Photos & Video: New Victory Theater Reopens its Doors With GENERATION RISE

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On Friday, November 5, the New Victory Theater celebrated re-opening their doors to the public once again with the onstage world premiere of Ping Chong and Company's Generation Rise. Before the curtain rose, New 42 hosted a celebration on 42nd Street congratulating members of the New 42 Youth Corps on their first day of work, and entertaining audience members as they entered the theater with a performance from Fogo Azul, NYC's all-women Brazilian Samba Reggae drum line. Gonzalo Casals, the Commissioner of Cultural Affairs at NYC Department of Cultural Affairs, also took the stage to welcome audiences with remarks.

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"Being back at the New Victory is like a homecoming. Tonight, and in the infinite nights ahead, I promise you this: we will keep the light on--for you, for educators, for families, and most of all, for New York City youth," said New 42 President & CEO Russell Granet in his pre-curtain speech.

"Tonight, we celebrate New Victory as the place where young people are invited in and where young people are embraced for who they are," added Artistic Director Mary Rose Lloyd.

"I am so excited to help welcome audiences back to the New Victory Theater for the amazing Ping Chong and Company's Generation Rise," said Cultural Affairs Commissioner Gonzalo Casals. "This production captures everything we've missed about live performances by local artists: elevating voices that help us to better understand and feel connected to our fellow New Yorkers, and the thrill of sitting in a darkened theater with a real live audience. Thank you to the team at New 42, and the artists, arts workers, and audiences who made this possible. Participating in cultural activities like this that bring joy and energy to our lives, while also working together to keep each other safe, demonstrate how we can drive New York's recovery through creative collaboration and mutual support."

Generation Rise, written and directed by Sara Zatz and Kirya Traber, is an interview-based production featuring Black, Latinx and Asian American teens from New York City telling their own stories and reflecting on their lives before, during and after 2020 - a year of crisis and transformation. This show highlights the lived experiences of a diverse group of New York teens, and uplifts the voices of those that are usually underrepresented in theater and in media at large.

Performances will continue at New Victory Theater through November 14, and a virtual version of the production is available to stream through November 28 at NewVictory.org/OnDemand.

Part of the "Undesirable Elements" series, Generation Rise originated as a filmed virtual theater work in Spring 2021, sharing real-life stories of six New York City teenagers, and the significance of a year of growing up during a global pandemic and renewed calls for racial justice.

Generation Rise is produced by Ping Chong and Company in association with New 42/New Victory, developed in collaboration with Urban Word NYC, and inspired by the critically acclaimed Generation NYZ (New Victory 2018). This show is recommended for ages 11 and up.

Tickets for Generation Rise and Jim Henson's Emmet Otter's Jug-Band Christmas are on sale now at NewVictory.org. Tickets for the rest of the exciting season at New Victory, including Air Play, Jabari Dreams of Freedom, Step Afrika! and Leonardo! A Wonderful Show about a Terrible Monster will go on sale December 8.

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