BACKBONE New York Premiere and More Set for May at Lincoln Center

May at Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts will feature the New York premiere of Backbone, the return of s3 poetry festival, the debut concert of Picnic at Hanging Rock, the return of Voices of a People’s History, and more. See the full lineup here! 
 

Friday, May 2 at 7:30 pm 

Brooklyn Basement Party 
David Rubenstein Atrium 
Free  
In celebration of the art and culture of Hip-Hop, Lincoln Center has presented concerts featuring major rap artists including, to name only a few, Rakim, De La Soul, J Noa, J.PERIOD, Big Daddy Kane, and Rapsody. As a reflection of New York City’s vibrant soundscape, we’re thrilled to provide a stage for classic and contemporary sounds, dance, cinema, and history within the field of Hip-Hop as a part of year-round programming. This May, we're showing love the Brooklyn way with the return of a BK basement dance party for the ages, featuring MR. LIFE OF YOUR PARTY (f.k.a. DJ FLY TY) on the decks all night at the David Rubenstein Atrium. 
 

Saturday, May 3 at 11:00 am 

Broadway for Arts Education Art Share 
David Rubenstein Atrium 
Free  
Young dancers, singers, actors, poets, and podcasters from Broadway for Arts Education's NYC programs converge at Lincoln Center for their annual "Art Share" extravaganza. Broadway for Arts Education (BAE) is a nonprofit organization that uses arts education to dismantle systemic barriers to success for underserved youth. Come join us for a showcase and celebration of the talents of these budding artists and creators. Special guest Broadway performers to be announced! 

Thursday, May 8 at 7:30 pm 

Komitas & Friends: Armenian Music Then & Now 
David Rubenstein Atrium 
Free 
A kaleidoscope of Armenian folk music through both a historical and modern interactive lens, Komitas and Friends celebrates the interdisciplinary, ever-changing legacy of folk songs deeply rooted in Armenian culture even today. This program is derived from music notated and transcribed by Komitas Vardapet, a pioneering ethnomusicologist, composer, and priest who gathered thousands of folk songs at the turn of the 20th century, immortalizing folk tunes for generations to come. A wide array of songs present themselves in their original form for voice, as well as in classical and jazz transcriptions that have kept these melodies alive throughout the last 100 years, interspersing them in various genres and musical spaces all over the world. This program also includes the world premieres of five brand-new works of music commissioned by The Juilliard School and The Columbia University Armenian Center—the result of a cultural exchange project led by Juilliard student Anoush Pogossian for five of her Juilliard peers to write pieces for her to perform, each one based on a different one of the folk songs of her upbringing as a member of the Armenian diaspora. 

Wednesday, May 14 at 6:00 pm 

Lincoln Center Visionary Artist: Rubén Blades 
Crossover Dreams Screening and Q&A 
Walter Reade Theater 
Choose-What-You-Pay 
Presented in collaboration with Film at Lincoln Center  

As part of the Lincoln Center Visionary Artist series celebrating the multifaceted and extraordinary GRAMMY Award–winning musician, politician, and actor Rubén Blades, we present Blades’s 1985 acting debut in Leon Ichaso’s Crossover Dreams. Blades stars as an up-and-coming salsa singer with dreams of hitting the big time in this much-adored musical comedy that received widespread acclaim. The film screening will be followed by an audience Q&A with Crossover Dreams producer and co-writer Manuel Arce. 

Thursday, May 15 at 7:30 pm 

Picnic at Hanging Rock Concert Performance 
David Rubenstein Atrium 
Free  
Don’t miss the debut concert performance of songs from the forthcoming musical adapted from Joan Lindsay’s iconic Australian novel, which was made famous by Peter Weir’s film (celebrating its 50th anniversary in 2025) and Netflix’s TV series. Picnic at Hanging Rock tells the story of three schoolgirls and their teacher who go missing on Valentine’s Day, 1900. One girl is later found, but with no memory of what happened; the others are never seen again. Left without answers, the community begins to unravel—with shocking consequences. The haunting new musical is informed by First Nations Australian collaborators, with book and lyrics by Hilary Bell, music by Greta Gertler Gold, and orchestrations by Tony and GRAMMY Award winner Todd Sickafoose (Hadestown). 

Friday, May 16 at 7:00 pm 

Personal Storytelling Workshop With The Moth 
David Rubenstein Atrium 
Free 
The Moth is a nonprofit dedicated to the art and craft of storytelling. Join this free interactive workshop to learn key elements of storytelling found in their New York Times best-selling book, How To Tell a Story: The Essential Guide to Memorable Storytelling from The Moth. Guided by an expert Moth instructor, using customized prompts and exercises, you will begin to craft a true, personal story of your own. Everyone will explore and share story ideas together and selected volunteers will have the opportunity to share with the whole group. There’s no need to prepare anything in advance, we will develop your stories in the workshop. We ask that you remain present, curious, and ready to take notes! 

Friday, May 16 at 7:00 pm 

Legacies of San Juan Hill 
¡VAYA! Mambo Legends Orchestra 
David Rubenstein Atrium 
Free 
Enlivening dance halls and stages across the neighborhood, music and dance were a part of everyday life in San Juan Hill from the early 1900s when vaudeville, ragtime, James Reese Europe and the Castles, and the Charleston whirled through the area. As the neighborhood’s Puerto Rican population grew significantly in the 1940s and ’50s, Latin music and dance styles took root. Jazz ensembles, Latin music bands and Mambo Nights were featured in and around San Juan Hill at venues like the Lincoln Square Center and the St. Nicholas Arena, as well as the nearby Palladium Ballroom. 
 
