It’s Christmas in New York, and as fall turned to winter it looked like things were going to be festive in a way they hadn't been since 2019. One sign of new life was the return of The Nutcracker, in George Ballanchine’s classic production, performed by the dancers and orchestra of the New York City Ballet as it has been (almost) every year since 1954. Despite new safety protocols and re-workings, the show was as magnificent as always and brought a little holiday magic back to midtown (at least for a few weeks).

Featured in this Episode

• Lincoln Center / New York City Ballet
• • https://www.lincolncenter.org
  • https://www.nycballet.com/
  • @lincolncenter @nycballet, @sab_nyc
  
  
• Jonathan Stafford, Artistic Director
• • https://www.nycballet.com/about-us/board-and-staff/artistic-staff/jonathan-stafford/
  • @jonathanstafford_nycb
  
  
• Unity Phelan, Principal, New York City Ballet
• • https://www.nycballet.com/discover/meet-our-dancers/principal-dancers/unity-phelan/
  • @unityphelan
  
  

Resources/More Information:

• https://www.nytimes.com/2021/12/16/arts/dance/nutcracker-costumes-new-york-city-ballet.html
• https://www.nytimes.com/2021/10/07/arts/dance/new-york-city-ballet-promotions.html
• https://www.bloombergquint.com/pursuits/nyc-ranks-first-on-holiday-travel-this-christmas-promising-recovery

Lincoln Center is the great city on the hill of performing arts in the United States, home to arguably the most distinguished opera company, ballet company, and symphony orchestra in the country, as well as our most famous music school, the world’s largest performing arts library, and much, much more… But for all of the highbrow excellence of these institutions, none of them had much to offer a city taking its first tentative steps out of quarantine, which craved ways to come together, inclusively and outdoors.

So Lincoln Center threw open its massive and under-utilized outdoor campus to some amazing performers that normally wouldn’t have the opportunity to perform there. Among them was Debra Ann Byrd, a theater veteran who’s one-woman show “Becoming Othello: A Black Girl’s Journey” tells a tale of perseverance, perfect for this city right now.

Featured in this Episode

• Lincoln Center
• • https://www.lincolncenter.org
  • https://www.lincolncenter.org/lincoln-center-at-home/series/restart-stages
  • @lincolncenter
  
  
• Jordana Leigh - Senior Director, Artist Programming
• • @jae.bklyn
  
  
• Harlem Arts Alliance
• • @haacommunity
  
  
• Harlem Week
• • https://www.harlemweek.com/
  • @harlemweek
  
  
• Donna Walker Kuhne
• • https://walkercommunicationsgroup.com/donna-walker-kuhne
  
  
• Debra Ann Byrd
• • https://stateofshakespeare.com/?page_id=4803
  • @becomingothello
  • @becomingothello

The craziness of the last few years has made for some unexpected partnerships around the city. None of these were stranger and more successful than the shotgun wedding of a tiny neighborhood history museum and a risk-taking collective of burlesque artistes known to some as a “Voltron of gay strippers”. This unlikely collaboration not only saved them both financially, but pushed them both into bold new creative directions they never would have otherwise discovered.

Featured in this Episode

• Last Chance Dancers - (Insta @lastchancedancers , venmo: @lastchancedancer)
• • Maggie McMuffine - ( @maggie_mcmuffin) - Founder
  • Venuhhhtrix - (@venuhhhtrix) - Founder
  • Esme (@esmedavril)
  • Kita St. Cyr (@kitastcyr)
  • Queensinera (@queensinera_vdlp)
  • Special Guest Dancer - Jack Barrow (@mr.jackbarrow)
  
  
• City Reliquary (Insta @cityreliquary, website: https://www.cityreliquary.org/)
• • Jacob Ford (Insta @unitof, https://jacobford.com/)
  
  
• Natalia - Photographer - (Insta @natsinbrooklyn)

Special Thanks: Nightlife Documentrian Andres (Insta

Like many smaller classical music ensembles, the celebrated PubliQuartet found ways to keep going during the shutdown - largely by performing outdoors in some very unorthodox settings. One of these was the catacombs of The Green-Wood Cemetery, one of the venues where Death of Classical has been presenting eclectic performances since early 2020. What’s it like to perform during a pandemic in a space where you’re literally surrounded by the dead? Remarkably transcendent, it turns out.

