Opening Nights Performing Arts Winter 2016 Program by Opening Nights

PERFORMING ARTS

2015-2016 SEASON

Patti WINTER 2016 | VOL. IV | ISSUE II

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CREATIVE CONVERSATIONS Join us for these winter Creative Conversations, featuring moderated Q&A sessions, panel discussions, and more. All events are free, open to the public, and appropriate for all ages! (Dates subject to change.)

JANUARY 19 | 6:30 PM

FEBRUARY 3 | TIME TBA

FSU Alumni Center Ballroom

TCC Performing Arts Center, Room 104

Panel DIscussion: The Great American Songbook

Conversation with the cast of Broadway’s Next H!T Musical

JANUARY 29 | 1:00 PM

FEBRUARY 18 | 9:00 PM

Opperman Music Hall

Challenger Learning Center

Conversation with Pablo Ziegler and Lara St. John

South Arts Southern Circuit Film Festival: Post-film conversation with Almost There’s creative team

Visit openingnights.fsu.edu or call 850.644.7670 for the most up-to-date information regarding these events.

Directorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Choice Performance

Shen Wei Dance Arts Tuesday 1/26 | Ruby Diamond Concert Hall | 7:30 p.m. Shen Wei, Artistic Director

MAP Map I. Rotate Map II. Bounce & Rebound Map III. Internalized Energy Map IV. Individualized Internal Energy Map V. All Maps + Continual Flow

CONCEPT, CHOREOGRAPHY & SET DESIGN Shen Wei

SCORE Selections from The Desert Music by Steve Reich The Desert Music: First Movement (Fast) The Desert Music: Second Movement (Moderate)

The Desert Music: Third Movement Part One (Slow) The Desert Music: Third Movement Part Three (Slow) The Desert Music: Fifth Movement (Fast)

ORIGINAL LIGHTING DESIGN Scott Bolman

COSTUME DESIGN Shen Wei & Elena Comendador

DANCERS Lilly Balch, Jordan Isadore, Kate Jewett, Russell Stuart Lilie, Masad Qawishabazz, Chelsea Retzloff, Jennifer Rose, Zak Ryan Schlegel, Austin Selden, Alex Speedie, Andrea Thompson, Maria Volpe, Michael Wright, Ricardo Zayas Continued on pg. 53 2016 Winter Program 17

Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re providing two Master Classes in collaboration with the College of Music this season to give students the opportunity to work one-on-one with artists. JANUARY 25-27, 2016

FEBRUARY 9, 2016

Shen Wei Dance Arts

Billy Childs

Please note: Dates are subject to change. Visit openingnights.fsu.edu or call 850.644.7670 for the most up-to-date information regarding these events.

Director’s Choice Performance

Pablo Ziegler & Lara St. John Astor Piazzolla’s Central Park Concert with the Pablo Ziegler Tango Quartet Friday 1/29 | Opperman Music Hall | 7:30 p.m.

ollowing the wild success of a 2012 concert that drew the largest crowd to Central Park’s Naumburg Orchestral Concerts in the series’ 107 years, acclaimed violinist Lara St. John and Pablo Ziegler, the Argentine pianist and composer who helped shape the modern tango, are now offering that concert as a special touring program that celebrates tango grand-maestro Astor Piazzolla’s famous Central Park Concert. The program includes some of the late Argentine composer’s most beloved works, as well as exquisite compositions by Ziegler. New York Music Daily wrote about the Naumburg concert: “They dug deeply into the material right from the start, with a brightly glimmering, hard-hitting version of ‘Michaelangelo’, then played up the jazz and ragtime aspects of ‘Muerte Del Angel’, then brought the lights down with the dirge ‘Introduccion Del Angel’, bandoneon and violin sailing over the murk below. [...] The audience responded thunderously.” Continued on pg. 58

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Photo by James Shubinski

Broadway’s Next H!T Musical Tuesday 2/2 | Fred Turner Auditorium at TCC | 8:00 p.m. Wednesday 2/3 | Fred Turner Auditorium at TCC | 8:00 p.m.

very song is fresh. Every scene is new. Every night is different. It’s all improvised and it’s all funny. The hysterical Broadway’s Next H!T Musical is the only unscripted theatrical awards show. Master improvisers gather made up, hit song suggestions from the audience and create a spontaneous evening of music, humor, and laughter. The audience votes for their favorite song and watches as the cast turns it into a full blown improvised musical complete with memorable characters, witty dialogue, and plot twists galore. BNHM has been seen recently at The Triad, Tribeca Film Festival, and at the New York Musical Theater Festival, among many others. This program will run approximately 85 minutes with no intermission.

Continued on pg. 59

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Photo by Natalie Brasington

Kathleen Madigan Thursday 2/4 | Ruby Diamond Concert Hall | 7:30 p.m.

athleen Madigan is one of the most respected comedians of her generation. Over her 25 year career, Madigan has performed on nearly every standup television show: Leno, Letterman, Conan, Ferguson, and most recently The Nightly Show with Larry Wilmore, and she filmed her fifth appearance on Ron White’s Salute to the Troops for on CMT. Madigan was nominated for a 2014 American Comedy Award for Best Concert Comic, and her third hour-long special, Madigan Again, which iTunes named one of the Best Comedy Albums of 2013, premiered exclusively on Netflix to rave reviews and is available for download. CD, and DVD format. Madigan has released 5 CDs, 3 DVDs, and has starred in 1 Netflix special, 1 Showtime special, 2 HBO specials, and 3 Comedy Central specials. So how is it, the Detroit Free Press asks, “that Madigan has yet to be cast as the wise-cracking a) best friend b) office worker or c) martini-swilling mother-in-law in any of countless sitcoms? We’re thinking because it’s because she’s so irreplaceable on the stage. She’s described as the funniest woman doing stand-up right now, but no gender qualifier is necessary. Along with Lewis Black, Brian Regan and Jim Gaffigan, she’s one of the funniest stand-up comedians of her generation.” Continued on pg. 59

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Photo by Jensen Hande

Photo by Mike Kerr

Photo by Brett Winter Lemon

Southern Soul Assembly Friday 2/5 | Ruby Diamond Concert Hall | 7:30 p.m. JJ GREY

LUTHER DICKINSON

ANDERS OSBORNE

MARC BROUSSARD

n artist-in-the-round performance series featuring JJ Grey, Luther Dickinson, Anders Osborne, and Marc Broussard, Southern Soul Assembly debuted last spring to rave reviews. Hailed as a “perfect night” (Blogcritics) filled with “a mutual appreciation from the fans and artists alike” (Southern Manners), the show takes audiences on a musical and storytelling journey. The highly-seasoned artists and bandleaders have no doubt demonstrated a natural ability to contribute to each other’s music through harmonies and guitar, each building and adding to every song. Southern Soul Assembly draws from the rich legacy of American Southern culture of each of the players and will release its first record in late 2016. “Just like food in the South, our music is greasier than most,” says member Marc Broussard. Continued on pg. 62 Sponsored by

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Photo by Stephan Lupino

2CELLOS Saturday 2/6 | Ruby Diamond Concert Hall | 7:30 p.m.

oung Croatian cellists Luka Sulic and Stjepan Hauser, together known as 2CELLOS, have achieved sensational success by taking the cello to a new level. Their playing style has broken down the boundaries between different genres of music, from classical and film music to pop and rock. 2CELLOS has no limits when it comes to performing live and are equally as impressive when playing Bach and Vivaldi as they are when rocking out AC/DC and Iron Maiden. 2CELLOS rose to fame in 2011 when their version of Michael Jackson’s “Smooth Criminal” took the world by storm. Their YouTube video became a massive viral sensation leading to a record deal with Sony Masterworks and an invitation to join Sir Elton John on his worldwide tour. The duo has also appeared on major TV shows such as The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, The Ellen DeGeneres Show, The Bachelor, and many others. Continued on pg. 62

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PRISM Sunday 2/7 | Ruby Diamond Concert Hall | 2:00 p.m. A COLLABORATION WITH THE FLORIDA STATE UNIVERSITY COLLEGE OF MUSIC

eaturing students from Florida State’s top-ranked College of Music, PRISM offers a wide array of entertainment from Chamber Winds, Symphonic Band, jazz ensembles, the Marching Chiefs, and many more exciting groups. The Tallahassee Democrat might put it best: “The PRISM shows are built on a more-is-more philosophy…PRISM’s contrast between traditional fare and more experimental groups may be one of the reasons behind the program’s success. Its multifaceted nature makes PRISM a gem among music lovers. Because of its design, [the performance] offers a unique show depending on where an audience member sits - those in the balcony will be nearer to certain ensembles than those in other sections, and vice versa.” So come experience this unique event that lauds our students and faculty. It’s fantastic, fresh, and not to be missed!

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Patti LaBelle Monday 2/8 | Ruby Diamond Concert Hall | 7:30 p.m.

eautiful simply does not describe the incomparable force known to the world as Patti LaBelle. As time continues to evolve, the soulful songbird’s name has become synonymous with grace, style, elegance, and class. Belting out classic rhythm & blues renditions, pop standards and spiritual sonnets have created the unique platform of versatility for which Ms. Patti is known and revered. “Each year I grow, and that’s a blessing from God. I do what I can do. I do what I feel God has given me the energy to do, so I just go out there and I do it…It’s not about making money because I don’t need money, but I need to sing. With a voice or without, I’ve got to get on that stage.” And the world is thankful that Ms. Patti’s voice sounds so good to our ears. In 2009, she reunited with Sarah Dash and Nona Hendryx for the first time in 30 years for the critically acclaimed Labelle reunion album, Back to Now. It’s a small wonder that Patti has time for anything else in between recording and touring, but she makes time and the world is oh so happy that she does! Continued on pg. 63

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Directorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Choice Performance

Billy Childs

Map to the Treasure: Reimagining Laura Nyro Featuring Becca Stevens & Alicia Olatuja Tuesday 2/9 | Ruby Diamond Concert Hall | 7:30 p.m.

hen jazz pianist and Guggenheim Fellowship recipient Billy Childs was 11 years old, his older sister introduced him to the work of singer-songwriter, Laura Nyro (1947-1997). Her blend of Broadway inspired melodies, jazz improvisation and socially conscious lyrics stayed with him, and in 2014 Childs released his two Grammy Award winning tribute, Map to the Treasure: Reimagining Laura Nyro. Joined by an extended ensemble including saxophone, harp, guitar and string quartet and vocalists Becca Stevens and Alicia Olatuja, Childs brings us an evening of Nyroâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s songs made famous by other artists including Barbra Streisand, The 5th Dimension, Patti LaBelle, and Blood, Sweat & Tears. Continued on pg. 63 Sponsored by

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The Midtown Men 4 STARS FROM THE ORIGINAL CAST OF JERSEY BOYS Wednesday 2/10 | Ruby Diamond Concert Hall | 7:30 p.m.

he high-octane musical tour de force that took the Jersey Boys phenomenon to Broadway and beyond brings to life the greatest hits of the Sixties. Tour highlights for these Four Broadway vets and their powerhouse seven piece band recently included a triumphant return to their Jersey roots with a live concert special filmed at the New Jersey Performing Arts Center in partnership with PBS. Following the development of Jersey Boys and historic three season run on Broadway, The Midtown Men are lifting audiences to their feet in venues across the continent,Â realizing the dream they brought to life as the iconic Four Seasons and winning over audiences of all ages in nearly 2,000 live shows. The Midtown Men is the next chapter for these accomplished entertainers, making them the first vocal group ever formed by the principal cast of a high-profile Broadway show. Continued on pg. 66

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Sponsors of The Barefoot Movement Educational Tour

We support arts and education for students of all ages WALMART.COM

Director’s Choice Performance

Storm Large Thursday 2/11 | Ruby Diamond Concert Hall | 7:30 p.m.

torm Large: musician, actor, playwright, author, awesome. She shot to national prominence in 2006 as a finalist on the CBS show Rock Star: Supernova, where she built a fan base that follows her around the world to this day. Storm debuted with the Oregon Symphony in 2010, and has returned for sold out performances each year thereafter. Storm made her Carnegie Hall debut in 2013 with the Detroit Symphony, with The New York Times calling her “sensational.” Storm made her debut as guest vocalist with the band Pink Martini in April 2011, singing four soldout concerts with the National Symphony Orchestra at the Kennedy Center in Washington, DC. She continues to perform with the band, touring nationally and internationally. Storm has also sung with Grammy winner k.d. lang, pianist Kirill Gerstein, punk rocker John Doe, singer/songwriter Rufus Wainwright, and Rock and Roll Hall of Famer George Clinton. Continued on pg. 68

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Legally Blonde Friday 2/12 – Sunday 2/28 | Richard G. Fallon Theatre A COLLABORATION WITH THE FLORIDA STATE UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF THEATRE Music and Lyrics by L A U R E N C E O ’ K E E F E & N E L L B E N J A M I N Based on the Novel by A M A N D A B R O W N & the Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Motion Picture

Book by H E A T H E R H A C H Directed by T O M O S S O W S K I

migod you guys! Elle Woods (don’t forget Bruiser!) is bringing pink and LOTS of it to the Fallon Stage. In this upbeat musical, sorority girl Elle Woods takes on Harvard Law School in an attempt to win back the love of her life. There, she must use her brains and beauty to defend famous fitness instructor Brooke Wyndham, who has been accused of murder. Along the way she discovers that true love only finds us when we learn to truly love ourselves. Based on the novel by Amanda Brown and the hit MetroGoldwyn-Mayer motion picture, Legally Blonde is sure to “bend and snap” its way into all of our hearts.

