New York State Council on the Arts News

Founding Executive Director Kathy Evans announced the 19 writers and 9 new musicals selected for development at this summer's Rhinebeck Writers Retreat. 

On Her Shoulders is pleased to present staged readings of four short plays by Djuna Barnes, directed by Melissa Attebery on Wednesday, June 7, 2017. Doors open at 6:30pm. The Play in Context, which situates the script in its historical time and place, kicks off the evening at 6:45pm with an Introduction by dramaturg Jess Holman. Admission is by Donation. Running time, including a post-performance Q&A is approximately 100 minutes. The performance is at The New School, Starr Foundation Hall, University Center, 63 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10003. R.S.V.P. to OHS@gmail.com.

Hoff-Barthelson Music School's Festival Orchestra Finale Concert, "From New York to Paris," takes place Saturday, June 10, 2017, at 7:00 pm in the Recital Hall at the Performing Arts Center at Purchase College, 735 Anderson Hill Road, Purchase, New York. 

Art will imitate life as six grade school children receive top honors as winners of The Town Hall-Con Edison 2017 Black History Month Student Poster & Essay Contest on Wednesday, May 10 at 5 p.m. at The Town Hall (123 West 43rd Street).

On Monday evening May 22, violinist Claudia Schaer and cellist Marisol Espada will join forces with pianist Max Lifchitz for a free-admission concert featuring alluring and refreshing chamber works by composers from Mexico, Puerto Rico and the US.

Frank Cuthbert's New Musical "Coney Island" Comes to Catskill

Chen Dance Center presents newsteps, its semi-annual emerging choreographer's series, May 11-13 at 7:30 PM.   Since 1994, its theater has supported and presented hundreds of young dancers and choreographers developing innovative new works through space and production grants.  At  Chen Dance Center, 70 Mulberry Street (corner of Mulberry and Bayard in NYC's Chinatown). 

Penguin Rep Theatre, the award-winning professional Equity theatre under the leadership of founding artistic director Joe Brancato and executive director Andrew M. Horn, opens its 40th season with Trayf, a new play by Lindsay Joelle.

Bay Street Theater has announced the cast and creative team of INTIMATE APPAREL by two-time Pulitzer Prize winner Lynn Nottage and directed by Bay Street Theater Artistic Director Scott Schwartz. Kelly McCreary, currently one of the stars of Grey's Anatomy on ABC, will star as Esther Mills.

The New Group proudly presents Hamish Linklater's The Whirligig, with Noah Bean, Norbert Leo Butz, Jon DeVries, Alex Hurt, Zosia Mamet, Jonny Orsini, Grace Van Patten and Dolly Wells, in a world premiere production directed by Scott Elliott.

???????Noor Theatre is New York's only theatre representing voices of the Middle Eastern diaspora. Noor is often asked to respond to the barrage of news related to the Middle East and beyond. Often, when news breaks, it can take several years before we see something on stage about it. Such is the nature of theatre making.

The Cooperstown Summer Music Festival begins its 19th season with a Concert for Spring featuring the Brahms' Horn Trio on Sunday, May 7 at 4:00 pm at the Otesaga Resort Hotel, 60 Lake Street, Cooperstown. Gilbert Kalish, piano; Carmit Zori, violin; Eric Reed, horn; and Linda Chesis, the Festival's artistic director, founder and flutist, will perform.  The concert program is Beethoven:  Violin Sonata No. 6 in A Major, Op. 30, No. 1

Bringing together over 1,000 young choristers from 16 schools, the Young People's Chorus of New York City (YPC) presents its annual, year-end concert for the citywide YPC School Choruses Program, staging this year's performance at Harlem's legendary Apollo Theater on Monday, May 15, at 10:45 a.m.

Artpark and the KeyBank Rochester Fringe Festival will bring France's Plasticiens Volants to New York State this September for its U.S. premiere.

New York City's famed Doug Varone and Dancers will once again offer DEVICES: Choreographic Intensive & Mentorship Program in NYC: a one-on-one mentorship program with Doug Varone for experienced choreographers May 28 - June 2, 2017 at Hunter College, 695 Park Ave, NYC 10065. A unique program celebrating its fourth year, the entire scope of the mentorship is divided into three distinct parts over the course of several months.

JACK presents: Naughty Daughtyr by Bailey Nolan, May 16 - 18, 2017. 

Rhinebeck Writers Retreat is presenting the first reading of the new musical, BHANGIN' IT, book by Rehana Lew Mirza and Mike Lew and music and lyrics by Sam Willmott, on May 1 in New York City for an invited industry audience. The reading includes actors Shoba Narayan (Natasha Pierre & The Great Comet), Tony Sheldon (Amelie), Dan Rosales (Spamilton), Angel Desai (Company), and Salena Qureshi.  The reading is directed by David Ruttura (School of Rock) and music directed by James Dobinson (The View UpStairs).

In addition to the four shows in the main stage season at Chenango River Theatre, three eclectically different solo touring shows have been added to the schedule.  Each will play one night only as part of the One Night Stand Series. 

Actor's Express stages Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Suzan-Lori Parks' Father Comes Home from the Wars (Parts 1, 2 & 3) May 13-June 11, 2017.

The critically acclaimed and award-winning Roundabout Theatre Company is proud to present, direct from Broadway, the national tour of SAM MENDES (Skyfall, American Beauty) and ROB MARSHALL's (Into the Woods and Chicago, the films) Tony Award-winning production of CABARET, playing San Jose's Center for the Performing Arts (255 S. Almaden, San Jose) June 6-11, 2017. Press night for CABARET will be held on Tuesday, June 6 at 7:30 p.m.