Featured in this Episode

• PubliQuartet
• • (https://www.publiquartet.com/) (@publiq4tet)
  • Curtis Stewart (@curtis.stewart_violin)
  • Jannina Kara Norpoth (@janninan)
  • Nick Revel (@revelnick)
  • Hamilton Berry (@cellisthb)
  
  
• Death of Classical https://www.deathofclassical.com/ (@deathofclassical)
• • Andrew Ousley (@andrewousley)
  
  
• The Green-Wood Cemetery https://www.green-wood.com/ (@historicgreenwood)

Resources/More Info:

• https://www.wnyc.org/story/night-opera-green-wood-cemetery/
• https://abc7ny.com/greenwood-cemetery-worker-gravedigger-brooklyn/6138904/

Held back in June, “Brand New Day” was an ecstatic takeover of Times Square, with singers and dancers from Broadway and beyond celebrating what they hoped was the imminent return of New York Theater. But some of the featured performers couldn’t help but wonder - was the closing of New York an opportunity to do better than rebuilding on the same outdated foundations?

We spoke with Jason A. Rodriguez of the hit TV show “Pose” and his long-time business partner Ricardo Sebastian about their vision for a new day in New York that supports performers who have long been marginalized and exploited.

Featured in this Episode

• From Arraygency and House of Eon:
• • https://www.arraygency.com/ (@arraygency0 )
  • Jason A. Rodriguez (@thejasonarodriguez)
  • Ricardo Sebastian (@ricardoxsebastian)
  • Robert J Mason (@therobertjmason)
  
  
• Brand New Day Event Organizers:
• • Macy’s (@macys)
  • Kaleidoscope Entertainment (@kaleidescopeent)
  • Times Square Alliance (@timessquarenyc)
  • RRR Creative (@rrrcreative)
  
  

• Hosts and Other Performers::
• • Frank Dilella, NY 1 Reporter (@fdilella)
  • Miss Jay Alexander Runway Coach (@miss_jalexander)
  • Jackie Cox (@jackiecoxnyc)
    
    
  
  

Resources/More Info:

• https://www.broadwayworld.com/article/Photo-Flash-Inside-BRAND-NEW-DAY-in-Times-Square-Celebrating-New-York-Citys-Reopening-20210612
• https://variety.com/2021/legit/news/pose-star-jason-rodriguez-arraygency-talent-agency-bipoc-queer-trans-creative-1235034306/

Prior to 2020, Jeff Fairbanks, Alex Jeun, and the rest of the Street Beat Brass Band worked steadily – playing their New York spin on New Orleans second line to venues and events all over the city.

After a long, quarantined dry spell, the group was brought back to life by joining the Hells Kitchen Happiness Krewe – the madcap brainchild of Hally-Anne Devlin, a theatrical producer who would spare no expense to bring a little joy back to her beloved Manhattan.

Featured in this Episode:

• Street Beat Brass Band - @streetbeatbrass, https://www.streetbeatbrass.com/
• Alex Jeun @bonetraveler
• Jeff Fairbanks http://www.fairbanksmusic.com/
• Holly-Anne Devlin @missholya, https://www.hollyannedevlin.com/
• Kaleidoscope Entertainment @kaleidoscopeent, https://www.kaleidoscopeentertainment.com/
• Brant Sennett @brantsennett

Resources/More Info:

• https://www.ny1.com/nyc/all-boroughs/news/2020/08/17/performers-out-of-work-due-to-covid-19-get-help-from-local-businesses
• https://www.ny1.com/nyc/all-boroughs/nyer-of-the-week/2020/09/14/new-yorker-of-the-week--holly-anne-devlin-
• https://www.wbur.org/cognoscenti/2021/05/21/end-of-the-pandemic-kentucky-derby-hot-rod-charlie-anne-gardner
• https://gothamist.com/arts-entertainment/west-village-locals-are-throwing-pop-events-remind-people-why-we-love-nyc-so-much
  
