Jordan White News

On Sun, Feb 27 at 7:00 p.m., New Yorkers of all ages will take the Zankel Hall stage to showcase their original music, art, and poetry in AfroCosmicMelatopia.

Ghost, a faithful adaptation of the novel by Jason Reynolds, tells the story of Castle 'Ghost' Crenshaw (played by the always-excellent Crystian Wiltshire), an earnest seventh grader who finds himself unexpectedly recruited onto the track team thanks to the encouragement of Coach (Louis Robert Thompson). Ghost is haunted by the memories of an abusive father, and a large part of this play's journey is watching how the discipline of sports and the support of friends and mentors help Ghost keep his life moving in a positive direction.

During the very first scenes of Ghost - the world premiere of the play by Idris Goodwin, based upon the 2016 book of the same name by Jason Reynolds, now onstage at Nashville Children's Theatre through February 3 - the audience becomes caught up in the emotional turmoil experienced by young Castle Cranshaw and his mom, Terri. As their world is upended by events taking place onstage, the story of Ghost is set in motion, hurtling toward a moment in which lives are changed and the future opens up in ways both unexpected and completely authentic.

The Knitting Factory was founded in 1987 and over the years has grown into Knitting Factory Entertainment, which encompasses four clubs - in Brooklyn, Hollywood, Boise, and Spokane - several record labels and other ventures. Below is an account of the New York club's first years, written by company founder Michael Dorf.