NYCIT YCENTE R.O R G
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20 1 9 – 2 02 0 S E A S O N
MUSICAL THEATER
THEATER
MORE
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Fall for Dance Festival
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Cherry Orchard Festival
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City Center On the Move
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Houston Ballet
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Manhattan Theatre Club
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Arts Education
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Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater
32 Encores!
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Matthew Bourne’s Swan Lake
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Nederlands Dans Theater
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Annual Gala Presentation Evita
The New Englanders
48 Membership
Mack & Mabel
Bella Bella
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Visual Art
Love Life
The Perplexed
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Access City Center Club
Flamenco Festival 20/20
Thoroughly Modern Millie
The Best We Could (A Family Tragedy)
Take 5 Tickets
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Dance Theatre of Harlem
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Front & Center
Poor Yella Rednecks
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Ticket Info
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Martha Graham Dance Company
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Encores! Off-Center
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Studio 5
54 Calendar
Mark Morris Dance Group, Mozart Dances; photo by Robbie Jack. Cover: Dyptik, Dans l’Engrenage; photo by Julie Cherki
2019 – 2020 SEASON
DANCE
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On the heels of celebrating our momentous 75th Anniversary Season, we’re looking ahead to City Center’s next 75 years. Today I’m feeling especially grateful for the unique role that New York City Center has played as a theater founded to serve all New Yorkers. We do not take this responsibility lightly. We strive every day to champion the work of extraordinary artists and to inspire audiences with programming that reflects the eclecticism, energy, and spirit of the city for which we are named. Perhaps no one is more emblematic of this commitment than Jack Viertel. As Artistic Director of Encores! for 20 seasons, Jack has shepherded more than 60 productions onto our historic stage and cultivated a wonderfully loyal audience. A Broadway producer, critic, and dramaturg with an encyclopedic knowledge of musical theater, Jack well knows how the great works of our cultural past are vital to our cultural present. This season will be Jack’s last as Artistic Director of Encores! As he prepares to pass the torch to the next generation of artists, his legacy is a vivid example of the dynamism and excellence in all our work. From the geographic and stylistic diversity of the 16th Fall for Dance Festival to a newly envisioned production of Evita to the return of the legendary Swan Lake from Matthew Bourne, at City Center we innovate by creating the space where the past meets the future. This building has witnessed countless groundbreaking artistic achievements over the last 75 years. I’m so proud to invite you to participate in what happens next. Arlene Shuler President & CEO
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20 COMPANIES
CNDC D’Angers Beach Birds ; photo by Charlotte Audureau
10 PERFORMANCES
ALL SEATS $15
Skånes Dansteater Dare to Wreck; photo by David Thibel
Caleb Teicher & Company Bzzz; photo by Stephanie Berger
English National Ballet Dust; photo by Laurent Liotardo
Mark Morris Dance Group Mozart Dances; photo by Robbie Jack
OCT 1 – 13, 2019 4
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OCT 1 – 13, 2019 ALL SEATS $15 TICKETS ON SALE SUN SEP 8 AT 11AM The 16th Fall for Dance Festival kicks off City Center’s season with four New York City Center Commissions: tap phenomenon Caleb Teicher expands his 2018 Fall for Dance hit Bzzz; Kyle Abraham develops a solo for American Ballet Theatre principal dancer Misty Copeland; Sonya Tayeh choreographs a new ensemble work, with live music by Moses Sumney; and Kim Brandstrup creates a duet for New York City Ballet principal dancers Sara Mearns and Taylor Stanley. And that’s just a small part of this iconic event—all for the price of a movie ticket. Fall for Dance is renowned for presenting artistic excellence while remaining committed to geographic and stylistic diversity. Les Ballets Jazz de Montréal pays tribute to songwriter Leonard Cohen in Dance Me, while the English National Ballet performs the duet from Akram Khan’s haunting Dust in commemoration of World War I. Vuyani Dance Theatre exudes the fluid dynamism of contemporary South African dance in Rise and Skånes Dansteater displays heartfelt minimalism in Dare to Wreck— both companies all the more exceptional in their performances with physically integrated casts.
COME EARLY Same-day ticket holders can enjoy free, pre-show dance lessons with Fall for Dance artists in the Grand Tier Lobby on October 2, 4, and 11 at 6:45pm and October 6 and 13 at 1:45pm. Visit NYCityCenter.org/FallforDance for more information.
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#FallforDance
Lead Sponsor
Major support is provided by Jody and John Arnhold Presenting Partners Perry and Marty Granoff Caroline Howard Hyman Denise R. Sobel Barbara and David Zalaznick Support for new dance works at New York City Center is provided by Virginia B. Toulmin Foundation Doris Duke Charitable Foundation Additional support is provided by Joyce F. Menschel The SHS Foundation The Fan Fox and Leslie R. Samuels Foundation, Inc.
Support for the Arts Access Fund is provided by JLGreene Arts Access Fund in The New York Community Trust Blanchette Hooker Rockefeller Fund Support for the Artistic Innovation Fund is provided by Lisa and Richard Witten Leadership support for dance at New York City Center is provided by
—The New York Times
“BELOVED”
The Washington Ballet Shadow Lands; photo by XMB Photography
FALL FOR DANCE FESTIVAL
PROGRAM 1 TUE OCT 1 & WED OCT 2 8PM Misty Copeland New York City Center Commission | World Premiere Choreography by Kyle Abraham Vuyani Dance Theatre (South Africa) Rise | NY Premiere* Choreography by Gregory Maqoma Hubbard Street Dance Chicago A Picture of You Falling Choreography by Crystal Pite Caleb Teicher & Company Bzzzz, New York City Center Commission | World Premiere Choreography by Caleb Teicher
PROGRAM 2 THU OCT 3 & FRI OCT 4 8PM Mark Morris Dance Group Eleven from Mozart Dances Choreography by Mark Morris Dyptik (France) Dans l’Engrenage | US Premiere* Choreography by Mehdi Meghari The Washington Ballet Shadow Lands | NY Premiere Choreography by Dana Genshaft Malevo (Argentina) Salvaje | US Premiere Choreography by Matias Jaime
PROGRAM 3 SAT OCT 5 8PM & SUN OCT 6 3PM The Mariinsky Ballet (Russia) At the Wrong Time | US Premiere Choreography by Alexander Sergeev English National Ballet (United Kingdom) Dust Duet | US Premiere Choreography by Akram Khan Skånes Dansteater (Sweden) Dare to Wreck | US Premiere Choreography by Madeleine Mansson & Peder Nilsson Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater Lazarus (Act II) Choreography by Rennie Harris
PROGRAM 4 THU OCT 10 & FRI OCT 11 8PM CNDC d’Angers (France) Beach Birds Choreography by Merce Cunningham Alicia Graf Mack Come Sunday Choreography by Geoffrey Holder MADBOOTS DANCE FOR US Choreography by Jonathan Campbell & Austin Diaz Sonya Tayeh Dance New York City Center Commission | World Premiere Choreography by Sonya Tayeh | Live music by Moses Sumney
PROGRAM 5 SAT OCT 12 8PM & SUN OCT 13 3PM Les Ballets Jazz de Montréal (Canada) Dance Me | US Premiere* Choreography by Andonis Foniadakis & Ihsan Rustem Sara Mearns & Taylor Stanley New York City Center Commission | World Premiere Choreography by Kim Brandstrup Monica Bill Barnes & Company The Running Show* Choreography by Monica Bill Barnes Martha Graham Dance Company Chronicle Choreography by Martha Graham *Adapted for Fall for Dance
Programs and casting subject to change
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NEW YORK CITY CENTER AND HOUSTON BALLET CO-PRESENT
HOUSTON BALLET OCT 24 – 26, 2019 THU 7:30PM, FRI 8PM, SAT 2 & 8PM TICKETS START AT $35 The Letter V (NY Premiere, Houston Ballet Commission) Choreography by Mark Morris
“ONE OF THE NATION’S MOST RENOWNED COMPANIES” — CultureMap Houston
Come In Choreography by Aszure Barton
The virtuosic artistry of Houston Ballet is among the most exquisite in the world. Seldom seen on the East Coast, the company returns to City Center showcasing two New York premieres and featuring the Orchestra of St. Luke’s. The legendary Mark Morris, acclaimed for the offbeat brilliance of his work with ballet companies, created The Letter V for Houston Ballet in 2015. Never before seen in New York, the piece is the choreographer’s lighthearted and graceful response to Haydn’s Symphony No. 88 in G Major. The all-male Come In by Aszure Barton features 14 dancers who easily transition between her impressive group synchronicity and enthralling solo work. The piece, originally created for Mikhail Baryshnikov, has been called “unsentimentally touching” and “an eloquent work” by The New York Times. Optimism is contagious in Justin Peck’s Reflections, which Houston Ballet premiered in Spring 2019. Bright and ebullient, the choreography exudes joy and embodies a sense of belonging that Peck calls his “love letter to the classic form” of ballet. Dual pianists drive the action on stage with a contemporary score by Sufjan Stevens.
