April at Lincoln Center to Feature Create-athon with Clint Ramos and More

Next month at Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts, they're presenting  a wide array of FREE and Choose-What-You-Pay events. See the full programming here! 
 

Thursday, April 3 at 6:00 pm 

Big Umbrella Festival 
Crip Movement Lab 
Virtual Dance Workshop on Zoom 
Free 
 
Presented in partnership with ReelAbilities Film Festival: New York 
 
Crip Movement Lab – co-created by Disabled dancers Kayla Hamilton & Elisabeth Motley – is a movement workshop for all disabled people and their non-disabled accomplices, including and not limited to those that identify as D/disabled, blind, low vision, sight impaired, neurodivergent, D/deaf, hard of hearing, Sick, chronically ill, crip, or Mad. In this online community dance workshop, we will reach toward the liberatory pathways found in improvisational dance and the crip pride found in processes of creating from disability knowledge. Those with and without movement experience are welcome! 

Thursday, April 3 at 7:00 pm 

Brooklyn Maqam ft. Nibal Malshi x Haza Party 
David Rubenstein Atrium 
Free 
When two of Brooklyn's biggest and most discerning curators of MENA music throw a concert for the community, you know it's an event you can't miss! Haza ("shake" in Arabic) is a dance party and radio program that showcases Arab, Asian, and Pan-African music from the diasporas and beyond. Brooklyn Maqam is a performance-focused nonprofit dedicated to fostering engagement by presenting and promoting music from Middle Eastern traditions. Together, they're hosting an intimate evening in concert with the Haifa-born Palestinian vocal artist Nibal Malshi. Malshi, previously seen at the Kennedy Center and at Flushing Town Hall, is a 2023 Arab America Foundation "40 Under 40" award recipient. On stage with her full traditional instrumental ensemble, Malshi will present a selection of classic and contemporary songs for a journey through the rich and vibrant world of Arab music. Bring a friend and come dressed to impress...and to dance! 

Friday, April 4—Sunday, April 6, and  
Friday, April 11—Sunday, April 13 

at 12:30 and 3:30 pm 
Big Umbrella Festival 
When the World Turns 
Polyglot Theatre and Oily Cart 
Clark Studio Theater 
Choose-What-You-Pay 
 
For this event, tickets will be sold as group tickets; each single group ticket accommodates 2–5 people. Recommended for ages 5+. 
 
As part of this year’s Big Umbrella Festival, comes When the World Turns, a fantastical theater experience for children and young people with disabilities and their families. Performers from Polyglot Theatre (Australia) lead you into the heart of a wondrous landscape, inviting you to become part of a wild place of the senses where you can see, hear, touch, smell, and feel this strange, rustling, breathing world as it reveals itself. When the World Turns playfully explores our connection with each other and with the world—offering a place where humans are equal players to plants and our living Earth in a new, inclusive ecology. This immersive and participatory journey will be one you will remember: full of surprise and wonder! 

Friday, April 4—Sunday, April 6, 
Wednesday, April 9—Sunday, April 13, and  
Wednesday, April 16—Sunday, April 20 

from 11:00 am–6:00 pm 
Big Umbrella Festival 
Los Trompos 
Damrosch Park 
Free 
 
Bring your family to experience Los Trompos, a captivating, interactive installation featuring eight larger-than-life, three-dimensional spinning tops in a variety of colors and shapes, designed with accessibility in mind, at Damrosch Park. Each sculpture acts as a piece of art and a gathering place for relaxation, social interaction, and entertainment. Created by Mexican creators Esrawe + Cadena, the installation draws its inspiration from the spinning top toy that has been popular with children around the world since the dawn of time. This large-scale, hands-on artistic installation engages visitors in a way that is both meaningful and playful. 
 

