ART LILLARD'S HEAVENLY BIG BAND to Swing at TNC's 50th Halloween Ball

Art Lillard's Heavenly Big Band will bring its 'unique, rich, bright Signature Sound' to the Ballroom Dancing segment of this year's Village Halloween Costume Ball at Theater for the New City. On October 31, from 8:30 to 10:00 PM, the 17 piece swing orchestra will perform an extensive repertoire of songs from swing to samba to jazz ballad to Bossa Nova with a swinging singing soloist for the dancing pleasure of scores of costume-clad revelers.

Art Lillard's Heavenly Big Band (www.artlillard.com) has been entertaining local audiences with its uplifting and danceable sounds since 1987. Led by drummer-composer Art Lillard, the band performs an extensive repertoire of original songs varying in style from swing to samba to jazz ballad to bossa nova, as well as new arrangements of timeless jazz and swing standards and other surprises.

Appearing on the bandstand with Lillard will be: Irina Zubareva & Tyler Bassett (vocals), Carol Sudhalter & Matt Maley (flutes), Elijah J. Thomas (soprano sax), Michael Hashim (alto sax), Kenny Pexton (tenor sax), Steve Gluzband & Fred Jacobs (trumpets), Carl Reinlib (trombone), Dale Turk (bass trombone), Mark McCarron (guitar), Ted Kooshian (piano), Ralph Hamperian (electric bass) and Jack Davis (percussion).

The band can be heard on Art Lillard's website at https://artlillard.com/art-lillard-s-heavenly-big-band. Performance videos can be seen and heard at the Heavenly Big Band videos playlist.

Theater for the New City's Village Halloween Costume Ball, now in its 50th year, will be an indoor and outdoor extravaganza of theater, music, dance, aerial performance, cabaret, food and flamboyant costumes with a Halloween theme. A large outdoor festivity will be held from 3:00 PM to 7:00 PM outside the Theater on East Tenth Street between First and Second Avenues (or if it rains, in a big tent), featuring performances and a costume competition for kids. The celebration moves inside into TNC's four-theater complex from 7:00 PM to midnight. There will be nonstop performances (by Austin Pendleton and over 40 others), ballroom dancing (to Art Lillard's Heavenly Swing Band and MisterPablo, a Latin Dance band), an aerial dance concert (by Caytha Jentin), and dining in a pop-up restaurant (The Witch's Cauldron) where for $5, guests can savor a complete dinner donated by local restaurants. The evening culminates in a costume judging with prizes at midnight. Admission is free for the outdoor program and $20 for the indoor festivities. Costumes or formal wear are required.

Cabaret Performances (7:00 PM to 11:00 PM)

A succession of live, 10-minute performances staged in the Community Theater. Performing artists will be, among others: Austin Pendleton, Richard West, Yip Harburg Rainbow Troupe, Stephan Morrow, John Grimaldi, Carol Tandava (Belly Dance), Michael Christian, TNC Street Theater Enemble, Inma Heredia, Peter Dizzoza, Alessandra Belloni, Emilio Garcia, Asher Cohen ('Egg Eats Chicken'), JC Augustin, Fairy Tale Marionette and Wise Guise.

Scripted works by Toby Armor (directed by Joan Kane), Briana Bartenieff, New Yidddish Rep and Stefan Morrow, among many others.

Scream contest hosted by Didi Champagne. (9:30 PM)

Emceed by Melanie Maria Goodreaux.

Indoor Ballroom Performances & Dancing (8:30 to Midnight)

Art Lillard's Heavenly Big Band, a 17 piece swing orchestra performing an extensive repertoire of songs from swing to samba to jazz ballad to Bossa Nova with a swinging singing soloist.

Aerial Dance with Caytha Jentin, performing high over the crowd in exciting new challenges to eye and ear.

Mr. Pablo's Latin Dance Band, a five-piece fusion band with vocalist, mixing Salsa, Samba and Flamenco with Rock, Reggae and Funk.

Dining in the Witches' Cauldron

Downtown's most sensational Halloween cafe, featuring a variety of American and international delicacies at peoples' prices ($5 for a full dinner). Holiday dishes are contributed by neighboring East Village restaurants, some with celebrity chefs. Guests can gobble couscous from a coffin lid beginning at 7:00 pm while enjoying spine-tingling performances by performance artists, songwriters, poets and variety artists including: Mimi Block and Rome Neal, Smokey Stevens, Lei Zhou, Pamela Enz, Zero Boy, Sylvain Leroux, George Belleci, Marilyn Horan, Sarah Lilly, Ellen Steir, The Head Peddlers and Elliot Crown (7:00 - 11:00).

Monsters and Miracles Costume Parade

The annual costume contest hosted by Crystal Field. All costumed attendees are invited to march past a panel of celebrity judges. Winners receive one-year passes to TNC and a bottle of Moet & Chandon Champagne. Attendees will be judged in such categories as 'Most Politically Relevant,' 'Most Gluten Free,' 'Most Uncompromised,' 'Most Non-AI,' 'Most Visionary,' 'Most Presidentially Honest,' 'Most Oxygenated' and 'Most Likely to be Extinct.' Judged by Melanie Maria Goodreaux, John Gilman, Sabura Rashid, Terry Lee King, Joe Battista, Crystal Field, Phillip Hackett and others.

Vaudeville Performances

Vaudeville in The Womb Room (Basement Cabaret Theater). Performers include Star '69 (band), Larry Litt & Eleanor Heartley, WillieAnn Gissendanner, Sue Horowitz, New Yiddish Rep, Joe Bendik, Claude Solnik, Lei Zhou, Rocco Nicholas, Terry Lee King/ Billie Little and Danielle Aziza (8:00 - 10:00).

Lobby Events

Performances by Cobu (all-women Taiko drum group), Hellsouls, flute-playing goblin Kahley Mitchell, tap dance with Laraine Goodman and The Mad Tappers, Fish Pond (casting for giveaway gifts), Fortune Teller Penny Diora (free readings), Champagne Bar served over a coffin with a live vampire inside.

Halloween Decor

Murals painted by Olga Castillo, Gilma Diaz, Sean Finnerty and many others.

Theater for the New City (www.theaterforthenewcity.net) is located at 155 First Avenue, at the corner of East Tenth Street. Reservations are optional. The TNC box office number is (212) 254-1109.

More info: https://www.jsnyc.com/season/halloween.htm

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