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Bernadette & Roger Luca

Opening Reception Friday, February 12 6:00 – 8:00 p.m. Exhibit Dates & Hours February 12 – March 27 Monday – Friday 9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. Saturday – Sunday 1:00 – 4:00 p.m. Special hours during Spring Break

Museum of Fine Arts Friday 2/12 | Opening Reception | 6:00 – 8:00 p.m. Cuban Art in the Twentieth Century: Cultural Identity and the International Avant-Garde | Segundo Fernandez, Curator This exhibit displays a historical progression of paintings, sculpture, and mixed media from the Colonial, Republican, and Post-Revolutionary periods of Cuban art to the present time. Cuban artists, through interactions with their contemporaries and with global art centers and markets, have historically had access to avant-garde theory and practice. They were able to make individual determinations regarding not only their own culture but also individual responses to international art movements because - although Cuba is an island - its art world has never been insular. Builder Levy: Appalachia USA | Touring from The John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art Born in Tampa, Fla. in 1942, Builder Levy was raised in Brooklyn. He received a B.A. in art from Brooklyn College in 1964 and a master’s degree in art education from New York University in 1966. Levy’s photographs have appeared in more than 200 exhibitions - including more than 50 one-person shows – and he’s received fellowships from the John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation, Alicia Patterson Foundation, Puffin Foundation and National Endowment for the Arts. Exhibitions, events, and receptions are free and open to the public.

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David Grisman Bluegrass Experience & Sierra Hull Friday 2/12 | Ruby Diamond Concert Hall | 7:30 p.m.

or nearly half a century, mandolinist/composer/bandleader/producer David Grisman has been a guiding force in the evolving world of acoustic music. His musical range is wide and deep—embracing many styles, genres and traditions. Grisman has revisited his roots with the David Grisman Bluegrass Experience (DGBX). This very traditional group includes Keith Little on 5-string banjo, guitar and vocals, Jim Nunally on guitar and vocals, Chad Manning on fiddle, Samson Grisman on bass, with David on mandolin and vocals. There aren’t many twenty three year old musicians that can say they’ve had a career that’s already spanned more than a decade, and there aren’t many at any age that can compare resumes with Sierra Hull. Boundaries—age, genre or otherwise—don’t hamper an artist like Sierra. Matt Glaser—head of Berklee’s American Roots Music Program—put it this way: “She has no limitations as a musician.” Continued on pg. 68 2016 Winter Program 43

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Photo by Larry Busacca

Tony Bennett

Featuring Special Guest Antonia Bennett Saturday 2/13 | Ruby Diamond Concert Hall | 7:30 p.m.

ony Bennett’s life and philosophy is the embodiment of the Great American Story. As he approaches his 90th birthday in 2016, his career as the pre-eminent singer of the 20th and 21st centuries is unprecedented. He continues to be embraced and loved by audiences of all generations. Through his dedication to excellence and his insistence on quality, he has become the keeper of the flame by extolling the virtues and values represented by the Great American Songbook. Tony Bennett has been on the front lines of every major issue impacting the cornerstones of this country’s modern history. He has performed for eleven U.S. Presidents, is a World War II veteran who fought in the Battle of the Bulge and participated in the liberation of a concentration camp, and marched side by side with Dr. Martin Luther King in Selma to support civil rights. Throughout his life, Tony Bennett has been a dedicated pacifist and proactive humanitarian selflessly supporting many causes whose goals benefit the lives of millions. Continued on pg. 69 Sponsored by

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Ana Gasteyer Sunday 2/14 | Ruby Diamond Concert Hall | 7:30 p.m.

hen Ana Gasteyer steps up to the mic, she evokes the swagger of an era when a lady ruled a nightclub and an audience knew they were in for good time. The patter is real, the themes adult; the lyrics are timeless, and the music swings like crazy! From songs like “One Mint Julep” and “Proper Cup of Coffee” to a surprisingly smooth rendition of Carrie Underwood’s “Before He Cheats,” Gasteyer’s saucy selections tell stories with humor, heartbreak…and just a little splash of soda. Her vibe recalls that of a time when entertainers truly entertained, an era when a broad could bring home the bacon, swing a set of sultry standards, and still be a gracious hostess. Ana’s heroes are those fun-loving dames who downed a cocktail, donned a dress, and fronted a band of dapper gents in sharp suits wielding shiny horns—think Barbara Stanwyck in Ball of Fire as she captures Gary Cooper’s heart. And then breaks it. Continued on pg. 72 Sponsored by

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Proud Sponsor of Opening Nights Performing Arts

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Proud Annual Sponsor of Opening Nights Performing Arts Series & Festival SNIFFENLAW.COM | TALLAHASSEE , FL

Barbara & John Mahoney

South Arts Southern Circuit Film Tour

Almost There Thursday 2/18 | 7:30 p.m. Challenger Learning Center IMAX Theatre PRESENTED BY OPENING NIGHTS PERFORMING ARTS AND THE CHALLENGER LEARNING CENTER

lmost There is a coming-of-(old)-age story about Peter Anton, an elderly “outsider” artist living in at-risk conditions whose world changes (and maybe not all for the better) when he’s discovered by two filmmakers. This film explores the responsibilities we have to those in need and the ethical complexities and potential conflicts inherent in every subject-filmmaker, artist-curator, helper-helpee relationship. – Kartemquin Films. Continued on pg. 72

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Trombone Shorty & Orleans Avenue Continued from pg. 13

Andrews performed for the second time at the White House to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the National Endowment for the Arts in October 2015. Trombone Shorty began his career as a bandleader at the tender age of six, and toured internationally for the first time at age 12 before joining Lenny Kravitz’s horn section at the age of 19 for a 105-date world tour in 2005-2006. His third outing for Verve Records, Say That To Say This, co-produced by Shorty and R&B titan Raphael Saadiq, was released in September 2013. In 2010, Trombone Shorty released the Grammy-nominated Backatown, followed in 2011 by For True, which topped Billboard Magazine’s Contemporary Jazz Chart for twelve weeks. In January 2014, Trombone Shorty & Orleans Avenue performed on the 56th Annual Grammy Awards with Macklemore & Ryan Lewis, Mary Lambert, Madonna, and Queen Latifah, and the band has made guest appearances on Conan, The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, Jimmy Kimmel Live, Late Night with Jimmy Fallon, Arsenio, and Austin City Limits. Shorty also played himself in a recurring role on the hit HBO series Treme. In 2012, he performed at the White House in honor of Black History Month with music royalty such as B.B. King, Mick Jagger, Jeff Beck, Booker T. Jones, the Tedeschi Trucks Band, and Gary Clark Jr. Later that same year he received the President’s Medal from Tulane University in recognition of his charitable work with his own Trombone Shorty Foundation, which donates quality instruments to schools across New Orleans. Good things continue to happen for Trombone Shorty, thanks to his virtuosity, dedication, and ability to move people. The fact that he pursues his passion with such humility makes his still-unfolding story as compelling as the music he’s making along the way.

Maya Beiser Continued from pg. 15

Renowned cellist Maya Beiser “has etched a bold career path that marries classical to rock, starched collars to casual dress, and tradition to unorthodoxy,” reports AllMusic.com. Throughout her adventurous and versatile career she has reimagined the concert experience, commissioning and performing hundreds of new works written for her by today’s leading composers. The Boston Globe declares, “with virtuoso chops, rock-star charisma, and an appetite for pushing her instrument to the edge of avant-garde adventurousness, Maya Beiser is the post-modern diva of the cello.” Raised in the Galilee Mountains in Israel, surrounded by the music and rituals of Jews, Muslims, and Christians, while studying classical cello repertoire, Maya has dedicated her work to reinventing solo cello performance in the mainstream classical arena. A featured performer on the world’s most prestigious stages including Lincoln Center, Carnegie Hall, BAM, London’s South Bank Centre, Sydney Opera House, The Kennedy Center, LA’s Royce Hall, and the Beijing Festival, she has collaborated with artists across many disciplines and wide range of musical styles, including Brian Eno, Philip Glass, Shirin Neshat, Steve Reich, David Lang, Tan Dun, Robert Woodruff and Bill Morrison, among many others. Maya’s 2011 TEDtalk has been watched by close to one million people and translated to 32 languages. Her critically acclaimed multimedia productions, including World To Come, Almost Human, Provenance, Elsewhere: A Cello Opera, and All Vows, have consistently been chosen for top critics’ “Best Of The Year” lists. Maya’s latest production, All Vows, explores the dichotomy between the physical, external world we inhabit and the inner landscape of our secret selves – the border between the sacred and the profane. It premiered at the Yerba Buena Center for the Arts in 2014 and has since been performed in Dallas and Chicago; this season it will be presented by BAM and SPA Houston. All Vows features

the music from Maya’s newest album Uncovered plus works by Michael Gordon and Michael Harrison, both with original film by Bill Morrison, as well as music by Glenn Kotche, David T. Little, and Mohammed Fairouz. Other highlights of the current season include a solo appearance as part of the Barbican’s Sound Unbound festival in London, and in January 2016, the premiere of Fairouz’s new cello concerto with the Detroit Symphony. Highlights of Maya’s US tours include performances at the Ravinia Festival in Chicago, Celebrity Series in Boston, Ojai Music Festival, International Festival of Arts and Ideas in New Haven, and major venues and festivals in Barcelona, Paris, Amsterdam, Torino, Tokyo, Taipei, Athens, Mexico City and Bogota. She has appeared with many of the world’s top orchestras performing new works for the cello including the St. Paul Camber Orchestra, Montreal Symphony, BBC Concert Orchestra, Boston Pops, Sydney Symphony, Seattle Symphony, Nashville Symphony, China Philharmonic, and Shanghai Philharmonic, among many others. Maya’s vast discography includes nine solo albums. Her latest best-selling album, Uncovered – a collection of re-imagined and re-contextualized classic rock, in stunning performances by Maya and new arrangements by Evan Ziporyn – topped the classical music charts making the number one spot on both Amazon and iTunes. These “uncovers” evoke the unprecedented power of the music of Led Zeppelin, Jimi Hendrix, Pink Floyd, Nirvana, Janis Joplin, Howlin’ Wolf, King Crimson, Muddy Waters, and AC/DC as musical masterpieces. The San Francisco Chronicle raved, “With this electrifying disc, the avant-garde cello virtuoso Maya Beiser transformer herself into something of a rock ‘n’ roll diva.” A frequent collaborator with film composers, Maya Beiser is the featured soloist on James Newton Howard’s soundtracks for films by M. Night Shyamalan (The Happening, After Earth), Denzel Washington (The Great Debaters), Edward Zwick (Blood Diamond), and Rupert Sanders (Snow White and 2016 Winter Program 51

Larry & Jo Deeb

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the Huntsman). Maya was a founding member of the Bang on a Can All-Stars and is a graduate of Yale University. She makes her home in New York. mayabeiser.com For additional materials contact publicity@opus3artists.com

Shen Wei Dance Arts Continued from pg. 17

Set to selections from Steve Reich’s The Desert Music, Map is a vigorous exploration of various movement concepts developed by Shen Wei. Throughout the piece, Shen Wei investigates the myriad possibilities of rotation in the joints; the varying aspects of bouncing, rebounding and suspension; and movement initiated from the core with energy extending to isolated limbs, leading to solo explorations of this idea. Alternating between metronomic precision and silky fluidity, the dancers converge and scatter as though caught up in a gust of wind, until in the climax they flock, surging and swooping as one.

ASSOCIATE VIDEO AND ANIMATION TECHNICIAN Blair Neal

DANCER Kate Jewett

Program Notes 0-12, Solo from Collective Measures (2013), blends video, shadow, paint, and lighting in an exploration of movement possibilities within a confined realm. Moving in, around, and through a white square with pools of paint, the dancer leaves traces of her movement. Originally created for founding company member Sara Procopio—the movement is a distillation of the roles she danced with the company—Shen Wei adapted the solo for rehearsal director and dancer Kate Jewett, reflecting 12 roles she has performed with Shen Wei Dance Arts. Collective Measures was commissioned by the American Dance Festival.

About the Artistic Director Hailed as “one of the great artists of our time” (The Washington Times), choreographer, painter, and director Shen Wei is internationally renowned for the breadth and

scope of his artistic vision. Admiration for his talent has earned Shen Wei numerous awards, including a MacArthur “Genius” Fellowship (2007), the U.S. Artists Fellow award, and a John Simon Guggenheim Fellowship. Other accolades include Australia’s Helpmann Award, the Nijinsky Emerging Choreographer Award, the Algur H. Meadows Prize, and a 2012 New York City Center Choreography Fellowship. Most recently, he was honored with the Audi-China 2012 Artist of the Year Award, GQ–China 2013 Artist of the Year Award, and the 2013 Chinese Innovator Award from The Wall Street Journal-China. Born in China’s Hunan province in 1968, the son of Chinese Opera professionals, Shen Wei was trained from youth in the rigorous practice of Chinese opera performance, traditional Chinese ink painting, and calligraphy, and was a performer with the Hunan State Xian Opera Company from 1984 to 1989. During his student years, he furtively studied Western visual art, which propelled an interest in modern dance. In 1989, he began modern dance training at the American Dance Festival’s (ADF) program at the Guangdong Dance Academy in China. In 1991, at the age of 23, he became a founding member of the Guangdong Modern

Map was commissioned by the Lincoln Center Festival in 2005. Use of Steve Reich’s The Desert Music by arrangement with Hendon Music, Inc., a Boosey & Hawkes Company, publisher and copyright owner. 0-12 (Solo from Collective Measures)

CONCEPT, CHOREOGRAPHY, VIDEO AND ANIMATION DESIGN Shen Wei

MUSIC Crossing Now by Illusion of Safety/ Daniel Burke

VIDEO AND ANIMATION TECHNICIANS Josh Horowitz, Layne Braunstein

LIGHTING DESIGN Shen Wei and Matthew F. Lewandowski II

Shen Wei; Portrait: Stephen Xue 2016 Winter Program 53

Dance Company, the first such company in China. Upon receipt of a fellowship, he moved to New York City in 1995 to study with the Nikolais/Louis Dance Lab and, in the same year, was invited to create work at the American Dance Festival. In July 2000, he founded Shen Wei Dance Arts (SWDA) and his Company quickly entered the international touring circuit. He has since received numerous commissions to support his creative works for Shen Wei Dance Arts, including multiple commissions from the American Dance Festival, Het Muziektheater, the Lincoln Center Festival and the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, as well as from The Metropolitan Museum of Art, Park Avenue Armory, Hong Kong’s New Vision Arts Festival, Edinburgh International Festival, and most recently, the Brooklyn Academy of Music. Shen Wei, who was the lead choreographer for the Opening Ceremonies of the 2008 Beijing Olympics, has created dances for Les Grands Ballets Canadiens de Montréal and Les Ballets de Monte-Carlo and choreographed the Rome Opera’s production of Rossini’s Moise et Pharaon, conducted by Riccardo Muti. In 2013, Shen Wei was commissioned to create a new work for the Dutch National Ballet in Amsterdam, and he choreographed, directed, and designed a new production of Carmina Burana for the chorus, orchestra, and ballet of Teatro di San Carlo in Naples, Italy. Recently, his work as a visual artist and choreographer has entered into a new dialogue in a series of performative installations and site-specific works which have been presented at a number of museums and galleries including: The Metropolitan Museum of Art, the North Carolina Museum of Art, Collezione Maramotti in Italy, Mana Contemporary, the Forum at the Yerba Buena Center for the Arts, the Rockbund Museum of Art in Shanghai, and the MDC Museum of Art + Design in Miami. As a painter, Shen Wei has had solo shows in galleries in New York and Hong Kong and more recently at the Crow Collection of Asian Art in Dallas, Texas and the Tuc54

Opening Nights Performing Arts

son Museum of Art in Arizona. In December 2014, the MDC Museum of Art + Design in Miami opened Shen Wei: In Black, White and Gray, a solo exhibition featuring 11 of his large-scale paintings during Art Basel/Miami Beach. This spring, Asia Society Hong Kong Center will exhibit his paintings during Art Basel/Hong Kong.