Friday, April 4—Sunday, April 6, 
Wednesday, April 9—Sunday, April 13, and  
Wednesday, April 16—Sunday, April 20 

from 11:00 am–6:00 pm 
Big Umbrella Festival 
Creative Activity Station 
Damrosch Park  
Free 
 
While you’re enjoying the  Big Umbrella Festival, be sure to stop by the creative activity station inspired by Los Trompos in Damrosch Park—led by Lincoln Center’s education team and teaching artists. 

 
Friday, April 4 at 7:30 pm 

American Songbook 
Tribute to The Slits 
David Rubenstein Atrium 
Free 
Co-curated by Tamar-kali and Kathleen Hanna 

This year’s American Songbook series celebrates the voices of women and nonbinary performers who have not only shaped the landscape of music, but have also driven important conversations on gender, identity, and empowerment. Few artists fit that bill more precisely than The Slits, a riotous, pioneering, female-led UK experimental band that parlayed a love for dub, punk, and surf rock into an influential and durable DIY success story. Originally formed in 1976 by the legendary Ari Up and Palmolive, the group’s notorious debut LP Cut spawned a genuine radio hit with their raucous cover of “I Heard It Through the Grapevine.” The many hits of The Slits will be presented by the American Songbook band—featuring Megan Maloney (guitar), Barbara Duncan (percussion), Flora Lucini (bass), and Elenna Canlas (keyboards and vocals)—joined by an array of musical luminaries, all paying their respects to one of the true pioneers of punk. 

Host: Vivien Goldman 
Featured DJ: Mirrisa Neff 
Vocalists: 
Felice Rosser 
Honeychild Coleman 
Rachel Dissident 
Shara Lunon 
Cleo Reed 
Ashley Kossakowski 
Rahill Jamalifard 
Simi Stone 
Dunia Best 
 

Friday, April 4 at 8:00 pm 

Big Umbrella Festival 
Comedy Night with ReelAbilities 
Stanley H. Kaplan Penthouse 
Choose-What-You-Pay 
 
*Please note: This performance contains adult themes and mature language. Audience discretion is advised. 
 
Presented in partnership with ReelAbilities Film Festival: New York 
 
As part of this year’s Big Umbrella Festival, Lincoln Center continues its collaboration with the ReelAbilities Film Festival, the largest festival in the world dedicated to showcasing ground-breaking films by and about people with disabilities. The week-long series of events is renowned for its wide-ranging international film selection, riveting conversations, and performances, presented annually across the New York metropolitan area. Join us for a one-night-only comedy night at Lincoln Center, directed by Emily Turner and produced by Limitless Laughs Productions. 
 
Presented as part of the 17th Annual ReelAbilities Film Festival: New York, running April 3-9 in venues throughout NY+Online. Visit: ReelAbilities.org for full festival information. 
 
Featured Artists:  
Pavar Snipe (Host) 
Tina Friml (Headliner) 
Steve Way 
Pamela Schuller 
Mike Favor 
Dominique Nisperos 
Liv Talley 
Austin Eletto 
James Ian (Musical Guest) 
 
 

Saturday, April 5 at 11:00 am and 1:00 pm 

Big Umbrella Festival 
CMS Kids: Moving Music 
CMS Rose Studio, 10th floor of Rose Building 
Choose-What-You-Pay 
 
Presented in collaboration with the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center 
 
11 am is for ages 3-7, 1 pm is all ages 
 
Join us for a melodious CMS Kids journey, where music moves and melodies contour through the air! Through interactive listening, movement, and call-and-response activities, audience members are not just watching but actively participating, experiencing firsthand how an ensemble works together. This concert introduces the captivating world of chamber music through the enchanting sounds of clarinet, violin, and piano. Select repertoire will feature the compositions of Darius Milhaud, Aram Khachaturian, Lili Boulanger, and Robert Schumann, showcasing a range of dynamic melodies and emotional expressions. This program not only highlights the shapes and movement in music, but also offers an up-close introduction to the instruments that make chamber music so unique. Come and experience how music moves! 