Reflections (NY Premiere, Houston Ballet Commission) Choreography by Justin Peck Leadership support for dance at New York City Center is provided by
Reflections; photo by Amitava Sarkar
Houston Ballet’s City Center performances have been generously supported by Houston Methodist, United Airlines, and the Fayez Sarofim and Company Touring Fund.
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#HoustonBalletNYCC
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ALVIN AILEY AMERICAN DANCE THEATER
“WATCHING ALVIN AILEY AMERICAN DANCE THEATER CAN CHANGE YOUR LIFE. IF THAT SOUNDS LIKE A SLOGAN, IT’S TRUTH IN ADVERTISING.” –The New York Times 10
Opposite: Solomon Dumas. Top: Khalia Campbell. Bottom: Ghrai DeVore-Stokes; photos by Andrew Eccles
DEC 4, 2019 – JAN 5, 2020 TICKETS START AT $29
The Ailey company dancers reveal their versatility in a season packed with premieres and new productions. Enjoy three brand-new works: Resident Choreographer Jamar Roberts’s Ode, which reflects on the beauty and fragility of life in a time of growing gun violence; Darrell Grand Moultrie’s Ounce of Faith, an exuberant expression of what’s possible when a young person is encouraged to dream; and a new commission from Donald Byrd that draws on Ailey’s theatrical roots. Company premieres include Aszure Barton’s BUSK, Camille A. Brown’s City of Rain, and, for the first time in Ailey’s history, two solos by Merce Cunningham. The season also features new productions of Judith Jamison’s Divining and Lar Lubovitch’s Fandango, along with a dozen returning audience favorites such as Mr. Ailey’s timeless Revelations. Several special programs—including a night to celebrate Masazumi Chaya, who is retiring as Associate Artistic Director after many decades—make this year a must-see for Ailey fans, old and new.
@AlvinAiley
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ALVIN AILEY AMERICAN
DANCE THEATER
W WORLD PREMIERE N NEW PRODUCTION C COMPANY PREMIERE
TUE DEC 3
WED DEC 4 7PM
THU DEC 5 7:30PM
FRI DEC 6 8PM
SAT DEC 7 2PM
SAT DEC 7 8PM
SUN DEC 8 3PM
SUN DEC 8 7:30PM
No Performance
OPENING NIGHT GALA Gala excerpts W Cunningham solos C Revelations with live music
YOUNG NY NIGHT Divining N Cry The Call Revelations AlvinAiley.org/YNY
PREMIERE NIGHT Night Creature Ella New Donald Byrd W Revelations with live music
Divining N Ella Ounce of Faith W Revelations with live music Post-show Q&A with dancers
The Call In/Side New Donald Byrd W Revelations with live music
Ounce of Faith W New Donald Byrd W Revelations
Lazarus Revelations
TUE DEC 10 7:30PM
WED DEC 11 7:30PM
THU DEC 12 7:30PM
FRI DEC 13 8PM
SAT DEC 14 2PM
SAT DEC 14 8PM
SUN DEC 15 3PM
SUN DEC 15 7:30PM
PREMIERE NIGHT Celebrating The Ailey School at 50 Memoria Ode W Revelations
Divining N Ella Lazarus
ALL AILEY Night Creature Cry Memoria Revelations
PREMIERE NIGHT The Call BUSK C Revelations
ALL AILEY Night Creature Cry Memoria Revelations Post-show Q&A with dancers
ALL NEW Ounce of Faith W Ode W BUSK C
The Call Ella Ounce of Faith W Revelations
Lazarus Revelations
TUE DEC 17 7:30PM
WED DEC 18 7:30PM
THU DEC 19 7:30PM
FRI DEC 20 8PM
SAT DEC 21 2PM
SAT DEC 21 8PM
SUN DEC 22 3PM
SUN DEC 22 7:30PM
PREMIERE NIGHT City of Rain C Mass Ella Revelations
Divining N Cry Fandango N Revelations
AILEY CLASSICS Highlights from 8 Ailey favorites plus Revelations
ALL NEW New Donald Byrd W City of Rain C Fandango N BUSK C
3 VISIONARIES Mass In/Side A Case of You Divining N Revelations Post-show Q&A with dancers
BUSK C City of Rain C A Case of You EN
AILEY CLASSICS Highlights from 8 Ailey favorites plus Revelations
CELEBRATING CHAYA Special tribute program plus Revelations
TUE DEC 24 7:30PM
WED DEC 25 7:30PM
THU DEC 26 7:30PM
FRI DEC 27 8PM
SAT DEC 28 2PM
SAT DEC 28 8PM
SUN DEC 29 3PM
SUN DEC 29 7:30PM
3 VISIONARIES Mass In/Side A Case of You Divining N Revelations
Ounce of Faith W EN Revelations
Lazarus Revelations
BUSK C City of Rain C A Case of You EN
AILEY CLASSICS Highlights from 8 Ailey favorites plus Revelations Post-Show Q&A with dancers
ALL NEW New Donald Byrd W Fandango N BUSK C
Ounce of Faith W Ode W Revelations
EN The Call In/Side Revelations
TUE DEC 31 7PM
WED JAN 1 7:30PM
THU JAN 2 7:30PM
FRI JAN 3 8PM
SAT JAN 4 2PM
SAT JAN 4 8PM
SUN JAN 5 3PM
SUN JAN 5 7:30PM
NEW YEAR’S EVE Ounce of Faith W New Donald Byrd W Revelations
ALL NEW Ode W City of Rain C Fandango N BUSK C
Ode W Mass Fandango N Revelations
AILEY CLASSICS Highlights from 8 Ailey favorites plus Revelations
3 VISIONARIES Mass In/Side A Case of You Divining N Revelations Post-Show Q&A with dancers
ALL NEW Divining N Ode W Fandango N New Donald Byrd W
BUSK C A Case of You City of Rain C EN
SPECIAL SEASON FINALE Highlights from the season W, C, N Cunningham solos C Revelations
Left to right: Jamar Roberts, Clifton Brown, and Jacquelin Harris; photos by Andrew Eccles
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“THE SHOW THAT CHANGED THE DANCE L ANDSCAPE FOREVER” —Observer (UK)
“MAT THEW BOURNE’S 21ST CENTURY SWAN L AKE SOARS” —Edinburgh Evening News (UK)
“AS BOLD AND BEAUTIFUL AS EVER”
“STILL ORIGINAL, STILL UNMISSABLE”
—Daily Telegraph (UK)
—Metro (UK)
“THE LEGEND RETURNS...THE WORLD’S FAVOURITE BALLET IS STILL A MARVEL’’
“THRILLING NEW GENERATIONS” —Sunday Times (UK)
—Independent (UK)
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Matthew Bourne’s Swan Lake; photo by Johan Persson
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NEW YORK CIT Y CENTER PRESENTS A NEW ADVENTURES PRODUCTION OF
MATTHEW BOURNE’S Photo by Johan Persson
SWAN LAKE
JAN 30 – FEB 9, 2020 TUE WED THU
FRI
JAN 28 JAN 29 JAN 30 JAN 31 8PM
TUE WED THU
FEB 4
FEB 5
FEB 6
7:30PM 7:30PM 7:30PM
8PM
FRI
SAT
SUN
2& 8PM
2& 7:30PM
FEB 1
FEB 2
FEB 7
FEB 8
SAT
SUN
8PM
2& 8PM
2PM
FEB 9
TICKETS START AT $35
After a sold-out run in London, Matthew Bourne’s legendary Swan Lake storms the City Center stage all over again. Bourne’s 1995 original earned more than 30 international awards including three Tony Awards and an Olivier Award. With acclaimed designers Lez Brotherston (set and costume) and Paule Constable (lighting), Bourne has reimagined the beloved New Adventures classic in a not-to-be-missed new production. Bourne last thrilled City Center audiences with his boldly theatrical storytelling in The Red Shoes. Now, New Adventures returns with its electrifying, audacious, witty, and emotional Swan Lake. Perhaps still best known for casting men in the role of the lead swan and the corps de ballet, this production shattered convention and turned tradition upside down. Matthew Bourne’s powerful interpretation of Tchaikovsky’s masterpiece is a passionate and contemporary Swan Lake for our times.
