Graham 2 Presents THE OWL AND THE PUSSYCAT, December 18

The Martha Graham Dance Company's acclaimed Second Company will perform Martha Graham's rarely seen The Owl and the Pussycat on Sunday, December 18, at 1pm and 5pm.

Premiering in 1978, The Owl and the Pussycat is Graham's magical take on the classic Edward Lear poem. Graham 2 brought this classic back to the stage in 2019 after a fifteen-year absence.

The Owl and the Pussycat features music by Carlos Surinach, costumes by Halston and Graham, and a whimsical set by Ming Cho Lee. The show will be narrated by Martha Graham Dance Company lead dancer Leslie Andrea Williams. Young dancers from the Teens@Graham program will join the cast.

"The Owl and the Pussycat is a great example of Graham's ability to create works for audiences of all ages," says Graham 2 Director Virginie Mécène. "We are thrilled to be bringing it back to the stage as part of the studio series."

The 1pm show will also feature the solo Satyric Festival Song, and Serenata Morisca will open the the 5pm show.

The matinee performance will include party favors for the younger set, as well as a chance to try some of the moves from the dance and be photographed with the dancers.

The event is part of the Graham Company's popular studio series, which offers audiences an up-close look at the work of the Company and Graham 2 in the intimate setting of the Martha Graham Studio Theater.

Tickets are $30. Student tickets are $20 and $15 for children under 12. Tickets for the livestream on December 18 at 5pm are $25. Tickets can be purchased online at www.marthagraham.org/studioseries.

The Martha Graham Studio Theater is located at 55 Bethune Street, 11th Floor, in Manhattan.

Graham 2 is a bridge between the Martha Graham School and the Martha Graham Dance Company and other companies. It is drawn from the most advanced students of the Martha Graham School. Its mission is to bring the Graham tradition to a younger audience, smaller venues, and cultural communities. Dancers are selected from among the hundreds of students from around the world who study at the Martha Graham School. While in Graham 2, dancers are supported by a scholarship, receive stipends for performances, and may be given the opportunity to perform with the Martha Graham Dance Company. Seventy percent of the current Company began as members of Graham 2.

Under the direction of Virginie Mécène, Graham 2 performs Graham's repertory as well as the works of such guest choreographers as Robert Battle, Pascal Rioult, Adam Barruch, Kun-Yang Lin, Robert Cohan, Darshan Singh Bhuller, Blanca Li, Brice Mousset, and Yoshito Sakuraba. Committed to its education outreach program, Graham 2 performs for more than 3,000 public school children each year. Graham 2 has performed with the Martha Graham Dance Company at New York City Center and The Joyce Theater and has an annual performance season at the Martha Graham Studio Theater. The troupe has also performed at such leading New York venues as the 92nd Street Y, Manhattan Movement and Arts Center, LaGuardia Community College, Iona College, and in such cities as Miami, FL, Baltimore, MD, Wintergreen, VA, Cherry Hill, NJ, Pittsburgh, PA, and Barcelona, Spain.

Graham 2 was originally created by Yuriko at the request of Martha Graham in 1983 under the name of the Martha Graham Ensemble.