Public Works Presents LET'S HEAR IT FOR NEW YORK! An Unforgettable Dance Experience

The Public Theater has announced that as a part of Public Pops Up this summer, Public Works will be hosting a participatory dance piece set to Alicia Keys' seminal classic “Empire State of Mind” from the Original Cast recording of the Broadway musical HELL'S KITCHEN, which originated at The Public in the fall of 2023.

The city-wide initiative will be choreographed by HELL'S KITCHEN's four-time Tony-nominated director/choreographer Camille A. Brown and her initiative Every Body Move and directed by Public Works' Laurie Woolery. The experience will culminate in a performance both by and for New Yorkers on Monday, August 12 at 6:00 p.m.

Expanding Public Works' 12-year tradition of bringing together New Yorkers from all over the city, we're inviting YOU to be a part of an ambitious, participatory dance piece in Central Park on August 12. Sharing the vision of the Broadway production of HELL'S KITCHEN that celebrates a community unified through song and dance, Public Works will activate the entire city of New York into a shared celebration of radical civic pride. LET'S HEAR IT FOR NEW YORK! An Unforgettable Dance Experience invites 1,000 New Yorkers to Central Park to dance with our neighbors to the HELL'S KITCHEN Broadway Original Cast recording of Grammy Award winner Alicia Keys' seminal anthem, “Empire State of Mind.” The dance, with original choreography by four-time Tony-nominated director/choreographer Camille A. Brown and her initiative Every Body Move, and directed by Public Works director Laurie Woolery, will be the ultimate celebration of New York, bringing together folks of many ages and abilities.

“As the Director of Community Engagement at Camille A. Brown & Dancers, I am deeply honored to partner with The Public Theater's Public Works on this ambitious project,” shared Michelle Rivera. “Our Every Body Move initiative is rooted in the belief that dance has the power to unite and strengthen communities. This collaboration with Public Works perfectly aligns with our mission to engage and empower individuals through the art of social dance. Together, we are creating a unique opportunity for New Yorkers of all ages and abilities to join in a grand celebration of their city and themselves. This partnership not only highlights our commitment to accessible and inclusive cultural experiences but also amplifies our ongoing efforts to foster dialogue and connection through community-driven performances. I am excited to see how this joint endeavor will inspire and invigorate our community, encouraging every participant to feel a sense of ownership and pride in their creative expressions.

Opportunities to learn the choreography for LET'S HEAR IT FOR NEW YORK! An Unforgettable Dance Experience will be released digitally in the coming weeks on The Public's website and social media channels. In-person instructional sessions will also be taught at other Public Pops Up events throughout the summer leading up to the performance on August 12.

The Original Broadway Cast Recording for critically acclaimed new Broadway musical HELL'S KITCHEN is available now via Alicia Keys Records/Interscope Records on streaming and digital platforms worldwide with a physical release to follow.

"For the past 11 summers, Public Works has engaged 200 New Yorkers to perform on stage in Central Park, creating art that reflects our vision for what a unified city could be," shared Director of Public Works Laurie Woolery. "So, with The Delacorte under renovation, we asked ourselves 'What if we create an artistic experience that ALL of New York could have access to?' Set to Alicia Keys' glorious anthem and with re-envisioned choreography exclusively for Public Works by the illustrious Camille A. Brown in partnership with her company Every Body Move, we knew we could create a radically ambitious project that invites New Yorkers of all ages and abilities to participate in that captures the joy and celebration of what it is to be a New Yorker. All are welcome and we can't wait to dance with you!"

PUBLIC WORKS, a major artistic program of The Public Theater, aims to restore and build community by connecting people through the creation of extraordinary works of art. Public Works is animated by the idea that theater is a place of possibility, where the boundaries that separate us from each other in the rest of life can fall away. Working with partner organizations in all five boroughs, Public Works invites community members to take classes, participate in programming, attend performances, and join in the creation of ambitious works of participatory theater. Public Works deliberately blurs the line between professional artists and community members, creating theater that is not only for the people, but by and of the people as well. Public Works exemplifies The Public's long-standing commitment to putting community at the core of the theater's mission. Public Works seeks to create a space where we can not only reflect on the world as it is, but where we can propose new possibilities for what our society might be. The Public Works model continues to be adopted by theaters across the country and around the world.

The Public Works community partner organizations are Brownsville Recreation Center (Brooklyn), Casita Maria Center for Arts and Education (Bronx), Center for Family Life in Sunset Park (Brooklyn), Children's Aid (all boroughs), DreamYard (Bronx), Domestic Workers United (all boroughs), The Fortune Society (Queens), and Military Resilience Foundation (all boroughs).