About the Company One of the premier international dance companies, Shen Wei Dance Arts has won worldwide acclaim for “amassing a body of works so strikingly original they defy categorization” (The Boston Globe). The dances Shen Wei makes for his Company draw on influences as varied as traditional Chinese culture and arts, European Surrealism, American high modernism, and the ritual power of ancient drama. Celebrated for its “gorgeous visual imagery” (The London Times), the Company’s dances reflect the compositional rigor of Shen Wei the visual artist—incorporating striking design and imaginative use of space into stunning kinetic stagescapes. The Company’s dancers have been hailed as, “a breed apart: lissome, precise, expressive—and totally at one with Shen Wei’s choreographic vision” (The Herald, Scotland). Since its founding in 2000, Shen Wei Dance Arts has performed in 138 cities, in 32 countries, and on 5 continents and has appeared at prestigious festivals and venues worldwide, including the Jacob’s Pillow Dance Festival, Spoleto Festival USA, the Los Angeles Music Center, Venice Biennale, Sadler’s Wells, the Barbican Centre, Het Muziektheater, the Edinburgh International Festival, the Berliner Festspiele, the Sydney Festival, and annual performances at the American Dance Festival. In the U.S., Shen Wei Dance Arts has performed in 25 of the 50 states, gave the first dance performances at Frank Gehry’s Disney Hall in Los Angeles, and recently completed a unique 5-year performance residency at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C. The Company performs annually in NYC, where it has been presented by the Lincoln Center Festival (5 times), the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Park Avenue Armory, Works & Process at the Guggenheim, Asia

Society, Celebrate Brooklyn!, and Fall for Dance at City Center. Recent company highlights include performances at the Festival Iberoamericano de Teatro de Bogotá in Colombia; the Festival de Danse in Cannes, France; a 3-week China tour with performances at the Shanghai International Performing Arts Festival and the China National Drama Theatre in Beijing; performances at the Stanislavsky Theatre in Moscow, Russia; MDC’s Museum of Art + Design in conjunction with Art Basel/ Miami Beach; a 4-city tour of Italy, including Milan; and the premiere of Untitled No. 12-2 at the 2015 Spoleto Festival USA. Upcoming engagements include performances in Germany, Austria, Luxembourg, and China; the premiere of a site specific work at Asia Society-Hong Kong during Art Basel; and the premiere of an evening-long work commissioned by the Brooklyn Academy of Music, American Dance Festival, and the Shanghai International Performing Arts Festival in Fall 2016.

Biographies Artistic Collaborators Scott Bolman (Lighting Designer) is a NYC-based designer and educator working in a diverse array of performance mediums, including theater, dance, music, and opera. As a lighting supervisor and production manager, Scott has traveled across North America, South America, Europe, Asia, and Australia for companies such as Shen Wei Dance Arts, Trisha Brown Dance Company, Köln-based music ensemble musikFabrik, the State Ballet of Georgia, and Seattle-based KTDance. Scott graduated Magna Cum Laude from Amherst College (Amherst, MA 1997) and received his MFA from the Yale School of Drama (New Haven, CT 2003). Scott served as an adjunct professor at Montclair State University, a substitute teacher at NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts, and is currently in his second year of teaching for the MFA directing program at the Brown-Trinity Rep Consortium. Scott is a founding member of Wingspace design collective. Elena Comendador (Costume Designer) began her costume design career more than

15 years ago. She has designed for Ailey II, Colorado Ballet, Complexions Contemporary Ballet, Connecticut Ballet, Montgomery Ballet, ABT II, Philadanco, Morphoses, Kazuko Hirabayashi Dance Theater, among others. She has collaborated with various choreographers such as Jessica Lang, Troy Powell, Francesca Harper, Kevin Wynn, Sean Curran, Elie Lazar, and Darrell Moultrie. In 2007, Comendador founded Treehouse Productions, a costume design company that produces commissioned works by other designers. Since its inception, Treehouse Productions has constructed costumes for major dance companies and receives annual design commissions from The Ailey School and American Ballet Theater’s Make a Ballet Program. Comendador received her BA degree in Women’s Studies at Columbia University and completed her MFA in Interdisciplinary Arts at Goddard College. She is on the faculty of The Ailey School and also is an Assistant Professor of Dance at Marymount Manhattan College’s Dance Department. Christina Watanabe-Jensen (Lighting Director) is a New York City-based lighting designer. Her work has been seen at The Public Theatre (Under the Radar), Intar, The Bushwick Starr, Theatre for the New City, and The Ohio Theatre, to name a few. Christina has designed and mentored at NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts (Macbeth, Violet) and with the Yale Dramatic Association (A Midsummer Night’s Dream). Other design work includes events and Ralph Lauren’s Madison Avenue windows. Christina has toured with Shen Wei Dance Arts, Jonah Bokaer, and So Percussion. She holds an MFA from NYU and is a member of USA 829. StarryEyedLighting.com

Dancers Kate Jewett (Rehearsal Director/Dancer) joined Shen Wei Dance Arts in 2005. As a company member, teacher, rehearsal director, and teaching artist, she has conducted master classes at various venues and has performed all over Europe, Asia, Australia, and the U.S. Her own works have been performed at DeSales University, the United Nations, Park Avenue Armory, Milan, the Fabbrica Europa and Performati-

ca festivals. Named Director of Education and Outreach for Shen Wei Dance Arts in 2008, she has created a dance-in-education program for New York City Schools. Kate has been Rehearsal Director for Shen Wei Dance Arts since January 2009. Lilly Balch, originally from Vero Beach, FL, is a recent graduate of The Boston Conservatory where she received her BFA in dance. During her time at the Conservatory she performed works by Mark Morris, Adam Barruch, Anna Myer, Colleen Thomas, Omar Carrum, and Claudia LaVista. This is Lilly’s first season with Shen Wei Dance Arts. Jordan Isadore is a dancer/choreographer originally from Northern California. He received his BFA in Dance from California State University, Long Beach in 2009. After graduation, Isadore worked with the Los Angeles company BODYTRAFFIC, performing works by Barak Marshall and Alex Ketley. In 2011, he relocated to New York where he’s worked with Christopher Williams, Andrea Miller, Sydney Skybetter, and Jennifer Edwards. In addition to working with these choreographers, Isadore is one of the creators and editors of the blog saradujour.com, where he and San Francisco-based artist Nicole Bridgens remix contemporary dance, pop culture, and dance history. Jordan joined Shen Wei Dance Arts in 2011. Russell Stuart Lilie graduated from Idyllwild Academy in 2008 and completed his BFA in Dance at NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts in 2011. Since graduation, Russell has danced for Shen Wei Dance Arts, Greene Lilie, Dai Jian Dance, Sara Du Jour, and others. His choreographic works have been presented at NYU, Danspace, La MaMa, Gibney Dance Center, and Bennington College. He has also taught dance, dance composition, and improvisation in New York, at Bennington College, and at Beijing Normal University in China. Masad Qawishabazz is a native of Chicago, IL, where he attended the Chicago Academy of the Arts, Joffrey Academy of Dance, and Hubbard Street Dance Center, performing works by Eddy Ocampo, Greg-

ory Dolbashian, Randy Duncan, Gus Giordano, Alejandro Cerrudo, Jiri Kylian, Azure Barton, and Nacho Duato. He received his B.F.A from the University of the Arts, and performed works by Ohad Naharin, Sharon Eyal, Robert Battle, Dwight Rhoden, Ronen Koresh, Eiko and Koma, Lar Lubovitch, Sidra Bell, John Alleyne, and Matthew Neenan. Masad is also a performing artist in Philadelphia where he resides, teaches, and performs with JustSole Street Dancers and does volunteer work at the Community Education Center and Mazonni Center. Masad joined Shen Wei Dance Arts in 2015. Chelsea Retzloff joined Shen Wei Dance Arts in early 2011. Originally from Eureka, CA, Chelsea holds a BFA in Dance at UC Santa Barbara, graduating with distinction in Chemistry and as the Daniel G. Alrich Oustanding Senior for the Class of 2007. She has worked with Santa Barbara Dance Theater, David Dorfman Dance, MacArthur Dance Project, Christopher Williams, and Glitter Kitty Productions. Chelsea is a founding member of the Round Table and recently produced a sold out run of The Gunfighter Meets His Match musical in NYC. In addition to dancing, Chelsea tutors math and chemistry throughout NYC. She is a part of the SWDA dancein-education teaching staff and leads the company’s program at PS5. Jennifer Rose received her BFA in dance from Temple University in 2006. She also attended The Ailey School and the American Dance Festival and worked with Philadanco II. She has danced professionally with KunYan Lin/Dancers and toured internationally with him for six wonderful years. She has also worked with Keith Thompson’s Dancetactics, Bill Young, Erick Montes, Olive Prince Dance, and Manuel Vignoulle and currently dances with Company Stephanie Batten Bland. She joined Shen Wei Dance Arts in 2013. Zak Ryan Schlegel is a choreographer, teacher, and dance artist. He holds a BFA in Dance Performance from Chapman University in Orange County, CA. Zak has performed a diverse range of work in collaboration with LA-based Ryan Heffington, Kitty 2016 Winter Program 55

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McNamee, WIFE, and Backhausdance. He has trained with Rafael Bonachela at Sydney Dance Company and Sarah Slipper & Lucas Crandall at Northwest Dance Project. Zak is Co-Artistic Director of LA-based AXIOM Dance Theatre where he creates and presents original work with partner Denna Thomsen. He is the proud recipient of the 2014 Youth America Grand Prix Outstanding Choreographer Award. 2015 marks his first season with Shen Wei Dance Arts. Austin Selden, originally from Farmington Hills, MI, received his BFA from the University of Michigan. He moved to Philadelphia, PA for one year with his collaborator, Sarah Konner, where he searched for work and lived a very frugal lifestyle. Austin started dancing with Shen Wei Dance Arts in 2011 and moved to Brooklyn, NY, where he remains today. He’s been fortunate to dance in various projects (Artichoke Dance Company, Amy Chavasse, Catherine Galasso, Janice Lancaster-Larsen) and is currently working with Anneke Hansen and collaborator Sarah Konner. Austin is certified in Pilates, curious about other somatic practices/teachers, and explores movement with kids in New York Schools and beyond. Alex Speedie is a native of Austin, CO, and received his BFA from North Carolina School of the Arts. He has danced for Mark Dendy and Oliver Steele and has performed works by Lar Lubovitch, Merce Cunningham, and Larry Keigwin. He studies capoeira and enjoys participating in downhill racing sports. Alex began working with Shen Wei Dance Arts in 2011. Andrea Thompson joined Shen Wei Dance Arts in 2015, following two seasons with Hubbard Street 2. She danced with the Foundry, Zhukov Dance Theatre, and LoudHoundMovement after completing her training at the San Francisco Conservatory of Dance in 2012. Andrea has performed the work of Idan Sharabi, Robyn Mineko Williams, and William Forsythe (as staged by Christopher Roman) through participation in Springboard Danse Montreal. She is a contributor to the dance blogs ‘Stance on Dance’ and 4Dancers.org and has taught in summer programs for both

Hubbard Street Dance Chicago and the San Francisco Conservatory of Dance. Maria Volpe graduated Summa Cum Laude with a BFA in Dance from Rutgers University’s Mason Gross School of the Arts in 2015 and is a certified Pilates teacher. In 2013 she studied abroad in London at Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance. She has performed in works by Larry Keigwin, Stefanie Batten Bland, Keith Thompson, and Randy James. This is Maria’s first season with Shen Wei Dance Arts. Michael Wright is a professional dance artist living in New York City. Since moving to New York, Wright has worked with the New York Metropolitan Opera Ballet, Satellite Collective, Exit 12 Dance Company, The Chase Brock Experience, and Steeledance. He also worked as a dancer at Tokyo Disneyland from 2008 until 2009 and again in 2012. As a dance educator, he has had the privilege of teaching at Peridance, Steps on Broadway, and at studios and universities both domestically and abroad. Wright holds a BFA in Dance Performance from Southern Methodist University. He has danced with Shen Wei Dance Arts since 2011. Ricardo Zayas is a native of Brooklyn, NY. He studied on scholarship at the schools of the Dance Theater of Harlem and the San Francisco Ballet. In 2005 he graduated with honors from Fordham University and was invited to join Ailey II in his senior year. Ricardo has also danced with Complexions Contemporary Ballet, Sidra Bell Dance New York, Post:Ballet, Washington National Opera, Los Angeles Opera, and Alonzo King/LINES Ballet. In 2009, Dance Magazine named him one of the “25 to Watch.” When not on tour with Shen Wei Dance Arts, he performs in the currently running hit production Queen of the Night at the Diamond Horseshoe. Ricardo danced with Shen Wei Dance Arts in 2006 and returned to the company in 2013.

