Rush, Rickman, Shaw & More Set for BAM in 2011
By: Jessica Lewis Oct. 14, 2010
Joseph V. Melillo, executive producer of the Brooklyn Academy Of Music, today announced programming for the BAM 2011 Spring Season, which runs from Jan 7 through Jun 11, 2011. The season comprises eight theater, opera, and dance engagements and features BAMcinématek series, BAMcafé Live weekend music events, artist talks, visual art exhibitions, and literary events.
Spring Season subscriptions are on sale Nov 1 for the general public (Oct 25 for Friends of BAM as well as for subscribers to both the 2010 Next Wave Festival and 2010 Spring Season). Single tickets for John Gabriel Borkman are on sale Nov 22 (Nov 15 for Friends of BAM); single tickets for all other Spring Season engagements are on sale Jan 10 (Jan 3 for Friends of BAM). To purchase tickets online visit BAM.org or contact BAM Ticket Services at 718.636.4100.BAM Executive Producer Joseph V. Melillo comments, "This will be a season of storytelling by tremendously gifted artists. We are thrilled to welcome back five renowned international companies as part of an auspicious theater season-Ireland's Abbey Theatre; Australia's Belvoir; and UK companies Propeller, Cheek by Jowl, and Donmar Warehouse-all with exciting productions of classic drama in US premieres. "Our spring opera engagement from the Canadian Opera Company is an enchanting work directed by trailblazer Robert Lepage. We're also proud to present a rare US appearance by Ballet Nacional de Cuba, and to bring back the popular annual DanceAfrica festival, now in its 34th year. This is a rich season of artistic adventures."BAMcinématek highlights this spring include a retrospective of the work of Academy Award-winning actress Susan Sarandon (Feb), featuring Q&As with the actress along with appearances by some of her past co-stars and collaborators. In April, BAMcinématek will screen a retrospective of Kaneto Shindô. A contemporary of Akira Kurosawa, this influential filmmaker has continued to direct films well into his 90s. The series includes some of his most famous work as well as a recent documentary about Shindô produced by Benicio del Toro. In June, the third annual BAMcinemaFest will screen the best films from Sundance Film Festival, SXSW, Toronto International Film Festival, the Berlinale, and other major festivals.
Presented in partnership with the National Book Awards, Eat, Drink & Be Literary brings illustrious contemporary authors to BAMcafé for intimate dinners, entertaining readings, and engaging discussions.Authors for this Thursday evening series include:
Elizabeth Strout, moderated by Deborah Treisman (Jan 27) Edmund White, moderated by Michael Greenberg (Feb 10) Jennifer Egan, moderated by Deborah Treisman (Mar 31) Ann Beattie, moderated by Deborah Treisman (Apr 7) Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, moderated by Michael Greenberg (Apr 14) Colum McCann, moderated by Deborah Treisman (Apr 28)
Edward Albee, moderated by Michael Greenberg (May 5) Cristina García, moderated by Michael Greenberg (May 12)Tickets for Eat, Drink & Be Literary go on sale Nov 22 (Nov 15 for Friends of BAM). Admission is $50 per event, which includes dinner, wine, tax, and tip. Doors open at 6pm; dinner begins at 6:30pm. Bloomberg is the presenting sponsor for Eat, Drink & Be Literary. Wine is generously donated by Joseph S. and Diane H. Steinberg.Artist Talks
BAM Artist Talks provide an opportunity for audiences to engage with many of the Spring Season's groundbreaking artists as well as with writers and thinkers across disciplines who illuminate ideas raised by various productions. Tickets for Artist Talks are $15 ($7.50 for Friends of BAM) unless otherwise indicated below. Selected post-show Artist Talks are free for same-day ticket holders and take place in the performance venue.
Artist Talks Lindsay Duncan, Alan Rickman, and Fiona Shaw (John Gabriel Borkman) Moderated by Paul Holdengräber of the New York Public Library Sun, Jan 16 at 6:45pm, BAM Harvey Theater
Neil Armfield and Geoffrey Rush (The Diary of a Madman) Sun, Feb 20 at 6pm, BAM Harvey TheaterAdam Phillips: "Acting Madness" Sat, Feb 26 at 5pm, Hillman Attic Studio The acclaimed British writer and psychoanalyst lectures on the theatricality of madness as represented in Spring Season plays The Diary of a Madman, King Lear, and Macbeth
Edward Hall (The Comedy of Errors) Thu, Mar 17 at 6pm, BAM Rose Cinemas Tickets: $10 ($5 for Friends of BAM)
Declan Donnellan (Macbeth) Moderated by James Shapiro, Columbia professor and author of Contested Will: Who Wrote Shakespeare? Sun, Apr 3 at 6pm, BAMcafé
Stephen Greenblatt on King Lear Sun, May 15 at 1pm, BAMcafé Harvard professor and New York Times bestselling author Greenblatt on Shakespeare's great tragedy.