  

Host: Tania Mohammad
Producers: Tania Mohammad and Garret Tiedmann.
Post-production, Original Music, and Sound Design: Garrett Tiedemann
Production Manager: Gabriela Montequin
Executive Producer, Theme Music: David Hoffman

https://racecarradio.com/

https://citizenracecar.com/

Stand-up comedian Joe Orecchio faced a choice at the start of the pandemic. Would he grieve the state of his show, Comedy Cabaret, and it’s unknown future? Or would he use this opportunity to make the show everything it could be? Lucky for his audience, he chose the latter. Tanya Moberly, the Booking Manager at Don’t Tell Mama, a world famous venue in the heart of New York City, was eager to welcome him back to showcase his new vision. Join Tania Mohammad as she visits another small but mighty performance space striving to survive in the shadow of the pandemic along with the brilliant artists who make venues like Don’t Tell Mama great.

Featured in this Episode:

• • Venue: Don’t tell Mama - (www.donttellmamanyc.com) @donttellmamanewyorkcity
  • Tanya Moberly (https://tanyamoberly.com/)
  • Julia Richardson (@missjuliarichardson)
  • Nate Buccieri (@nateonthekeys)
  
  

Cast & Crew of Comedy Cabaret

• • • Joe Orecchio @orecchiophotography
    • Elyse Orecchio(@elyseorecchio)
    • Kenda Cunningham (https://www.kendracunningham.com/) (@theotherkendra)
    • Sam Nikki (@samisims21)
    • Anna Bianco (@annacainbianco)
    • Natalie Perlin (@natalieperlincomedy)
    • Ann Walker (@awalkinpeace)
    • Ish Gupta (@doofyish)
    
    
  
  

Resources for this Episode:

• https://www.broadwayworld.com/cabaret/article/BWW-Feature-Dont-Tell-Mama-Proves-You-Cant-Keep-A-Good-Piano-Bar-Down-20210521
• https://www.vulture.com/2020/09/new-york-comedy-clubs-demand-reopening-coronavirus.html

As the summer ramped up, Tania headed out to the Empire Rooftop to speak with Dawn Durham, VP and Director of Operations at Hospitality Holdings, Inc. Like so many venues, the Empire Rooftop struggled throughout 2020. But when Dawn received a call from Melissa Gerstein and Kimberly Giannelli, Co-Founders of iHeartDance NYC, about organizing a dance performance on the rooftop, Dawn couldn’t resist. Suddenly dancers like Ingrid Silva and Gilbert Bolden were performing for the first time in well over a year.

Featured venue and performers in this episode:

• Ingrid Silva (@ingridsilva)
• Gilbert Bolden III (@dancerdude56)
• Eli Raphael Gruska (@eli.raphael)
• Olivia MacKinnon (@oliviamackinnon)
• James Kinney - Choreographer (@jkinneydance)
• Luciana Paris (@luciana_paris_official)
• Melissa Musen Gerstein - Producer (@melissagerstein)
• Kimberly Giannelli - Producer (@soulforhire)
• The Empire Rooftop (https://www.theempirerooftop.com/ (@theempirerooftop)
• I Heart Dance NYC (https://www.iheartdancenyc.com/) (@iheartdancenyc)

Resources/more Info:

• • https://www.townandcountrymag.com/leisure/arts-and-culture/a36062101/return-of-new-york-city-dance-iheartdance-nyc-2021/
  • https://www.broadwayworld.com/article/NYC-Brightest-Dance-Stars-in-Live-Rooftop-Dance-Series-to-Support-iHeartDance-Relief-Fund-20210318?fbclid=IwAR3L_Ob5UCCQny7Lv9u-RqFQmkmklO8REpMsHjmorGs6egGX_mQkbXH54jo
  • https://www.nytimes.com/2020/10/19/arts/dance/dancers-of-nycb-empire-hotel.html
  
  

Produced by Tania Mohammad. Additional production by Charlotte Moore-Lambert. Executive produced by David Hoffman. Post-production, original music, and sound design by Garrett Tiedemann. Production managed by Gabriela Montequin

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