Key Staff Biographies Diane Rosenblatt (Director of Development and External Affairs) An arts administrator and development professional with

two decades of experience, Diane Rosenblatt served as a fundraising consultant to several dance organizations, including Shen Wei Dance Arts, before joining the Shen Wei Dance Arts staff. Prior to turning her focus exclusively to fundraising and development, she served as Executive Director of the Armitage Foundation/Armitage Gone! Dance (2007-2010), where she oversaw a 32% growth in the Company’s operations. She served as the Executive Director of Doug Varone and Dancers for ten years, where she produced more than 20 new Varone works and guided the organization’s growth from a small organization to a million-dollar operating budget. She has also served as the Marketing and Public Relations Director of the Michigan Theater in Ann Arbor, Acting Executive Director of the Michigan Dance Association, and Managing Director of Michael Mao Dance. She completed graduate coursework as a Ph.D. candidate in History at the University of Michigan and holds a BA from Boston University. She has published several articles on dance for Michigan publications. She is a member of the Association of Fundraising Professionals.

Shen Wei Dance Arts Acknowledgements Sincere thanks to the Shen Wei Dance Arts Board of Directors: Helen Y. Little, Chair; David S. Brown, Secretary; Charles L. Reinhart, Treasurer; Susan L. Baker; William M. Carey; Caroline Cronson; and Michèle Pesner. Special thanks to our Advisory Council: Celia Chou, Kenneth Foster, Stephanie French, Pieter Hoffman, Karen Hsu, Norma Stevens, Patricia Pei, Jennifer Tipton, and Shirley Young. In ongoing support of its mission, the Company wishes to thank Nigel Redden and the Lincoln Center Festival; Jodee Nimerichter and the American Dance Festival; Alicia Adams and the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts; Rebecca Robertson and Park Avenue Armory; Arlene Schuler and New York City Center; and Mary Sharp Cronson and Works & Process at the Guggenheim. Special thanks to Richard Feldman and the SHS Foundation, Jan Krukowski and Nancy Harrow, Lawrence S. Greene.

2016 Winter Program 57

Shen Wei Dance Arts’ programs are supported, in part, with public funds from the National Endowment for the Arts, the New York State Council on the Arts with support of Governor Andrew Cuomo and the New York State Legislature, the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the City Council, and the US State Department/US Embassy in Russia. Additional support is provided by the SHS Foundation, the Winston Foundation, the Howard Gilman Foundation, the Shubert Foundation, the Evelyn Sharp Foundation, the Jerome Robbins Foundation, the Trust for Mutual Understanding, the U.S.-China Cultural Foundation, the U.S.-Russia Bilateral Presidential Commission of the U.S. State Department, and the Asian Cultural Council. Shen Wei Dance Arts is a 501(c) 3 not-forprofit organization. Donations are greatly appreciated and may be made payable and sent to: Shen Wei Dance Arts 165 West 86th Street, 4th fl. New York, NY 10024

DEVELOPMENT AND ADMINISTRATIVE ASSOCIATE Jeremy Polacek

W A R D R O B E S U P E R V I S O R Russell Stuart Lilie

M A K E - U P S U P E R V I S O R Ricardo Zayas

INTERNS Anne Carr, Ellen Askonas

BOOKING AGENT Margaret Selby CAMI Spectrum Columbia Artists Management 5 Columbus Circle @1790 Broadway New York, NY 10019 Tel: (212) 841-9554 Fax: (212) 841 9770 MargaretSelby@gmail.com

Staff ARTISTIC DIRECTOR Shen Wei

DIRECTOR OF DEVELOPMENT AND EXTERNAL AFFAIRS

Kate Jewett

LIGHTING SUPERVISOR

Recent seasons have seen Ziegler performing at major venues, including Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center Out of Doors, SFJAZZ, the Ottawa International Jazz Fest, Eastman School of Music, the Chautauqua Institution, La Jolla SummerFest, Laguna Beach Music Festival, UCLA, Birdland, and many others. Ziegler’s most recent release, 2013’s Latin Grammy-nominated Amsterdam Meets New Tango, sees his quartet paired with the Netherlands’ Metropole Orkest, playing his most famous compositions re-arranged for jazz orchestra. 2013 also saw the release of saxophonist Julio Botti’s Latin Grammy-nominated Nostalgias, featuring Ziegler as producer, arranger, and pianist along with several Ziegler tunes. In 2011, Ziegler’s work as music director, arranger, and pianist for bass-baritone opera star Erwin Schrott earned an Echo Klassik Award for the album Rojotango. Ziegler’s 2005 release, Bajo Cero, won the Latin Grammy for Best Tango Album, and in 2008, his album Buenos Aires Report was nominated for the same honor. Pablo Ziegler is exclusively represented by Bernstein Artists, Inc. bernsarts.com

Diane Rosenblatt

REHEARSAL AND EDUCATION DIRECTOR

Hour, La Camorra, and Central Park Concert, Ziegler has led his own groups for over 20 years, refining and reimagining the bounds of the modern tango tradition.

Pablo Ziegler & Lara St. John

Lara St. John

Christina Watanabe

Continued from pg. 19

STAGE MANAGER

Pablo Ziegler

Canadian-born violinist Lara St. John has been described as “something of a phenomenon” by The Strad and a “high-powered soloist” by The New York Times.

For decades, Buenos Aires-born, Latin Grammy-winning pianist, composer, and arranger Pablo Ziegler has been one of the most important figures in Argentine New Tango, the vibrant musical hybrid of classic tango, American jazz, and European art music. After performing in tango grand-maestro Astor Piazzolla’s legendary quintet for over a decade and appearing on iconic Piazzolla recordings including Tango: Zero

She has performed as soloist with the orchestras of Cleveland, Philadelphia, San Francisco, Seattle, Toronto, Montreal, Vancouver, and with the Boston Pops, the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, NDR Symphony, Zurich Chamber Orchestra, Camerata Ireland, Amsterdam Symphony, Brazilian Symphony, Sao Paulo Symphony, China Philharmonic, Hong Kong Symphony, Tokyo Symphony, and the orchestras of

Katie Houff

COMPANY MANAGER AND ASSISTANT TO THE ARTISTIC DIRECTOR Stephen Xue

OFFICE AND FINANCE MANAGER Yunlin Zhu

Opening Nights Performing Arts

Brisbane, Adelaide, and Auckland among many others. The Los Angeles Times wrote, “Lara St. John happens to be a volcanic violinist with a huge, fabulous tone that pours out of her like molten lava. She has technique to burn and plays at a constant high heat.” Lara created her record own label, Ancalagon, in 1999 and has recorded with the Royal Philharmonic, the Simon Bolivar Youth Orchestra of Venezuela, and The Knights, with which she won the Juno award in 2011 for her Mozart album. Of her Bach Six Sonatas and Partitas for Violin Solo, American Record Guide wrote, “I simply don’t know where else you can go to hear Bach played at this level of artistry. Once again she eclipses her competition” Lara began playing the violin when she was two years old. She made her first appearance as soloist with orchestra at age four and her European debut with the Gulbenkian Orchestra in Lisbon when she was 10. She toured Spain, France, Portugal, and Hungary at ages 12 and 13, entered the Curtis Institute at 13, and spent her first summer at Marlboro three years later. Her teachers have included Felix Galimir and Joey Corpus. She performs on the 1779 “Salabue” Guadagnini thanks to an anonymous donor and Heinl & Co. of Toronto. Lara St. John Personal Direction: Christina Baker, Baker Artists LLC.

Broadway’s Next H!T Musical Continued from pg. 21

Director’s Note The lights go down. The overture begins. Pretty much your typical musical theater experience so far, yes? No! Tonight will be different! Why, you ask? Because this musical has never been seen before! In fact, it has not even been conceived, written or rehearsed! And yet it will appear, complete with script, music, lyrics and choreography, before your

eyes this evening. This is the exciting process at the heart of Broadway’s Next H!T Musical. We will step onstage free of any pre-performance ideas and allow ourselves to be inspired by what you, our audience, write on a small piece of paper – a story to unfold as we perform it. We are empowered by the notion of creating a memorable song, complete with melody and lyrics. We dance to choreography invented as it is executed. Broadway’s Next H!T Musical, improvisation at its best, will amaze and delight you, and leave you with the experience of seeing what has never before been seen and what will never be seen again. Broadway’s Next H!T Musical can only be described as magic! broadwaysnexthitmusical.com

Who’s Who in Broadway’s Next H!T Musical DEB RABBAI (Co-Artistic Director, Co-Producer, Performer) is an original member and co-creator of Broadway’s Next H!T Musical. A native New Yorker, Deb has worked as an actor, improviser, singer and voiceover artist for the last twenty years. Deb became the Co-Artistic Director of BNHM in 2009 and has proudly witnessed its progress over the last two decades into the hilarious hit it is today. A graduate of The American Academy of Dramatic Arts in NYC, Deb performs regularly with the national touring improv company Chicago City Limits. Deb is a highly experienced teacher of improvisation and acting, having worked at NYU, Marymount Manhattan College, The American Comedy Institute, Weist-Barron and Acteen in NYC. She also spent ten years performing and teaching improvisation with Freestyle Repertory Theatre (TheatreSports New York). Deb successfully created programs that teach curriculum through improvisation – these programs have been integrated into public schools in New York, New Jersey and Connecticut. Deb has appeared on Late Night with Conan O’Brien and in national commercials for MasterCard, Wendy’s and Zyrtec. Deb has done countless voiceovers, ranging from radio and TV advertisements, to video games and Japanimation/anime films. misspeep.blogspot.com.

ROB SCHIFFMANN (Co-Artistic Director, Co-Producer, Performer) has worked and toured as a professional improviser and musician for over seventeen years. As a two-time MAC (Manhattan Association of Cabarets and Clubs) Award winner and the recipient of the 2011 INNY (Improvisation News) Award for Best Improv Coach, Rob’s musical and improv talents are known across the country. He has taught and directed improv at The School for Film and Television, Weist-Barron, and the Perry-Mansfield Performing Arts School in Steamboat Springs, Colorado. A graduate of Oberlin College, Rob performed regularly with Chicago City Limits before joining Broadway’s Next H!T Musical in 2001. BNHM’s master improvisers started their success at the famous NYC cabaret club Don’t Tell Mama as well as with the New York Musical Theater Festival. Rob became Co-Artistic Director in 2009, and continues to perform with the hysterical troupe throughout the country and at their resident theater The Triad in NYC. Called “sharper than a pound of cheddar cheese” by reviewfix.com, Rob has showcased his skills on The Daily Download and The CBS Early Show. Rob’s musical talent is also evident with the New York based acoustic-pop band, The Hillary Step; he is the main writer, lead singer, guitarist, and Music Director. robschiffmann.com Baylin Artists Management 721 Hyde Park · Doylestown, PA 18902 267.880.3750 · baylinartists.com

Kathleen Madigan Continued from pg. 23

“I just want to tell jokes. I didn’t start doing open mics to become an actor on a sitcom or in a tv commercial. Those things never even crossed my mind. I just like to tell jokes for an hour or so and laugh,” Madigan says. “For a few of us working today, this was our goal. We don’t have any more goals. Can’t you ever have a goal, reach it, and then enjoy it? This society is being driven by type A lunatics that say ‘you have to set more goals.’ No, you don’t. Have a seat, and enjoy the 2016 Winter Program 59

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fact that you’re here! Maybe that’s the Irish in me talking though.” It’s been a 25 year career of 300 nights a year on the road. “We don’t get time off like a band. Our tours never end. That’s why it makes me laugh when people say ‘how long is your tour?’ Well, so far, 25 years.” Madigan’s gone from one nighters, to club gigs, to theaters, to headlining the Mirage in Las Vegas. She won the American Comedy Award for Best Female Comedian and the Phyllis Diller award for Best Female Comedian. Although she’s turned down many writing jobs because she enjoys performing more, Madigan has written and produced for Lewis Black’s Root of all Evil on Comedy Central and for Gary Shandling’s Emmy monologues. She’s done two USO tours to Iraq and Afghanistan with pals Lewis Black, Robin Williams, and John Bowman, and musical acts Kid Rock, The Zac Brown Band, Kix Brooks, and Kellie Pickler. “There’s no better show on earth than a show for the troops. Trust me, no crowd is as happy to see a show as 1000 soldiers in Kabul. I do USO shows at home here in the US too, but the further people are away, the more they appreciate it. I don’t think they get paid enough for a hard job, so I like to do something for free when I can.” She remains the only comedian in the history of

NBC’s Last Comic Standing to go unchallenged by any other comedian - meaning no comedian would say they were funnier than her. Madigan was a top three finalist in Season 2 and a judge on Season 5. She’s a favorite on nationally syndicated radio shows such as the The Bob and Tom Show and The Stephanie Miller Show. She’s also in constant rotation on SIRIUS-XM Radio and is repeatedly voted #1 audience favorite by listeners. Madigan has performed internationally at festivals and theaters in Ireland, England, and Australia and has filmed six Montreal Gala Shows at the Montreal Comedy Festival for Canadian television. Originally from St. Louis, Missouri, she splits her time between the road, Los Angeles, and Missouri. KathleenMadigan.com @KathleenMadigan