Post-show Artist Talks Members of the cast of The Comedy of Errors Thu, Mar 24, post-show, BAM Harvey Theater (free for same-day ticket holders)
Members of the cast of King Lear Thu, May 12, post-show, BAM Harvey Theater (free for same-day ticket holders) MetLife Foundation is the presenting sponsor for Artist Talks.BAMcafé Live
BAMcafé Live features an eclectic mix of live weekend music at BAMcafé. The series showcases some of the best jazz, R&B, world beat, pop, and experimental music from Brooklyn and beyond. Spring highlights include Blitz the Ambassador (Jan 14), Black Brooklyn Renaissance (Feb 11 & 12), Kid Lucky & Butch Morris (Feb 26), Julia Haltigan (Mar 4), Fifth Nation (Apr 15), and many others. Events have no cover charge and no drink minimum. Doors open at 6pm; music usually begins at 9pm (check BAM.org for details).ConEdison is the BAMcafé Live sponsor. Target is the presenting sponsor of BAM Community Access to the Arts. Programming in BAM Lepercq Space supported by The Lepercq Foundation. BAMcafé Live receives endowment support from the BAM Fund To Support Emerging and Local Musicians.
Live in HD
Live in HD programming provides an entirely new way to experience opera and theater by bringing live transmissions from the Metropolitan Opera and London's National Theatre to BAM Rose Cinemas and cinemas worldwide.
Metropolitan Opera: Live in HD Each screening is preceded by a discussion with a noted opera expert.
Boris Godunov: Sat, Oct 23 at 12pm / discussion at 11am Don Pasquale: Sat, Nov 13 at 1pm / discussion at 12pm Don Carlo: Sat, Dec 11 at 12:30pm / discussion at 11:30am La Fanciulla del West: Sat, Jan 8 at 1pm / discussion at 12pm Nixon in China: Sat, Feb 12 at 1pm / discussion at 12pm Iphigénie en Tauride: Sat, Feb 26 at 1pm / discussion at 12pm Lucia di Lammermoor: Sat, Mar 19 at 1pm / discussion at 12pm Le Comte Ory: Sat, Apr 9 at 1pm / discussion at 12pm Capriccio: Sat, Apr 23 at 1pm / discussion at 12pm
Il Trovatore: Sat, Apr 30 at 1pm / discussion at 12pm Die Walküre: Sat, May 14 at 12pm / discussion at 11am
BAM Rose Cinemas $28 for screening and discussion-includes priority access to cinema 3 with stadium seating ($26 for BAM and Met members) $23 for screening only ($21 for BAM and Met members) National Theatre Live
Hamlet: Thu, Dec 9 at 7pm Fela!: Thu, Jan 13 at 7pm Frankenstein: Thu, Mar 24 at 7pm The Cherry Orchard: Thu, Jun 30 at 7pm
BAM Rose Cinemas $23 for screening ($21 for BAM members)BAMkids Film Festival
The BAMkids Film Festival returns on Feb 5 & 6 for its 13th year with another stellar showcase of outstanding children's films from around the world. The highly anticipated festival includes many New York premieres, Q&As with filmmakers, and fun activities throughout the weekend. Tickets go on sale in early January. Visit BAM.org for updates.Con Edison is the presenting sponsor of BAMkids Film Festival.BAMart & Silent Auction
BAMart presents Cover Version LP This January, BAMart presents an original art exhibition Cover Version LP, co-curated with Brooklyn- based artist, Timothy Hull. Originally staged at Taylor de Cordoba in Los Angeles, this exhibition will profile an eclectic mix of young artists reimagining the covers of their favorite albums. BAMart Silent Auction Avid art fans eagerly anticipate this annual online event where winning bids for one-of-a-kind art and design objects help fund BAM programming. With works from both emerging and established artists, the 7th Annual BAMart Silent Auction will be on view from Mar 30-Apr 10, 2011. The entire catalogue of works and artists will be available at BAM.org/auction beginning Mar 1.Spring 2011 BAMbill Artist BAMart is proud to announce that the BAMbill Spring Season cover artist will be Trinidad, Cuba-born Alexandre Arrechea. An interdisciplinary artist working in painting, drawing, sculpture, and installation, Arrechea's practice reveals a profound interest in the exploration of public and domestic spaces. A former member of the art collective Los Carpinteros, Arrechea launched his solo career in 2003.Leadership support for BAMart provided by Agnes Gund.For Tickets and Information
For tickets and information about the BAM 2011 Spring Season, Metropolitan Opera: Live in HD and National Theatre Live programs contact BAM Ticket Services at 718.636.4100 or visit BAM.org (for press information contact BAM Communications at 718.636.4129 or email press@BAM.org).