 
Saturday, April 5 at 6:00 pm 

Fresh, Bold & So Def Women in Hip-Hop Symposium Part II: Culture Carriers – A Global Movement, Defined by U.N.I.T.Y. 
David Rubenstein Atrium 
Free 
Presented in collaboration with the Hip-Hop Education Center 
 
The second annual Fresh, Bold & So Def Symposium spotlights the achievements of the often-unsung heroines of Hip-Hop who set the standard and continue to play a pivotal role in shaping the culture. The symposium showcases the rich tapestry of talent from women trailblazers innovating in a male-dominated industry with a roster of presenters featuring artists, scholars, and creative professionals. Through powerful stories, cultural insights, and a collective commitment to honoring Hip-Hop’s past, present, and future, this intergenerational and transnational gathering is a vital celebration of the transformative impact of women at the vanguard of the global Hip-Hop movement. 
 
This year’s Fresh, Bold & So Def Symposium takes place April 4–6. It kicks off with a special screening of You Can’t Erase Me: Sparky D at The New York Public Library for the Performing Arts on April 4 at 4:00 pm, continues with this event, Trailblazers Talk, featuring the twelve speakers and artists listed below, and concludes with a closing celebration at the Maysles Documentary Center on April 6 at 1:00 pm. 

 
Sunday, April 6 at 1:00 pm 

Create-athon: Building a Boat with Clint Ramos 
David Rubenstein Atrium 
Free 
Why sit at home when you can embark on a voyage here at Lincoln Center? At this workshop led by ground-breaking, Tony-Award winning designer Clint Ramos, journey to a place of escape, expression, and freedom. You’ll collaborate with peers to make and launch a boat across Lincoln Center’s campus, so it’ll be an epic afternoon filled with creativity and adventure. Whether you’re a designer, engineer, or someone just interested in artmaking, all are welcome. It’s free and fun, so come through! 

Sunday, April 6 at 3:00 pm 

American Songbook 
Film Screening: Fanny: The Right to Rock 
David Geffen Hall Lobby 
Free 
Co-founded in California 50 years ago by Filipina American and queer teenagers, Fanny made history as the first all women band to release an album with a major record label (Warner/Reprise, 1970). As young women who expertly played their own instruments, Fanny bandmates penned original songs that were ahead of their time, with lyrics exploring themes of sexual freedom, war, relationships and identity. 

This multi award-winning film celebrates Fanny’s often-forgotten legacy in rock music. Meet the most important band you’ve never heard of… yet. 

 
Sunday, April 6 at 7:30 pm 

American Songbook 
Gossip and ESG: Honoring Fanny 
David Geffen Hall 
Choose-What-You-Pay 
Co-curated by Tamar-kali and Kathleen Hanna 

Three generations of women at the forefront of rock and roll are celebrated in this earth-shaking evening. The brashly soulful voice of Beth Ditto powers the GLAAD Award-nominated power pop-punk trio Gossip, whose 2009 single "Heavy Cross" skyrocketed their album Music for Men to Gold and Multi-Platinum certification across the EU. The legendary Bronx-based female funk rock collective ESG set the stage for whole genres of sound, including post punk and house music. Songs from the gr’up's early EPs have been so heavily sampled by ’ap's A-listers (including Wu-Tang Clan, The Beastie Boys and MF DOOM) that their sound has become nearly indivisible from Hip-Hop. ’SG's seminal 1983 debut album Come Away with ESG was acknowledged by Pitchfork as one of the 50 Best Albums of the 1980s. Amidst sets by both Gossip and ESG, Lincoln Center will honor the surviving members of the pioneering 1970s-era LA band Fanny, the first all-female rock band to record a full album at a major label. 