Leadership support for dance at New York City Center is provided by
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Photo by Johan Persson
Photo by Johan Persson
Supported using public funding by the National Lottery through Arts Council
#SwanLakeNYCC
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NEW YORK CITY CENTER PRESENTS
NEDERLANDS DANS THEATER MAR 4 – 7, 2020 WED & THU 7:30PM, FRI & SAT 8PM TICKETS START AT $35 Shut Eye (US Premiere) Choreography by Sol León & Paul Lightfoot The missing door (US Premiere) Choreography by Gabriela Carrizo Walk the Demon (US Premiere) Choreography by Marco Goecke
Nederlands Dans Theater, the trailblazing ensemble whose preeminence has captivated the world, returns to City Center with three US premieres in celebration of the company’s 60th Anniversary Season. Its dancers, powerhouses of technique and artistry, bring uncommon depth to the physically demanding and theatrically nuanced repertoire. Shut Eye by NDT’s house choreographers—artistic advisor Sol León and artistic director Paul Lightfoot—conjures a darkly mysterious world whose inhabitants engage in ambiguous interactions both tender and detached. At once lyrical and athletic in their execution, the eight performers approach the work with their customarily compelling individuality, commitment, and control.
“ONE OF THE SEVEN WONDERS IN THE WORLD OF DANCE” —Le Figaro (France)
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Shut Eye; photo by Rahi Rezvani ©
“A surreal thriller” (TROUW, Netherlands), Gabriela Carrizo’s The missing door bends reality as it depicts an ugly nightmare where the living set is part of the violent action. This work epitomizes NDT’s tradition of embracing adventure and theatricality, as well as giving each of its creators the artistic freedom to pursue their unique vision. Marco Goecke’s Walk the Demon builds upon a body of work that is unmistakably his own, with an exacting movement vocabulary that is his signature. Yet Goecke manages to create many textures with his extremely specific dance language, and the breathtaking precision and coordination of the dancers demonstrate NDT’s ability to embody Goecke’s vision like no other company. Leadership support for dance at New York City Center is provided by
@NYCCSwanLake #NDTNYCC
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NEW YORK CITY CENTER AND FLAMENCO FESTIVAL PRESENT
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ROCÍO MOLINA
MARÍA PAGÉS COMPAÑÍA COMPAÑÍA MANUEL LIÑÁN GALA FLAMENCA MAR 27 – APR 5, 2020 TICKETS START AT $35 Flamenco Festival’s 20th Anniversary Season showcases the astonishing range of creativity in contemporary flamenco. With new works that pay tribute to flamenco’s roots while revolutionizing the form on every level—from concept to choreography—Flamenco 20/20 is a dazzling testament to the depth of this art form that has brought audiences flocking to the Festival for 20 years. Leadership support for dance at New York City Center is provided by
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María Pagés; photo by David Ruano
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“ONE OF THE GREATEST FLAMENCO DANCERS I HAVE EVER SEEN”
“THE LEADING INNOVATOR OF MODERN FLAMENCO LETS HER IMAGINATION SOAR”
—The New York Times
—The New York Times
“THIS IS THE KIND OF FLAMENCO EVERYONE SHOULD SEE”
“A FISTFUL OF SPAIN’S GREATEST DANCERS COLLUDING IN A FOOT-STOMPING, SHAWL-WHIRLING, CASTANET-CLICKING PARTY”
—The Arts Desk (UK)
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ROCÍO MOLINA
MARÍA PAGÉS COMPAÑÍA
COMPAÑÍA MANUEL LIÑÁN
CAÍDA DEL CIELO
AN ODE TO TIME
¡VIVA!
MAR 27, 2020 FRI 8PM
MAR 28 & 29, 2020 SAT 8PM, SUN 3PM
APR 3, 2020 FRI 8PM
Triumphant, reckless, and lyrical, Caída del Cielo (Fallen from Heaven) celebrates what it means to be a woman. Known for her technical virtuosity and conceptual daring, Rocío Molina is a visionary who reinvents classic aesthetics into a one-of-a-kind language that proves flamenco is more alive than ever. Molina explodes clichéd images of female sensuality by dancing through the arc of a woman’s life.
An iconoclast committed to exposing the imperfect, organic truths inherent in flamenco, María Pagés embarks on a journey through the human experience and the irreversible effects of time on the body, desire, and life. Working with her longtime collaborator El Arbi El Harti, Pagés’s swift and incisive choreography draws from a variety of flamenco styles, weaving the history of her art form with a multitude of texts, images, and movement languages referencing Borges, Fosse, Picasso, Plato, and Stravinsky. An Ode to Time features nine dancers accompanied by vocals and original music performed on violin, cello, and Spanish guitar.
A generous and seductive performer of dizzying power, Manuel Liñán has long been praised for the showmanship and sincerity with which he breaks the rules of flamenco. In ¡VIVA! he is joined on stage by six bailaores-bailarines, male dancers clad in traditionally female costumes who inhabit their personas with natural grace. In compositions that radiate originality and passion, ¡VIVA! searches for the feminine within the masculine and revels in the fluidity of gender, exposing the many expressive identities alive within every human body.
#FlamencoFestival TICKETS START AT $35
Gala Flamenca; photo by David Ruano
¡VIVA!; photo by Marcos G Punto
An Ode to Time; photo by David Ruano
Caída del Cielo; Photo by Simone Fratini ©
—The Stage (UK)
MERCEDES RUIZ, EDUARDO GUERRERO, AND MARÍA MORENO GALA FLAMENCA 20/20 APR 4 & 5, 2020 SAT 8PM, SUN 3PM Gala Flamenca has long been the centerpiece of the Flamenco Festival, bringing together exceptional dancers and singers in an evening that demonstrates the range and vibrancy of flamenco. This year’s Gala features Mercedes Ruiz, lauded for her “commanding truth and virtuosity” (Financial Times, UK), Eduardo Guerrero, known for his “marvelously eccentric solos” (The New York Times), and María Moreno whose performance pays tribute to the traditional style of Cádiz. These remarkable dancers are joined on stage by a cadre of musicians and a special guest artist: rising singer Maria Terremoto, the youngest artist ever to receive the Giraldillo Award for New Artist at the Seville Flamenco Biennial. N YCI T YCE N T E R.OR G
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“CL ASSY, EARNEST, AND POTENT” –Los Angeles Times
DANCE THEATRE OF HARLEM APRIL 15, 17 & 18, 2020 TICKETS START AT $35 When the late, legendary Arthur Mitchell created Dance Theatre of Harlem (with co-founder Karel Shook) 50 years ago, he was intent on creating a revolutionary vision for ballet. In this second year of a two-year 50th Anniversary celebration, DTH continues the work of challenging perceptions with a stirring look at the future of ballet.
50 FORWARD: 2020 VISION GAL A PROGRAM WED APR 15 7PM A thrilling, one-night-only event that looks ahead to the future of Dance Theatre of Harlem with exciting glimpses of new ballets by celebrated choreographers and new voices.
REPERTOIRE PROGRAM
FRI APR 17 & SAT APR 18 8PM Two evenings of eclectic repertoire by today’s most inspired choreographers representing ballet for the 21st century. Among this exhilarating program’s offerings are two New York premieres: Claudia Schreier’s Passage, a moving reflection on the events of 1619 with live, original music by Jessie Montgomery; and Pam Tanowitz’s luscious Gustave Le Gray No. 1. Also see a richly expanded version of Annabelle Lopez Ochoa’s 2018 Fall for Dance hit Balamouk and more.