General admission tickets to BAM Rose Cinemas are $12. Tickets are $9 for seniors 65 and over, children under 12, and students under 25 with valid ID (Mon-Thu, except holidays). Tickets for BAM Cinema Club members are $8. Tickets may be purchased at the BAM Rose Cinemas box office, at BAM.org, or by phone at 718.777.FILM (theater ID #545). For more information call the BAMcinématek hotline at 718.636.4100 or visit BAM.org. For BAMcinématek press information contact Gabriele Caroti at 718.636.4129. BAMcafé Live events have no cover charge and no minimum. For information and updates visit BAM.org or call 718.636.4100 (for press information contact Lauren Morrow at 718.636.4129x1 or email lmorrow@BAM.org).
Connect with BAM:
Facebook.com/BAMstage Twitter.com/BAM_brooklyn YouTube.com/BAMorgJohn Gabriel Borkman US Premiere
By Henrik Ibsen in a new version by Frank McGuinness Abbey Theatre, Ireland Directed by James MacDonald
Set design by Tom Pye Costume design by Joan Bergin Lighting design by Jean Kalman Sound design by Ian Dickinson
BAM Harvey Theater (651 Fulton St) Jan 7-Feb 6 (press opening Jan 12) Tickets start at $25 ($35 Sat night & Sun matinee performances)
Artist Talk: Lindsay Duncan, Alan Rickman, and Fiona Shaw
Moderated by Paul Holdengräber Jan 16 at 6:45pm BAM Harvey Theater (651 Fulton Street) Tickets: $15 ($7.50 for Friends of BAM)Written in 1896, John Gabriel Borkman is the playwright's penultimate work. Well over a century later, its central preoccupation with financial greed and subsequent ruin strikes an all too contemporary chord. Three of the theater world's leading luminaries-Tony Award winner Lindsay Duncan (Private Lives), two-time Tony Award nominee Alan Rickman (actor: Private Lives; director: Creditors, 2010 Spring Season), and Tony Award nominee Fiona Shaw (Medea, 2002 Next Wave; Happy Days, 2008 Spring Season)-join their considerable Dramatic Forces in a new version of the play by award-winning Irish poet and playwright Frank McGuinness. James MacDonald, critically acclaimed for his searing productions of modern playwrights such as Caryl Churchill and Sarah Kane, directs. John Gabriel Borkman recently had its world premiere at The Abbey Theatre, Ireland. Additional company members include Cathy Belton, John Kavanagh, Amy Molloy, Marty Rea, and Joan Sheehy. Former bank manager John Gabriel Borkman (Rickman) emerges from prison for embezzlement, destitute and desperate for a comeback. As he paces and plots alone in his upstairs room for eight years, his long-suffering wife Gunhild (Shaw) concocts her own plans to restore the family's reputation. Into this feverishly claustrophobic environment enters Gunhild's twin sister Ella (Duncan), Borkman's former love whom he abandoned to secure the power that ultimately destroyed him. Her unannounced arrival and unsettling request propels this devastating and darkly comic play to its shattering and surprising conclusion.The Abbey Theatre was founded in 1904 by W.B. Yeats and Lady Augusta Gregory as Ireland's national theater. It takes as its artistic mission the creation of world class theater that actively engages with and reflects Irish society, placing the writer and theater artist at the heart of the organization. The Abbey Theatre was last at BAM with Medea (2002 Next Wave), directed by Deborah Warner and starring Fiona Shaw. The production then transferred to Broadway with both Warner and Shaw receiving Tony Award nominations for their work. For press information contact Adriana Leshko, aleshko@bam.org, 718.636.4129 Bank of America is the 2011 Spring Season Theater Sponsor. Abbey Theatre at BAM is supported by Culture
Ireland. Leadership support for John Gabriel Borkman provided by Donald R. Mullen Jr. The Abbey Theatre gratefully acknowledges the financial support of the Arts Council of Ireland.The Diary of a Madman US Premiere
By Nikolai Gogol Adapted by David Holman with Neil Armfield & Geoffrey Rush Belvoir
Directed by Neil Armfield
Set design by Catherine Martin Costume design by Tess Schofield Lighting design by Mark Shelton Sound design by Paul Charlier Music by Alan John (after Mussorgsky)
BAM Harvey Theater (651 Fulton St) Feb 11-Mar 12 (press opening Feb 16) Tickets start at $25 ($35 for Sat night and Sun matinee performances) Theater gala: Mar 10 (for information, contact Patron Services at 718.636.4182 or PatronServices@bam.org)
Artist Talk: Neil Armfield and Geoffrey Rush
Feb 20 at 6pm BAM Harvey Theater (651 Fulton St) Tickets: $15 ($7.50 for Friends of BAM)
Artist Talk: Adam Phillips: "Acting Madness" Feb 26 at 5pm Hillman Attic Studio (30 Lafayette Avenue) Tickets: $15 ($7.50 for Friends of BAM)
One of Australia's most respected theater companies, Belvoir returns to BAM with the US premiere of The Diary of a Madman, starring Academy, Emmy, and Tony Award winner Geoffrey Rush and directed by renowned Belvoir co-founder Neil Armfield. Longtime theater and film collaborators, Armfield directed Rush in the original 1989 Belvoir production of The Diary of a Madman. They worked together most recently on the Belvoir St Theatre production of Ionesco's Exit the King; Rush was awarded the 2009 Best Actor Tony Award for the Broadway production. This production of The Diary of a Madman-a two-hander featuring Yael Stone-will be re-staged for the first time in more than 20 years at Sydney's Belvoir St Theatre in December.The Diary of a Madman is based on Nikolai Gogol's darkly comic 1853 short story centered on the life of a minor civil servant, Poprischin, in the repressive era of Nicholas I. Written in first-person, diary- entry