FOURTH LOWER EAST SIDE FESTIVAL OF THE ARTS COALITION TO CELEBRATE THE ARTISTIC FERVOR OF THE REGION
AT THEATER FOR THE NEW CITY MAY 28-30
To demonstrate the creative explosion of the Lower East Side and the area's importance to culture and tourism for New York City, a score of stars and over 100 performing arts organizations, independent artists, poets, politicians and film makers will join forces in the Lower East Side's second annual Festival of the Arts, in and around Theater for the New City at First Avenue and East Tenth Street. This three-day, indoor and outdoor festival of theater is organized by TNC and a coalition of civic, cultural and business leaders and is free to all New Yorkers.
The final list of attractions is in formation as of this writing, but a partial list of celebrity appearances is now available. Speaking or reading from their works will be Jimmy Breslin, Arthur Miller, Edward Albee, Tony Kushner, Jerry Stiller & Anne Meara, Israel Horovitz, Quentin Crisp, Richard Foreman and Jean-Claude Van Itallie. Celebrity performances will be provided by Danny Hoch, Reno and composer/performer David Amram. There will be plays by Maria Irene Fornes, Moises Kaufman and Eduardo Machado, among others. Dance attractions will include Rod Rodgers Dance Co., Jack Tynan and Thunderbird American Indian Dancers.
The festival will be three days of theater and theater-related events, from Friday to Sunday, employing three theater spaces at TNC plus the block of East Tenth Street between First and Second Avenues. On Saturday, there will be a day-long, block-long outdoor carnival of musical attractions and a community arts fair. The list of attractions includes artists presently residing on the Lower East Side, arts groups performing there, prominent writers and artists whose work has dealt directly with the Lower East Side experience and plays written especially for this festival. The distinct ethnic communities of the Lower East Side are amply represented, including the African American, Chinese, Hispanic, Indian, Irish, Italian, Jewish, Native American, Polish and Ukrainian communities. The audience information and reservations number is (212) 254-1109.
Background
A committee was formed in the fall of 1995, chaired by TNC's Director Crystal Field, to address the undervaluation of the Lower East Side as a cultural resource. The region is a unique multi-ethnic community with an unusually high level of artistic vitality. Large populations with differing languages and cultures coexist there successfully and a large artistic population helps glue the neighborhood together. Its theaters are also an underappreciated source of tourism, even though "Rent," "Stomp" and Blue Man Group's "Tubes" exemplify the wide appeal of "downtown" theater. The committee envisioned an event that would demonstrate the region's cultural fervor, its large artistic population and its multiplicity of ethnic influences.
The first festival, presented June 14 to 16, 1996, featured over 100 attractions, drew favorable press and attracted crowds from all around the City. Its success prompted TNC to continue the festival as an annual event.
SCHEDULE
FRIDAY, May 28 --
6 pm-1 am: speakers and performances in Joyce and Seward Johnson Theater, 8pm-midnight: Cabaret Theater performances.
SATURDAY, May 29 --
11am-6pm: (outside) vendors, Salsa, Merengue, jazz, poets, commedia; rain date Sunday, 2pm-4:30pm: (inside) Plays by kids for kids, 6 pm-1:00 am: Speakers and performances in Johnson Theater, film and video in Cabaret Theater.
SUNDAY, May 30 --
5pm-7pm: Poets in Cabaret Theater, curated by Jushi. 7:30pm-midnight: Dance and other performances in Johnson Theater.