Join us on the dance floor to celebrate the storied history of Latin music and dance in this area. Featuring live music by the Mambo Legends Orchestra, an ensemble dedicated to keeping the sounds of the Mambo tradition and the great Afro-Cuban bandleaders Machito, Tito Puente, and Tito Rodriguez alive and thriving. Comprised of several former members of these renowned bands of the 1950s and ’60s, the Mambo Legends Orchestra bridges past to present, celebrating an era of music in mid-20th century New York City when big band popular music fused with the rhythms and sounds of music from Africa, Cuba, and Puerto Rico to create a musical genre that’s beloved worldwide. 

Friday, May 16 at 7:00 pm  
Saturday, May 17 at 2:00 pm & 7:00 pm 

Backbone By Gravity and Other Myths 
Alice Tully Hall 
Choose-What-You-Pay 
Backbone examines the various perceptions of what strength is, where it comes from, and how it is measured, through circus arts. This frenetic celebration of human interconnectedness will test the limits of strength: physical, emotional, individual, and collective. As a leader of contemporary circus in Australia, Gravity & Other Myths’ work strives to nurture human connection while challenging the genre of circus through conceptual sophistication and acrobatic virtuosity. The company employs an honest approach to performance, illuminating the complexities of humanity through genuineness, humor, and physical prowess. Enjoy this New York premiere and spectacle for the whole family! 

*Please note: This production features atmospheric haze and high sound levels. Audience discretion is advised. This show is intended for ages 5+.  

Wednesday, May 21 at 11:00 am and 1:00 pm 

Lincoln Center Moments 
School of American Ballet: Studio to Stage 
Stanley H. Kaplan Penthouse 
Free 
Join the School of American Ballet (SAB) for a program of dance performance and curriculum demonstration featuring students in SAB's Children's Division. Led by Director of Children's/Preparatory Divisions Katrina Killian, this showcase will illuminate the foundations of our training for aspiring young dancers and will be accompanied by live music. 
 
This event is part of Lincoln Center Moments, a free performance-based program specially designed for individuals with dementia and their caregivers. 
Performances at 11:00 am are Relaxed Performances, designed for a neurodiverse audience. In addition to audiences impacted by dementia, these performances are also open to adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities. 
 
Performances at 1:00 pm are followed by an hour-long workshop specially designed for audiences impacted by dementia—facilitated by educators and music therapists that explore the work through discussion, movement, music, and art-making. 

Thursday, May 22 at 7:00 pm 

Beats, Rhymes & Sights 
First Look at the Fat Beats Documentary Series 
David Rubenstein Atrium 
Free 
Back in the mid-nineties, DJ Jab (aka Joseph Abajian) opened Fat Beats, New York City's first Hip-Hop specialist music store in the Lower East Side. The shop rapidly became a nexus for the city's burgeoning underground rap community, evolving from cipher spot and culture matrix into an influential label and distributor in a matter of months. A list of artists releasing LPs on Fat Beats over the past three decades reads like a Mount Rushmore of indie rap, including Atmosphere, Black Milk, ILL BILL, Organized Konfusion, Talib Kweli, Madlib and Kool Keith to name only a few. Now headquartered on the west coast, Fat Beats remains a crucial part of NYC Hip-Hop history. In celebration of Fat Beats' 30th Anniversary, Lincoln Center guest curator and the voice and personality of Spotify’s AI DJ, Xavier “X” Jernigan, introduces the premiere of the new Fat Beats documentary film, accompanied by an opening set from a Fat Beats DJ and followed by a talk back panel, from the names that made the scene come to life. 

Friday, May 23 at 7:30 pm 

¡VAYA! Son Del Monte 
David Rubenstein Atrium 
Free 
Featuring DJ Elviria 
 
The eclectic Cuban charanga ensemble Son Del Monte, led by Manuel Rivera, formerly of the Yambu Orchestra and Sonsublime, returns to the David Rubenstein Atrium for a night of free social dance! The 12-piece Son Del Monte band incorporates trombones alongside lively vocals and soaring contributions from flute, violin, piano, and congas to merge charanga and conjunto musical styles into a uniquely New York sound that Rivera has dubbed chajunto. You'll call it "perfecto" as this talented cadre of musicians perform a hard-driving whirlwind of melodic power that pays homage to the son cubano greats of past and present. 

Friday, May 23 at 6:00 pm & Saturday, May 24 at 4:00 pm 

s3: Lincoln Center Poetry Festival 
Griffin Sidewalk Studio, David Geffen Hall 
Choose-What-You-Pay  
The two-day s3: Lincoln Center Poetry Festival, curated by poet-in-residence Mahogany L. Browne, returns for a second year. Passionate soliloquies and rhythmic verses bring together a diverse array of talented performers, who captivate audiences with their lyrical prowess and engaging stage presence. The festival takes place in a one-of-a-kind intimate performance space surrounded by the buzz of New York City. Extending past traditional poetry recitations, it embraces experimentation and innovation. Prepare to be enchanted by the interplay of words, sounds, and visuals, as artists push the boundaries of what is possible in the realm of performance poetry. Whether you are an ardent lover of poetry or a curious newcomer to the world of spoken word, the s3: Lincoln Center Poetry Festival promises an immersive experience featuring captivating performances that will leave you spellbound. Join us and be swept away by this extraordinary journey of self-discovery, empathy, and artistic brilliance. 

Thursday, May 29 at 7:30 pm