Music, Dance, Shakespeare and More Slated for Bryant Park's Summer 2016 Season

Bryant Park Corporation announces the summer season of Bryant Park Presents, the performing arts series that creates adventurous and immersive outdoor cultural experiences in the middle of Midtown Manhattan. The season, April 22 - September 17, comprises more than 50 events spanning a broad range of concerts, dance and theater performances, dance parties, and more. All events are held free of charge in iconic Bryant Park, an oasis in a canyon of skyscrapers.

Bryant Park Presents is a singular contribution to a city already rich with summer festivals. The venue is extraordinarily convenient, within a few blocks of major transportation hubs including Penn Station, Times Square and Grand Central Terminal, and virtually all subway lines. There's never a need to wait in line since the park can easily accommodate several thousand attendees on chairs or blankets. Amenities abound, including free board games, ping-pong, kubb, Petanque, and Wi-Fi, plus food and beverages available for purchase from a variety of in-park and nearby restaurants.

Perhaps more remarkably, audiences can expect bold programming rarely offered anywhere else, including the IN/TERSECT concert series, produced with Chamber Music America and curated by Patrick Zimmerli, bringing together leading jazz and classical music artists each evening (June 10, July 15, August 26); the Emerging Music Festival featuring five rising New York City-based bands (August 19); Accordions Around the World, produced with Ariana's List and comprising weekly performances (Wednesdays, June 29-August 31) by accordionists in a wide range of genres, beginning with the Accordion Picnic (June 29) and culminating in the Accordion Band Festival (August 31); the Modern Dance series, produced with Inception to Exhibition (ITE), in which twelve companies perform over the course of four consecutive Fridays (June 17-July 8); three Shakespeare productions (May 19-September 17)-plus a celebration of the 400th anniversary of the Bard's death, with a jazz funeral march and some of the greatest Shakespeare death scenes performed in succession (April 22)-produced by the acclaimed The Drilling Company; and a robust lineup of Dance Party events, hosted and produced by Talia Castro-Pozo, spanning swing, tango, salsa, bachata and more.

Ethan Lercher, Bryant Park Corporation's Director of Public Events, said of the season, "Bryant Park Presents brings together over 60,000 New Yorkers and visitors to enjoy high quality dance, theater, and music performances by over 400 artists in a casual and festive atmosphere with no lines, no tickets, great sightlines, and plenty of seating. The casual atmosphere of Bryant Park encourages audiences to interact with artists in inimitable ways, and those interactions make the experience of only-in-Bryant-Park programs such as IN/TERSECT and Accordions Around the World all the more exciting."

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BRYANT PARK PRESENTS 2016 PROGRAMMING:

BRYANT PARK PRESENTS
IN/TERSECT
jazz+classical music
JUNE 10 - AUGUST 26, 5-10 PM

IN/TERSECT gives New Yorkers the rare opportunity to experience some of the best players in jazz and classical music, all on one bill. With five ensembles each night - including internationally renowned veterans such as Chris Potter, Andy Akiho, Dan Tepfer and Ethan Iverson, as well as some of the most talented and exciting up-and-coming artists - the three evening series showcases world-class performances in these seemingly disparate genres. The series features standards and new works, including commissions and world premieres, and is produced with Chamber Music America and curated by composer and saxophonist Patrick Zimmerli.

June 10: Outside Sources featuring Sandbox Percussion, Andy Lin and Kelly Lin, Andy Akiho and The Foundry, Jonathan Finlayson & Sicilian Defense, and Chris Potter Underground Orchestra

July 15: Kit of Parts featuring The Westerlies, Ben Monder, Rabbit Rabbit (Carla Kihlstedt & Matthias Bossi), Argus String Quartet, and Ethan Iverson

August 26: Breaking Boundaries featuring Inbal Segev, Bridget Kibbey with Kristin Lee and John Hadfield, Patrick Zimmerli Quintet, Kenari Quartet, and Dan Tepfer Trio and String Quartet

BRYANT PARK PRESENTS
EMERGING MUSIC FESTIVAL
FRIDAY, AUGUST 19, 5-10PM

Emerging Music Festival returns for its second year with five rising New York-based bands performing on one of the biggest stages of their careers. Thousands of music lovers pack the beautiful Bryant Park lawn for the city's best new music, including indie rock, soul, R&B, singer-songwriter, and funk. Between sets attendees can play a variety of giant lawn games, learn to juggle, and purchase food and beverages from celebrated local vendors.

BRYANT PARK PRESENTS
ACCORDIONS AROUND THE WORLD
WEDNESDAYS, JUNE 29- AUGUST 31, 6-8PM

Accordions Around the World is a weekly series that regularly features over 75 accordionists, as well as bandoneon/bayan/concertina/harmonium-players of different musical genres, performing in various locations around Bryant Park. The series, which highlights six musicians each Wednesday, represents many cultures and genres, offering audiences the chance to experience the often overlooked instrument. The series, produced with Ariana's List, has garnered acclaim from The New York Times, Wall Street Journal, ABC News and NY1. Highlights this year include the Accordion Picnic featuring 24 accordionists (June 29) to begin the series, and the culminating Accordion Band Festival featuring Fidelina Pascual performing Dominican merengue tipico, local favorites Pistolera, Golem, and more (August 31).

BRYANT PARK PRESENTS
ACCORDION PICNIC
WEDNESDAY, JUNE 29, 6-8PM

Tasty food and picnic blankets on the lawn with 24 accordionists playing music from all corners of the globe: Argentine Tango, French, Italian, South Asian, Cajun, Irish, Zydeco, Japanese, Klezmer, Balkan, Brazilian, Colombian, Russian, and more.

