances has an exciting spring and summer ahead filled with weddings and celebrations, and NYC Pride has announced that some in-person events will resume in 2021.
As a company we are looking forward to bringing our services back to your celebrations, and seeing the city come together again.
If you are planning a bridal shower, wedding ceremony or anniversary event, allow our planners to turn your dream into a reality. I, for one, cannot wait to plan the wedding that my two friends dreamed about during that special afternoon last June.
DEGREES OF SEPARATION AND GREAT PERFORMANCES
by Ronnie Davis
In early February I got a call from Samantha Sackler, a longtime partner & friend who owns an LA based production company called The Firm, asking me if we would be willing to work on a Drive-In Premiere and help with registering guests & distributing Movie Snacks to each one as they arrive. She knew that the criteria her client laid out was completely in our wheelhouse. First and foremost, in the instructions was that there can be NO plastic anywhere and everything had to be environmentally friendly. Our culinary team created a compostable box that we were able to label for the client of Popcorn, Candy, and a Glass Bottle of Water. At first, I did not know who the end client was but when I found out more, I had to smile and remind myself of what a very small world it really is. As it turns out the Premier was for the National Geographic Network’s new program Genius: Aretha.
First degree of separation: National Geographic is a long time Great Performances’ client as is The Firm, and we have collaborated on many events for both. My colleague Jill Cole has led the catering efforts for National Geographic’s first season of Genius: Picasso, starring Antonio Banderas, as well their Oscar Winning Documentary film Free Solo.
Second degree: we have had the distinct honor of working with The Queen of Soul herself, Miss Aretha Franklin on several occasions, dating back to a private dinner concert for our partners at Jazz at Lincoln Center and most recently in 2015 at a Gala at the Plaza Hotel. Working with her was like a dream and I was humbled by her kindness and RESPECT.
Third degree: in 2017 we produced and catered a fundraiser in the Hamptons for 600 guests and the headliner I got to spend time planning, in rehearsals and though the evening with the amazing Cynthia Erivo, who is starring in Genius: Aretha.
The opportunities to spend meaningful time with these amazing people is something that only happens because of Great Performances. Those of us who do this every day cherish these moments and find enormous reward in simply the experience. Sitting on a couch with Aretha Franklin telling stories about her musical beginnings is priceless. Having dinner backstage with Cynthia Erivo and hearing about her performance in The Color Purple is beyond imagination. Have drinks with Samantha Sackler and her team after a successful project is more fun than anyone deserves, and I am grateful for her friendship.
All of this is possible because of our dedication to “Being of Service” which is one of the founding principles of Great Performances. There is great nobility in serving others…which we are all so lucky to do every day. We all cannot wait until our industry rebounds from this pandemic, and we return to what we are meant to do.