What Comedians Are Saying About Kathleen Madigan: “The funniest comic in America, bar none.” – Lewis Black “Easily one of the best comics alive.” – Ron White “One of America’s funniest female comics.” - Jay Leno

Credits §§ The Nightly Show with Larry Wilmore – Comedy Central (2 appearances) §§ The View – ABC (2 appearances) §§ The Tonight Show With Jay Leno – NBC (25 appearances) §§ The Late Show with David Letterman – CBS (7 appearances) §§ The Late, Late Show with Craig Ferguson - CBS §§ Late Night with Conan O’Brien – NBC (2 appearances)

CMT (2015, 2014, 2013, 2012, 2011) §§ Just For Laughs: Montreal Comedy Festival (6 appearances) §§ The Green Room with Paul Provenza – Showtime (2011) §§ Dr. Phil – Syndicated (3 appearances) §§ E! Entertainment (numerous commentary appearances) §§ TV Guide Network (numerous commentary appearances) §§ ESPN 2 (numerous appearances)

commentary

§§ The Bonnie Hunt Show – Syndicated (2 appearances) §§ The Joy Behar Show - HLN (2009) §§ Martin Short: Let Freedom Hum – TBS (2009) §§ Root of All Evil – Comedy Central (2008) §§ I Love The… (70’s, 80’s, 90’s, New Millennium) – VH1 (numerous appearances) §§ Last Comic Standing– NBC (2007, 2003) §§ The World Stands Up – Syndicated Internationally (2006) §§ Dennis Miller Show – NBC (2005, 2004) §§ Shorties Watchin’ Shorties – Comedy Central (2004) §§ Best Week Ever – VH1 (2004) §§ Hollywood Squares – Syndicated Internationally (2004, 2003) §§ The World Comedy Tour: Melbourne (2002) §§ Comic Remix – Comedy Central (2002) §§ USO Comedy Tour – Comedy Central (2002) §§ Late Friday – NBC (2001) §§ Comedy Central Presents (2000) §§ HBO Comedy Half Hour (1998, 1997) §§ Live at Jongleurs (1997)

§§ Why We Laugh: Funny Women (2013)

§§ Bob Hope Presents the Ladies of Laughter – NBC (1992)

§§ Ron White’s Salute To The Troops –

§§ Women of the Night – HBO (1991) 2016 Winter Program 61

§§ ½ Hour Comedy Hour – MTV (1990) §§ Stand-up Spotlight – VH1 (1988)

Southern Soul Assembly Continued from pg. 25

JJ Grey From the days of playing greasy local juke joints to headlining major festivals, JJ Grey remains an unfettered, blissful performer, singing with a blue-collared spirit over the bone-deep grooves of his compositions. His presence before an audience is something startling and immediate, at times a funk rave-up, other times a sort of mass-absolution for the mortal weaknesses that make him and his audience human. jjgrey.com

Luther Dickinson Luther is best known as the lead guitarist and vocalist for boogie and blues-rock innovators North Mississippi Allstars and has recorded with an amazing array of musicians throughout his impressive career including Robert Plant, Levon Helm, Beck, Ry Cooder, Mavis Staples, Patty Griffin, John Hiatt, Lucero, Jon Spencer among others. Since he first made his recording debut at 14 playing guitar on The Replacement’s Pleased To Meet Me, he has become widely known both as a talented go-to musician and producer with five Grammy nominations to prove it. lutherdickinson.com

Anders Osborne Between the potency of his richly detailed songwriting, his intensely emotional, soulful vocals and his piercing, expert guitar work, New Orleans’ Anders Osborne is a true musical treasure. He is among the most original and visionary musicians writing and performing today. Guitar Player calls him “the poet laureate of Louisiana’s fertile roots music scene.” New Orleans’ Gambit Weekly recently honored Anders as the Entertainer Of The Year. OffBeat named him 62

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the Crescent City’s Best Guitarist for the third year in a row and the Best Songwriter for the second straight year. andersosbourne.com

Marc Broussard Marc has toured with giants - Maroon 5, Dave Matthews Band, Willie Nelson, O.A.R. and Bonnie Raitt, among others. He has honed his writing chops through collaborations with some of the top song craftsmen in the business and has won ovations at South-By-Southwest, Bonnaroo, the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival in addition to countless theaters around the country and on the court during halftime at the 2008 NBA All-Star Game. marbroussard.com

2CELLOS Continued from pg. 27

2015 is shaping up to be an exciting year for 2CELLOS. On January 27, they released their new album, Celloverse, which debuted at #1 on both the Billboard Classical and Classical Crossover charts as well in the Billboard Top 200. Moreover, 2CELLOS’ viral video for “Thunderstruck” from Celloverse has racked up over 47 million views to date on YouTube! 2CELLOS has released two commercially successful albums; their self-titled debut (2011) and IN2ITION (2013). Aside from their huge online following where they continue to amaze with new YouTube hits, 2CELLOS’ main focus is performing live. In addition to many sold out solo tours (U.S., Japan, Europe), the duo has joined Sir Elton John on a global tour, performing with him and opening his shows in massive stadiums, as well as appearing at prestigious venues and events such as Madison Square Garden, Paris Olympia, Queen’s Diamond Jubilee, and the Emmy Awards. They have also collaborated on stage with the Red Hot Chili Peppers, Queens of the Stone Age, George Michael, and Lang Lang. 2CELLOS has appeared on major TV shows such as The Today Show, The Tonight

Show with Jay Leno, The Ellen DeGeneres Show (multiple times), Lopez Tonight, TV Total with Stefan Raab, ABC’s The Bachelor, CNN’s The Daily Share, and many others. They were also the first instrumental act to ever perform on the hugely popular TV series GLEE, where they appeared as special guests in the Michael Jackson tribute episode, performing “Smooth Criminal.” Their arrangement of the song, which featured Naya Rivera, debuted at No. 10 on the Billboard Hot 100 Digital Songs Chart and landed the 2CELLOS’ self-titled debut album in the Top 100. Together with superstar pianist Lang Lang, they appeared on CCTV’s New Year’s Gala to more than one billion viewers. 2CELLOS’ success extends far beyond YouTube, and their fan base continues to grow around the world through various collaborations. They have teamed up with the rock band Queens of the Stone Age and winning producers T-Bone Burnett and Humberto Gatica as well as the legendary film composer James Newton Howard on a variety of projects. Sulic and Hauser have played the cello since childhood; Sulic graduated from the acclaimed Royal Academy of Music in London, and Hauser from the Royal Northern College of Music in Manchester - both in 2011. Sulic has won a series of top prizes at numerous prestigious international music competitions including First and Special Prize at the VII Lutoslawski International Cello Competition in Warsaw (2009), First Prize at the European Broadcasting Union “New Talent” Competition (2006), and First Prize at the Royal Academy of Music Patron’s Award in Wigmore Hall (2011) among others. Hauser has worked with acclaimed classical artists such as Mstislav Rostropovich, Bernard Greenhouse, Mennahem Pressler, and Ivry Gitlis, to mention a few. He has collected no less than twenty-one first prizes at the national and international music competitions and performed twice for Prince Charles in Buckingham and St. James’s Palace. Both cellists have appeared in major classical music venues throughout the world including Wigmore Hall, Royal Albert Hall, Southbank Center, Amsterdam Concertgebouw, Vienna’s Musikverein, and Konzerthaus.

2cellos.com facebook.com/2Cellos twitter.com/2Cellos youtube.com/2CELLOSlive

what I can do. I do what I feel God has given me the energy to do, so I just go out there and I do it…It’s not about making money because I don’t need money, but I need to sing. With a voice or without, I’ve got to get on that stage.”

Patti LaBelle Continued from pg. 31

In November 2008, Patti released her fifth book and third cookbook, Recipes for The Good Life, and an instructional cooking DVD, In the Kitchen with Miss Patti. The cookbook features recipes and anecdotes that reflect Patti’s philosophy that good cooking and the love of entertaining come from the heart. More recently, Patti introduced a line of signature sauces and marinades called Patti’s Good Life and launched a designer bedding collection, Patti LaBelle Home. Patti’s success has extended as an actress with a notable role in the film A Soldier’s Story and in TV shows such as A Different World, American Horror Story: Freak Show, Dancing with the Stars, and Empire. Patti is commonly identified as the “Godmother of Soul” and has also been referred to as the “High Priestess of Good Vibrations” and the “Queen of Rock ‘n’ Soul.” In addition to her amazing career as an entertainer and entrepreneurial success, Patti’s work as a humanitarian is just as legendary. She remains an advocate for adoption, foster care, Big Sisters, and the United Negro College Fund, among many other initiatives. While Patti’s celebrated 50+ year career is respected world-wide, she has also endured and survived personal strife. Within a 10year period, she lost her mother, three sisters, and best friend to diabetes and cancer. In 1994, Patti was diagnosed with diabetes and shortly thereafter became a spokesperson for the American Diabetes Association. The same motivation that had Patricia Louise Holte blossom from a choir member to lead vocalist for Patti LaBelle & The Bluebelles and later as a solo artist is the same energy that keeps her fire burning at seventy one years young. “Each year I grow, and that’s a blessing from God. I do

Billy Childs Map to the Treasure: Reimagining Laura Nyro Continued from pg. 33

Billy Childs Billy Childs has emerged as one of the foremost American composers of his era, perhaps the most distinctly American composer since Aaron Copland – for like Copland, he has successfully married the musical products of his heritage with the Western neoclassical traditions of the twentieth century in a powerful symbiosis of style, range, and dynamism. A native of Los Angeles, Childs grew up immersed in jazz, classical, and popular music influences. A prodigious talent at the piano earned him public performances by age six, and at sixteen he was admitted to the USC Community School of the Performing Arts, going on to earn a Bachelor of Music degree in Composition under the tutelage of Robert Linn and Morton Lauridsen. By the time of his graduation from USC, Childs was already an in-demand performer in the L.A. jazz scene. Soon thereafter he was discovered by trumpet legend Freddie Hubbard, with whom he embarked on a successful performing and recording tour. He recorded and performed with a number of other influential jazz musicians including J.J. Johnson, Joe Henderson, and Wynton Marsalis before landing a record deal with Windham Hill Records in 1988, when he released Take For Example, This…, the first of four critically acclaimed albums for the label. The albums Twilight Is Upon Us (1989), His April Touch (1991),

and Portrait Of A Player (1992) followed, each expansive contributions of depth and virtuosity. Since then Childs has written and produced I’ve Known Rivers (1995) on Stretch/GRP, The Child Within (1996) on Shanachie, and two volumes of “jazz/ chamber music” (an amalgam of jazz and classical music) – Lyric, Vol. 1 (2006) and Autumn: In Moving Pictures, Vol. 2 (2010); the recordings earned him two GRAMMY awards and five nominations. Simultaneously with his recording career, Childs has occupied a parallel niche as an in-demand composer. His orchestral and chamber commission credits include Esa-Pekka Salonen and the Los Angeles Philharmonic, the Detroit Symphony Orchestra under the baton of Leonard Slatkin, The Los Angeles Master Chorale, The Kronos Quartet, The Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra, The American Brass Quintet, The Ying Quartet, and The Dorian Wind Quintet. Thus far in his career, Childs has garnered thirteen GRAMMY nominations and four awards: two for Best Instrumental Composition (“Into the Light” from Lyric and “The Path Among The Trees” from Autumn: In Moving Pictures) and two for Best Arrangement Accompanying a Vocalist (“New York Tendaberry” from Map to the Treasure: Reimagining Laura Nyro and “What Are You Doing the Rest of Your Life?” from To Love Again). In 2006, Childs was awarded a Chamber Music America Composer’s Grant, and in 2009 was the recipient of a Guggenheim Fellowship. He was also awarded the Doris Duke Performing Artist Award in 2013, and the music award from The American Academy of Arts and Letters in 2015. Most recently, Childs has recorded a collection of re-imagined Laura Nyro compositions for Sony Masterworks, released in September 2014. Map to the Treasure: Reimagining Laura Nyro was produced by Larry Klein and features guest artists: Renee Fleming, Yo-Yo Ma, Wayne Shorter, Alison Kraus, Dianne Reeves, Chris Botti, Esperanza Spalding, Lisa Fischer, Susan Tedeschi, Rickie Lee Jones, Shawn Colvin, Ledesi, Becca Stevens, Chris Potter, Brian Blade, Steve Wilson, and Jerry Douglas. 2016 Winter Program 63

As a pianist, Childs has performed with YoYo Ma, Sting, Renee Fleming, The Los Angeles Philharmonic, The Detroit Symphony Orchestra, Chick Corea, The Kronos Quartet, Wynton Marsalis, Jack DeJohnette, Dave Holland, Ron Carter, The Ying Quartet, The American Brass Quintet, and Chris Botti. Unlimited Myles, Inc. 6 Imaginary Place Aberdeen, NJ 07747

Becca Stevens

negie Hall as featured singer with jazz pianist Brad Mehldau and premiered new works and performed at Carnegie Hall and the Newport Jazz Festival in collaboration with Gretchen Parlato and Lionel Loueke. Stevens has also toured as part of drummer/composer Eric Harland’s all-star band, written for and duetted with up-andcoming vocalist José James, and has written, recorded, and/or performed live with

performed by Becca with the DeCoda String Quartet. She is also a featured singer and composer in Work Songs, a new work by Timo Andres, which premiered as part of the Ecstatic Music Festival in New York along with a world premiere of Stevens’ “A Contribution To Statistics,” a setting of a poem by Wisława Szymborska which Becca wrote for Gabriel Kahane, Ted Hearne, Nathan Koci, and Timo Andres.

