Kaatsbaan Cultural Park Presents An Evening Of New Songs By Taylor Mac And Matt Ray

Kaatsbaan Cultural Park - Sonja Kostich, Chief Executive and Artistic Officer - announces the full programming for the 2022 Summer Festival, with a host of stars and premieres in the scenic Hudson Valley location. Continuing its mission to be a home for artists across disciplines with the annual Summer Festival, Kaatsbaan continues with:

June 18 at 6:00pm: An Evening of New Songs by Taylor Mac and Matt Ray

Taylor Mac and friends pay homage to queer icons of the past and present in this work-in-progress concert, slated for a 2023 NYC premiere. Featuring a selection of all-new original songs co-written with composer/music director Matt Ray. Taylor Mac is reunited with longtime collaborators co-director Niegel Smith, choreographer Faye Driscoll and costume designer Machine Dazzle and creative producers Pomegranate Arts. Mac, who is a 2017 MacArthur "genius grant" recipient, and collaborators will create the work during a month-long Kaatsbaan residency, culminating in this performance celebrating Pride month in the Hudson Valley.

The Summer Festival runs over consecutive weekends, from June 4 to 19, opening with three new works from Live Arts Global, the dance/music project from Joanna Defelice and Melanie Hamrick; rising stars from ABT JKO School, TheJuilliard School, School of American Ballet, with the acclaimed Neave Trio in classic repertoire as well as a new Kaatsbaan commissioned work from rising Juilliard choreographic talent Haley Winegarden, recipient of the first Kaatsbaan Playing Field Choreography Award; New York darling Taylor Mac previews a special evening of all new work; and closing the Summer Festival, a day of music and dance with Tyrone Birkett and his ensemble Emancipation in collaboration with New York City choreographer/dancer Robert Rubama, joined by dancer Kar'mel Antonyo Wade Small, and poetry featuring multi-award-winning poet Patricia Smith joined by poet laureate of Los Angeles Lynne Thompson, and Pulitzer Prize-winning poet Tyehimba Jess.

Throughout the 2022 Festival season, Kaatsbaan will exhibit the work of dynamic Hudson Valley based artists across its beautiful 153-acres. The list includes Emil Alzamora, Stuart Farmery, Tristan Fitch, Jared Handelsman, Kenichi Hiratsuka, Lowell Miller, Portia Munson, Shelley Parriott, Eileen M. Power, Gregory Steel, Christina Tenaglia, andMillicent Young.

"Kaatsbaan's 2022 Summer Festival represents our commitment to provide an extraordinary environment for cultural innovation and excellence as a cultural park and to presenting multidisciplinary works." said Sonja Kostich, Chief Executive & Artistic Officer "As such, we are proud to continue contributing to the Hudson Valley's vast cultural landscape as well as the economic health of our Dutchess County community. Through innovative partnerships, we continue to present unparalleled artists from dance, music, culinary, poetry, and visual art, providing our audiences opportunities to engage with today's leading artists."

"We are thrilled to once again convene such notable artists for our upcoming 2022 Summer Festival," said Stella Abrera, Artistic Director. "Staying true to our mission of being a year-round dance sanctuary, we also look to support a diverse range of artists both as performers and creators and we strive to ensure that our programming accurately reflects today's society by supporting performers who advance diversity, equity, and inclusion in the arts."

*All programming subject to change

Summer Festival general tickets are now on sale. Details for the Fall Festival are available at kaatsbaan.org. Kaatsbaan Summer and Fall Festivals are sponsored by Millbrook Vineyards & Winery, Migliorelli Farm, and Tivoli Bakery. Kaatsbaan Summer Festival take place at Kaatsbaan Cultural Park (120 Broadway, Tivoli, NY 12583). Tickets can be purchased at kaatsbaan.org. For questions boxoffice@kaatsbaan.org.

Under new leadership, Kaatsbaan Cultural Park deepens its mission to provide an extraordinary environment for cultural innovation and excellence. As both an incubator for creativity and presenter for diverse world-class artists in dance, theater, music, film, poetry, culinary, media, and visual arts, Kaatsbaan provides artists with state-of-the-art dance studios, accommodations, an indoor theater, and two outdoor stages. Sitting on 153 Hudson River-adjacent acres, Kaatsbaan is free of urban facilities' space and time constraints, allowing for exciting levels of artistic exploration, creative action, and achievement - just two hours north of New York City. Kaatsbaan Cultural Park is committed to the advancement of diversity, equity, and inclusion in the arts as we aim to present, promote, and embrace programming that accurately reflects our society. We encourage a broadly diverse group of individuals to participate in our programs and join our Board and Staff and insist on being inclusive of all peoples regardless of their race, ethnicity, gender, sexuality, socio-economic background, physical or mental ability. For more information, please visit www.kaatsbaan.org.