Maria Torres News

The Trust for Governors Island announced today the opening of a  new commissioned artwork by multidisciplinary artist Sam Van Aken within Governors Island’s  award-winning park.

The NYC Department of Cultural Affairs has officially launched the application process for the Fiscal Year 2023 Cultural Development Fund. For the first time since the pandemic suspended the competitive peer panel review process, DCLA encourages cultural nonprofits from across all of New York City's vast, diverse cultural community to apply to receive public support for their arts and cultural activities.

The Mayor's Office of Media and Entertainment (MOME) has just announced the selection of 89 projects, led by female-identifying creatives, that will receive finishing grants in the third round of the NYC Women’s Fund for Media, Music and Theatre.

New York Theatre Barn is seeking two dynamic dancer/choreographers with experience in Latin Dance and/or the dances of the African Diaspora for Sol of El Barrio, a special edition of the company’s Choreography Lab on May 11th, 2022.

New York City Mayor Eric Adams today announced the appointment of Laurie Cumbo as commissioner of the Department of Cultural Affairs. In that role, she will direct cultural policy for the city and oversee city funding for hundreds of nonprofit arts and cultural organizations across the five boroughs that deliver quality arts programming for New Yorkers. 

New York Theatre Barn will host A Seat at the Table: A Panel on Understudies and Swings on April 4th, 2022 at 7:30PM EDT. The live virtual roundtable presentation will serve as a benefit for the non-profit organization that has served as an inclusive home for original culture shifting musicals since 2007.

Materials for the Arts (MFTA), a program of the NYC Department of Cultural Affairs (DCLA), The Joyce Theater, and Karen Brooks Hopkins, President Emerita of the Brooklyn Academy of Music (BAM) and author of the new memoir, “BAM…And Then It Hit Me,” today announced The Great Dance Shoe Giveaway.

The Stage Directors and Choreographers Foundation (SDCF), the not-for profit foundation of Stage Directors and Choreographers Society (SDC), has announced that the Breakout Award will be awarded to Jon Rua. The SDCF Awards, which will feature the presentation of the Breakout Award along with the previously announced Gordon Davidson Award and Zelda  Fichandler Award, will be hosted by Anne Kauffman virtually on Monday January 24, 2022 at 8pm ET. 

Amas Musical Theatre will present the fourth year of “Dare To Be Different,” a festival of new musicals and special events, from January 27 – February 18, 2022 at A.R.T./New York Theatres (502 West 53rd Street – 10th Avenue & 53rd Street).

New York Theatre Barn will present the premiere of Inside the Incubation: Sueños: Our American Musical on December 15th, 2021 at 7PM.

In celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month Congressman Adirano Esppaillat of New York's 13th Congressional district kicked off New York Theatre Barn's third installment of A Seat at the Table roundtable series which featured A Panel of Latinx Theatre Creators.

This original musical celebrates Latinx people and cultures, and weaves their stories into the fabric of the American Musical Theatre. Featuring a predominately all-Latinx cast, there has never been beena musical like this -- until now. The show has additional music and orchestrations by Jeff Chambers.

Queer performance company The Neon Coven and Queen of Waacking Princess Lockerooo are teaming up for the dance event DANCE TO THE MOON. DANCE TO THE MOON will feature dance battles in Hustle and Freestyle with prize money of up to $500. The event will feature live performances, DJ sets, celebrity judges, and more. 

New York Theatre Barn will host A Seat at the Table: A Panel of Latinx Theatre Creators in celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month on September, 22nd, 2021 at 7PM EDT.

Amas Musical Theatre will present “Sol of El Barrio: The AfroLatinidad Connection” a celebration of AfroLatinidad history in New York City. Created, hosted and directed by Maria Torres, the event will take place on Sunday, October 3 at 5pm at Theater 555 (555 West 42nd Street @ 11th Avenue).

New York Theatre Barn will host A Seat at the Table: A Panel of Latinx Theatre Creators in celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month on September, 22nd, 2021 at 7PM EDT. The live virtual roundtable presentation will serve as a benefit for the non-profit organization that has served as a home for original culture shifting musicals since 2007. 

The live virtual roundtable presentation will serve as a benefit for the anti-racist, non-profit organization that has served as a home for original culture shifting musicals since 2007. 

Through a robust conversation at the intersection of art and policy, co-moderated by Broadway’s Maria Torres (On Your Feet!, Swing!) and New York Theatre Barn’s own Héctor Flores Jr., acclaimed Latinx leaders of the entertainment industry will take up space to collectively investigate, inspire, and ignite the future of the performing arts.

Battles include: Hustle 2 on 2, judged by Maria Torres (On Your Feet!, Swing!), Jeff Selby (New Style Hustle), and Abdiel (FollowLeadLOVE, Martha Graham Dance Company) with a cash prize of $500; Breakin 1 on 1, judged by Rockafella (Full Circle Productions) with a cash prize of $300; and Freestyle 1 on 1, judged by Buddha Stretch (Michael Jackson, Diana Ross), Rockafella, Maria Torres, Jeff Selby, and Abdiel.

In partnership with the Ford Foundation, the National Association of Latino Arts and Cultures announces the award of 27 grants to artists, cultural workers and organizations whose work will change narratives and amplify stories in collaboration with their respective communities across the US – Mexico border region.