 
Wednesday, April 9 at 11:00 am & 1:00 pm 

Jazz at Lincoln Center Presents: Heartland Songbook 
Stanley H. Kaplan Penthouse 
Free 
Jazz at Lincoln Center presents a beautiful collection of rarities and favorites from the American Songbook that focus on life outside of the big city. Featuring vocalists Hannah Gill and Charles Turner, and a host of NYC’s greatest jazz musicians, we’ll explore gorgeous songs by Johnny Mercer, Willard Robison and beyond in a special program hosted by Jazz at Lincoln Center’s Justin Poindexter. 
 
This event is part of Lincoln Center Moments, a free performance-based program specially designed for individuals with dementia and their caregivers. 
 
Performances at 11:00 am are Relaxed Performances, designed for a neurodiverse audience. In addition to audiences impacted by dementia, these performances are also open to adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities. 
Performances at 1:00 pm are followed by an hour-long workshop specially designed for audiences impacted by dementia—facilitated by educators and music therapists that explore the work through discussion, movement, music, and art-making. 
 

Thursday, April 10 at 7:30 pm 

Unforgettable: The Music of Nat King Cole 
David Rubenstein Atrium 
Free 
Join us for an unforgettable evening celebrating the memory of the barrier-breaking, legendary Nat King Cole, revered for his velvety voice and iconic interpretations. Honored by American Pops Orchestra Conductor Luke Frazier and a stellar lineup of amazing artists, we commemorate his enduring influence with timeless classics such as "L-O-V-E" and "Mona Lisa," inviting audiences to relive the nostalgia of his music and talent. The American Pops Orchestra presents a broad array of popular and classical music in innovative ways to bring new audiences into the orchestral world and has been featured in 30 national broadcasts on PBS with programs ranging in genre from classical to country, jazz to musical theater. 

Friday, April 11—Sunday, April 13 

from 11:00 am – 6:00 pm  
Big Umbrella Festival 
Visual Art Station 
Rose Building  
Free 
 
While you’re enjoying the Big Umbrella Festival, be sure to stop by the visual art station in the Rose Building—led by Lincoln Center’s education team and teaching artists. 

Friday, April 11—Sunday, April 13 

at 11:00 am and 2:00 pm 
Big Umbrella Festival 
Second Hand Dance’s The Sticky Dance For Sensory Groovers 
Samuel Rehearsal Studio 7th floor of Rose Building 
Choose-What-You-Pay 
 
This production is recommended for neurodivergent children ages 3–7 and their families. For this event, tickets will be sold as group tickets; each single group ticket accommodates 2–3 people. 
 
Co-created by Rosie Heafford and Takeshi Matsumoto, Second Hand Dance’s The Sticky Dance for Sensory Groovers is an interactive and colorful dance performance installation designed for neurodiverse children and their families. As three dancers shimmy through the audience weaving a tapestry of sticky tape in this tactile, hands-on performance, they invite you to tape, stick and groove; to see and feel sound or to be still; to watch and listen. Presented as part of Big Umbrella Festival, audiences are encouraged to explore freely, choosing how they engage, and ultimately making the show their own! 

Friday, April 11 at 7:30 pm 

American Songbook 
Mixtape: Women in Punk 
David Rubenstein Atrium 
Free 
Co-curated by Tamar-kali and Kathleen Hanna  

The essence of punk music has always been impulsive, spontaneous, eclectic, audacious, and exciting. Those qualities also describe a great mixtape! Prepare yourself for an unpredictable evening inspired by the rich history of women and nonbinary artists in punk rock, including vanguard creators like Siouxsie Sioux, Patti Smith, Debbie Harry, The Raincoats, X-Ray Spex, The Slits, Kathleen Hanna, Laura Jane Grace, Beth Ditto, and many more. Mixtape: Women in Punk features the ace lineup of the American Songbook band—Megan Maloney (guitar), Barbara Duncan (percussion), Flora Lucini (bass), and Elenna Canlas (keyboards and vocals)—joined by an array of musical luminaries TBA. 