format, the story follows the protagonist's yearning for a senior official's daughter and his elaborate delusions, among them his imagined royal status and communication between animals. Only as Poprischin descends into madness does he attain a measure of greatness. The story satirizes state bureaucracy in 1830s St. Petersburg and relates an average man's quest for individuality in an indifferent world.Australia's Belvoir (formerly Company B Belvoir) was established in 1984. Under the artistic direction of co-founder Neil Armfield for the past 16 years, the company performs at its home at Belvoir St Theatre in Surry Hills, Sydney and tours to major arts centers and festivals nationally and internationally. Belvoir engages Australia's most prominent and promising playwrights, directors, actors, and designers to present an annual artistic program that is razor-sharp, popular, and challenging. Belvoir St Theatre's beloved Upstairs and Downstairs stages have been the artistic watering holes of many of Australia's great performing artists including Geoffrey Rush, Cate Blanchett, Susie Porter, Richard Roxburgh, Max Cullen, Bille Brown, David Wenham, Deborah Mailman, and Catherine McClements. Landmark productions like Cloudstreet (2001 Next Wave),The Diary of a Madman, The Alchemist, Hamlet, Waiting for Godot, Gulpilil, The Sapphires, Stuff Happens, Keating!, Parramatta Girls, Exit the King, Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? and Toy Symphony have consolidated Belvoir's position as one of Australia's most innovative and acclaimed theater companies. In 2011, Belvoir will welcome respected theater-maker Ralph Myers (set designer for Peter Grimes, Toy Symphony, and A Streetcar Named Desire) as its new artistic director.Bank of America is the 2011 Spring Season Theater Sponsor.Canadian Opera Company and BAM present
The Nightingale and Other Short Fables
By Igor Stravinsky Conducted by Johannes Debus Directed by Robert Lepage
Set design by Carl Fillion Costume design by Mara Gottler Lighting design by Etienne Boucher Puppet design by Michael Curry
In Russian with English titles
US Premiere
Co-produced with Festival d'Aix-en-Provence, Opéra national de Lyon and Netherlands Opera in collaboration with Ex Machina
BAM Howard Gilman Opera House (30 Lafayette Ave) Mar 1-6 Tickets start at $35
Following the sold out world premiere in Toronto and standing ovations at Festival d'Aix-en-Provence, Robert Lepage's critically acclaimed The Nightingale and Other Short Fables makes its anticipated US premiere at BAM.Igor Stravinsky‘s The Nightingale is a Russian conte lyrique based on the tale by Hans Christian Andersen. Under the direction of Robert Lepage the opera is transformed into a magical chinoiserie centered around a moonlit lake-created by filling the orchestra pit with nearly 20,000 gallons of water-and placing the musicians and chorus onstage. Floating traditional pan-Asian water puppets are manipulated by the same singers whose roles they represent, telling the tale of the ethereal nightingale who persuades Death to spare the Emperor.The program opens with Stravinsky's satirical one-act opera-ballet The Fox, brought to life through shadow theater-an expressive and acrobatic art form drawing from Asian and African traditions. A unique selection of the composer's Russian folk pieces is also included in this enchanting production.Versatile in every form of theater craft, Robert Lepage is a director, scenic artist, playwright, actor, and film director. His creative and original approach has won him international acclaim, numerous awards, and has shaken the dogma of classical stage direction to its foundations, especially through his use of new technologies. Inspired by contemporary history, his modern and unusual work transcends all boundaries. At Théâtre Repère his work included The Dragon's Trilogy (1985), Vinci (1986), Polygraph (1990 Next Wave), and Tectonic Plates (1988). Subsequent independent productions included Needles and Opium (1992 Next Wave), Coriolanus, Macbeth, and The Tempest (1992). With A Midsummer Night's Dream (1992), Lepage became the first North American to direct a Shakespeare play at the Royal National Theatre. Lepage founded his Production Company, Ex Machina, in 1994. Under his artistic direction, the company's productions have included The Seven Streams of the River Ota (1996 Next Wave) and Elsinore (1997 Next Wave). At The Caserne-a production center in Quebec City opened in 1997 under Lepage's leadership-he and his team created Geometry of Miracles (1999 Next Wave), Zulu Time (1999), The Andersen Project (2005), and Lipsynch (2009 Next Wave), among others. Lepage's diverse artistic accomplishments also include the COC's production of Bluebeard's Castle and Erwartung as an opera double-bill (1993 Spring Season). He is currently working on a production of Wagner's Ring cycle for the Metropolitan Opera.Currently celebrating its 61st anniversary season, the Toronto-based Canadian Opera Company is the largest producer of opera in Canada and one of the five largest in North America, with one of the highest attendance and subscription rates on the continent. Under its new leadership team of General Director Alexander Neef and Music Director Johannes Debus, the COC maintains its international reputation for artistic excellence and creative innovation, attracting the world's foremost Canadian and International Artists. The COC performs in its own opera house, the Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts, hailed internationally as one of the finest in the world.
