New York Theatre Workshop Announces February and March Programming

New York Theatre Workshop announced today programming for the months of February & March, including Hilton Als Presents by Artistic Instigator & Pulitzer Prize winner Hilton Als; a benefit reading of For Which It Stands by Lee Edward Colston II; and Open Office Hours, a new NYTW pilot program; as well as free Virtual Programming events.

Hilton Als PRESENTS

By Hilton Als

March 2021

Hilton Als is, and has been, an invaluable contributor to American cultural life for decades. Join this Pulitzer Prize-winning critic, artist, writer and curator as he lifts up and takes a different look at what he considers marginalized classics of the 20th Century. Until now.

Part 1: Portrait of Jason

with Jessica Almasy & Mikéah Ernest Jennings

Shirley Clarke's Portrait of Jason was a groundbreaking work of cinema verité when it was released in 1967. Captured over a single evening, the portrayal of gay African-American hustler and aspiring cabaret performer Jason Holliday interrogated race, class and sexuality in ways that were and still are ahead of its time. Pulitzer Prize-winning critic, artist, writer and curator Hilton Als has adapted the film into an audio drama that captures the intimacy, vulnerability and rawness of the original piece while probing power and the price of storytelling itself. Join NYTW for an intimate evening with Jason along with Hilton's unique commentary and analysis.

Part 2: Selections from Tennessee Williams

In the second part of this series, Hilton Als will explore excerpts from three lesser-known Tennessee Williams plays. While Williams is known, of course, for the formidable women in his plays, these excerpts will bring Williams' powerful men to the fore as well-characters who have a lot to say about masculinity in general and masculinity and the artist in particular.

Hilton Als Presents will be released as a free podcast beginning in March 2021. To receive a link when the podcast is live, sign up at www.nytw.org/show/hilton-als-presents.

FOR WHICH IT STANDS

A Benefit Reading

By Lee Edward Colston II

Directed by Bianca LaVerne Jones

With Ashley Ayanna, Mikayla Bartholomew, Stephanie Berry, Christopher Cassarino, Katherine George, Bria Samoné Henderson, Deanna Reed-Foster, Carolyn M. Smith & Andrea Syglowski

Available February 19-22, 2021

With the air conditioner busted and temperatures in the triple digits, the only thing keeping Ebony Hemmings cool is counting down the days to the end of her eight-year sentence at Lehigh Penitentiary. She and the other incarcerated women on the "Liberty Unit" sew American flags for a private prison contractor in exchange for recommendations for early release. But when the woman she loves joins a worker's strike against unfair and inhumane treatment of the women of Liberty, it ignites a powder keg of decades of hidden abuse. With tempers & temperatures boiling and her freedom on the line, Ebony knows the red stripes on the flags she sews could very easily turn to blood.

For Which It Stands will stream free February 19-22, 2021 on NYTW.org, with donations requested for the following organizations which support prison reform:

Rehabilitation Through the Arts: RTA helps people in prison develop critical life skills through the arts, modeling an approach to the justice system based on human dignity rather than punishment. www.rta-arts.org

A New Way of Life Reentry Project: A New Way of Life Reentry Project provides housing, case management, pro bono legal services, advocacy and leadership development for women rebuilding their lives after prison. www.anewwayoflife.org

Women's Prison Association: The Women's Prison Association (WPA) empowers women to redefine their lives in the face of injustice and incarceration. www.wpaonline.org/programs

OPEN OFFICE HOURS

New York Theatre Workshop is establishing Open Office Hours, a pilot program to allow members of NYTW's Artistic Staff to meet with new artists of all disciplines, prioritizing access for BIPOC artists. Open Office Hours is designed as a free and open exchange of ideas, a space where NYTW Artistic Staff can learn about what you do and who you are-your experiences, visions and dreams as a person and as an artist -and begin the process of introducing ourselves and sharing our philosophies and practices. These meetings are not a place to evaluate work, nor are they auditions or job interviews, but instead a space where we can intentionally welcome transparency into the way we work and further a process of building community and cultivating relationships.

The first iteration of Open Office Hours will host sessions for two hours per week for four consecutive weeks. There will be two different styles of gathering: group conversations and individual sessions. Sign-ups are offered on a first-come, first-served basis and the staff hosts for each conversation will be published alongside the meeting schedule. Participating Artistic Staff members include the Artistic Director, Casting Director, Literary Director & Dramaturg, Artist Workshop Producer and Director of Education.

The Open Office Hours program begins on Tuesday, February 16, 2021. To sign up & for more information visit www.nytw.org/artist-workshop/lets-meet. Reservations will open on Thursday February 11 at 12pm EST.

VIRTUAL PROGRAMMING

FIRESIDE CHAT: The Power of Proverbs & the Tradition of Oral Storytelling

With Dael Orlandersmith, Martha Redbone and Jillian Walker, moderated by Brennie Tellu

Wednesday February 17, 2021 at 5PM EST

Traditionally, Africans have used proverbs and oral storytelling as a primary method by which elders bestowed pearls of wisdom, shared deep knowledge of culture, passed down family history as a preservation of legacy, and taught social practices. These narratives provide entertainment and are experienced as folktales, myths, fables, epic histories, common sayings, and legends. But they are also purposed to inform, educate, persuade and teach values much as theatre today informs, widens our perspectives, and helps us better understand our world. Join us in conversation with Dael Orlandersmith, Martha Redbone and Jillian Walker as we explore how the power of proverbs and oral storytelling has inspired and/or informed the artistry of each of these gifted theatremakers and how these narratives have shaped their experiences as Black women.

