Ars Nova has announced the Ars Nova at Greenwich HouseWarming Party, a benefit performance of Freestyle Love Supreme with Lin-Manuel Miranda that will take place on Sunday, March 3, 6pm at Ars Nova at Greenwich House (27 Barrow Street, Manhattan). The HouseWarming Party will celebrate Ars Nova's expansion into the historic Greenwich House Theater and support the development of new artistic programs at two New York theaters: Ars Nova at Greenwich House and the Ars Nova Hub on 54th Street.
Join Lin-Manuel Miranda & Freestyle Love Supreme as they welcome Ars Nova to its new downtown home with a special benefit performance of Freestyle Love Supreme. In 2004, Ars Nova's production of Freestyle Love Supreme was Thomas Kail and Lin-Manuel Miranda's first New York City production and one of Ars Nova's first shows in its 54th Street Hub. 15 years later, they're back to break in Ars Nova's second Off-Broadway home with the Ars Nova at Greenwich HouseWarming Party.
All tickets to the HouseWarming Party are currently sold out. However, Ars Nova is thrilled to launch its first-ever Prizeo sweepstakes in support of Ars Nova's expansion into the Greenwich House Theater. With a minimum $10 donation to Ars Nova, you'll be entered to win two VIP tickets to the HouseWarming Party on March 3, plus round-trip tickets to New York City with two-night accommodations. Winners will also attend the exclusive after-party where they will meet the cast of Freestyle Love Supreme. The Prizeo sweepstakes will run from today until February 18. Winners will be announced on February 19. More details can be found at prizeo.com/freestylelovesupreme.
For more information about the Ars Nova at Greenwich HouseWarming Party Prizeo sweepstakes or to be added to a wait list for regular benefit tickets (priced at $1,000 - $2,500), please contact Jillian Rorrer at jrorrer@arsnovanyc.com.
Before Hamilton, Lin-Manuel Miranda was part of the unique Freestyle Love Supreme hip hop improv show. The seeds of the show were planted during rehearsals for Miranda's first Broadway show, In the Heights. Along with fellow cast member Anthony Veneziale, Miranda freestyled during rehearsal breaks and eventually co-created this unique show with Heights director Thomas Kail. Now, Freestyle Love Supreme returns to NYC for a limited run, starring Anthony Veneziale (aka Two Touch), Chris Sullivan (aka Shockwave), Utkarsh Ambudkar (aka UTK The Inc), Bill Sherman (aka King Sherman), Arthur Lewis (aka Arthur the Geniuses) and Andrew Bancroft (aka Jelly Donut). Special guests with Miranda (aka Lin-Man) include Tony Award winner James Monroe Iglehart (aka J-Soul) and Hamilton co-stars Christopher Jackson (aka C-Jack) and Daveed Diggs (aka Mr. Diggs).
Freestyle Love Supreme is a stage show like no other. Performers take the crowd on a non-stop, hip hop improv ride, spinning cues from the audience into instantaneous riffs and fully realized musical numbers. No two shows will ever be the same. All cell phones will be checked upon entering the theater for a truly unique and memorable experience. freestylelovesupreme.com
Opened in 1917 as the Greenwich House Theater, the Greenwich House's Children Theater program occupied the theater beginning in 1921. For over 65 years, under the leadership of children's author and playwright Helen Murphy, the theater not only provided a constructive outlet for children of the area's mostly Italian immigrant families, but its productions received widespread recognition. Beginning in the 1970s, a series of professional theater companies began operating in the space. The now defunct Sanctuary Theatre, whose members included voice artist Rip Torn and film star Geraldine Page, began productions in 1979. In 1985, Soho Rep. moved in, followed by the non-profit Drama Dept. in the 1990s and Barrow Street Theatre from 2003-2018. In 2018, Ars Nova was selected by Greenwich House as the new occupant of the historic 199-seat theater.
Ars Nova exists to discover, develop and launch singular theater, music and comedy artists in the early stages of their professional careers. Their dynamic slate of programs supports outside-the-box thinking and encourages innovative, genre-bending work. Dubbed by The New York Times as a "fertile incubator of offbeat theater," Ars Nova blurs genres and subverts the status quo. With their feverish bounty of programming, Ars Nova is a stomping ground and launching pad for visionary, adventurous artists of all stripes. By providing a protective environment where risk-taking and collaboration are paramount, Ars Nova gives voice to a new generation of diverse artists and audiences, pushing the boundaries of live entertainment by nurturing creative ideas into smart, surprising new work.
Ars Nova has been honored with an OBIE Award and a Special Citation from the New York Drama Critics' Circle for sustained quality and commitment to the development and production of new work. Notable past productions include: The New York Times' "Best of 2018" Rags Parkland Sings The Songs of The Future created by Andrew R. Butler, directed by Jordan Fein; the extended, sold-out The Lucky Ones, created by The Bengsons and Sarah Gancher, directed by Anne Kauffman; "Outstanding Musical" Lortel Award-winner KPOP, created by Jason Kim, Max Vernon, Helen Park and Woodshed Collective, directed by Teddy Bergman; "Best New American Theatre Work" OBIE Award-winner and The New York Times' "Best of 2016" Underground Railroad Game by Jennifer Kidwell and Scott R. Sheppard with Lightning Rod Special, directed by Taibi Magar (now on international tour); "Outstanding Musical" Lortel Award-winner FUTURITY, by César Alvarez with The Lisps, directed by Sarah Benson; The New York Times' and New York Post's "Best of 2015" Small Mouth Sounds by Bess Wohl, directed by Rachel Chavkin; Time Out New York's "Best of 2014" JACUZZI by The Debate Society, directed by Oliver Butler; the Tony Award-winning smash-hit Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812 by Dave Malloy, directed by Rachel Chavkin; Jollyship the Whiz-Bang by Nick Jones and Raja Azar, directed by Sam Gold; the world premiere of the 2009 season's most-produced play boom by Peter Sinn Nachtrieb, directed by Alex Timbers; the show that put Bridget Everett on the map, At Least It's Pink by Everett, Michael Patrick King and Kenny Mellman, directed by King; and Lin-Manuel Miranda and Thomas Kail's first New York production, Freestyle Love Supreme by Anthony Veneziale and Miranda, directed by Thomas Kail.
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