For press information contact Sarah Garvey, sgarvey@bam.org, 718.636.4129
The tour of The Nightingale and Other Short Fables is made possible, in part, by grants from the Canada Council for the Arts and Ontario Arts Council's National and International Touring program. This COC production & tour at BAM is underwritten, in part, by Sandra L. Simpson and an anonymous donor.The Comedy of Errors
By William Shakespeare Propeller Directed by Edward Hall
Design by Michael Pavelka Lighting design by Ben Ormerod
BAM Harvey Theater (651 Fulton Street) Mar 16-27 Tickets start at $25
Artist Talk with Edward Hall
Mar 17 at 6pm BAM Rose Cinemas Tickets: $10 ($5 for Friends of BAM)
Artist Talk with members of the cast
Mar 24, post-performance (free for same-day ticket holders)
Shakespeare's most farcical comedy, and perhaps his smartest, The Comedy of Errors comes to the BAM 2010 Spring Season courtesy of Director Edward Hall's company Propeller. Last seen at BAM with The Merchant of Venice (2009 Spring Season), Propeller is best known for mixing its rigorous approach to Shakespeare's text with a modern physical aesthetic. The Guardian says, "Edward Hall's superb, all-male company Propeller proves again the value of a true ensemble and a director who treats Shakespeare's plays as if they'd just been written."Mistaken identities, assumed personas, and wild mishaps bring a family crisis into focus when the two sets of twins at the center of the plot, having been separated at birth, find themselves in the same city 25 years later. Upholding the Shakespearian tradition of an all-male cast, Hall's modern take on this concept sheds new light on the complexity of Shakespeare's characters, revealing layers not often seen in other stagings.Founded in 1997 by Edward Hall, Propeller seeks to find an engaging way of expressing Shakespeare by exploring the relationship between the text and performance. Their work is influenced by mask work, animation, classic and modern film, and music from all ages. Propeller has toured internationally to Australia, China, Spain, Mexico, the Philippines, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Malaysia, Cyprus, Ireland, Tokyo, Gdansk, Germany, Italy, Malta, Hong Kong, and the United States. In addition to The Merchant of Venice, Propeller has previously appeared at BAM with A Midsummer Night's Dream (2004 Spring Season), The Winter's Tale (2005 Next Wave), and The Taming of the Shrew and Twelfth Night in repertory (2007 Spring Season).Bank of America is the 2011 Spring Season Theater Sponsor.Macbeth
By William Shakespeare Cheek by Jowl Directed by Declan Donnellan Designed by Nick Ormerod
Associate direction/movement by Jane Gibson Lighting design by Judith Greenwood Music by Catherine Jayes Sound design by Helen Atkinson
A co-production with barbicanbite10; Les Gémeaux/Sceaux/Scène Nationale; Koninklijke Schouwburg, The Hague; Grand Théâtre de Luxembourg; Théâtre du Nord, Lille; Théâtre de Namur/Centre dramatique
BAM Harvey Theater (651 Fulton Street) Apr 5-16 Tickets start at $25
Artist Talk: Adam Phillips: "Acting Madness"
Feb 26 at 5pm Hillman Attic Studio (30 Lafayette Avenue) Tickets: $15 ($7.50 for Friends of BAM)
Artist Talk: Declan Donnellan, moderated by James Shapiro
Apr 3 at 6pm BAMcafé (30 Lafayette Avenue) Tickets: $15 ($7.50 for Friends of BAM)BAM presents the US premiere of trailblazing theater company Cheek by Jowl's stripped down, psychologically taut Macbeth, lauded as "one of the greatest events of the interNational Theatre season" (El Pais, Spain). Under Declan Donnellan's deft direction this brutal tale of regicide and its aftershocks melds brisk military athleticism with subtle nuance, while Nick Ormerod's austere design sets off the ensemble to maximum effect. In this galvanizing production, Will Keen (Foyle's War) and Anastasia Hille play the titular Lord and his Lady as two halves of a "single, indissoluble psychic entity" (The Guardian, UK), while the iconic witches are quite literally spirited away, "appearing" only as disembodied voices throughout.Working in English, French, and Russian, Cheek by Jowl has established an international reputation for bringing "fresh life to the classics using intense, vivid performances like a laser of light to set the text ablaze" (The Guardian, UK). Founded by Declan Donnellan and Nick Ormerod the company has toured to more than 300 cities in 40 countries and is an associate company at London's Barbican Centre. Previous Cheek by Jowl productions at BAM include As You Like It (1994 Next Wave), Much Ado About Nothing (1998 Spring Season), Othello (2004 Next Wave), and Cymbeline (2007 Spring Season).Bank of America is the 2011 Spring Season Theater Sponsor.Donmar Warehouse and BAM present