FAMILY MATINEE
SAT APR 18 2PM Fun for all ages! Bring your kids to the ever-popular Saturday family program featuring Lopez Ochoa’s Balamouk, Schreier’s Passage, and more. Stay for the Meet-the-Ballerina event following the performance. LOOKING FORWARD: POST-PERFORMANCE TALK Stay after the Friday night performance for a conversation about the next 50 Years of DTH, the vision for 21st-century ballet, and Women Who Move Us, a DTH initiative established to develop and support the creative work of female choreographers. CLOSING NIGHT PARTY Saturday evening ticket holders 21 and older are invited to celebrate with the dancers in the Grand Tier Lobby at a free closing night party! Space is limited. Pre-registration is required after ticket purchase. Visit NYCityCenter.org/DTH for more details. 24
Balamouk; photo by Paula Lobo
#DTH50
@DanceTheatreofHarlem
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MARTHA GRAHAM DANCE COMPANY APR 22 – 26, 2020 TICKETS START AT $35 The oldest dance company in America presents The EVE Project— programs of acclaimed classics and stunning commissions celebrating female empowerment. Inspired by Martha Graham’s spirit of innovation, today’s Graham Company champions new work and is front and center in the movement to honor female artists. The Company’s 2020 City Center performances feature beloved pieces from Graham’s repertory including her bewitching riff on the Odysseus myth, Circe; her wry and starry-eyed Every Soul Is a Circus; and her stirring anti-war statement Chronicle. Programs will also offer works by some of today’s top choreographers including Pam Tanowitz, Maxine Doyle, and Bobbi Jene Smith, and a premiere by groundbreaking choreographer Andrea Miller. All performances feature live music performed by The Mannes Orchestra.
GALA PROGRAM WED APR 22 7PM Appalachian Spring (1944) Choreography by Martha Graham With additional programming featuring special guests
PROGRAM B FRI APR 24 8PM Every Soul Is a Circus (1939) Choreography by Martha Graham World Premiere (2020) Choreography by Andrea Miller Untitled (Souvenir) (2019) Choreography by Pam Tanowitz Chronicle (1936) Choreography by Martha Graham PROGRAM C SUN APR 26 2PM Every Soul Is a Circus (1939) Choreography by Martha Graham Deo (2019) Choreography by Maxine Doyle & Bobbi Jene Smith Appalachian Spring (1944) Choreography by Martha Graham Panorama (1935) Choreography by Martha Graham UNIVERSITY PARTNERS SHOWCASE SAT APR 25 2PM An afternoon of classic modern dance by Graham and other choreographers, performed by students from the Company’s educational partners. 26 26
Leslie Andrea Williams in Chronicle; photo by Melissa Sherwood
PROGRAM A THU APR 23 & SAT APR 25 8PM Circe (1963) Choreography by Martha Graham Deo (2019) Choreography by Maxine Doyle & Bobbi Jene Smith World Premiere (2020) Choreography by Andrea Miller Night Journey (1947) Choreography by Martha Graham
“UNNERVINGLY BEAUTIFUL” —The New York Times
@marthagrahamdance
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STUDIO 5
BARBARA AND DAVID ZALAZNICK STUDIO 130 W 56TH ST, 5TH FLOOR 6:30PM | ALL TICKETS $35
AT CITY CENTER
This studio series takes audiences beyond the proscenium for intimate conversations and live performance excerpts from the great dance artists of today. Three events in Fall 2019 will be hosted by dance critic and historian Alastair Macaulay. Alastair Macaulay
MERCE CUNNINGHAM’S SUMMERSPACE MON OCT 28, 2019 At its premiere, Merce Cunningham’s Summerspace (1958) made little impression except on those performing the work, yet within a few years, it became recognized for its innovative use of space and time. It was first performed by New York City Ballet in 1966, then by other major ballet companies around the world, and is now regarded as a masterpiece. Macaulay moderates a conversation with Cunningham stager Jean Freebury with performances by dancers from NYCB.
THE ART OF PARTNERING MON NOV 25, 2019 The choreography of George Balanchine makes singular demands on the male partner, who must sometimes efface himself while anticipating the ballerina’s movements in each moment. Macaulay hosts an insightful evening of performances and explanations of the intricacies of partnering with New York City Ballet dancers, in conversation with NYCB Artistic Director Jonathan Stafford.
HERMAN CORNEJO: CELEBRATING 20 YEARS MON DEC 2, 2019
Studio 5 Bernstein at 100; photo by Sara Robillard Studio 5 The Balanchine Woman; photo by Elena Olivo
Studio 5 The Great Moderns at City Center; photo by Ian Douglas
Virtuoso dancer Herman Cornejo celebrates his 20th anniversary with American Ballet Theatre in Fall 2019. Cornejo is recognized for his range as a performer—in works from Giselle to Twyla Tharp’s Sinatra Suite; to premieres by Justin Peck and Alexei Ratmansky; to classics by Ashton, Balanchine, Fokine, MacMillan, and Robbins. Macaulay, in conversation with Cornejo, discusses an illustrious career and the significance of range. Cornejo and guest artists perform excerpts from a broad selection of works.
Programming and dates for Spring 2020 events will be announced later. For more information, visit NYCityCenter.org/Studio5. 28
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ANNUAL GALA PRESENTATION
EVITA JOIN THE CELEBRATION!
Please join us for a special Gala benefit performance of Evita on November 13, honoring City Center Board Co-Chair Richard E. Witten, including a festive, post-performance dinner at 583 Park Avenue. Gala benefit tickets start at $2,500. For additional details, email SpecialEvents@NYCityCenter.org, call 212.763.1205, or visit NYCityCenter.org/Gala. Funds raised at all performances of Evita will allow City Center to make the performing arts accessible to the widest possible audience by subsidizing education programs and affordable tickets throughout the year.
NOV 13 – 24, 2019 TUE WED THU
FRI
SAT
SUN
6PM
8PM
2& 8PM
2& 7PM
TUE WED THU
FRI
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7:30PM 7:30PM 7:30PM
8PM
2& 8PM
2PM
NOV 12 NOV 13 NOV 14 NOV 15 NOV 16 NOV 17 7:30PM
NOV 19 NOV 20 NOV 21 NOV 22 NOV 23 NOV 24
TICKETS START AT $50 Book and Lyrics by Tim Rice Music by Andrew Lloyd Webber Co-Choreographed by Valeria Solomonoff and Emily Maltby Music Director Kristen Blodgette Directed by Sammi Cannold
Fame, power, and illusion collide in a new production of Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice’s rock opera Evita, directed by Sammi Cannold. This acclaimed musical examines the rapid and controversial ascent of Eva Perón, the first lady of Argentina, until her untimely death at age 33.
2018 Annual Gala, photo by Stephanie Berger
“AN AUDACIOUS AND FASCINATING MUSICAL” 30
Major production support is provided by Joseph S. and Diane H. Steinberg Charitable Trust
Art: Ben Wiseman
—The Guardian (UK, 1978 West End premiere)
Cannold’s vision uses dynamic visual storytelling and an original approach to excavate new depths within Webber and Rice’s text. Featuring two actors in the role of Eva, this production provides a nuanced perspective on her rise from poverty as it underscores her dazzling triumphs as an adult. On the one hundredth anniversary of Eva Perón’s birth, this presentation deepens your understanding of one of Argentina’s most adored and reviled figures.
#EvitaNYCC
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ENCORES!
Jack Viertel Artistic Director Rob Berman Music Director
MACK & MABEL FEB 19 – 23, 2020
Douglas Sills
WED & THU 7:30PM, FRI 8PM, SAT 2 & 8PM, SUN 2 & 7PM TICKETS START AT $35 Based on an idea by Leonard Spigelgass Book by Michael Stewart Music and Lyrics by Jerry Herman Starring Douglas Sills and Alexandra Socha Featuring The Encores! Orchestra Music Director Rob Berman Directed and Choreographed by Josh Rhodes
“A MUSICAL IN THE OLD AND TRUE TRADITION” —The New York Times (1974 Broadway premiere)
The Encores! season opens with Jerry Herman and Michael Stewart’s Mack & Mabel—a love letter to the silent movie era, as colorful and unpredictable a period as any moment of Hollywood filmmaking. It tells the sometimes comic, sometimes dramatic story of silent film’s first great pioneer Mack Sennett (Douglas Sills) and his first great discovery and muse, the comedienne Mabel Normand (Alexandra Socha). Mack makes Mabel a star, and love blossoms. But Mack’s insatiable drive to succeed and Mabel’s natural vulnerability—the key to her audience appeal—turn their love affair into a high wire act with no net.