As a pianist, [Billy Childs] possesses the improvisatory skills and powerful sense of swing one associates with worldclass artists.

In her teens, Becca studied classical guitar and maintained an affinity for her home state’s Appalachian folk music traditions while also developing her voice singing jazz standards with her peers and mentors in local clubs. After graduating from the high school program at the North Carolina School of the Arts with a major in classical guitar, she moved to New York to attend The New School for Jazz and Contemporary Music. It was there that she received a BFA with high honors in vocal jazz and composition and where she met the musicians with whom she formed the Becca Stevens Band.

– The Los Angeles Times

Stevens quickly began building a diverse body of work and earning the respect and admiration of her peers. She launched her recording career with her well-received 2008 debut album Tea Bye Sea, which the New York Times called an “impressively absorbing album,” and its even more popular 2011 follow-up Weightless.

such notable artists and players as Esperanza Spalding, Ambrose Akinmusire (for whom Stevens composed the song “Our Basement (Ed)” which was listed as one of NPR’s Top Songs of 2014), Dave Douglas, Gabriel Kahane, Tal Wilkenfeld, and Aya Nishina – among many others. In 2014, Stevens was a featured vocalist on the Grammy-nominated Billy Childs record Map to the Treasure: Reimagining Laura Nyro – produced by Larry Klein.

Stevens has also emerged as an in-demand collaborator, lending her vocal, compositional, and instrumental skills to a stunningly diverse array of projects. Since 2004, she has served as a lead singer of Travis Sullivan’s Björkestra, fronting a genre-bending 18-piece jazz orchestra interpreting the songs of Björk on three albums and countless live performances. She has also toured, recorded, and written lyrics for jazz pianist Taylor Eigsti, singing on five songs on his landmark 2010 album Daylight At Midnight. She performed at Car-

2010 saw the debut of Stevens’ first choral composition, Soli Deo Gloria, commissioned and performed by the Melodia Women’s Choir in New York. That piece was also commissioned to be reworked for jazz choir and performed at the New England Conservatory. More recently, she was a featured composer in the Mainly Mozart concert series in San Diego, for which her compositions were arranged for string quartet by her father William Stevens and Stephen Prutsman (Sigur Rós, Tom Waits, Kronos Quartet) and

Stevens has worked extensively as an educator, teaching private lessons and master classes on the voice and songwriting all over the world. She’s been on the faculty teaching classes in vocal performance, ensemble instruction, musicianship, and private lessons at the Manhattan School of Music and The New School, as well as various prestigious institutions in Belgium, Switzerland, and the Netherlands. She also participates in musical education efforts in American high schools, prisons, and homeless shelters.

Alicia Olatuja While the 2013 Presidential Inauguration ceremonies may have featured such A-list talent as Beyonce, Kelly Clarkson, Jennifer Hudson, and Alicia Keys, it’s the voice of a classically trained mezzo-soprano who has drawn the most critical acclaim. On the edition of The View that aired the day after the inauguration, co-host Elizabeth Hasselbeck raved about Alicia Olatuja’s “breathtaking” voice...even though she admitted she didn’t know the singer’s name. However, it won’t be long before her name has much more of a familiar ring to it. In fact, Alicia Olatuja’s reputation has been growing since her arrival in New York in 2005. The New York Times praised her performance with her husband, bassist Michael Olatuja, in their band The Olatuja Project, lauding her “strong, lustrous tone.” Although Alicia’s solo ran for only one minute of the Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir’s nearly five-minute-long performance, it resulted in several radio interviews, mag2016 Winter Program 65

azine articles praising her performance, an appearance on WNBC New York’s The Debrief with David Ushery, and a feature in the New York Daily News, which began by stating, “Brooklyn gave birth to a new musical star at Monday’s inauguration.” Originally from St. Louis, Missouri, Alicia Olatuja is a Vocal Performance graduate of the Manhattan School of Music Masters program. She made her recital debut at Carnegie Hall and her professional debut as Sacagawea in the World Premiere operetta Corps of Discovery at the Opera Memphis and has also performed selected scenes at Carnegie Hall and The Kennedy Center. In 2011, Alicia performed as Sophie in the world premier of the dramatic work by Tony-nominated composer Elizabeth Swados, From the Fire, both in New York and when the play was presented at the Fringe Festival in Edinburgh, Scotland where it won awards for best score, best musical production, and most promising musical. Although musical theater and opera are two of Alicia’s passions, she also performs in a variety of other genres and has been creating quite a buzz in the jazz arena, receiving great praise from jazz giants such as Dianne Reeves and Monty Alexander. She often performs as a soloist with the Juilliard Jazz ensemble and has sung with various recording artists such as Christian McBride, Chaka Khan, and Bebe Winans. Alicia also regularly performs in venues nationally and internationally with her husband as a part of their African Jazz band, the Olatuja Project, where Alicia sings in various African dialects such as Yoruba and Shona. They recently released their debut album, The Promise. Alicia has sung with the Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir since 2007. She released Timeless, her solo debut album, in October 2014, which features such acclaimed jazz artists as four-time Grammy Award winner Christian McBride and husband Michael Olatuja (both on bass), Jon Cowherd and two-time Grammy nominee Christian Sands (both on piano), Grégoire Maret on harmonica, Ulysses Owens, Jr., on drums, and David Rosenthal on guitar. 66

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The Midtown Men Continued from pg. 35

As original cast members of Broadway’s Jersey Boys; they took the world by storm. From the development of Jersey Boys; through their historic Three season run on Broadway, The Midtown Men are together again, doing what they do best: “Sixties Hits With A Modern Twist.” Tony Award winner Christian Hoff, Michael Longoria, Daniel Reichard and Tony Award nominee J. Robert Spencer are taking their sensational sound on the road, bringing to life their favorite “Sixties Hits” from The Beatles, The Beach Boys, Motown, The Four Seasons and more. Not only have they continued to win over audiences of all ages in nearly 2,000 live shows, their self-titled debut album, The Midtown Men: Sixties Hits was met with critical acclaim and garnered 5 star album reviews across iTunes. The album was recorded in New York City and features the group performing such iconic ‘60s hits as, “Can’t Buy Me Love,” “Up On The Roof,” “Time Of The Season,” “Candy Girl” and more. They also recorded their first radio single “All Alone On Christmas” with producer Steven Van Zandt and members of Springsteen’s E Street Band with appearances on Good Morning America, Katie, The Chew, and Access Hollywood Live.

Christian Hoff Christian Hoff is thrilled to reunite with The Midtown Men. He won a Tony Award for his performance as Tommy DeVito in Jersey Boys, as well as Drama Desk Award, Drama League Award, and Outer Critics Circle Award nominations. He was named “The Master of Mimicry” by Entertainment Weekly when his voicing of over 200 characters surpassed the audio book world record and was named Audio Book of The Year. His voice-over career was launched as the voice of Richie Rich in the Hanna-Barbera cartoon series. Favorite stage roles include King Herod in the national revival tour of Jesus Christ Superstar, Governor Hugh Dorsey in the Los Angeles

revival of Parade, the Original LA cast of Evita, George M. Cohan in George M!, Will Rogers in The Will Rogers Follies, Huck in Big River, and his Broadway debut in the Tony Award winning The Who’s Tommy. He recorded Grammy winning cast albums for both “Jersey Boys” and The Who’s Tommy with famed Beatles producer George Martin. Christian has appeared on NBC’s Law & Order: SVU, portrayed D.A. Richard Blackman on ABC’s Ugly Betty, federal prosecutor Thomas Grady on NBC’s Law and Order: Criminal Intent, and the recurring role of Marty on ABC’s All My Children. Other credits: Encino Man, Star Trek IV, Honor Thy Mother, In Love and War, From The Dead of Night, Rockadoodle, 21 Jump Street, ER, JAG, Party of Five, Millennium, The Commish, Beverly Hills 90210, and celebrity guest appearances on The Tonight Show, The Today Show, Regis, The Late Show, Dick Clark’s Rockin’ New Years Eve, and Jeopardy. In the acclaimed festival film Bad Dog and Superhero, Christian sings and performs the entire original film score. He has enjoyed solo performances in New York City’s Cutting Room, Joe’s Pub, Metropolitan Room, BB King’s Blues Club, and Town Hall as well as two appearances at Carnegie Hall. Christian is a proud husband and father of five.

Daniel Reichard Daniel Reichard is honored to join musical forces once again with The Midtown Men. Daniel, a native of Cleveland, Ohio, is best known for his portrayal of chief songwriter and original Four Seasons member Bob Gaudio in the box-office smash Jersey Boys, a role he originated both on Broadway and in the La Jolla Playhouse premiere along with colleagues Christian Hoff and J. Robert Spencer. He followed the success of Jersey Boys with a critically acclaimed performance as Candide in Leonard Bernstein’s Candide at the New York City Opera. After graduating with a BFA from the University of Michigan, Daniel made his New York City debut with the original cast of the world-famous Forbidden Broadway: 20th Anniversary Celebration. His signature style and talent paved the way to starring roles in New York City and across the country, including his triumphant portrayal of artist and social activist Keith

Haring in “Radiant Baby” at Joe Papp’s Public Theater, Man in “The Thing About Men,” whose original cast album he also appears on, and Emmet in the world premiere of the musical version of Jim Henson’s Emmet Otter’s Jugband Christmas at the Goodspeed Opera House. A gifted pianist and concert singer, Daniel has had sold-out engagements at New York City’s Joe’s Pub, Metropolitan Room, and Ars Nova, as well as repeat appearances at 54 Below. Other concert appearances include Symphony Space, The Alvin Ailey Citigroup Theater, BB King’s Blues Club, Town Hall, Triad Theater, Firebird, and Cutting Room in addition to guest appearances with the Arkansas and Grand Rapids Symphonies. He can be seen as Frankie in the 20th anniversary film version of the international hit musical-comedy Forever Plaid.

J. Robert Spencer J. Robert Spencer is excited to return to making music with The Midtown Men. A Tony Award Nominated Actor, Independent Film Director, Producer, and Writer, he originated the role of Nick Massi in the Tony and Grammy Award winning Jersey Boys. He also originated the role of Dan Goodman in the Pulitzer Prize-winning Broadway musical Next To Normal, for which he received nominations for both the Helen Hayes Award for Outstanding Lead Actor and Tony Award for Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Musical. He has voiced two animated features: Nightmare Campus and the critically-acclaimed, award-winning Grave of the Fireflies. His portrayal as a psychopathic killer named Bob in the independent feature film Night of the Dog earned him a Best Supporting Actor nomination at the SMMASH Film Festival. The film won Audience Awards for best feature film at Palm Beach, Santa Barbara, SMMASH, and PBIFF. The comedy Farm Girl In New York, created through J. Robert’s independent film company 7 Spencer Productions and distributed by Maverick Entertainment, was featured on The Today Show with Ann Currey and Al Roker, and was the official selection of the Sacramento International Film Festival (nominated for Best Comedy and Best Actress) as well as the Big Apple, Atlanta, Buffalo Niagara, and Seattle

True Independent Film Festivals. J. Robert produced, wrote, starred, and directed the film. He also produced and starred in his second independent feature titled Heterosexuals. With Wood Media Films, he executive produced an environmental documentary titled On Coal River, which was an official selection of the Silverdocs, Camden, Hamptons, Chesapeake, and New Orleans Film Festivals. Through Sony Masterworks, he appeared with Keith Lockhart and the Boston Pops in PBS’s Handel’s Messiah Rocks, for which he was nominated for a Midwest Emmy Award for Best On Camera Performance by a Leading Actor. J. Robert is the

recipient of an Honorary Doctorate of Fine Arts from Shenandoah University.

Michael Longoria Michael Longoria is proud to be joining his fellow Broadway colleagues as The Midtown Men. Michael is best known for his celebrated turn on Broadway as Frankie Valli in the Tony Award Winning musical Jersey Boys. Hollywood born and Broadway bound, Longoria trained at the Los Angeles County High School for the Arts, then headed east to attend NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts, where he earned a BFA in Dra2016 Winter Program 67

ma. Michael made his Broadway debut in the smash hit musical Hairspray (2003 Tony Award for Best Musical) and later created the role of Joey in the original Broadway cast of Jersey Boys (2006 Tony Award for Best Musical) before taking over the role of Frankie Valli and taking his career to new heights by with performing solo for hundreds of thousands of fans in Times Square for Broadway On Broadway. He went on to perform on a variety of television shows and specials, including Broadway Under The Stars: A Tribute To Harold Prince, The US Open, and the America’s Got Talent season nine finale with Susan Boyle and Shakira. His journey led him back to Atlantic City with a feature performance in That’s Life! with Joe Piscopo at Caesar’s. Other theatrical credits include Peter Pan in Peter Pan & Wendy at the Prince Music Theater, for which he earned a Barrymore Award nomination for Best Actor in a musical, Chino in West Side Story at the Walnut Street Theatre, Mark in A Chorus Line at Helen Hayes Performing Arts Center, and Chuck in Avenue X at the Abe Burrows Theater. In Europe, he performed the role of Paul in the German Tour of A Chorus Line, and Baby John in West Side Story at the famed Teatro alla Scala in Milan. As a singer-songwriter, Longoria has shared his one-of-a-kind talent at such venues as New York City’s CB’s Gallery, Cutting Room, Joe’s Pub, The Knitting Factory, and Caroline’s on Broadway.