BRYANT PARK PRESENTS
ACCORDION BAND FESTIVAL
WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 31, 5-10PM

Six exemplary NYC bands playing music from across the globe, each featuring an accordion, perform to an audience of thousands on the lawn: Silver City Bound (American Roots), Barynya Balalaika Trio (Russian), Pistolera (Latin Alt Party), Golem (Klezmer Punk), Fidelina Pascual (Dominican Perico Ripiao), Brooklyn Qawwali Party (Pakistani inspired Party Funk).

Soloists (performing between bands): Ismail Butera with Natalia Perlaza: Epyllion (Music from the Mediteranean), Gregory Grene (Celtic-Roots-Rock), Albert Behar (Gypsy Jazz & Waltz Musette), Eva Salina and Peter Stan (Music from the Balkans), Gregorio Uribe (Colombian Cumbia & Vallenato).

BRYANT PARK PRESENTS
MODERN DANCE
FRIDAYS, JUNE 17 - JULY 8
6-8PM

Three modern dance companies perform each evening on four consecutive Fridays, June 17-July 8. The shows feature one emerging, one established, and one veteran dance company on each program. The series is produced with Inception to Exhibition and curated by Tiffany Rea-Fisher, newly appointed artistic director of Elisa Monte Dance and artistic director of Inception to Exhibition (ITE), and includes repertory works along with premieres by Alia Kache, 227 Dance Project, Willy Laury, and Black Boys Dance Too.

June 17: Alia Kache, Barkin Selissen Project, and LaneCoArts
June 24: 227 Dance Project, Earl Mosley & Clifton Brown, and Amy Marshall Dance Company
July 1: Willy Laury, BARE Dance Company, and Sean Curran Company
July 8: Black Boys Dance Too, Adam Barrauch, and Cherlyn Lavagnino Dance.

BRYANT PARK PRESENTS
SHAKESPEARE
APRIL 22 - SEPTEMBER 17

Three of William Shakespeare's most beloved comedies are produced by the irreverent, surprising and critically acclaimed The Drilling Company: Much Ado About Nothing, As You Like It with music by Natalie Smith, and Measure for Measure. The plays feature the greatest, funniest and noblest women of the canon-Beatrice, Rosalind and Isabella-remarkable characters who, with close connections to other women, master true love and overcome misogyny and sexual harassment. In addition, the anniversaries of William Shakespeare's birth (452nd) and death (400th) are honored with a daylong celebration.

Shakespeare Birthday Bash
April 22, 12:30-2pm
Celebrate the 452nd birthday of William Shakespeare with Shakespeare Words, Shakespeare Songs, Speak the Speech, and the Word Wall.

Deaths of Shakespeare April 22, 6:30-8:30pm
In honor of the 400th Anniversary of Shakespeare's death, a jazz funeral march is led by the Jambalaya Brass Band, followed by some of the greatest Shakespeare death scenes performed in succession, plus special guests.

Much Ado About Nothing
May 19 - June 4
Upper Terrace (10 performances)
Thursday, 9pm; Friday and Saturday, 7pm; Sunday, May 29, 3pm

As You Like It
July 21 - 23
Bryant Park Stage (3 performances)
Thursday, 9pm; Friday and Saturday, 7pm
music by Natalie Smith

Measure for Measure
Sept 1 - Sept 17
Upper Terrace (10 performances)
Thursday, 9pm; Friday and Saturday, 7pm; Sunday, Sept 4, 3pm

BRYANT PARK PRESENTS
DANCE PARTY
WEDNESDAYS, MAY 4 - JUNE 22
6-7PM: DANCE INSTRUCTION
7-8:30PM: LIVE MUSIC WITH DANCING

Dance Party, hosted and produced by Talia Castro-Pozo, includes superb bands and expert dance instruction for extraordinary dancing experiences each Wednesday evening. All-ages are welcome to explore a different dance genre each week, including swing, tango, salsa, bachata and more. The extra special opening and closing nights (5-10pm) with three bands and three dance lessons are events where the audience is encouraged to come dressed up for a night of dancing.

May 4: Opening Night Ball featuring Jesse Gelber & The Astor Boys (Charleston), Dan Levinson &
His Gotham SophistiCats with Molly Ryan (Foxtrot), and Blue Vipers of Brooklyn (Jitterburg)
May 11: Cumbiamba eNeYe (Cumbia & Vallenato)
May 18: Pedro Giraudo Quartet (Tango)
May 25: The Grand Street Stompers featuring Tamar Korn (Swing)
June 1: Los Hacheros (Cuban Salsa and Rueda)
June 8: Voz a Voz (Bachata)
June 15: Eliano Braz The Forro Fiddler (Forro)
June 22: Latin Festival including Grupo Arcano, Pete Nater & Associates, and The New Swing Sextet (Mambo, Salsa, and Cha Cha Cha)

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Bryant Park Corporation (BPC), a private not-for-profit company, was founded in 1980 to renovate, finance and operate Bryant Park in New York City. BPC is funded by income from events, concessions and corporate sponsors, as well as an assessment on neighboring properties, and does not accept government or philanthropic monies. In addition to providing security and sanitation services and tending the park's lush lawn and seasonal garden displays, BPC provides public amenities and activities, including movable chairs and tables, cafe umbrellas, restaurants, food kiosks, world-class restrooms, and a wide range of free events throughout the year. The Midtown Manhattan park is visited by more than six million people each year and is one of the busiest public spaces in the world. BPC's website, www.bryantpark.org, is available for more detailed information and a schedule of upcoming events.