Major support for Encores! is provided by Stacey and Eric Mindich Fund for Musical Theater Season Sponsors Roz and Jerry Meyer The Shubert Foundation Stephanie and Fred Shuman Fund for Encores! 32
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Support for Mack & Mabel is provided by Margot and John Ernst Marta Heflin Foundation Leo Shull Foundation for the Arts Additional support is provided by The Frederick Loewe Foundation The SHS Foundation The Fan Fox and Leslie R. Samuels Foundation, Inc. The Ted Snowdon Foundation
Alexandra Socha
Mack & Mabel is presented through special arrangement with Samuel French, Inc., a Concord Theatricals Company
#MackandMabelNYCC
Art: Ben Wiseman
The Mack & Mabel cast album has been treasured by musical theater lovers for decades, though only a few of them ever got to see the actual show. The score produced two ballads that have become standards of the American songbook: “Time Heals Everything” and “I Won’t Send Roses.” But many more of the numbers, including “Look What Happened to Mabel!” and “Movies Were Movies,” feature the upbeat, sunny, and irresistible melodies for which the composer of Hello, Dolly! and Mame is so justly celebrated.
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ENCORES!
Jack Viertel Artistic Director Rob Berman Music Director
LOVE LIFE MAR 18 – 22, 2020
Brian Stokes Mitchell
WED & THU 7:30PM, FRI 8PM, SAT 2 & 8PM, SUN 2 & 7PM TICKETS START AT $35 Music and Lyrics by Kurt Weill and Alan Jay Lerner Book by Alan Jay Lerner Starring Brian Stokes Mitchell Featuring The Encores! Orchestra Choreographed by JoAnn Hunter Music Director Rob Berman Directed by Victoria Clark
“[KURT WEILL] HAS NEVER COMPOSED A MORE VERSATILE SCORE—HOT, COMIC, BLUE, SATIRIC AND ROMANTIC” Art: Ben Wiseman
—The New York Times (1948 Broadway premiere)
Love Life, the only collaboration between Kurt Weill and Alan Jay Lerner, is a fantastic experiment: a journey through American history with a family that never grows any older. Directed for Encores! by Tony Award winner Victoria Clark, the story is accentuated with vaudevillian acts that comment on the action, sketches that depict scenes from a marriage, and an all-out final sequence that feels like a precursor for the “Loveland” section of Stephen Sondheim and James Goldman’s Follies. Sam, played by Brian Stokes Mitchell, Susan, and their two children begin in a bucolic, post-revolutionary farm community only to live through the Industrial Revolution, the era of mechanization, the Great Depression, and into a post-World War II America that is all but unrecognizable to them. The show features some of Weill’s liveliest and most beautiful songs, including “Mr. Right” and “Here I’ll Stay,” as well as satiric barbs at the American dream such as “Progress” and “Economics” that are reminiscent of his work on The Threepenny Opera. Although Love Life has largely lived in the shadows, its structure has had a large and direct impact on Broadway shows such as Cabaret, Chicago, and Company.
Major support for Encores! is provided by Stacey and Eric Mindich Fund for Musical Theater Season Sponsors Roz and Jerry Meyer The Shubert Foundation Stephanie and Fred Shuman Fund for Encores!
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#LoveLifeNYCC
Additional support is provided by The Frederick Loewe Foundation The SHS Foundation The Fan Fox and Leslie R. Samuels Foundation, Inc. The Ted Snowdon Foundation
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ENCORES!
Jack Viertel Artistic Director Rob Berman Music Director
MAY 6 – 10, 2020 WED & THU 7:30PM, FRI 8PM, SAT 2 & 8PM, SUN 2 & 7PM TICKETS START AT $35 Book by Richard Morris and Dick Scanlan New Music by Jeanine Tesori New Lyrics by Dick Scanlan Original Story and Screenplay by Richard Morris for the Universal Pictures film Starring Ashley Park Featuring The Encores! Orchestra Choreographed by Camille A. Brown Music Director Rob Berman Directed by Lear deBessonet The Encores! season closes with Thoroughly Modern Millie, starring Ashley Park (Mean Girls, The King and I). Dick Scanlan and Jeanine Tesori’s Tony Award-winning Best Musical is a raise-the-roof tribute to the indomitable spirit of New York and the diverse people who call it home. Set at the height of the Jazz Age, it celebrates the birth of modernity—the engine that has long driven both women and immigrants to create lives for themselves by traveling to the big city and planting their own, unique flag in the pavement that shouts, “I’m here!” The show deals with a moment in history when the ground was shifting in terms of gender roles and race, and its energy reflects the exhilaration and struggle of a new world being born. Determined to make it in the Big Apple, Millie stays on her dancing toes in an inspired romp featuring showstopping numbers like “Forget About the Boy” and “Gimme Gimme.” Based on the 1967 movie, which was made at another time of revolutionary change in America, the Encores! production will be directed by Encores! Resident Director Lear deBessonet. Working in collaboration with playwright Lauren Yee as creative consultant and the show’s original authors, this exciting team will explore the work with a fresh perspective and deliver a thoroughly modern Thoroughly Modern Millie. 36
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Ashley Park
“HAPPY-EVERAFTERS AND SMILES FOR DAYS” —Variety (2002 Broadway premiere)
Major Support for Encores! is provided by Stacey and Eric Mindich Fund for Musical Theater Season Sponsors Roz and Jerry Meyer The Shubert Foundation Stephanie and Fred Shuman Fund for Encores! Additional Support is provided by The Frederick Loewe Foundation The SHS Foundation The Fan Fox and Leslie R. Samuels Foundation, Inc. The Ted Snowdon Foundation
Thoroughly Modern Millie is presented through special arrangement with Music Theater International (MTI). All authorized performance materials are also supplied by MTI.
#MillieNYCC
Art: Ben Wiseman
THOROUGHLY MODERN MILLIE
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FRONT & CENTER
ANNALEIGH ASHFORD Outside In: Exploring Monologue and Song MON JAN 6, 2020
BARBARA AND DAVID ZALAZNICK STUDIO 130 W 56TH ST, 5TH FLOOR
Annaleigh Ashford (Sunday in the Park with George, Kinky Boots) encourages performers to uncover the organic truthfulness in their acting, both in monologue and song. Combining traditional acting methods and physical work, Ashford empowers participants to more freely embody their characters and identify the objectives and obstacles in the text. Audience members get an intimate look at how text interpretation is equally important with or without music.
6:30PM | ALL TICKETS $30 Get a behind-the-scenes look at the making of a musical theater professional in this exclusive master class series. Now in its fourth season, audiences have a chance to observe award-winning musical theater veterans Alex Brightman, Annaleigh Ashford, and Ali Stroker as they coach emerging artists on skills that are vital on and off the stage.
Participating artists are chosen through an online audition process. For more information and to apply, visit NYCityCenter.org/FrontandCenter.
Alex Brightman
Annaleigh Ashford
ALEX BRIGHTMAN Crush It: Audition with Confidence MON OCT 21, 2019
ALI STROKER Turning Your Limitations into Opportunities MON FEB 3, 2020
Alex Brightman (Beetlejuice the Musical, School of Rock) leads a master class that pushes performers outside their comfort zones, towards a more genuinely confident audition technique. By challenging audition norms, Brightman encourages students to take risks, be more malleable, and choose material that showcases their strengths and personality. The audience gets an insider’s look at how artists prepare for Broadway auditions and has the opportunity to dig deeper in a closing Q&A.
Using movement and vocal performance, Ali Stroker (Oklahoma!, Spring Awakening) teaches a master class leading participants to celebrate differences and to overcome challenges. Stroker will share her perspective on interpreting material and navigating the business of theater, while recognizing the qualities that make each performer unique.
