Joe's Pub in the Park Kicks Off Sept. 19 at the Delacorte

The Public Theater announces the return of Joe's Pub in the Park, a two-week series of paid and free concerts at The Delacorte Theater in Central Park. Joe's Pub in the Park, presented with support from The New York State Music Fund, kicks off with a series of full-length performances by legendary girl-group diva Lesley Gore, singer-songwriter/pop-satirist Jill Sobule and the innovative punk-noir trio The New Standards on Wednesday, September 19.  The series of ten shows continues through Sunday, September 30. Tickets for paid shows go on-sale
Monday, August 6.

The diverse musical line-up for this two week series includes alt-country star Patty Griffin, New Orleans' pianist laureate Allen Toussaint, emerging indie-folk band Beirut, avant-garde dance music from pan-world innovators Balkan Beat Box, a tribute to Marc Bolan and T. Rex, featuring an all-star band and guest vocalists assembled by Joe Hurley and Ed Rodgers, Justin Bond's (Kiki of Kiki and Herb: Alive on Broadway) appreciation of the work of The Carpenters and Passing Strange star Stew with his band The Negro Problem, among many others. All performances will be at 7 PM.  For more information, visit www.joespub.com.

"Music and theater have always belonged together, and Joe's Pub has become an integral part of The Public Theater's identity," said Public Theater Artistic Director Oskar Eustis.  "Bringing the Pub to the Park, like staging Stuff Happens and In Darfur there, is part of our continuing effort to make our beautiful Delacorte Theater represent the full range of the Public Theater's work."

Returning for the first time since it was initially staged in 2004, Joe's Pub in the Park "captures the quality and range of performances that have made Joe's Pub, now in its ninth year of providing music at its downtown home, one of the most acclaimed and popular clubs in New York City.  Pub in the Park brings that talent and diversity into The Public Theater's most visible and accessible venue, the annual home of Shakespeare in the Park.  Drawing from a pool of the literally thousands of artists that have performed at Joe's Pub, the event's programming combines musicians from varying genres and backgrounds together onto multiple artist bills designed to bring disparate audiences together," state press notes.

"The artists chosen for this series are performers who best represent the vision that makes Joe's Pub special: many of them are artists who we consider to be 'family'," said Director of Joe's Pub Bill Bragin.  "Over the course of this two week series, we are offering a snapshot of the caliber and range of talent that devotees find at Joe's Pub almost every night, all year round.  We're proud to be able to offer these fantastic musicians a larger audience and a grander platform at The Delacorte Theater, a New York City treasure and one of the finest stages in the world."

Below is a listing of Joe's Pub in the Park performances, presented by The Public Theater with support from The New York State Music Fund.  More information on the performers can be found at www.joespub.com/pubinthepark.

Wednesday, September 19

Lesley Gore
Jill Sobule
The New Standards
7:00 PM, $40 for general public / $35 for Public Theater members

"A new exploration of the pleasures of pure pop from three Joe's Pub favorites:  one of the great voices of our time, one of our most respected contemporary songwriters and a jazz trio that re-imagines Outkast and The Clash as modern cabaret," state press notes.

Thursday, September 20

Patty Griffin
Allen Toussaint
CMA Songwriters Series
Featuring Bob DiPiero, Rivers Rutherford, Victoria Shaw and an additional songwriter
7 PM, $50 for general public / $45 for Public Theater members

"Brilliant American songwriters are the order of the day as Grammy-winning folk artist Patty Griffin (10 Million Miles), New Orleans icon Allen Toussaint and a collective of Nashville's best composers and songwriters invite the Big Apple in for some country cooking and musical soul food."

Saturday, September 22; Sunday, September 23; Monday, September 24

The 40th Anniversary Concert of Hair: The American Tribal Love-Rock Musical
Book and Lyrics by James Rado and Gerome Ragni, Music by Galt MacDermot, directed by Diane Paulus
7 PM, FREE tickets distributed day of shows

"The year is 1967, and the Vietnam War is at its height. In New York City, a tribe of hippies rails against the establishment, protesting intolerance, brutality, and the dehumanization of society. When Claude, one of their own, gets drafted, he must make a decision about what values are worth fighting for.  The original production of Hair premiered at The Public Theater on October 17, 1967 and ran for six weeks.  It moved to Broadway on April 29, 1968 and ran for 1,873 performances."

Tuesday, September 25

Carmen Consoli
Morley
Luciana Souza
7 PM, FREE tickets distributed on day of show                                  

"Women of the world unite and sing in this intimate international singer/songwriter summit featuring Italian pop star Carmen Consoli, acclaimed Brazilian vocalist Luciana Souza and New York's own Morley."

Wednesday, September 26

Beirut
Balkan Beat Box
The NY Gypsy All-Stars
Presented in association with The NY Gypsy Festival
7 PM, $25 for general public / $20 for Public Theater members

"Indie pop and global sounds collide with a bang!  Don't miss the fireworks as underground sensations Beirut, raucous multidisciplinary party band Balkan Beat Box and the world-class instrumentalists of the NY Gypsy All-Stars storm Central Park, presented in association with the NY Gypsy Festival."

Friday, September 28

Michelle Shocked
Toshi Reagon and BIGLovely: Sacred Music Project
John Boutté
7 PM, FREE tickets distributed on day of show

"A trio of powerful voices and heavenly sounds from three gospel influenced musicians:   the Texan songwriter Michelle Shocked, rock/folk/funk vocalist Toshi Reagon and the Creole soul of John Boutté."

Saturday, September 29

"20th Century Boy: Marc Bolan and T. Rex 30th Anniversary Celebration"
Featuring Clem Burke, Tony Shanahan, Joe Hurley, James Mastro, Jane Scarpantoni, Tish & Snooky, Ed Rogers and special guest vocalists TBA
"David Driver Sings The Scott Walker Songbook"
"Justin Bond is Close to You"
7 PM, $40 for general public / $35 for Public Theater members

"An evening of tribute to three great musicians as David Driver performs the work of Scott Walker, Tony nominated performer Justin Bond recreates The Carpenters' Close to You album and an all-star collective commemorates the memory of T. Rex leader Marc Bolan."

Sunday, September 30

"Stew & Friends: Songs from Passing Strange and More"
The Negro Problem
7 PM, FREE tickets distributed on day of show

"The enigmatic Stew rocks the house with two sets: one performing music in concert from his hit show Passing Strange (featuring members of the original cast) and another featuring classic songs and new music from Stew's 'afro-baroque' rockers The Negro Problem."

All artists, dates and set times are subject to change. 

For additional information about Joe's Pub in the Park, visit www.joespub.com/pubinthepark or www.publictheater.org.

Photo of Stew by Kevin Berne

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