American Repertory Ballet Announces Digital Spring Season

American Repertory Ballet will kick off its 2021 Digital Spring Season on April 23 with a series of original ballets. These new works will be available to local and global audiences, in the comfort of their homes.  

The three pieces featured are all world premieres, each created between January – March 2021. Dancers rehearsed in designated “pods” while choreographers worked both in-studio and over Zoom.

“With strict safety protocols in place, conditions were less than ideal or familiar” said Julie Diana Hench, Executive Director. “But the experience of being able to work together again inspired a sense of joy, hope, gratitude, and newfound creativity.” 

This month, these new works by Ryoko Tanaka (Saudade), Colby Damon (Strange Sentience), and Amy Seiwert (World, Interrupted) were filmed onstage at the New Brunswick Performing Arts Center where dancers, staff, and crew followed CDC, state and local health and safety guidelines, in addition to a rigorous COVID-19 testing schedule. Each piece is being released separately, with artist interviews, rehearsal footage, and behind-the-scenes content, and will be available to stream for 10 days.

A Platform for Emerging Artists

In 2020, when performances were cancelled due to the pandemic, ARB artists continued working at home, outdoors, wherever possible. The dancers created a short film called repeat that highlighted their many talents, from videography, to film editing, choreography - and music composition. Haley Wright, who was then a member of ARB2, is an accomplished pianist and had written a piece that the dancers used for this project.

“As ARB planned to step back into the studio and onstage, the idea of creating a new work that reflected on shared experiences over the past year seemed like an interesting and relevant way to launch our 2021 spring season,” explains Hench. 

Tanaka and Wright were invited to create a new work together, their first professional commission. “ARB is very interested in giving a platform to new and emerging artists, a commitment that will continue to grow in many ways under the leadership of Ethan Stiefel, ARB’s Artistic Director Designate,” added Hench.

TICKETS:  $10 per program or $25 with the purchase of a Pass to view all three ballets.
For tickets, visit arballet.anywhereseat.com.

The Choreographers

R. Colby Damon was born and raised in Richmond, Virginia and received his early dance training at Richmond Ballet, Boston Ballet, and Virginia School of the Arts. Throughout his 12 year performing career, he danced professionally for Sacramento Ballet, The Metropolitan Opera Ballet, Mark Morris Dance Group, Northwest Dance Project, and BalletX among others. As a choreographer, he has received commissions from Nashville Ballet, American Repertory Ballet, BalletX, Sacramento Ballet, Pennsylvania Ballet II, Nashville Ballet II, Ballet West Academy, Bryn Mawr College, and DeSales University among others, and his work has been performed at festivals in Brazil, Mexico, Bermuda, and New York City. He additionally has extensive experience teaching dance to a wide array of ages and abilities, from professional company dancers, to pre-professional conservatory students, to public elementary school children, and aged populations. He is currently working as a freelance choreographer and dance teacher throughout the USA and beyond.

Amy Seiwert enjoyed a nineteen-year performing career dancing with the Smuin, Los Angeles Chamber, and Sacramento Ballets. As a dancer with Smuin Ballet, she became involved with the “Protégé Program,” where her choreography was mentored by the late Michael Smuin. She was Choreographer in Residence there upon her retirement from dancing in 2008 until 2018. Named one of “25 to Watch” by Dance Magazine, her first full evening of choreography was named one of the “Top 10” dance events of 2007 by the SF Chronicle. Other awards include a Bay Area IZZIE Award for Outstanding Choreography and a “Goldie” from the San Francisco Bay Guardian. Her ballets have been supported by the National Endowment for the Arts, The Kenneth Rainin Foundation, ODC Theater, Yerba Buena Center for the Arts, and the Joyce Theater in New York City. Seiwert’s ballets are in the repertory of Ballet Austin, BalletMet, Smuin, Washington, Atlanta, Oakland, Sacramento, Colorado, Louisville, Cincinnati, Carolina, Oklahoma City, Milwaukee and American Repertory Ballets as well as Imagery, Robert Moses KIN and AXIS Dance. Seiwert served as Artistic Director of Sacramento Ballet from 2018-2020.

Ryoko Tanaka was born and raised in Japan, where she began her training. In 2013, she was selected to be in the Nancy Einhorn Milwaukee Ballet II program, where she performed in Michael Pink’s Romeo and Juliet, and Nutcracker. In 2017, she joined the trainee program at American Repertory Ballet and soon moved up to ARB 2. In 2018, she was promoted to the first company. Since joining the company, Ryoko has performed the title role in Giselle, Nutcracker (including Sugar Plum Fairy, Snow Queen and other lead roles), Airs by Paul Taylor, Blue Until June by Trey McIntyre and multiple other roles. This is her third season with ARB. Saudade marks her first commission for the company.