Ali Stroker
From left to right: Adam Kaster and Kelli O’Hara, photo by Benji Railton-Ashe; Frank Humphrey and Stephanie J. Block, photo by Shannel Resto; Kathleen Marshall, photo by Benji Railton-Ashe; Laura Galindo and Tom Kitt, photo by Elena Olivo
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Promenade; photo by Joan Marcus
CHERRY ORCHARD FESTIVAL JUNE 3 – 14, 2020 TICKETS START AT $45 Maria Shclover Co-founder and Director Irina Shabshis Co-founder and Artistic Director
ENCORES! OFF-CENTER
Leadership support for Encores! Off-Center was provided by Stacey and Eric Mindich Fund for Musical Theater
Anne Kauffman Artistic Director Jeanine Tesori Creative Advisor Chris Fenwick Music Director
Major support was provided by
SUMMER 2020 TICKETS START AT $25
Series Sponsors Stacy Bash-Polley Luigi Caiola and Sean McGill Elizabeth and Dean Kehler Andrew Martin-Weber Paula and Ira Resnick Nathalie and Pablo Salame
Encores! Off-Center’s 2019 season, led by Artistic Director Anne Kauffman, fearlessly examined how we define success in America today and who has access to it. The three shows—Working: A Musical, originally adapted by Stephen Schwartz and Nina Faso from the Studs Terkel book; Promenade, by the “mother of avant-garde theater” Maria Irene Fornes and Al Carmines; and Stephen Sondheim and John Weidman’s Road Show—were animated with standout performances by stars like Andréa Burns, Chuck Cooper, Raúl Esparza, Helen Hunt, Christopher Jackson, Javier Muñoz, Mary Beth Peil, Tracie Thoms, Brandon Uranowitz, and many more. Critics adored the “zany delights” (The New York Times) and “soulful feeling” (The Hollywood Reporter) of a season that offered a status update to the American dream—including hailing Road Show as “the best production of this musical you will probably ever see” (TheaterMania). Since its first season in 2013, by founding Artistic Director Jeanine Tesori, Encores! Off-Center consistently brings the rule-breaking artists of today into conversation with the groundbreaking artists of the recent past.
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Special thanks to the 2019 Encores! Off-Center Season Sponsors
“THE CHERRY ORCHARD FESTIVAL HAS BECOME A VITAL PART OF THE SUMMER SCENE” –New York Post
The Lobby Project was sponsored by The Frederick Loewe Foundation
Since 2013, the Cherry Orchard Festival has presented critically acclaimed international theater productions at City Center and other venues throughout New York. Co-founded by Maria Shclover and Irina Shabshis, the Festival has carved its niche by offering genre-defying, thought-provoking theatrical programming and educational opportunities.
Support for the Arts Access Fund was provided by JLGreene Arts Access Fund in The New York Community Trust Blanchette Hooker Rockefeller Fund
Highlights of past seasons include The Giacomo Variations (Austria) starring John Malkovich as Casanova, Eugene Onegin by Vakhtangov Academic Theatre (Russia), and Ivanov by the Theatre of Nations (Russia).
Support for Road Show was provided by Perry and Marty Granoff The Ted and Mary Jo Shen Charitable Gift Fund
Support for the Artistic Innovation Fund was provided by Lisa and Richard Witten
Sign up online at NYCityCenter.org/EmailClub to be the first to hear about the Encores! Off-Center 2020 season and to receive news about cast announcements, behind-the-scenes peeks, and more.
This season—the 8th Cherry Orchard Festival—two different productions will be announced at a later date. Visit NYCityCenter.org/CherryOrchard for program details. N YCI T YCE N T E R.OR G
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MANHATTAN THEATRE CLUB
Since 1984 Manhattan Theatre Club has been producing bold new plays and musicals, including four Pulitzer Prize winners, at its Off-Broadway home at New York City Center on Stage I and II.
To subscribe to the 2019-2020 season, visit ManhattanTheatreClub.com/Join or call 212.399.3050.
Single tickets go on sale for all performances on Tuesday, September 3, 2019 at noon, except for The Best We Could—which will be on sale in Spring 2020. STAGE II
THE NEW ENGLANDERS Previews begin SEP 17, 2019
Jeff Augustin
World Premiere by Richard Greenberg Directed by Lynne Meadow Two families, whose lives have been tumultuously intertwined for decades, gather in the massive library of a gaudy Fifth Avenue apartment to celebrate the nuptials of their children. Nothing goes smoothly and as the big moment approaches, the burning question is: can everyone put aside long-smoldering jealousies and deep-seated grudges and just get through the ceremony? The Perplexed, a bitingly witty new play, reunites Tony winner Richard Greenberg with MTC’s award-winning Artistic Director Lynne Meadow (The Assembled Parties, Our Mother’s Brief Affair).
THE BEST WE COULD (A FAMILY TRAGEDY) Previews begin MAY 5, 2020
A daughter’s road trip with her father becomes a theatrical journey across more than just state lines. This funny, wise, and heartbreaking debut from an exciting new writer will be brought to vibrant life by director Daniel Aukin, whom MTC audiences will remember from Fool for Love and Fulfillment Center.
World Premiere written and performed by Harvey Fierstein Directed by Kimberly Senior Four-time Tony Award winner Harvey Fierstein (Casa Valentina) returns to MTC taking on New York City’s very own political firebrand, Bella Abzug, in his new raucous, heart-rending, and absurdly humorous solo show. Set in 1976, on the eve of her bid to become New York State’s first female Senator, Bella Bella finds this larger-than-life, truth-slinging, groundbreaking, hat-wearing icon squirreled away in the bathroom of a midtown hotel awaiting that night’s election results while a coterie of family and celebs await her entrance. Directing is Kimberly Senior ( The Niceties).
Richard Greenberg
STAGE II
Can you ever really live the life you envisioned? In a mixed race family, a teenaged daughter and her dads are each trying to find happiness. Eisa wants to be the next Lauryn Hill and is struggling to break free of her sleepy New England town where she feels hopelessly trapped. Her fathers are each being pulled in different directions of their own, one trying to reconnect with an old love, the other clinging to the path he always believed would be their future. Saheem Ali (Sugar in our Wounds) directs the MTC debut of Jeff Augustin’s (Little Children Dream of God) newest play.
Previews begin OCT 1, 2019
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Previews begin FEB 11, 2020
World Premiere by Emily Feldman Directed by Daniel Aukin
BELLA BELLA
Photo by Bruce Glikas
THE PERPLEXED
World Premiere by Jeff Augustin Directed by Saheem Ali
STAGE I
Harvey Fierstein
STAGE I
Emily Feldman
STAGE I
POOR YELLA REDNECKS Previews begin MAY 12, 2020 Co-World Premiere by Qui Nguyen Directed by May Adrales The author of the acclaimed Vietgone returns to MTC with the second play of his autobiographical trilogy about an immigrant family’s bumpy road to the American dream. Told from the mother’s perspective, Poor Yella Rednecks is the story of a young family’s attempt to put down roots in Arkansas, a place as different from Vietnam as it gets. The production, filled with infectious music and unexpected humor, will reunite Qui Nguyen with director May Adrales for the next chapter in this highly entertaining and moving tale.
@MTC_NYC
Qui Nguyen
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CITY CENTER
ON THE MOVE
The Civilians; photo courtesy of The Civilians
City Center On the Move returns in Spring 2020, bringing the extraordinary artists who perform on the City Center stage directly into the places where New Yorkers live and work. Now in its second season, this year’s program immerses communities in worldclass performance by partnering with investigative theater company The Civilians, the creators of the 2018 Encores! Off-Center show Gone Missing. Since their founding in 2001, The Civilians have used their investigative process to create 15 full-scale productions and countless cabarets and musical performances on topics ranging from gentrification in Brooklyn to the Evangelical movement. The Civilians will interview New Yorkers from all over the city, including some who attended the 2019 On the Move performances, as source material for this season’s program. 44
On the Move 2019; photos by Shannel Resto
Their performances will infuse On The Move with their unique blend of humor, music, and curiosity in a series of eight tour stops, presented in conjunction with the with NYC Parks Arts, Culture & Fun and two new partners—the Queens Public Library and the Brooklyn Public Library. Tour dates will be announced in Fall 2019. Join us for one or all eight!
Last year’s inaugural season of On the Move was an expansion of City Center’s commitment to making the arts accessible to all. Events featured Bronx-born choreographer, teacher, and tap dance artist Ayodele Casel and special guest, six-time Grammy Award winner Arturo O’Farrill.
On the Move performances are FREE and open to the public. For more information about dates and reservations, visit NYCityCenter.org/OntheMove.
Major support is provided by Stavros Niarchos Foundation (SNF) Mertz Gilmore Foundation Support for the Arts Access Fund is provided by JLGreene Arts Access Fund in The New York Community Trust Blanchette Hooker Rockefeller Fund
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Photos by Rachel Gubow and Benji Railton-Ashe
ARTS EDUCATION Each year City Center Education serves more than 11,000 NYC students from kindergarten to grade 12, families, and educators through theater performances, in-school workshops and residencies, and apprenticeships.
IN-SCHOOL WORKSHOPS AND RESIDENCIES Your child can unlock their own creative voice through City Center’s in-school workshops and residencies. Students see an Encores! dress rehearsal or dance performance at City Center, and they work with several of our 40 teaching artists to devise their own original work influenced by the production. These in-school workshops and residencies give each student intimate access to some of the city’s most dynamic performances. Teachers participating in our workshops receive a study guide and attend a professional development session. This season, students will have the opportunity to make work inspired by Ailey II, Flamenco Festival, Evita, Mack & Mabel, Love Life, and Thoroughly Modern Millie.