Storm Large Continued from pg. 37

Storm spent the 90s singing in clubs throughout San Francisco. Tired of the club scene, she moved to Portland to pursue a new career as a chef, but a last minute cancellation in 2002 at the Portland club “Dante’s” turned into a standing Wednesday night engagement for Storm and her new band, The Balls. It wasn’t long before Storm had a cult-like following in Portland, and a renewed singing career that was about to be launched onto the international stage. Storm made her debut as guest vocalist with the band Pink Martini in April 2011, 68

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singing four sold-out concerts with the National Symphony Orchestra at the Kennedy Center in Washington, DC. She continues to perform with the band, touring nationally and internationally. In 2007, she took a career departure and starred in Portland Center Stage’s production of Cabaret with Wade McCollum. The show was a smash hit, earning Large glowing reviews. Her next endeavor, the autobiographical musical memoir, Crazy Enough, played to packed houses in 2009 during its unprecedented 21-week sold out run in Portland. Storm went on to perform a cabaret version of the show to critical acclaim at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, Adelaide Festival in Australia, and Joe’s Pub in New York. Her memoir, Crazy Enough, was released by Simon and Schuster in 2012, named Oprah’s Book of the Week, and awarded the 2013 Oregon Book Award for Creative Nonfiction. Storm is featured in Rid of Me, a film by Portlander James Westby, starring Katie O’Grady and Theresa Russell. In November and December of 2010, she starred at the Mark Taper Forum with Katey Sagal and Michael McKean in Jerry Zak’s production of Harps and Angels, a musical featuring the work of Randy Newman. In the 2013/14 season, Storm and her band Le Bonheur performed in many new cities around the country, including Las Vegas, Boston, and Minneapolis in an evening called “Taken By Storm.” In June 2014, she appeared at the Ojai Festival with the exciting new orchestra The Knights and the vocal ensemble Hudson Shad. Later in the summer she debuted at the Grant Park Music Festival in Chicago. Storm and Le Bonheur released a record designed to capture their sublime and subversive interpretations of the American Songbook. Entitled simply Le Bonheur and released on Pink Martini’s Heinz Records, the recording is a collection of tortured and titillating love songs – beautiful and familiar, yet twisted…much like the lady herself. Storm and her band have hit the road in support of this new release in conjunction

with Storm’s debut with The New York Pops Orchestra at Carnegie Hall, The Cincinnati Symphony, The Houston Symphony, The RTE Concert Orchestra in Dublin, and many more. Storm is also busy creating a new musical with The Public Theater in New York City. stormlarge.com

David Grisman Bluegrass Experience & Sierra Hull Continued from pg. 43

David Grisman An acoustic pioneer and innovator, David forged a unique personal artistic path, skillfully combining elements of the great American music/art forms — jazz and bluegrass with many international flavors and sensibilities to create his own distinctive idiom — “Dawg” music (the nickname given him by Jerry Garcia). In doing so, he’s inspired new generations of acoustic string musicians while creating his own niche in contemporary music. Grisman discovered the mandolin as a teenager growing up in New Jersey where he met and became a disciple of mandolinist/folklorist Ralph Rinzler. Despite warnings from his piano teacher that it wasn’t a “real” instrument, David learned to play the mandolin in the style of Bill Monroe, the father of bluegrass music. He took it to Greenwich Village where he studied English at NYU while immersed in the proliferating folk music scene of the early 1960s. In 1963, Grisman made his first recordings both as an artist (Even Dozen Jug Band Elektra) and producer (Red Allen, Frank Wakefield and the Kentuckians – Folkways.) In 1966, Red Allen offered David his first job with an authentic bluegrass band, the Kentuckians. Grisman began composing original tunes and playing with other urban bluegrass contemporaries like Peter Rowan and Jerry Garcia, with whom he would later form Old & in the Way.

David’s interests spread to jazz in 1967 while playing in a folk-rock group, Earth Opera. A failed attempt at learning to play alto sax turned him into a student of jazz musicianship and theory. His burgeoning career as a session musician gave him experience playing many types of music and opportunities to stretch the boundaries of the mandolin. His discography is filled with notables including Jerry Garcia, Stephane b, the Grateful Dead, John Hartford, Del McCoury, Bonnie Raitt, Linda Ronstadt, Earl Scruggs, James Taylor, and Doc Watson. Dawg’s instrumental style found a home in 1974 when he formed the Great American Music Band with fiddler Richard Greene. “Nothing against singers,” said David, “but it became apparent to me that I could play 90 minutes without one. Besides, Elvis never called.” Within a year, David met guitar wizard Tony Rice, who moved to California where they started rehearsing a new group, the David Grisman Quintet (DGQ) which also included violinist Darol Anger and bassist/mandolinist Todd Phillips. Since then, the DGQ has featured such stellar notables as Svend Asmussen, Hal Blaine, Vassar Clements, Stephane Grappelli, Mike Marshall, Andy Statman, and Frank Vignola. After recording for major and independent labels, David founded Acoustic Disc in 1990 and entered the most prolific period of his career, producing 67 critically acclaimed CDs (five of which were Grammy-nominated). In 2010, he launched AcousticOasis. com, the first download website devoted to acoustic music. Grisman has revisited his roots with the David Grisman Bluegrass Experience (DGBX). This very traditional group includes Keith Little on 5-string banjo, guitar, and vocals, Jim Nunally on guitar and vocals, Chad Manning on fiddle, Samson Grisman on bass, and David on mandolin and vocals. Dawg also plays blues and old-time music with his old jugband-mate John Sebastian. He lives in Northern California with his wife Tracy, an artist and musician. Between them they have seven grown kids and four grandchildren. David Grisman has always been a revolutionary. He has deeply influ-

enced contemporary acoustic practicioners through his own musical explorations and with the continuing success of Acoustic Disc and Acoustic Oasis, has helped make artist-owned independent labels a viable force in today’s music business. AcousticDisc.com | AcousticOasis.com

Sierra Hull Sierra Hull, the singer, mandolinist, and former child prodigy who signed with Rounder at age 13 and distinguished herself by becoming the first bluegrass musician to receive a Presidential Scholarship to the prestigious Berklee College of Music, has announced the release of her first new album in five years. Weighted Mind will be released on January 29, 2016. 15-time Grammy winner Béla Fleck produced the recording, which features eleven compelling and new compositions written or co-written by Hull and one traditional tune for which she and Fleck provided a new arrangement. While Hull’s ethereal voice and fluid playing take center stage, she receives ample support from bass marvel Ethan Jodziewicz. Béla Fleck’s banjo adorns the elegant “Queen of Hearts/ Royal Tea,” and Alison Krauss, Abigail Washburn, and Rhiannon Giddens add enchanting harmonies. Though she is best known for her work as a mandolin player, on these songs, Hull reveals her abundant gifts as a composer and lyricist. Themes of loss and restoration run through the album, starting with the muscular opening number “Stranded” and continue on in the stirring “Compass,” on which she declares, “I’ve thrown away my compass, done with the chart...I’ll just step out, throw my doubt into the sea, for what’s meant to be will be.” The gentle, dissonant title track ponders existential questions, while the haunting “Birthday” and “Fallen Man” offer somber reflections on strained relationships and impossible choices. The album closes on an optimistic note, with the sweetly assertive “I’ll Be Fine” and the uplifting, philosophical closer “Black River.” Fleck, Giddens, Krauss, and Washburn all guest on this track, on which Hull reflects,

“A thousand years is but a day, and maybe in a thousand years, I’ll find my way.” “Sierra is a remarkably talented, beautiful human being. Success could not have come to a more worthy person. I adore her.” – Alison Krauss “I can’t say enough about Sierra Hull… Sierra is truly a beautiful and talented gift to this world, so special and unique.” – Dolly Parton

Tony Bennett Continued from pg. 45

His love for his country has earned him the distinction of national treasure and United Nations has named him a Citizen of the World as one of their foremost ambassadors. Through his music, Tony Bennett has connected in unprecedented fashion with all generations of audiences. His commitment to humanitarian ideals has bridged our differences by highlighting what we have in common as citizens of the planet. He has fought for the hard issues when others have turned a blind eye and has remained true to the authenticity and creativity of his musical vision. Tony has achieved the Great American Dream but has never forgotten his own roots and is constantly working toward ensuring that others can achieve their dreams as well. His life story is compelling in the lessons and values that it teaches: dedication, commitment, courage, and compassion. No one in popular American music has recorded for so long and at such a high level of excellence than Tony Bennett. In the last ten years alone he has sold ten million records. The essence of his longevity and high artistic achievement was imbued in him in his loving childhood home in the Astoria section of Queens where he was born on August 3, 1926. His father died when Tony was 10 and his mother, Anna, raised Tony and his older brother and sister, John and Mary, in a home surrounded by loving relatives who were Tony’s first fans filling him with encouragement and optimism. He attended the High School of Industrial Arts in Manhattan, where he continued nurtur2016 Winter Program 69

Photo by Larry Busacca

...[Bob Hope] didn’t care for my stage name (Joe Bari) and asked me what my real name was. I told him, ‘My name is Anthony Dominick Benedetto’ and he said, ‘We’ll call you Tony Bennett.’ ing his two passions, singing and painting. From the radio he developed a love of music hearing Bing Crosby, Louis Armstrong, and James Durante. As a teenager Tony sang while waiting on tables and then enlisted in the Army during World War II and while in Europe he performed with military bands. He later had vocal studies at the American Theatre Wing School. The first time Bennett sang in a nightclub was in 1946 when he sat in with trombonist Tyree Glenn at the Shangri-La in Astoria. Bennett’s big break came in 1949 when comedian Bob Hope noticed him working with Pearl Bailey in Greenwich Village in New York City. As Bennett recalls, “Bob Hope came down to check out my act. He liked my singing so much that after the show he came back to see me in my dressing room and said, ‘Come on kid, you’re going to come to the Paramount and sing with me.’ But first he told me he didn’t care for my stage name (Joe Bari) and asked me what my real name was. I told him, ‘My name is Anthony Dominick Benedetto’ and he said, ‘We’ll call you Tony Bennett.’ And that’s how it happened. A new Americanized 70

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name – the start of a wonderful career and a glorious adventure that has continued for over 60 years.” With millions of records sold world-wide and platinum and gold albums to his credit, Bennett has received eighteen Grammy Awards – including a 1995 Grammy for Record of the Year for his “MTV Unplugged” CD which introduced this American master to a whole new generation – and the Grammy Lifetime Award. His 2007 prime-time special, “Tony Bennett: An American Classic,” won seven Emmy Awards. His initial successes came via a string of Columbia singles in the early 1950’s, including such chart-toppers as “Because of You,” “Rags to Riches,” and a remake of Hank Williams “Cold, Cold Heart.” He had 24 songs in the Top 40, including “I Wanna Be Around,” “The Good Life,” “Who Can I Turn To (When Nobody Needs Me)” and his signature song,” I Left My Heart In San Francisco,” which garnered him two Grammy Awards. Tony Bennett is one of a handful of artists to have new albums charting in the 50’s, 60’s, 70’s, 80’s, 90’s, and now in the first two decades of the 21st century. He has introduced a

multitude of songs into the Great American Songbook that have since become standards for pop music. He has toured the world to sold out audiences with rave reviews whenever he performs. Bennett re-signed with Columbia Records in 1986 and released the critically acclaimed The Art of Excellence. Since his 1991 show-stopping performance at the Grammy Awards of “When Do The Bells Ring For Me,” from his Astoria album, he has received a string of Grammy Awards for releases including Stepping Out, Perfectly Frank and MTV Unplugged. In the new millennium, Bennett’s artistry and popularity was higher than ever. In 2006, the year of his 80th birthday, his Duets: An American Classic was released. The album—which included performances with Paul McCartney, Elton John, Barbra Streisand, Bono and others—won three Grammy Awards and went on to be one of the best selling CDs of the year and Tony’s career. Bennett’s first Duets album also inspired the Rob Marshall-directed television special Tony Bennett: An American Classic which won seven Emmys making it the most honored program at the 2007 Emmy Awards. In celebration of his 85th birthday in 2011 the

release of Bennett’s highly anticipated, Duets II, featured Tony performing with a new roster of celebrated artists including, the late Amy Winehouse (her last recording was their duet of “Body and Soul”), Michael Buble, Aretha Franklin, Josh Groban, Lady Gaga, John Mayer, and many others. Duets II debuted at #1 on the Billboard Album charts, making Tony the only artist at the age of 85 to achieve this in the history of recorded music. Bennett won two Grammys for Duets II in the 2012 Grammy ceremony and this year marked the 50th Anniversary of the recording and release of his signature song, “I Left My Heart in San Francisco.” A documentary entitled, THE ZEN OF BENNETT, which was created and conceived by Danny Bennett, Tony’s son and manager, was premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival 2012. At the end of 2012, Bennett also authored his fourth book, the New York Times bestseller, LIFE IS A GIFT, which highlights his personal philosophies learned throughout his life and career. Tony’s latest endeavor is a collaborative jazz album with Lady Gaga, released this September, titled, Tony Bennett & Lady Gaga: Cheek To Cheek. Cheek To Cheek debuted at #1 on the Billboard Top 200 album charts making Bennett, at the age of 88, the oldest artists to have a #1 album – a record he originally established at the age of 85 when his Duets II debuted at #1. Cheek To Cheek won a Grammy in the Best Traditional Pop Vocal category. Tony Bennett became a Kennedy Center Honoree in 2005, was named an NEA Jazz Master in January of 2006, a Citizen of the World award from the United Nations and a Billboard Magazine Century Award in honor of his outstanding contributions to music. Tony Bennett is a dedicated painter whose interest in art began as a child. He continues to paint every day, even as he tours internationally. He has exhibited his work in galleries around the world. The United Nations has commissioned him for two paintings, including one for their 50th anniversary. His original painting, “Homage to Hockney,” is on permanent display at the Butler Institute of American Art and the landmark National Arts Club in New York is home to Tony’s painting “Boy on

Sailboat, Sydney Bay.” Three of his paintings are part of the Smithsonian Museums permanent collections including his portrait of his friend Duke Ellington that became part of the National Portrait Gallery’s collection in 2009. Throughout his career, Tony Bennett has always put his heart and time into humanitarian concerns. He has raised millions of dollars for the Juvenile Diabetes Foundation, which established a research fund in his name. His original paintings each year grace the cover of the American Cancer Society’s annual holiday greeting card, proceeds from which are earmarked for cancer research. He is active in environmental concerns and social justice. He marched with Dr. King in the historical Selma to Montgomery Civil Rights movement and the Martin Luther King Center in Atlanta bestowed upon him their “Salute to Greatness Award” for his efforts in fighting racial discrimination. In 1999, Tony Bennett, with his wife Susan Benedetto, a former public school teacher, founded Exploring the Arts (ETA) to strengthen the role of the arts in public high school education. ETA connects private funders, individual artists, and cultural institutions to Partner Schools to achieve greater equality of resources and opportunity for youth of all means and backgrounds. ETA programs are designed to help school principals and teachers sustain the arts in the face of budget cuts and better leverage the arts to strengthen student learning and engagement. ETA’s first endeavor was the establishment of Frank Sinatra School of the Arts (FSSA), a public high school founded in 2001 by Tony and Susan in partnership with the NYC Department of Education. FSSA is housed in a newly constructed building in Tony’s hometown of Astoria, Queens. Its state of the art facilities include visual art studios and a gallery, black box theatres and a stagecraft workshop, dance studios, choral and orchestral classrooms, an 800-seat concert hall, a multi-media technology lab, and a rooftop performance garden. All students major in Dance, Theatre, Film, Fine Art, Vocal or Instrumental Music. FSSA also offers a rigorous academic curriculum and

holds one of the highest graduation and college enrollment rates for NYC public high schools. ETA continued beyond its commitment to FSSA to expand their support and to date, ETA currently partners with 17 public high schools – 14 in all five boroughs of New York City and 3 schools located in East Los Angeles and expansion plans to serve more schools are underway.