 About American Repertory Ballet

American Repertory Ballet's mission is to bring the joy, beauty, artistry and discipline of classical and contemporary dance to New Jersey and nationwide audiences and to students through artistic and educational programs. Founded as the Princeton Ballet Society in 1954, the organization now comprises: the preeminent professional classical and contemporary ballet company in the state; Princeton Ballet School, one of the most established non-profit dance schools in the nation; and ARB's Access & Enrichment initiatives, including the long-running and acclaimed DANCE POWER program. In 2021, ARB welcomes its new Artistic Director, Ethan Stiefel. To learn more, visit arballet.org.  

WATCH, SHARE & ENGAGE with upcoming Two River digital events! 

YOUR SCREEN IS OUR STAGE   We hope you and your loved ones are keeping well. Until we can gather together at the theater, we hope to continue to connect with you digitally!    UPCOMING ONLINE EVENTS   Join us for these live online events taking place on Two River Theater’s Facebook, Instagram and Zoom Accounts!     RSVP NOW TWO RIVER PLAYERS: DOGEATERS FEB 24 & 25 | 7:00 PM | ZOOM | FREE Just Announced! Playwright Jessica Hagedorn will be joining the post-reading Q&A! Adapted from the 1990 novel of the same name, Jessica Hagedorn’s Dogeaters presents a Philippines that is “sometimes grim and stark, sometimes beautiful and lush, but always volatile.” Set in Manila in 1982, this epic play follows hustlers and authoritarians; soldiers and beauty queens; filmmakers and revolutionaries as the world’s eyes turn to the Philippines for the first Manila International Film Festival.     GET TICKETS BLACK FEMALE PLAYWRIGHTS ON RACE AND AMERICA WITH CRYSTAL DICKINSON AND BRANDON J. DIRDEN SUN, FEB 28 | 2:00 PM | ZOOM | PRICE: $30 or $24 for Donors and Subscribers (Discount will automatically be applied at checkout) In this class, Crystal and Brandon will present scenes from works by Black female playwrights and participate in a discussion led by moderator Kamilah Bush (former TRT Artistic Assistant and current Literary Manager at Portland Center Stage) to explore the ways in which these artists addressed American issues of race and gender.   For articles, at-home crafts, and more visit our #SceneAtTwoRiver page.  EXPLORE     WATCH NOW MISSED OUR STORY TIME LIVE OF SULWE BY LUPITA NYONG'O? CHECK IT OUT NOW! Join author and Two River Theater teaching artist Carmen Rubin as she reads Lupita Nyong'o's story of Sulwe, which follows a young girl who wishes for her dark skin to be lighter. The story is ultimately about colorism and learning to love oneself, no matter one's skin tone. This reading is perfect for ages 4–8.   SUPPORT TWO RIVER THEATER   While we have been closed, we have adapted and re-invented our programming and how we serve our artists, students, staff, and most of all, our loyal audiences. We have been committed to creating online programming that entertains, educates, excites, and connects. We have also been planning for the future and for when we can safely re-open and gather again. Please consider supporting us during this challenging time to help sustain our future. Thank you.   DONATE     SEASON SPONSOR     SEASON SPONSOR

Watch Live Program: Fighting on Two Fronts: Black Americans Who Served 

Fighting on Two Fronts: Black Americans Who Served Live Digital Program   Racial discrimination and lynchings in America did not discourage Corporal James Baldwin from serving his country. As part of the 784th Tank Battalion, he helped free the Dutch from German occupation. Sergeant Leon Bass and his unit proudly bore witness to the Nazi atrocities in the Buchenwald concentration camp after it was liberated, even though they were treated as second-class citizens in the segregated US Army. The “Double-V” campaign encouraged Black Americans to join the war effort by advocating victory against fascism abroad and against racism at home. Request a reminder to join us during Black History Month to honor Black Americans who served.   WHEN: Wednesday, February 24, 9:30 a.m. ET WHERE: United States Holocaust Memorial Museum’s Facebook page     Speakers DeNeen L. Brown, Award-Winning Journalist, the Washington Post, and Associate Professor, Philip Merrill College of Journalism, University of Maryland Lynn Williams, Educational Program Consultant, United States Holocaust Memorial Museum Moderator Dr. Edna Friedberg, Historian, United States Holocaust Memorial Museum Watch the program live at facebook.com/holocaustmuseum and join in the conversation. You do not need a Facebook account to view our program. After the live broadcast, it will be available to watch on demand on the Museum’s Facebook page. Photo: A Black soldier with the 12th Armored Division, Seventh US Army, stands guard over a group of German soldiers captured in the forest in April 1945. National Archives

McCarter Theatre's The Manic Monologues, a digital theatrical experience to disrupt stigma and spotlight a conversation about mental health

THE MANIC MONOLOGUES

McCarter Theatre Center, in association with Princeton University Health Services, The 24 Hour Plays® and Innovations in Socially Distant Performance, a project of the Lewis Center for the Arts at Princeton, will launch The Manic Monologues,a digital theatrical experience to disrupt stigma and spotlight a conversation about mental health. 