Public Works most recently welcomed two affiliates into Public Works National cohort—Philadelphia Theater Company (Philadelphia, PA) and National Kaohsiung Center for the Arts Weiwuying (Kaohsiung, Taiwan)—as they join the existing affiliates: Long Wharf Theatre (New Haven, CT), Pittsburgh Public Theater (Pittsburgh, PA), Theatre Under The Stars (Houston, TX), Trinity Repertory Company (Providence, RI), Tulsa Performing Arts Center and Trust (Tulsa, OK), and Williamstown Theatre Festival (Williamstown, MA); cohort alumnus Virginia Stage Company (Norfolk, VA); and founding Public Works national and international partners; Dallas Theater Center (Dallas, TX), and The National Theatre's Public Acts program (London and nationally, United Kingdom). This network of theaters gathers to share practices and help build momentum around community-based theater nationwide. Collectively, we are seeking to put theater at the heart of every community, and community at the heart of every theater.

Following the initiative, there will be a screening of the 2019 Free Shakespeare in the Park production of MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING at dusk (approximately 8:30 p.m.)as a part of Central Park Conservancy's annual Film Festival.

In addition to the above events, several other movie screenings of the 2019 Free Shakespeare in the Park production of MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING will take place throughout June, July and August. A full schedule is outlined below. Additionally, The Public continues its relationship with THIRTEEN's Great Performances on PBS this summer, providing free access to stream Free Shakespeare in the Park productions at home, as well as the premiere of 2023's HAMLET. In addition to HAMLET, throughout the month of June, viewers have access to the 2019 production of MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING, 2021's MERRY WIVES, and 2022's RICHARD III. Viewing these productions at home comes at no cost. Each production is available through June 30.

ABOUT THE DELACORTE THEATER REVITALIZATION

In 2018, The Public Theater, in partnership with Central Park Conservancy and the New York City Department of Parks & Recreation, began embarking on a much-needed revitalization of the 62-year-old Delacorte Theater in Central Park. The plan—a major investment in outdoor cultural space as part of New York's economic recovery—will dramatically improve the home of Free Shakespeare in the Park, addressing critical infrastructure, accessibility, and theatrical needs. The key approved design includes accessible and comfortable space for audiences and artists with disabilities, streamlined backstage operations and improved comfort for cast and crew, a revitalized exterior for a more dynamic aesthetic experience, a focus on resilience and sustainability, and lighting improvements, among other benefits. For more information on The Delacorte's revitalization, visit thepublic.nyc/Delacorte-Revitalization.

To support The Public Theater, become a Supporter or Partner by visiting publictheater.org/supporttoday

For tickets to HELL'S KITCHEN on Broadway, please visit hellskitchen.com. The cast album is also now available for listening on all platforms.

THIRTEEN'S GREAT PERFORMANCES ON PBS SCREENINGS OF MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING

Directed by Kenny Leon
Choreography by Camille A. Brown

All screenings are free and open to the public and will begin at dusk (approximately 8:30 p.m.)

June 29 – Prospect Park Peninsula (Brooklyn)*
July 11 – J. Hood Wright Park (Manhattan)
July 17 – McCarren Park (Brooklyn)
July 24 – Brooklyn War Memorial (Brooklyn)
August 2 – Faber Park (Staten Island)
August 3 – Queens Night Market at the New York Hall of Science in Flushing Meadows Corona Park (Queens)*
August 12 – Central Park Frisbee Hill (Manhattan)*
August 20 – Washington Square Park (Manhattan)
August 29 – Baisley Park (Queens)
September 6 – Bronx Park (The Bronx)

*Indicates Public Pops Up Additional Programming

Tony Award winner Kenny Leon directs this bold new take on Shakespeare's cherished comedy of romantic retribution and miscommunication, MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING. In this modern production, we find the community of Messina celebrating a break from an ongoing war. But not all is peaceful amid the revelry, as old rivals engage in a battle of wits, unexpected foes plot revenge, and young lovers are caught in a tumultuous courtship—until love proves the ultimate trickster and undoes them all. 

FREE AT-HOME STREAMING OF THIRTEEN'S GREAT PERFORMANCES ON PBS OF SHAKESPEARE IN THE PARK PRODUCTIONS

All productions are available to stream now through June 30.

MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING
2019 production directed by Kenny Leon with choreography by Camille A. Brown

World Premiere of Live Recording
HAMLET
2023 production directed by Kenny Leon with choreography by Camille A. Brown

MERRY WIVES
2021 production adapted by Jocelyn Bioh and directed by Saheem Ali

RICHARD III
2022 production directed by Robert O'Hara

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