Special Guest Antonia Bennett Antonia Bennett, daughter of legendary singer Tony Bennett, has been performing alongside her father since she could walk and talk. Some of her early performances were shared with legendary American icons such as Rosemary Clooney, Count Basie, Regis Philbin, Don Rickles, and growing up with the likes of Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, and Gene Kelly. It was inevitable that she would inherit a genuine passion for the arts. For the past 10 years, she has had what she considers the distinct honor of opening for her father all over the world. She can be heard in a duet with her dad on A Swingin’ Christmas’ “I’ve Got My Love to Keep Me Warm.” She continues to develop her craft while performing in a myriad of prominent jazz clubs, casinos, amphitheaters, and stadiums - including Radio City Music Hall, the Hollywood Bowl, the Umbria Jazz Festival, the Newport Jazz Festival, The Greek Theatre, Royal Albert Hall in London, and Caesars Palace. This extensive and invaluable

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experience is irreplaceable and has in large part been the greatest single contribution to her command of her voice and comfortable demeanor on stage. Antonia studied and performed at the Lee Strasberg Theater Institute and is an alumnus of the esteemed Berklee College Of Music in Boston. Her latest release, Embrace Me, was produced by Holly Knight and dedicated to the Great American Songbook and features songs including “Embraceable You” and “The Man I Love” performed in an intimate, classic trio format. Enjoy the vocal prowess of this unique singer of great distinction who endeavors to cultivate new musical horizons.

Ana Gasteyer Continued from pg. 47

A violin player from the tender age of five, Gasteyer always had an ear for music and a knack for timing. Years later, after a formal education as a classically-trained singer, she made the fateful discovery that she could get people laughing, and laugh they did every Saturday night at NBC’s Studio 8H. Audiences fell in love with Gasteyer’s flair for irony and character-driven comedy on six seasons of Saturday Night Live, where she unabashedly played, and often sang, at full-tilt. Eventually, Broadway came calling, and Gasteyer spent several years belting out superstar vocals in shows like Wicked and Rocky Horror. But she felt most at home crooning and chirping with a big band in a nightclub, amidst laughter and the inviting clink of ice in a glass. Her acclaimed shows, Let it Rip and Elegant Songs from a Handsome Woman earned praise from audiences and critics alike who hailed the acts as “exuberant and rollicking entertainment” with “high-octane vocals” and “a topnotch swingin’ ensemble.” Ana recently starred in ABC’s Suburgatory and continues to play guest and regular parts on a number of popular shows – The Mindy Project, The Goldbergs, and more. 72

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Almost There Continued from pg. 49

For many, Peter Anton’s house embodies an end-of-life nightmare: the utility companies long ago shut off the heat and electricity, the floorboards are rotting, and the detritus of a chaotic life is precariously stacked to the ceiling. But for the filmmakers Dan Rybicky and Aaron Wickenden, Anton’s home is a treasure trove, a startling collection of unseen and fascinating paintings, drawings, and notebooks, not to mention Anton himself, a character worthy of his own reality TV show. Though aging, infirm, cranky, and solitary, Anton also is funny and utterly resilient. The film’s remarkable journey follows a gifted artist through startling twists and turns. By its quietly satisfying ending, Almost There has provided enough human drama for a season of soap operas, plus insights into mental illness, aging in America, and the redemptive power of art. This project was developed with the support of Avid and The Wexner Center for the Artsand has received partial funding from The Indiana Arts Commission, The Puffin Foundation, Columbia College Chicago and a Community Arts Assistance Program grant from the City of Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs and the Illinois Arts Council, a state agency.

Director’s Statement We come from a Chicago tradition of storytellers like Nelson Algren, Studs Terkel, and Kartemquin Films who are interested in shining a light on the lives of the uncelebrated and marginalized. In particular, we’re drawn towards unsung artists like Peter Anton, whose compelling narrative about his life via his art drew us in. Peter’s determination to share his story of perseverance in the face of poverty and disability inspired us, and we wanted to both document and help him. Filming Peter’s life for eight years allowed us to develop a deeper understanding of who he was and what made him such a complicated and fascinating character - someone we couldn’t figure out but wanted to. Over time we became just as interested in the people

from his community who were helping him survive. And we now realize that the work of helping people in need and the questions of how and why we do it have in many ways become the main story itself. We knew including Peter’s point-of-view as directly as possible was essential to our project, especially considering how the common narrative about “outsider” artists is usually told top-down and solely from the perspective of the curator/finder. Our decision to show the conflicts between us and Peter will hopefully allow those watching to more fully explore and consider the ethical complexities inherent in any subject-filmmaker, artist-curator relationship, as well as how the role of “documentarian” often expands (consciously or not) to include that of “advocate” and “caretaker.” By focusing our project on our personal relationship to Peter and his struggles, we think our film has the potential to humanize universal issues we care deeply about - issues involving poverty, disability, elder care, and mental illness. Peter’s plight is universal: Most everyone has a friend, relative or neighbor who mirrors some of Peter’s eccentricities, and sooner or later, everyone copes with end-of-life issues with a parent or grandparent. And we can all relate to the difficulty of letting go, as well as the fear we feel when forced to make longterm changes, even if they’re for the better. Shooting this film challenged us physically and emotionally, but we hope Almost There still captures the goofy humor of our subject, as well as the humor that arises during times of unimaginable struggle. It’s okay to laugh even if you’re sad - especially when you’re sad. Working with Peter taught us that and so much more. §§ Aaron Wickenden & Dan Rybicky, November 2014

Filmmaking Team Aaron Wickenden (Co-Director/Producer) Aaron Wickenden is a filmmaker with extensive experience as an editor and cinematographer. His recent accomplishments include: Editing and Additional Cinematography for Finding Vivian Maier, which premiered at the

prestigious Toronto International Film Fest, won Best Doc at Miami International and was nominated for the Best Documentary Academy Award. In 2013, Aaron received an Emmy® Award nomination for co-editing The Interrupters. Aaron’s editing credits include: The Trials of Muhammad Ali, Scrappers, At The Death House Door, and Sundance 2015 selection Best of Enemies. More by Aaron Wickenden Finding Vivian Maier, Editor The Trials of Muhammad Ali, Editor The Interrupters, Edited by, Post-Production Supervisor, Still Photographer Dan Rybicky (Co-Director/Producer) Dan Rybicky is an artist and teacher whose photographs, installations, and plays have been seen in venues in New York, Chicago, and Los Angeles. After receiving his MFA at NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts, Dan began working with and consulting in various production capacities for filmmakers Martin Scorsese, John Sayles, and John Leguizamo. Dan is currently an Associate Professor in Cinema Art + Science at Columbia College Chicago where he designs and teaches both graduate and undergraduate courses. Justine Nagan (Executive Producer) Since 2008, Justine has led Kartemquin Films as our Executive Director as well as being an Executive Producer on each new film. She is responsible, in concert with the Board of Directors, for creating and implementing the strategic vision for Kartemquin. Justine successfully transitioned to the ED role in a historic founder-led organization, and has made major strides in building a foundation for long-term sustainability. More by Justine Nagan Life Itsel, Executive Producer The Homestretch, Executive Producer The Trials of Muhammad Ali, Executive Producer The Interrupters, Executive Producer Typeface, Director/Producer Gordon Quinn (Executive Producers) Artistic Director and founding member of Kartemquin Films, Gordon Quinn has been making documentaries for over 45 years. Roger Ebert, of the Chicago Sun Times,

called his first film Home for Life (1966) “an extraordinarily moving documentary.” With Home for Life, Gordon established the direction he would take for the next four decades, making cinéma vérité films that investigate and critique society by documenting the unfolding lives of real people. More by Gordon Quinn Life Itself, Executive Producer The Homestretch, Executive Producer The Trials of Muhammad Ali, Executive Producer A Good Man: Bill T Jones, Director Hoop Dreams, Executive Producer/Co-Producer

A strong and original film, and one you will respond to. – Steve James, Director of Life Itself; Hoop Dreams Joshua Abrams (Composer) Composer and multi-instrumentalist Joshua Abrams has recorded seven albums as a leader and collaborated on over a hundred recordings. The New York Times describes his record Represencing as “music that hints at the ceremonial without losing its modern bearings.” In addition to Life Itself and The Trials of Muhammad Ali, Joshua has composed soundtracks for The Interrupters and the short film A Place Called Pluto. More by Joshua Abrams Life Itself, Composer The Trials of Muhammad Ali, Composer The Interrupters, Original Music Composed by, Original music recorded by. David Schalliol (Environmental Cinematographer) David is a PhD candidate in The University of Chicago’s Department of Sociology who explores the transformation of urban centers through mixed-methodology projects. He was recently interviewed about his unique approach to Almost There for Satellite Magazine. His writing and photographs have also appeared in such publications as The

American Sociologist, Design Observer, and Salon.com, as well as in numerous exhibitions, including the inaugural Belfast, Northern Ireland Photo Festival, and the Museum of Contemporary Photography’s Midwest Photographers Project. The Japanese publisher Utakatado released his first book, Isolated Building Studies, in February 2014. Schalliol contributed to Highrise: Out My Window, an interactive documentary that won the 2011 International Digital Emmy for Non-Fiction. His current ethnographic film project, The Area, is supported by the Graham Foundation, the Driehaus Foundation, and the City of Chicago’s Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events. davidschalliol.com Nora Gully (Post-Production Supervisor) Nora Gully is a curious and compassionate video editor who specializes in long-form documentary films. Her first credit was on the Emmy-award-winning The Interrupters, first as assistant editor and subsequently as post-production supervisor. She values the opportunity to learn about people’s lives and bring their stories to the screen. Nora was most recently an editor on How to Build a School in Haiti and Unity Dinners, as well as an additional editor on Finding Vivian Maier. More by Nora Gully The Interrupters, Assistant Editor, Post-production Supervisor, Additional Editing Finding Vivian Maier, Additional Editing As Goes Janesville, Assistant Editor Peter Anton (Documentary Subject) Life for Peter Anton is like a roller coaster with lots of ups and downs. He is an artist, author, graphologist, entertainer, teacher, performer - and right now, a choir director at Victory Centre in Calumet City Illinois from 12:30 - 2pm on Saturdays. He hopes that by sharing his story of perseverance people realize what they can accomplish in their lives by overcoming problems, troubles, happenings, accidents, illnesses, etc. - Peter Anton, November 2014.

About Kartemquin Films Kartemquin Films is a collaborative center for documentary media makers who seek 2016 Winter Program 73

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AVAILABLE FOR MOST PERFORMANCES STUDENT RUSH TICKETS MAY BE PURCHASED ONLINE, OVER THE PHONE, AT THE FINE ARTS TICKET OFFICE, OR AT THE EVENT VENUE (NOTE: EVENT VENUE TICKET OFFICES OPEN ONE HOUR BEFORE EVENTS). LIMIT 2 RUSH TICKETS PER STUDENT ID.

to foster a more engaged and empowered society. With a noted tradition of nurturing emerging talent and acting as a leading voice for independent media, Kartemquin is building on over 48 years of being Chicagoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s documentary powerhouse. Kartemquin sparks democracy through documentary. Their films, such as The Interrupters, The Trials of Muhammad Ali, and The New Americans have left a lasting impact on millions of viewers. A revered resource within the film community on issues of fair use, ethics, story and civic discourse, Kartemquin is internationally recognized for crafting quality documentaries backed by audience and community engagement strategies, and for its innovative media arts community programs. kartemquin.com The Southern Circuit Tour of Independent Filmmakers is a program of South Arts. This screening is supported in part by a grant from South Arts in partnership with the National Endowment for the Arts. 74

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UPCOMING PERFORMANCES SPRING 2016 MARCH - TBA

MARCH 3

MARCH 6

A Movie You Havenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t Seen

Jerusalem Symphony Orchestra

Black Violin

MARCH 11

MARCH 10

MARCH 14

The Trials of Muhammad Ali

globalFEST

Saturday Night Fever Tallahassee Broadway Series

MARCH 21

MARCH 24

MARCH 30

Selected Shorts

Jeanne Robertson

Semi-Toned

APRIL 5

APRIL 7

APRIL 14

APRIL 28

Elizabeth Gilbert

The Illusionists Broadway Series

Ghost Town to Havana

Once Tallahassee Broadway Series

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