King Lear
By William Shakespeare Directed by Michael Grandage
Set and costume design by Christopher Oram Lighting design by Neil Austin Composition and sound design by Adam Cork
US Premiere
BAM Harvey Theater (651 Fulton St) Apr 28-June 5 (press opening May 4) Tickets start at $25 ($35 for Sat night and Sun matinee performances)
Artist Talk: Adam Phillips: "Acting Madness"
Feb 26 at 5pm Hillman Attic Studio Tickets: $15 ($7.50 for Friends of BAM)
Artist Talk: members of the cast
May 12, post-performance (free for same-day ticket holders)
Artist Talk: Stephen Greenblatt
May 15 at 1pm BAMcafé Tickets: $15 ($7.50 for Friends of BAM)Artistic Director of the Donmar Warehouse, Michael Grandage, reunites with acclaimed actor Derek Jacobi for the Donmar production of King Lear, presented at BAM in its US premiere. One of the greatest works in western literature, King Lear explores the very nature of human existence: love and duty, power and loss, good and evil. The production opens at the Donmar in early December and runs through February 2011. An eight week tour throughout the UK will precede the engagement at BAM.Grandage and Jacobi have previously collaborated on productions of The Tempest and Don Carlos, and the Donmar production of Twelfth Night, for which Jacobi received an Olivier Award for his portrayal of Malvolio. A veteran stage actor, Jacobi is perhaps best known to American audiences as Claudius in the television series I, Claudius. His film work includes Hamlet and Dead Again and his Broadway credits include Uncle Vanya and Much Ado About Nothing, for which he won a Tony Award.
Completing Grandage's creative team is the multi Tony Award-winning ensemble behind the Donmar's recent Broadway hit Red-Christopher Oram, Neil Austin, and Adam Cork.
The Donmar Warehouse is one of London's leading producing theaters. Under the artistic leadership of Michael Grandage, it has garnered critical acclaim at home and abroad for its unparalleled catalogue of work. Since 1992, Donmar-generated productions have received 35 Olivier Awards, 20 Critics' Circle Awards, 19 Evening Standard Awards, and 14 Tony Awards. The Donmar has a long and successful history of presenting its work outside of its home in Covent Garden. Productions in the West End include Ivanov, Twelfth Night, Madame de Sade, Hamlet Piaf, Mary Stuart, Frost/Nixon, A Voyage Round My Father, Guys and Dolls, Design for Living, The Glass Menagerie, Company, The Real Thing, and Passion Play. Productions on Broadway include Red, Hamlet, Mary Stuart, Frost/Nixon, Cabaret, Electra, The Blue Room, The Real Thing, True West, Nine, and The Public Theater and Donmar collaboration Take Me Out.
The Donmar returns to BAM following last year's production of Strindberg's Creditors (2010 Spring Season), directed by Alan Rickman. The company made its BAM debut in spring 2003 with Twelfth Night and Uncle Vanya in repertory, directed by Sam Mendes.Bank of America is the 2011 Spring Season Theater Sponsor.
DanceAfrica 2011
Expressions and Encounters: African, Cuban, and American Rhythms
Artistic Director, Chuck Davis
Ballet Folklórico Cutumba Kùlú Mèlé African Dance and Drum Ensemble Bambara Drum and Dance Ensemble and BAM/Restoration DanceAfrica Ensemble
BAM Howard Gilman Opera House (30 Lafayette Ave) May 27at 7:30pm May 28 at 2 & 7:30pm May 29 and 30 at 3pm
Tickets start at $20 ($10 for children 16 & under)DanceAfrica Bazaar: Parking lots at Lafayette Avenue and Ashland Place, May 28 from 12 noon- 10pm; May 29 from 12 noon-8pm; May 30 from12 noon-7pm; free admission
BAM's longest running performance series-and one of America's largest and most vibrant celebrations of African and African American dance, music, and culture-continues with the 34th DanceAfrica festival. Created in 1977 to heighten awareness of African culture, the festival has evolved into a positive, high-spirited Memorial Day Weekend tradition that brings together the entire community. Under the artistic direction of Founding Elder Chuck Davis, DanceAfrica 2011 Expressions and Encounters: African, Cuban, and American Rhythms features Santiago de Cuba-based Ballet Folklórico Cutumba, Kùlú Mèlé African Dance and Drum Ensemble, Bambara Drum and Dance Ensemble, and Brooklyn's very own BAM/Restoration DanceAfrica Ensemble.
