Multidisciplinary Performances About HOME Will Highlight Diverse NYC Artists

"Habitat: Home" is a nationwide community-building project powered by live art. Upcoming performances in New York City will bring performers and audiences together across boroughs to explore what 'home' means right now. These timely programs will intermingle music, poetry, theater, video, and dance in styles unique to local artists, celebrating underrepresented voices and connecting participants through shared experience.

The shows will take place in historic, beautiful sanctuaries on October 19, 2019 at St. Michael's Episcopal Church in Manhattan (225 W 99th St, New York, NY 10025), and October 20, 2019 at the First Presbyterian Church of Brooklyn (124 Henry St, Brooklyn, NY 11201). Both evenings will begin at 6pm, and conclude with free food receptions where guests can mingle with the artists and other community members. Reserve seats at http://habitathome.us/rsvp.

"Everybody deserves a home. Everybody needs art in their life. ...we can use art to help people understand how important home is," said co-organizer and composer, Dionne McClain-Freeney.

"I'm excited about Habitat: Home because of the way the arts help us think about difficult topics like immigration and race," said co-organizer and dancer, Rev. Adriene Thorne.

Programs will include new pieces "Climate Justice," "The Labeler," "Connections," "Seven Minutes from the Sun," "Orogeny," "La Madre Triste" from Piececitos, "She Was Warned," "Rage," "Earth That I Love," and "Going Home," originally commissioned for the NY Philharmonic's New World Initiative.

Over 30 local artists and performers are involved, with collective accolades from GRAMMY nominations to commissions by the New York Philharmonic, American Opera Projects, and American Ballet Theater. Participants hold degrees from schools such as The Juilliard School, Mannes School of Music, Eastman School of Music, Sarah Lawrence College, and New England Conservatory, while past performances range from Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center and Jacob's Pillow to NYMF, off-broadway, national tours, Madonna music videos, and more. Many of our artists are also educators at schools such as Sarah Lawrence College, Columbia University, New England Conservatory, and New York Philharmonic/Lincoln Center Educational Programs.

"I so deeply want a sense of collaboration and community..and to just give art to the world 'cause I think we need it so badly right now," said singer/actor Esteban Suero.

"If we can make anyone...want to be kinder, want to think of something differently, I think that's worth every minute," said composer, Saúl Guanipa.

Habitat: Home NYC events are free, non-partisan, secular, wheelchair-accessible, near public transportation stops, and open to all. With the advisement of participating deaf composer/advocate Jay Zimmerman, these programs will include ASL Interpreter Shelby Edwards, GlobeTitles smartphone captioning, and "Seeing Music" live sound visualizations created via a collaboration between Zimmerman and Google. Web-streaming of the events will also be available for those at home.

Participating artists and performers are: Julia Barry, organizer & composer; Rohan Bhargava (Rovaco Dance), choreographer/dancer; Victoria Bond, composer; St. Cecilia Children's Choir of St. Michael's Church; Meredith Entrop, visual artist/musician; Dusty Francis, co-organizer & conductor; Leonard Fu, violin; Alec Galambos, consultant/Khorikos director; Saul Guanipa, composer; Jinhee Han, composer; Johanna V. Hayes, choreographer/dancer; Esco Jouléy, actor/singer/clown; Sevan K.Greene, singer; Joshua Lang, baritone saxophone; Dionne McClain-Freeney, co-organizer & composer; Sun Kyoung Min, cello; Napat Mingkuanyen, piano; Beata Moon, composer & piano; Jihwon Na, cello; Anna Pinault, dancer; Kala Pierson, composer; Carrie Quarquesso, singer; Dudley Raine, IV, viola; Melanie Ramos, choreographer/dancer; Joseph Rubinstein, composer; Austin Silavong, dancer; Taylor Edelle Stuart, video artist; Esteban Suero, singer; Taïs Szilagi, singer; Rev. Adriene Thorne, co-organizer & dancer; Melisa Tien, writer; Joelle Wallach, composer; Jay Zimmerman, composer; First Presbyterian Church Choir; Inspire: A Choir for Unity.

Co-organizers Julia Barry and Dusty Francis met through the New York City Master Chorale, of which Francis is now the Artistic Director and Principal Conductor; Julia Barry and Dionne McClain-Freeney met in the BMI Lehman Engel Musical Theatre Workshop, and Dionne is involved with musical activity at the First Presbyterian Church, where Rev. Adriene Thorne is pastor. Responding to social and environmental unrest in America, the co-organizers began "Habitat: Home" to spark empathy and public action on our nation's most timely issues. With a unifying, creative base, artists and community members together create a unique and effective structure for community revitalization, mutual understanding, and civic responsibility.

More information can be found on the "Habitat: Home" website.