Breakdown to Breakthrough: A psychotic break inspired a Stanford University geology student to create a play in an effort to de-stigmatize mental illness. In 2017, Zack Burton was diagnosed with bipolar disorder while finishing his Ph.D.  Elisa Hofmeister helped him through his journey. The two, who were then dating, were driven to address the lack of visible narratives around mental health, resulting in a series of true vignettes they called The Manic Monologues. The play was first performed live at Stanford in 2019. McCarter planned a professional staged reading in 2020. When COVID halted live events, the project was re-conceived for virtual consumption.

THE MANIC MONOLOGUES (original play) is a play showcasing true stories of mental illness to disrupt stigma, created by Zachary Burton and Elisa Hofmeister in the wake of Burton’s bipolar diagnosis while a Ph.D student at Stanford University. The two incorporated accounts from dozens of brave individuals across the continent and beyond—from survivors with diagnoses; from health professionals; from mothers, sons, and friends; from lovers. The play premiered in May 2019 at Stanford, and was performed in Des Moines & LA before COVID, drawing accolades from NPR, Washington Post, BroadwayWorld, others.

The Virtual Experience: Visitors to the interactive website will journey through the minds and stories of individuals who have something to say about the way mental illness has affected their lives. A series of 21 monologues performed by professional actors can be viewed at one’s own pace. The site is a “studio space” where the visitor can creatively and anonymously interact and respond to the stories. These stories are true. They are brave and personal, and range in age and background. They convey struggle and pain, triumph and resiliency.  Viewers can tailor their experience through “mindful play” (sound, writing, doodling.) Running Time: Your Choice.

A virtual resource guide has links to help & support, books, articles, research, and the script. The site’s “Media Center” hosts interviews with leading experts and advocates discussing Mental Health and its intersection with Social Justice, Social Media and COVID (including a conversation with Jean Twenge, best-selling author of iGen: Why Today's Super-Connected Kids Are Growing Up Less Rebellious, More Tolerant, Less Happy and Completely Unprepared for Adulthood.

The Creative Team: The virtual experience is conceived & directed by Elena Araoz; Jared Mezzocchi (Multi-Media Design); Nathan Leigh (Sound Design & Original Music); Jackie Liu (Web Development).

The Cast: Tessa Albertson, Anna Belknap, Ato Blankson-Wood, Mike Carlsen, Maddie Corman, Alexis Cruz, Mateo Ferro, Wilson Jermaine Heredia, Sam Morales, Bi Jean Ngo, Armando Riesco, Jon Norman Schneider, Heather Alicia Simms, C.J. Wilson, Craig Bierko. (Stephanie Klapper Casting.)

“With this digital endeavor, McCarter hopes to reinforce its role as a cultural organization dedicated to innovative projects that spark timely dialogue, and strengthen community. In pivoting to virtual creation in COVID, we’ve uncovered exciting ways of combining art and ideas. And, we are excited to make this work, and the conversation around mental health, accessible to a wider and more diverse audience than we would have in a traditional live staged-reading format. These are silver linings!” —McCarter’s Resident Producer Debbie Bisno

Princeton University’s Health Services, and Calvin R. Chin, Ph.D. Director, Counseling and Psychological Services helped to curate the site’s resource guide, interviews and conversations.

The Manic Monologues virtual experience is made possible through dedicated support of  Princeton University partners: The TigerWell Initiative, The Lewis Center for the Arts, Residential Colleges (Butler, First, Forbes, Mathey, Rockefeller, Whitman) and The Graduate School; support from Daniela Bonafede-Chhabra & Ashvin Chhabra, and a partnership with One Mind All Media, a non-profit organization that accelerates collaborative research and advocacy to enable all individuals facing brain health challenges to build healthy, productive lives.