Masters of the island's vibrant Afro-Cuban and Haitian popular styles, Cutumba (DanceAfrica 2002) returns to BAM with a program infused with sultry rhythms, rich vocals and a repertoire ranging from gagá to son. They will be joined by Philadelphia's acclaimed Kùlú Mèlé African Dance and Drum Ensemble (DanceAfrica 2003, 2007), performing West African-based original and traditional communal dances with contemporary flair, and New York's Bambara Drum and Dance Ensemble (DanceAfrica 2004, 2007). An annual favorite as well as a symbol of youth involvement in the preservation of African heritage, the BAM/Restoration DanceAfrica Ensemble returns for its 15th year.The week-long celebration, centered on the dance performances at the BAM Howard Gilman Opera House, also includes the popular outdoor DanceAfrica Bazaar with more than 250 vendors featuring crafts, food, and fashion; and a film series at BAM Rose Cinemas.Continuing his mission to preserve and illuminate a distinct African artistic, spiritual, and cultural identity, DanceAfrica's Artistic Director Chuck Davis brings diverse ensembles together to explore the African Diaspora and its influence on everyday urban society. Under Davis' leadership, BAM produced the first DanceAfrica in 1977, creating the nation's first festival devoted to the rich legacy of African dance. Echoing the success of BAM's festival, DanceAfrica celebrations now take place in cities including Washington, DC; Columbus; Cleveland, Dallas; and Chicago.Support for DanceAfrica 2011 provided by Con Edison. DanceAfrica 2011 is part of Diverse Voices at BAM presented by Time Warner Inc. Target is the presenting sponsor of BAM Community Access to the Arts.La Magia de la Danza
Ballet Nacional de Cuba Created by Alicia Alonso
BAM Howard Gilman Opera House (30 Lafayette Avenue) Jun 8-11 Tickets start at $25
Ballet Nacional de Cuba makes a rare New York City appearance as part of the BAM 2010 Spring Season with La Magia de la Danza. Under the leadership of prima ballerina assoluta and General Director Alicia Alonso, the driving force behind the company's creation, Ballet Nacional de Cuba has more than earned its place among the top international dance companies and secured a reputation for "virtuoso technique with its own Cuban style" (The Independent, UK).
In keeping with the company's devotion to 19th-century classics in the grand romantic tradition, La Magia de la Danza comprises excerpts from some of the best known classical ballets-Giselle, The Sleeping Beauty, The Nutcracker, Coppélia, Don Quixote, and Swan Lake. The finale of the program is an excerpt from Gottschalk Symphony, choreographed by Alonso herself. A former prima ballerina with American Ballet Theatre, Alonso created signature roles in works by pioneering choreographers including, Balanchine, de Mille, and Tudor, before returning to her homeland in 1948 to helm what would become Ballet Nacional de Cuba and establishing one of the world's great ballet schools. The Sunday Times (UK) refers to Alonso as "the revered queen of cultural life in a nation where ballet is a very big thing." The company's BAM engagement will be part of a citywide artistic and cultural celebration of Cuba.Ballet Nacional de Cuba holds an important place in the world of contemporary Ibero-American culture. The company's artistic vision has always followed the romantic and classical tradition, but it also encourages the work of contemporary choreographers. The 1959 revolution in Cuba marked the beginning of a new period for the company and as part of a new cultural mission, Ballet Nacional de Cuba was officially established. It has since continued to enrich its repertory and encourage the development of new dancers, choreographers, teachers, and other artists. In addition to performances in its home country, the company tours internationally each year, traveling to Europe, Asia, and the United States. Ballet Nacional de Cuba blends a legacy of years of theatrical dance tradition with the quintessential elements of its culture to create something truly Cuban.Leadership support for La Magia de la Danza provided by The Jerome Robbins Foundation, Inc.
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BAM 2011 Spring Season is sponsored by Bloomberg. Bank of America is the 2011 Spring Season Theater Sponsor. The Wall Street Journal is the BAMcinématek and BAM Rose cinemas sponsor.
Programming in the BAM Howard Gilman Opera House is supported and endowed by The Howard Gilman Foundation. Programming in the BAM Harvey Theater is endowed by the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation. Programming in BAM Lepercq Space is supported by The Lepercq Foundation.Major support for BAM 2011 Spring Season provided by Chase. Abbey Theatre at BAM is supported by Culture Ireland. Leadership support for John Gabriel Borkman provided by Donald R. Mullen Jr. Leadership support for The Diary of a Madman provided by Merryl H. & James S. Tisch. American Express is the presenting sponsor of The Nightingale and Other Short Fables. The tour of The Nightingale and Other Short Fables is made possible, in part, by a grant from the Ontario Arts Council's National and International Touring program. This COC production & tour at BAM is underwritten, in part, by Sandra L. Simpson and an anonymous donor. Support for King Lear provided by The Laura Pels Foundation. Support for DanceAfrica 2011 provided by Con Edison. DanceAfrica 2011 is part of Diverse Voices at BAM presented by Time Warner Inc. Target is the presenting sponsor of BAM Community Access to the Arts. Leadership support for La Magia de la Danza provided by The Jerome Robbins Foundation, Inc.Leadership support for opera at BAM provided by The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, The SHS Foundation, Ronald R. Stanton, The Delancey Foundation, The Devitre Fund, The Fan Fox & Leslie R. Samuels Foundation, Inc., with additional support provided by The Francena T. Harrison Foundation Trust. Major support for theater at BAM provided by The Gladys Krieble Delmas Foundation, The Fan Fox & Leslie R. Samuels Foundation, Inc., The SHS Foundation, and The Shubert Foundation, Inc. with additional support provided by Corinthian Foundation. Major support for dance at BAM provided by The Harkness Foundation for Dance and The SHS Foundation.