PARTICIPANTS LIST (PARTIAL) AS OF MAY 6, 1999
(subject to change)
GUEST SPEAKERS
Jimmy Breslin, Arthur Miller, Jerry Stiller & Anne Meara, Edward Albee, Richard Foreman, Jean-Claude Van Itallie, Israel Horovitz, Tony Kushner, Lillian Lux (Yiddish Theater of NY), Andy Davis (Curator, Museum of the City of New York)
PERFORMING GROUPS
New York Shakespeare Festival, New York Theatre Workshop, Nuyorican Poets Cafe, Ontological Hysterical Theater, Puerto Rican Traveling Theater, The Living Theater, W.O.W. Cafe, Dixon Place, Amato Opera Co., The Present Company, Teatro Circulo, Yangtze Repertory Theater of America, Wise Guise, Hot Peaches, NADA, National Renaissance League, TEBA Group, Puerto Rican Intercultural Drama Ensemble, Terry Galvin & Co., Latea Theater, Tectonic Theater Company, Bangladesh Theatre of America, Amazing Grace and Shameless Earth Celebrations, National Mobilization Against Sweatshops and Chinese Staff and Workers Assn., R.E.A.L. Theatre, The EMerging Collector, Coatlique Theatre Company, New York Zapatistas, Orensanz Foundation.
MUSIC
David Amram. Evelyn Blakey (daughter of Art Blakey) and friends, Silvercloud Singers and Drummers, Trisha M. Gorman, Gurgle, Lee Dratfield & Arthur Abrams, Abdou Mbacke, Rio Kurasaka, Camille Benson & Chip Shelton, Krista Victoria, Joel Diamond & Bonnie Lee Sanders, Israel Cruz & Co.
INDIVIDUAL PERFORMERS
Danny Hoch, Reno, Shami Chaikin, Taylor Meade, Phoebe Legere, Penny Arcade, Vinie Burrows, Rome Neal, Mark Marcante, Craig Meade, Tuki Kupferberg, Margo Lee Sherman, Marian Courtney, Face Boyu & Friends, Lavinia Co-op, Joyhn McGovern, Christopher Tanner, McDonald & Murphy, Billie Madley ("Girl's Town"), Rev. Jen Miller, Raina Terror, Rev. Hank Miller, Amanda Vogel, Yvonne Ruskin.
PLAYS BY...
Grace Paley, Maria Irene Fornes, Moises Kaufman, Jean-Claude Van Itallie, Eduardo Machado, Israel Horovitz, Laurence Holder, Rod Gill, Jack Agueros, Barbara Kahn, Bina Sharif, Larry Myers, D.H. Melham, Sarah Schulman, Lanford Wilson, Ken Bernard, Stewart Benedict, Rita Heenan, Lissa Moira, Ira Jeffries.
VIDEO
Downtown Community Television, Ray Skerret, Cary Fisher, Lee Williams, Lucia Davis, Tami Gold, Sylvia Syracuse. Also: films by Man Ray curated by Cary Fisher.
DANCE
Rod Rogers Dance Company (modern dance), Thunderbird American Indian Dancers, Razz M Tazz Dance Company, Rhythm Lounge, Dina Mann, Insight Out, Gloria McLean, Culture Shock, Jack Tynan, Fior's COmpany, Kriota Wilberg.
YOUTH GROUPS/FOR KIDS (Saturday afternoon only)
Sutton Gymnastics, Third Street Music School, Infinity Dance Theater, Loisaida, Inc., Lower East Side Boys Club, Henry Street Settlement, The Learning Project, Germania, Lower East Side Girls Club, Evelyn Santos Dance Theatre, P.S. 20/TNC Arts Training, Michael Vazquez.
POETS
Jushi, Dangerous Diane Spodarek, Judith Pine-Bobe, J.D. Rage, Bruce Weber, Carlo Baldi, Valery Oisteanu, Andy Horowitz, Cindy Nagel, Evan, Bob Dombrowski, Madeline Artenburg, Jim Howley, Laurence Miles, Iris Schwartz, Peter Chelnick, Dorothy Friedman, Bob Hart, Joanne Pagano, Sophia Caportoto, Manny Williams, David Huberman, Lisa London, many more.
MARTIAL ARTS
Heart Mind of Chinese Martial Arts
M.C.s
Virginia Rambal, Bobby Miller, Victoria Linchon, Sol Echeverria, Alberto Minero
SPONSORS
European American Bank, Emigrant Bank, Morgan Stanley Dean Whitter.
Related article: About Theater for the New City.
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