Tony Nominee Denis Jones to Develop New Show BANKSY at Pace School of Performing Arts

Pace School of Performing Arts, located in lower Manhattan, is a partner in the development of new works for stage and screen. Director and choreographer Denis Jones will be working with students at Pace School of Performing Arts on the development of a new show titled, BANKSY. Just as the artist Banksy is anonymous, so is the author of this newly workshopped production. Created as a play with music and set in present-day London, BANKSY is a modern reimagining of the life of the world's most famous street artist, and her efforts to fight the British government's intention to enact policies harmful to women.

The play centers around Scarlet Davies, the 24-year-old socialite daughter of the Prime Minister, who is the elusive street artist Banksy, a fact unknown to her father and the rest of the nation. Convinced her father and his right-hand man, Commissioner Gunn, are pursuing policies dangerous to England's girls and women, Banksy hopes a series of high-profile stunts designed to mock and expose the Prime Minister and his underling will rally the people of England against her father's government.

Though BANKSY is a fictional story, long-held legal rights for women are being obliterated in the real world. As Banksy the character seeks to draw attention to the threat women face in England, BANKSY the play seeks to illuminate the theme of fighting for our rights and the future we choose for ourselves.

The two-time Tony award nominee, Denis Jones (whose work has been seen on Broadway, around the country and around the world), along with an Anonymous playwright, are working alongside acting, design and stage management students at Pace University's School of Performing Arts to workshop this new and inspirational piece of work. The team will have rehearsed for two weeks to bring this stage reading to life in the Michael Schimmel Center of the Arts.

Performances are free, and will take place on Friday, March 31 at 7:30 p.m., and Saturday April 1 at 3:00 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. Reservations can be made via this link. For more information, please email PPA@pace.edu.

About Pace University:

Pace University has a proud history of preparing its diverse student body for a lifetime of professional success because of its unique programs that combine immersive academics and real-world experiences. Pace is ranked the #1 private, four-year college in the nation for upward economic mobility by Harvard University's Opportunity Insights, evidence of the transformative education the University provides.

About Pace School of Performing Arts:

Pace Performing Arts is a cutting-edge performing arts school that nurtures courageous artistic innovation and develops the future leaders and changemakers in the profession. Pace Performing Arts students and recent alumni have appeared on Broadway and behind the scenes in: & Juliet, A Beautiful Noise, A Strange Loop, Almost Famous, Hadestown, Hamilton, Kimberly Akimbo, MJ The Musical, Moulin Rouge, Ohio State Murders, Wicked and fourteen Commercial Dance alumni and students among Rockettes in 2022 Radio City Christmas Spectacular. Pace Performing Arts is one of the 10 most represented colleges on Broadway - per Playbill, 2022.

About Dyson College of Arts and Sciences:

Pace University's liberal arts college, Dyson College, offers more than 50 programs, spanning the arts and humanities, natural sciences, social sciences, and pre-professional programs (including pre-medicine, pre-veterinary, and pre-law), as well as many courses that fulfill core curriculum requirements. The College offers access to numerous opportunities for internships, cooperative education and other hands-on learning experiences that complement in-class learning in preparing graduates for career and graduate/professional education choices.