NYC Celebrates World Theatre Day 2011 3/27

Each year on March 27, the interNational Theatre community celebrates World Theatre Day. Founded in 1961 by the InterNational Theatre Institute (ITI), World Theatre Day was created to celebrate theatre around the world, with various national and interNational Theatre events organized to mark the occasion. The Theatre Communications Group (TCG) has served as the Center for ITI-US since 1999.

Each year, a theatre figure of world stature is invited to share his or her reflections on theatre and international harmony. This year, accomplished playwright, actress, director, academic and humanitarian Jessica A. Kaahwa from Uganda will give the 2011 International Message. The U.S. message from an artist selected by TCG/ITI-US is forthcoming.

The 2011 NYC World Theatre Day (NYCWTD) Coalition will coordinate the following events and activities throughout New York City:

Theatrical Performances: Theatres throughout the city will read or distribute the International Message (for a complete list of performances, visit: www.nycwtd.com).
SPLAT Performances: Spontaneous, Public Large-scale Acts of Theatre Performances will take place around the city.
NYC World Theatre Day Celebration: Theatre artists from around the world will gather to hear the International Message read by a New York theatre luminary - as well as to watch footage from SPLAT Performances and celebrations around the world. The celebration will take place on March 27, 4:00pm - 7:00pm at Dixon Place (161A Chrystie Street).
Making The Political Personal: A brunch and panel discussion of notable New York artists will be hosted by hotINK and moderated by Kevin Bitterman, Associate Director of International Programs at TCG. This event will be held at the Lark Play Development Center. The panel will take place on March 27, 2011 at 10:00am. Tickets are free, but must be reserved in advance at www.larktheatre.org.
The NYC World Theatre Day blog: The NYC World Theatre Day Blog (www.nycwtd.blogspot.com) will host local, national and international guest bloggers discussing theatre and the interNational Theatre community. Guest bloggers include: Saviana Stanescu, Nicky Paraiso, Leonard Jacobs, Betty Shameih, JZ Bich and Martin Denton among others.

"The NYCWTD Coalition is proud to be a part of this international tradition of celebrating theatre and the important part it plays in our cultures and in our lives. New York City is a theatre town and one of the most culturally diverse cities in the world," said John Eisner, Artistic Director, The Lark Play Development Center "So, we are excited once again to be organizing some really exhilarating, entertaining and enriching events surrounding World Theatre Day."

How to get involved:
For theaters that have a performance from March 25 to 28 in NYC and would like to participate, register at www.nycwtd.com. To participate in World Theatre Day SPLAT Performances, email info@nycwtd.com. For more information about all events and for updates, visit www.nycwtd.com, follow the Coalition on Twitter @nycwtd or become a fan of NYC World Theatre Day Coalition on Facebook.

The New York City World Theatre Day Coalition
The mission of the New York City World Theatre Day Coalition is to create a widespread awareness of World Theatre Day by connecting the NYC theatre community to other theatre communities around the world, and encouraging audiences in NYC and beyond to celebrate with us by attending the theatre. The Coalition is comprised of representatives of theatre companies and advocacy groups whose common goal is to promote World Theatre Day by coordinating events and distributing the WTD message and the coalition includes: The Theatre Communications Group - www.tcg.org, The Community Dish - communitydish.org, Fourth Arts Block - www.fabnyc.org, The Internationalists - www.theinternationalists.org, Lark Play Development Center - www.larktheatre.org, The League of Independent Theater - www.litny.org, The Alliance of Resident Theatres/New York - www.art-newyork.org, The American Theatre Wing - americantheatrewing.org, The Theatre Development Fund - www.tdf.org and The Innovative Theatre Foundation - www.nyitawards.com.

InterNational Theatre Institute (ITI) was formed in 1948, when the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) joined with world-renowned theatre experts to form an international non-governmental organization in the field of the performing arts. Today, ITI consists of almost 100 Centers worldwide. Theatre Communication Group (TCG) serves as home to the US Center of ITI (ITI-US).

Theatre Communications Group's (TCG) mission is to strengthen, nurture and promote the professional, not-for-profit American theatre. TCG initiatives include a variety of artistic, management, international and advocacy programs. TCG's constituency has grown from a handful of groundbreaking theatres to nearly 700 member theatres and affiliate organizations and more than 12,000 individuals nationwide. TCG is home to the US-Center of ITI. www.tcg.org