To RSVP to attend for free, visit www.nytw.org/nytw-virtual-programming. The Fireside Chat will also be live streamed at Facebook.com/nytw79.

FIRESIDE CHAT: No Passing Here: Four Latinx Artists on Theatre and Race/Ethnicity

With Virginia Grise, Lindsay Rico, Andrew G. Rodriguez and Tiffany Small, moderated by Victor I. Cazares

Wednesday February 24, 2021 at 5PM EST

What happens when Indigenous, Black, and Asian Latinx theatre artists get together to talk about art, life, the myths of Mestizaje and dismantling Latinidad? We literally don't know because it hasn't been done before. The theatre world in the US is behind on understanding Latinx communities and the complexities of both race and ethnicity within them. Inspired by conversations about race and indigeneity that are being led by actors Tenoch Huerta and Yalitza Aparicio in Mexico, Playwright Victor I. Cazares has invited artists Virginia Grise, Lindsay Rico, Andrew G. Rodriguez and Tiffany Small to discuss, organize and dream.

To RSVP to attend for free, visit www.nytw.org/nytw-virtual-programming. The Fireside Chat will also be live streamed at Facebook.com/nytw79.

VIRTUAL OPEN MIC NIGHT: One Song Glory

Thursday February 25, 2021 at 7PM EST

Join NYTW and Poetic Theater Productions for their monthly Virtual Open Mic Night. The evening's theme: ONE SONG GLORY. 25 years ago, New York Theatre Workshop held the first public performance of Jonathan Larson's RENT on the same day of his unexpected passing. His message to radically celebrate one's individual spirit and artistry even in times of deep fear, chaos and intolerance continues to resonate. How do we come into our artistry in this shifting time? How do we measure a year of COVID in love, healing and community? While America may feel like it's in the Twilight Zone, we encourage you to take that artistic leap of faith and write that poem and sing that song that rings true. To register to perform or RSVP to attend for free, visit www.nytw.org/nytw-virtual-programming.

MASTERCLASS: Experiments in Digital Theatre

Friday March 26, 2021 at 3PM EDT

Experiments in Digital Theatre will explore Theater Mitu's process in adapting their 2018 piece, REMNANT, into a digital format, , for its fall 2020 run at NYTW. Theater Mitu is committed to expanding the definition of theater through methodical experimentation with its form and the necessity for a remotely-experienced production provided an opportunity to explore the possibilities of digital production. Led by Theater Mitu Associate Artists Alex Hawthorn and Ada Westfall, this masterclass will be both technical and theoretical as we discuss tools and tactics for theater-makers to create remotely accessible performance. Topics covered will include creating character through technology, the culture and behavior of media platforms, disembodied performance, and multi-platform art-making. To complete a free registration, visit www.nytw.org/nytw-virtual-programming.

NYTW DIGITAL ARCHIVE

New York Theatre Workshop recently launched a digital archive, giving NYTW Members and Repeat Defenders a free all-access pass to stream many of the 2020/21 Artistic Instigator season's theatrical experiences on-demand. From February 15-28, 2021, NYTW Members & Donors will be able to stream NYTW's 2017 production of The Object Lesson, by NYTW Usual Suspect Geoff Sobelle, directed by David Neumann and featuring scenic installation design by Steven Dufala.

The archive launched with a special sneak peek work-in-process sharing of The Talking Circles, written and performed by Martha Redbone & Aaron Whitby. Other projects that are available to stream via the archive include What the Hell is a Republic, Anyway?; The Seagull on The Sims 4; Pinching Pennies with Penny Marshall; The Cooking Project; and The Wright Stuff. The NYTW Digital Archive can be viewed at www.nytw.org/streams. NYTW Memberships begin at $20/month and are available at NYTW.org or 212-460-5475.

While the Artistic Instigators are supported in their exploration of form and content, audiences will be invited to experience the evolution of the work through work-in-process sharings and behind-the-scenes conversations with artists. NYTW is asking audiences to take a leap. What it promises in return is a front-row seat to the unfolding of this experiment-and that the definition of a "front-row seat" will shift throughout the year. Some events will be exclusively virtual experiences while others may take place in person-when it is possible to do so with appropriate safety measures.

For tickets and more information about these projects and the Artistic Instigators, please visit www.nytw.org.

Alongside its artistic and community engagement programming, NYTW is engaged in the essential, sustained commitment of becoming an anti-racist organization in support and affirmation of Black people, Indigenous people and People of Color in their community. In June, NYTW published its Core Values statement and initial action and accountability steps. In an effort to provide greater transparency, NYTW shared an October update with next steps at nytw.org/accountability. NYTW will continue to publish updates in the coming months about further commitments and the progress updates.

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