Bloomberg is the presenting sponsor for Eat, Drink & Be Literary and wine is generously donated by Joseph S. and Diane H. Steinberg. MetLife Foundation is the presenting sponsor for Artist Talks. ConEdison is the BAMcafé Live sponsor. Community programs at BAM supported by Brooklyn Community Foundation. Target is the presenting sponsor of BAM Community Access to the Arts. Programming in BAM Lepercq Space supported by The Lepercq Foundation. BAMcafé Live receives endowment support from the BAM Fund To Support Emerging and Local Musicians. Con Edison is the presenting sponsor of BAMkids Film Festival. Leadership support for BAMart provided by Agnes Gund.BAM Innovators include: Jeanne Donovan Fisher; Stephanie & Timothy Ingrassia; Suzie & Bruce Kovner; Diane & Adam E. Max; Donald R. Mullen, Jr.; The SHS Foundation; Ronald P. Stanton; and John L. & Eva Usdan. BAM Visionaries include: William I. Campbell & Christine Wächter-Campbell; Aashish & Dinyar Devitre; Charles & Valerie Diker; Judith R. & Alan H. Fishman; Semone & Ziona Grossman; Agnes Gund; Larry Miller; Brian & Stephanie Nigito; Jonathan F.P. & Diana Calthorpe Rose; Martha A. & Robert S. Rubin; The Jessica E. Smith and Kevin R. Brine Charitable Trust.
BAM 2011 Spring Season supporters include: brigitte nyc, Estate of Richard B. Fisher, The Leona M. & Harry B. Helmsley Charitable Trust, The Rita and Alex Hillman Foundation, Leon Levy Foundation, The Peter Jay SharpFoundation, The Skirball Foundation, The Starr Foundation, The Norman & Rosita Winston Foundation, Inc. and Friends of BAM and BAM Cinema Club. Sovereign Bank is the BAM Marquee sponsor. Yamaha is the official piano for BAM. R/GA is the BAM.org sponsor. New York Marriott at the Brooklyn Bridge is the official hotel for BAM.
BAM would like to thank the Brooklyn Delegations of the New York State Assembly, Joseph R. Lentol, Delegation Leader; and New York Senate, Senator Velmanette Montgomery, Delegation Leader.Your tax dollars make BAM programs possible through funding from the City of New York Department of Cultural Affairs and the New York State Council on the Arts. The BAM facilities are owned by the City of New York and benefit from public funds provided through the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs with support from Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg; Cultural Affairs Commissioner Kate D. Levin; the New York City Council including Council Speaker Christine C. Quinn, Finance Committee Chair Domenic M. Recchia, Jr., Cultural Affairs Committee Chair Jimmy Van Bramer, the Brooklyn Delegation of the Council, and Councilwoman LetiTia James; and Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz.BAM Howard Gilman Opera House, BAM Rose Cinemas, and BAMcafé are located in the Peter Jay Sharp building at 30 Lafayette Avenue (between St Felix Street and Ashland Place) in the Fort Greene neighborhood of Brooklyn. BAM Harvey Theater is located two blocks from the main building at 651 Fulton Street (between Ashland and Rockwell Places). Both locations house Shakespeare & Co. at BAM kiosks. BAM Rose Cinemas is Brooklyn's only movie house dedicated to first-run independent and foreign film and repertory programming. BAMcafé, operated by Great Performances, is open for dining prior to BAM Howard Gilman Opera House evening performances. BAMcafé also features an eclectic mix of spoken word and live music for BAMcafé Live on Friday and Saturday nights with a special BAMcafé Live menu available starting at 8pm.
Subway: 2, 3, 4, 5, Q, B to Atlantic Avenue; D, N, R to Pacific Street; G to Fulton Street; C to Lafayette Avenue For the Harvey Theater, take the 2, 3, 4, 5 trains to Nevins St.
Train: Long Island Railroad to Flatbush Avenue Bus: B25, B26, B41, B45, B52, B63, B67 all stop within three blocks of BAM Car: Commercial parking lots are located adjacent to BAM
For ticket and BAMbus information, call BAM Ticket Services at 718.636.4100, or visit BAM.org.
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