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT FOR EDUCATORS Professional development workshops provide tools that enhance how the arts can be used in the classroom. In these workshops, educators experience a master class led by a professional artist and deepen their proficiency in the discipline being studied. Working collaboratively, teaching artists create innovative, exciting new lesson plans and help educators develop skills for the classroom. Professional development workshops are available to classroom teachers, teaching artists, and college and graduate school students looking to expand their teaching toolkits.
APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAMS Photo by Benji Railton-Ashe
From lighting design and costuming to marketing and fundraising, early-career individuals can gain experience in all facets of professional theater production or arts administration with an apprenticeship at City Center. Through our summer and year-round programs, the next generation of performing arts professionals work with City Center staff and visiting artists, participate in career development workshops, observe rehearsals and performances, and present a culminating group project. Applications for both programs open in Spring 2020.
LYNNE AND RICHARD PASCULANO STUDENT MATINEES
Photo by Sarah Kutnowsky
Students from all five boroughs get to experience dance performances, often for the first time. City Center hosts matinees for school groups throughout the season to introduce thousands of students to various genres of dance. Student matinees are often paired with an in-school workshop or residency for a more in-depth experience of the art form.
For more information about these arts education programs and how to apply, visit NYCityCenter.org/Education. Photo by Beowulf Sheehan
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Photo by Benji Railton-Ashe
Leadership support for Education Programs is provided by Lynne and Richard Pasculano Bobbie and Lew Frankfort The Hearst Foundation, Inc. Abraham Perlman Foundation New York State Assembly Member Helene L. Weinstein N YCI T YCE N T E R.OR G
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MEMBERSHIP
YOU HAVE A ROLE TO PLAY City Center is an electrifying meeting place of art and urban energy. As many as 300,000 audience members, artists, educators, and students each year come to see world-class dance and musical theater, indulge passions, and hone their crafts. It’s where the past and the future of the arts meet, and it’s the support of our members that makes it all possible. NYCityCenter.org/Support Membership@NYCityCenter.org 212.763.1206
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A Chorus Line ; photo by Joan Marcus Reflections ; photo by Amitava Sarkar
FRIENDS OF CITY CENTER Starts at $100
CITY CENTER CIRCLE (40 and under) | Starts at $300
• Advance access to tickets before they go on sale to the general public • Behind-the-scenes studio events hosted by artistic leadership • Discounts to local restaurants, hotels, and parking • Dress rehearsal invitations featuring world-renowned performers
This growing community of young professionals is made up of City Center’s most passionate musical theater and dance supporters. Circle members receive year-round invitations to artist conversations, dress rehearsals, and cocktail receptions, enhancing a season of world-class artistic programs.
PRESIDENT’S COUNCIL Starts at $2,500
THE FIORELLO LA GUARDIA SOCIETY Legacy Giving
All Friends of City Center benefits, plus: • Access to prime seat locations with the greatest flexibility • Individualized, year-round customer service • Invitations to pre-performance dinners and cast parties For more information, call Donny Repsher at 212.763.1257 or email PresidentsCouncil@NYCityCenter.org
As the founder of New York City Center, Mayor La Guardia made a lasting impact on the life of all New Yorkers. Consider your own legacy and include City Center in your long-term financial plans when you join the Fiorello La Guardia Society. Planned giving is easy and has a variety of tax advantages. For more information, call Benji Railton-Ashe at 212.763.1294 or email BAshe@NYCityCenter.org
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Photo by Beowulf Sheehan
VISUAL ART PHOTOGRAPHS BY ARNOLD NEWMAN An influential photographer who defined the “environmental portrait” style, Arnold Newman (1918 – 2006) captured personalities within the contexts of their lives. Many of his subjects were artists, some of them with connections to New York City Center. Throughout the 2019 – 2020 Season, a selection of Newman’s works, courtesy of the Howard Greenberg Gallery, will be on view in the City Center lobby.
UNDER 35?
ACCESS CITY CENTER CLUB
Modern dance pioneer Martha Graham (1894 – 1991) began performing at City Center in the 1960s, and her company returns in two appearances this season. The great American composer, conductor, pianist, and educator Leonard Bernstein (1918 – 1990) made his debut as conductor of the New York City Symphony at City Center in 1945.
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CONNECTING GENERATIONS THROUGH THE ARTS
TAKE 5 TICKETS
You can experience the joy of the arts with your whole family! Take 5 Tickets is a discounted ticket program available to families, community organizations, and school groups. Purchase $5 tickets to select City Center performances when an adult accompanies a child (maximum of three child and two adult tickets per show). It’s all part of our mission to make the arts affordable to the widest possible audience. Please visit NYCityCenter.org/Education to learn how to take advantage of this special program. Support for the Arts Access Fund is provided by JLGreene Arts Access Fund in The New York Community Trust Blanchette Hooker Rockefeller Fund
Geoffrey Holder (1930 – 2014) was a multifaceted performer and creator who made work for major dance companies, including City Center regulars Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater and Dance Theatre of Harlem.
Support for Visual Art Exhibitions is provided by Deborah Goodman Davis and Gerald R. Davis
Photo by Beowulf Sheehan
Enroll in the Access City Center Club to receive email notifications about special ticket offers to City Center productions. Visit NYCityCenter.org/Access for more information and to sign up.
THANK YOU Igor Stravinsky (1882 – 1971) frequently worked with legendary choreographer George Balanchine, with whom he created ballet masterpieces including Agon, which had its world premiere at City Center in 1957.
New York City Center is generously supported with public funds from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the New York City Council; the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of Governor Andrew M. Cuomo and the New York State Legislature; and the National Endowment for the Arts.
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TICKET INFO NEW YORK CITY CENTER 131 W 55th St Between 6th and 7th Avenues
SPECIAL ASSISTANCE New York City Center is wheelchair accessible and has a hearing augmentation system. Please alert us of special needs when ordering your tickets.
PURCHASE TICKETS ONLINE NYCityCenter.org PHONE Call CityTix 212.581.1212 Mon – Sat, Noon – 8pm; Sun, Noon – 7:30pm BOX OFFICE 131 W 55th St between 6th and 7th Avenues Mon – Sat, Noon – 8pm; Sun, Noon – 7:30pm
GROUPS Discounts available for groups of 10 or more people. Call 212.763.1218 | Mon – Fri, 11am – 5pm FEES FACILITY FEE $2.50 per ticket ($1 for MTC Stage II) HANDLING FEES (Online and Phone) Single tickets: $6.75 per ticket Subscriptions/3-Show Packs/Multi-buys: $20 per order
NEW YORK CITY CENTER MAINSTAGE SEATING
Buy your tickets online and select your own seat. Choose exactly where you want to be.
Photo by Victoria Hely-Hutchinson
ON-SALE DATES Houston Ballet Evita Matthew Bourne’s Swan Lake Nederlands Dans Theater Flamenco Festival 20/20 Dance Theatre of Harlem Martha Graham Dance Company Studio 5 Front & Center Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater*
BALCONY
GRAND TIER
MEMBERS
TUE SEP 3 at noon
GENERAL PUBLIC
MON SEP 9 at noon
Manhattan Theatre Club (except for The Best We Could)
GENERAL PUBLIC
TUE SEP 3 at noon
Fall for Dance Festival
GENERAL PUBLIC
SUN SEP 8 at 11am
Encores! Single Tickets Mack & Mabel Love Life Thoroughly Modern Millie
MEMBERS GENERAL PUBLIC
MON SEP 23 at noon MON SEP 30 at noon
*General public on-sale only
Artists, programs, and prices subject to change
Want advance access to tickets? Join Friends of City Center to be first in line and secure your seats before tickets go on sale to the general public. Visit page 48 or NYCityCenter.org/Membership for more information. 52
MEZZANINE
CURRENTLY ON SALE
ORCHESTRA
ENCORES! SUBSCRIPTIONS
ENCORES! OFF-CENTER 3-SHOW PACK
Subscribe to all three Encores! shows and secure your seat location before single tickets go on sale. Plus, subscribers only pay a one-time handling fee per subscription order—a savings of $20 or more over buying at least a pair of single tickets for all three Encores! shows. Single tickets go on sale at noon on September 23 (Members) and September 30 (general public). Visit NYCityCenter.org/Encores to subscribe today!