Saturday, April 12 at 11:00 am and 7:00 pm 

Big Umbrella Festival 
E.P.I.C. Players 
David Rubenstein Atrium 
Free 
 
As part of this year's Big Umbrella Festival, E.P.I.C. Players returns to Lincoln Center, proudly presenting a sample of the 2025 E.P.I.C. Season. This exciting set will feature music, theater, and dance performances from the company's repertoire, including numbers from E.P.I.C Jr., E.P.I.C. Storytellers, E.P.I.C. Dream Roles Cabaret, and their highly anticipated mainstage show, Seussical. E.P.I.C. Players is a non-profit theater company that opens the stage to all types of artists and seeks to shine a light on neurodiverse talent. They believe our differences are our greatest strength, and they are committed to more representation and opportunities for all artists. 

 
Saturday, April 12 at 7:30 pm 

American Songbook 
4132314: Tarta Relena, Los Sara Fontan, and Cocanha 
Alice Tully Hall 
Choose-What-You-Pay 
Presented in association with Institut Ramon Llull  

The varied traditions of Mediterranean folk music are reimagined through a modern, experimental lens in 4132314, an epic collaborative project from the acclaimed Catalan vocal duo Tarta Relena, the genius compositional partners Los Sara Fontan, and the percussion and vocal Occitan duo Cocanha. Together, these three pairs of artists present a distinctly theatrical concert inspired by the visual repetition of dressmaking patterns from classical textile mills, the inherent musicality of cloth's production, and the until-now unsung effort of the countless women who wove their lives into the very fabric of history. Vivified by intoxicating polyphony, innovative instrumentation, Byzantine rhythmic construction, and an unmistakable sense of DIY creativity, 4132314 celebrates collective work, ingenuity, solidarity, sorority, and the common thread of connection that binds us all. Winner of the 2022 Ciutat de Barcelona Award, 4132314 makes its U.S. debut at Lincoln Center. 

Sunday, April 13 at 11:00 am (Recommended for ages 3–10)  

and 2:00 pm (Recommended for ages 11+) 
Big Umbrella Festival 
Magical Miniature World Workshop 
Stanley H. Kaplan Penthouse 
Choose-What-You-Pay 
 
Led by Lincoln Center’s education team and teaching artists as part of the Big Umbrella Festival, participants of all ages and abilities are invited to use a variety of accessible art-making materials to create their own magical miniature world and bring it to life! We invite children and families to join us in playing together, using movement and sound to explore our creations in this imaginative workshop. 

Tuesday, April 15 at 7:30 pm 

American Songbook 
Ana Tijoux 
David Geffen Hall 
Choose-What-You-Pay  
It has been nearly a decade since the GRAMMY-nominated and Latin GRAMMY Award-winning emcee Ana Tijoux dropped her critically acclaimed album Vengo, a "dazzling" (NPR) blend of Hip-Hop and Andean traditional sounds. In the years between, the French-Chilean rapper and songwriter has released over 15 singles, coped with the sadness of profound personal loss, and grown significantly as an artist. Her long-awaited new LP, 2024's aptly-named Vida, featuring guest turns from Talib Kweli and iLe, displays Tijoux's development boldly with songs that "weave activism, emotional and spiritual growth... offered freely and generously" (AllMusic). In a concert that brings South America to the American Songbook, Tijoux and her live band spotlight the intricate arrangements laced throughout Vida, alongside other hits from her catalog, for a whirlwind trip through the worlds of rap, jazz, Latin folk, and funk, all tinted with unvarnished emotion and a sharp sense of humor. 

 
Thursday, April 17 at 7:30 pm 

Migguel Angelo’s Icons: Celia Cruz  
David Rubenstein Atrium 
Free 
For the second installment of Migguel Anggelo’s episodic concert series Icons—highlighting artists who break barriers, challenge norms, and inspire us to see ourselves and the world in new ways—we celebrate the legendary Cuban singer Celia Cruz in honor of her 100th birthday year. Directed and developed by Adrian Alea, led by Musical Director Jaime Lozano and backed by an all-star lineup of live musicians, this concert pays tribute to the Queen of Salsa and delves into themes of Latine cultural identity, resilience, and the transformative power of music. 