ABOUT MCCARTER THEATRE CENTER Under the leadership of award-winning Artistic Director Sarah Rasmussen, Managing Director Michael S. Rosenberg and Special Programming Director William W. Lockwood, McCarter's mission is to create world-class theater and present the finest artists for the community engagement, education, and entertainment. Winner of the 1994 Tony Award for Outstanding Regional Theatre, world premieres include Christopher Durang's Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike; Tarell Alvin McCarey's The Brother/Sister Plays, Emily Mann's Having Our Say, and Danai Gurira's The Convert. More: www.mccarter.org

Watch Live Program | Communities of Hate: Why People Join Extremist Movements

Communities of Hate: Why People Join Extremist Movements Live Digital Program

 

Recent events remind us of the ever-present dangers of hatred and propaganda. Some individuals throughout history and today have embraced hate, and even murder, to fulfill their own needs. Personal grievances and hardship drove nurse Pauline Kneissler to become a member of the Nazi Party in 1937. Peer pressure eventually influenced her to kill on behalf of the German government. A half century later, loneliness and bullying left American Christian Picciolini vulnerable to a white supremacist organization, which encouraged him to channel his emotions into hate and violence against Jews and other minority groups. Amid a surge in antisemitic incidents and extremism more than 75 years after the Holocaust, join experts to explore the reasons why some people in search of belonging use racism, conspiracy theories, and antisemitic lies to justify hate and violence. Request a reminder to view this program.

WHEN: Wednesday, January 13, 9:30 a.m. ET
WHERE: United States Holocaust Memorial Museum’s Facebook page

Speakers
Dr. Patricia Heberer Rice, Senior Historian, United States Holocaust Memorial Museum

Dr. Arie Kruglanski, Holocaust Survivor, Terrorism Expert, and Psychology Professor, University of Maryland

Moderator
Dr. Edna Friedberg, Historian, United States Holocaust Memorial Museum

Watch the program live at facebook.com/holocaustmuseum and join in the conversation.

You do not need a Facebook account to view our program. After the live broadcast, it will be available to watch on demand on the Museum’s Facebook page.

Photo: People salute Hitler while attending a Nazi Party parade in Nuremberg, Germany, 1937. Courtesy of Shawshots/Alamy Stock Photo 

CENTENARY STAGE COMPANY LAUNCHES BRAND NEW RECORDED LIVE! SERIES WITH RENT CONTROL

Centenary Stage Company launches 

Recorded LIVE! Series
with Rent Control 

WHEN: now available for digital streaming through November 15.
WHERE:
TICKETS: All rentals are $10.00 and active rentals are available for 72 hours after purchase. 
All rentals must be made through the Centenary Stage Company website. 

The brand-new program is set to feature a variety of live programming presented during CSC’s 2020-21 season in an on-line digital format for a limited time.  

“It’s all pretty exciting, like our own version of Amazon Prime but for live CSC events,” said General Manager Christopher Young, “although we are taking every precaution to create a safe in-person theatre experience, we ultimately recognize that there may be folks who just don’t quite feel comfortable yet returning to the theatre for in-person programming so we continue to explore options to bring our programming to our patrons in a variety of different accessible digital formats.” 

The Recorded LIVE! Series is the first of a variety of digital programming Centenary Stage Company plans to offer during the 2020-21 season, including Live Streaming options for certain events.  All Recorded LIVE! Series events utilize a multi-camera set up that records a live performance of the presented event. Once recorded, footage is compiled and edited together to create a cohesive viewing experience. “It really is quite complex.” says Young, “multiple cameras allow us to capture multiple angles and frames that, when edited together, allows us to create a really dynamic video presentation of the live performance. We were really inspired by the National Theatre Live series and the way in which they are creating digital cinematic adaptations of their live performances.”

To rent visit centenarystageco.org/recorded-live-series and select the available video of your choice. Once selected, patrons will be presented with the rental option and prompted to sign in or create a member account. Member accounts are required in order to participate. Once an account is created patrons will be prompted to either enter their credit card information into the secure checkout system or to process payment via PayPal. Once payment is processed and accepted, in either of the two available formats, the video will automatically be made available for a 72-hour period and patrons may watch the video as frequently during the rental period as they wish. Patrons who wish to rent and watch at another time during the rental period may do so by simply logging back into their member account when they visit the Centenary Stage Company website.

For more information or assistance with The Recorded LIVE! Series please call the Centenary Stage Company box office at (908) 979 – 0900 or chat with a CSC staff member live via centenarystageco.org. The Centenary Stage Company Box Office and live chat is open Monday through Friday from 1 – 5PM and two hours prior to every performance. The box office is located in the Lackland Performing Arts Center at 715 Grand Ave. Hackettstown, NJ on the campus of Centenary University. Centenary Stage Company can also be found across social media platforms; Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.  Like and follow to receive the latest in Centenary Stage Company news and special offers.

The 2020-2021 season of performing arts events at the Centenary Stage Company is made possible through the generous support of the Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation, the NJ State Council on the Arts, the Shubert Foundation, the Blanche and Irving Laurie Foundation, the Sandra Kupperman Foundation, and CSC corporate sponsors, including Premiere Season Sponsor The House of the Good Shepherd, Silver Sponsors Hackettstown Medical Center Atlantic Health System, Home Instead Senior Care (Washington), and Fulton Bank, and Centenary Stage Company members and supporters.