With the 3-Show Pack, you can select your own seat for all three Encores! Off-Center shows before single tickets go on sale—as long as you purchase the same number of tickets to each. No matter how many tickets in your 3-Show Pack, the handling fee is just $20 per order, so you can lock in your seats for the whole summer and save on handling fees. Sign up for our email list at NYCityCenter.org/EmailClub to find out about programming and on-sale dates when they’re announced!
Encores! subscribers and Off-Center 3-Show Pack buyers can exchange tickets for free, based on availability. N YCI T YCE N T E R.OR G
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2019 – 2020 SEASON OCT
TUE 1
Fall for Dance Festival 8PM
WED 2
Fall for Dance Festival
THU 3
Fall for Dance Festival 8PM
FRI 4 Fall for Dance Festival
8PM; 6:45PM pre-show dance lesson
DEC
Fall for Dance Festival
Studio 5 Herman Cornejo
Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater 7PM
THU 5
Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater 7:30PM
6:30PM*
FRI 6 Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater 8PM
8PM; 6:45PM pre-show dance lesson
SAT 5 Fall for Dance Festival 8PM SUN 6
MON 2 WED 4
SAT 7 Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater
3PM; 1:45PM pre-show dance lesson
SUN 8
Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater
2† & 8PM 3 & 7:30PM
TUE 10 Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater 7:30PM WED 11
Cie Hervé Koubi The Barbarian Nights; photo by Stephanie Berger
FALL FOR DANCE FESTIVAL On Sale Sun Sep 8 at 11AM ALL TICKETS $15
Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater 7:30PM
THU 12 Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater 7:30PM FRI 13 Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater 8PM SAT 14 Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater
2† & 8PM
SUN 15 Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater
3 & 7:30PM
TUE 17 Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater 7:30PM WED 18 Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater 7:30PM
THU 10 Fall for Dance Festival 8PM
THU 19 Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater 7:30PM
FRI 11 Fall for Dance Festival
FRI 20 Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater 8PM
8PM; 6:45PM pre-show dance lesson
SAT 12 Fall for Dance Festival 8PM
SAT 21 Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater
2† & 8PM
SUN 13 Fall for Dance Festival
3PM; 1:45PM pre-show dance lesson
SUN 22 Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater
3 & 7:30PM
6:30PM*
TUE 24 Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater 7:30PM
MON 21
Front & Center Alex Brightman
WED 25 Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater
THU 26 Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater 7:30PM
Houston Ballet Reflections; photo by Amitava Sarkar
FRI 27 Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater 8PM
Members get advance access to Studio 5 tickets starting Sep 3! THU 24 Houston Ballet 7:30PM FRI 25 Houston Ballet 8PM SAT 26 Houston Ballet
2 & 8PM
MON 28 Studio 5 Merce Cunningham’s Summerspace 6:30PM*
NOV
WED 13
Evita Gala Benefit Performance
6PM
THU 14 Evita 7:30PM FRI 15 Evita 8PM SAT 16 Evita
2 & 8PM
SUN 17 Evita
2 & 7PM
Evita
7:30PM
TUE
19
SAT 28 Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater
2† & 8PM
SUN 29 Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater
3 & 7:30PM
TUE 31 Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater 7PM
JAN
WED 1
Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater 7:30PM
THU 2
Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater 7:30PM
FRI 3 Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater 8PM SAT 4 Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater
2† & 8PM
SUN 5
Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater
3 & 7:30PM
MON 6
Front & Center Annaleigh Ashford
6:30PM*
THU 30 Matthew Bourne’s Swan Lake 8PM FRI 31 Matthew Bourne’s Swan Lake 8PM †Post-performance discussion follows the matinee *Event takes place in the City Center Studios at 130 W 56th St
Be the first to know! @NYCityCenter
WED 20 Evita 7:30PM THU 21 Evita 7:30PM FRI 22 Evita 8PM SAT 23 Evita
7:30PM
Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater’s Jacqueline Green; photo by Andrew Eccles
2 & 8PM
SUN 24 Evita 2PM MON 25 54
Studio 5 The Art of Partnering
6:30PM* Matthew Bourne’s Swan Lake; photo by Johan Persson
N YCI T YCE N T E R.OR G
55
2019 – 2020 SEASON (CALENDAR CONT.)
FEB
Eduardo Guerro; photo by Paco Lobato
During Flamenco Festival 20/20, visit the Jill Framer Cohen Boutique for the latest in flamenco accessories.
SAT 1 Matthew Bourne’s Swan Lake 2 & 8PM SUN 2
Matthew Bourne’s Swan Lake 2 & 7:30PM
MON 3
Front & Center Ali Stroker 6:30PM*
TUE 4 Matthew Bourne’s Swan Lake 7:30PM WED 5
Matthew Bourne’s Swan Lake 7:30PM
THU 6
Matthew Bourne’s Swan Lake 7:30PM
FRI 7 Matthew Bourne’s Swan Lake 8PM SAT 8 Matthew Bourne’s Swan Lake 2 & 8PM SUN 9
Matthew Bourne’s Swan Lake 2PM
WED 19 Encores! Mack & Mabel 7:30PM
APR
THU 20 Encores! Mack & Mabel 7:30PM FRI 21 Encores! Mack & Mabel 8PM SAT 22 Encores! Mack & Mabel 2 & 8PM SUN 23 Encores! Mack & Mabel 2 & 7PM
FRI 3 Flamenco Festival 20/20 Manuel Liñan
8PM
SAT 4 Flamenco Festival 20/20 Gala Flamenca
8PM
SUN 5
Flamenco Festival 20/20 Gala Flamenca
3PM
WED 15
Dance Theatre of Harlem 7PM
FRI 17 Dance Theatre of Harlem 8PM SAT 18 Dance Theatre of Harlem
Encores! single tickets on sale to Members Sep 23 and to the general public Sep 30.
MAY
Douglas Sills and Alexandra Socha in Hey, Look Me Over!; photo by Joan Marcus
MAR
WED 4
Nederlands Dans Theater 7:30PM
THU 5
Nederlands Dans Theater 7:30PM
JUN
FRI 6 Nederlands Dans Theater 8PM Encores! Love Life 7:30PM
THU 19 Encores! Love Life 7:30PM FRI 20 Encores! Love Life 8PM SAT 21 Encores! Love Life 2 & 8PM
56
Martha Graham Dance Company
7PM
THU 23
Martha Graham Dance Company
8PM
FRI
24
Martha Graham Dance Company
8PM
SAT
25
Graham University Partners
2PM
SAT
25
Martha Graham Dance Company
8PM
SUN 26
Martha Graham Dance Company
2PM
WED 6
Encores! Thoroughly Modern Millie
7:30PM
THU 7
Encores! Thoroughly Modern Millie
7:30PM
FRI 8 Encores! Thoroughly Modern Millie
8PM
SAT 9 Encores! Thoroughly Modern Millie
2 & 8PM
SUN 10 Encores! Thoroughly Modern Millie
2 & 7PM
JUN 3 – 14
Cherry Orchard Festival TBC
*Event takes place in the City Center Studios at 130 W 56th St
SAT 7 Nederlands Dans Theater 8PM WED 18
2 & 8PM
WED 22
Ashley Park
Art by Ben Wiseman
MANHATTAN THEATRE CLUB PREVIEWS BEGIN
SUN 22 Encores! Love Life 2 & 7PM
TUE SEP 17
The New Englanders Stage II
FRI 27 Flamenco Festival 20/20 Rocío Molina 8PM
TUE OCT 1
Bella Bella Stage I
SAT 28 Flamenco Festival 20/20 María Pagés 8PM
TUE FEB 11
The Perplexed Stage I
SUN 29 Flamenco Festival 20/20 María Pagés 3PM
TUE MAY 5
The Best We Could (A Family Tragedy) Stage II
TUE MAY 12
Poor Yella Rednecks Stage I N YCI T YCE N T E R.OR G
57
58
AND MORE!
NEDERLANDS DANS THEATER
ENCORES! MACK & MABEL LOVE LIFE THOROUGHLY MODERN MILLIE
MATTHEW BOURNE’S SWAN LAKE
EVITA
FALL FOR DANCE FESTIVAL
NYC I T YC ENTER.O R G
NEW YORK CITY CENTER Administrative Office 130 W 56th St New York, NY 10019