Saturday, April 19 at 2:00 pm and 7:30 pm 

Big Umbrella Festival 
Teatro La Plaza’s Hamlet 
Alice Tully Hall 
Choose-What-You-Pay 
 
*Please note: This performance contains adult themes and mature language. Audience discretion is advised. This show is intended for ages 11+. 
 
This event will be performed in Spanish with English supertitles. 
 
Peruvian theater company Teatro La Plaza reinvents Shakespeare’s classic tragedy Hamlet into a joyful and enigmatic production. Rather than telling one man's story, director and writer Chela De Ferrari's interpretation hones in on the importance of community. In this retelling of Shakespeare, the stories of people with Down syndrome take center stage, when historically they have been relegated to the background. Weaving together a version of the text with personal anecdotes from the cast, De Ferrari brings new meaning to the 400-year-old play and asks how can those with Down syndrome exist in a world that continually sets out to exclude them? 

Saturday, April 19 at 7:30 pm 

The Potluck: In Concert  
By César Alvarez; Directed by Sarah Benson 
David Rubenstein Atrium 
Free  
A mind-expanding concert performance of the latest work by Lucille Lortel Award winner and Guggenheim Fellow César Alvarez, created in collaboration with designer and visual artist Emily Orling, comes to the Atrium this April. Alvarez was born into a community of communist labor organizers who had survived the brutal murders of five of their members by the KKK in 1979—known as the Greensboro Massacre. Thirty-six years later, Alvarez has crafted The Potluck, a musical about ghosts, queerness, how to recuperate from trauma that happened to you before you were even born, and capitalism.  
 

Tuesday, April 22 at 7:30 pm 

Juilliard Green Club Presents an Earth Day Concert 
David Rubenstein Atrium 
Free 
Presented in collaboration with The Juilliard Green Club of The Juilliard School 

Dancers, actors, and musicians from The Juilliard Green Club are thrilled to take the stage to present a multi-genre, immersive concert experience. We ask our audience to consider our collective futures in the face of climate change amidst differences in background, class, resources, and geographical location. Artists have always looked either to the past or forward to an unknown future, often attempting to predict what awaits all of us with the knowledge they possess in their time. This need to consider our place and agency within a larger context is one artists always struggle with, but today, it is something we all struggle with, as the choices necessary to guarantee a safe future are not in our hands. We will consider art that seeks out the past, present, and future of our Earth to answer the following question: how have artists considered their futures in the past, and what can we learn from them in imagining our own future? 

 
Friday, April 25 at 7:30 pm 

¡VAYA! Orquesta Akokán 
David Rubenstein Atrium 
Free 
Featuring DJ Bongohead  
 
Join us for a free ¡VAYA! social dance event featuring GRAMMY-nominated Orquesta Akokán, who continues to vibrantly usher the mambo into the 21st century and offer a glorious return to the iconic grooves of Cuba’s orquestas gigantes of the mid-twentieth century. Recipients of the Billboard Latin Music Award, Telemundo Latin American Music Award, and Songlines Music Awards, Orquesta Akokán’s music uplifts the spirit and inspires the body to move! 
 
 

Sunday, April 27 at 9:00 am 

Create-athon: New Artist Adventures in AI with Brandon Powers 
Clark Studio Theater 
Free 
 
It’s time to up your AI game! Movement meets motion pictures in this interactive workshop that will test your artistic skills online and on the move. Led by ground-breaking artist Brandon Powers, this Create-athon is an opportunity to experiment with cutting-edge AI tools and explore how technology can shape the future of live dance, theatre, and more. Interested in AI? All are welcome and we’ll give you the details to thrive. It’s going to be an epic experience you don’t want to miss... and it’s totally FREE! 

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