Queens Theatre in the Park Announces 2009-2010 Season

Queens Theatre in the Park (QTP) announces its 2009/2010 season of dance, theatre, classical music, film, and family programming - more than 40 events, including the world premiere of Against the Rising Sea, featuring Tony Award-winning actress Elizabeth Franz; the development of a new musical, Opa! The Musical; and the return of international superstar Eva Ayllón.

This season, QTP and the Museum of the Moving Image have partnered to present Moving Image Masterpieces, a series of six of the greatest films of all time at QTP's home, a 464-seat auditorium at the former New York State Pavilion in Flushing Meadows Corona Park, which also has a 99-seat performing arts space. The new series is programmed by David Schwartz, Chief Curator of the Museum of Museum of the Moving Image, who will introduce each screening: Citizen Kane, Metropolis, Rules of the Game, Toyko Story, 8 ½, 2001: A Space Odyssey.

For more information on tickets, schedule and location, visit www.queenstheatre.org. or call 718-760-0064, Tue-Sat, 12-6pm.

Queens Theatre in the Park's 2009-2010 season includes:

TEA IN THE AFTERNOON, by Vanessa Shealy - Saturday, 9/19/09 at 8pm
A young woman who has tended to her aging grandmother discovers that grandma left the entire estate to her heretofore unknown sister. The young woman pays this elderly eccentric sister a visit, and struggles to unearth family secrets. In the process, she changes from a stranger to caregiver, as both women learn they must let go of the past to change their futures.

CALPULLI MEXICAN DANCE COMPANY - Saturday, 9/19/09 at 8pm & Sunday, 9/20/09 at 3pm
New York City's own Calpulli Mexican Dance Company returns to Queens Theatre after a sold out run in 2008. With the flowing feathers of the Aztecs, signature rhythms of the Mariachi, and elegant dresses from the Gulf Coast, Calpulli brings vibrancy to these rich traditions in Queens. For only two performances, the company will showcase its live music with dance repertoire and new pieces developed for its recent spring tour.

THE NEWS IN REVIEW- Saturdays, 9/26 - 12/26, 2009 at 8pm
The News in Revue is a five-time Emmy Award-winning political satire troupe.

CITIZEN KANE - Film - Thursday, 10/1/09 at 7:30pm
Wunderkind director Orson Welles used Hollywood as his playground to make his astonishing film, "Citizen Kane," an endlessly inventive portrait of an ambitious and lonely newspaper tycoon. Using multiple perspectives, the film questions the nature of identity; it also reinvents the way that stories can be told cinematically. The film regularly and rightfully winds up as the top-ranked film of all time on critics' polls; every decade since 1962, it has been the top film in Sight and Sound magazine's prestigious poll, and it is the number one film on the American Film Institute's top-100 list.

TENNIS IN NABLUS, by Ismail Khalidi - Saturday, 10/3/09 at 8pm
A Palestinian rebel is forced to become a "ball boy" for the tennis matches played by the British general in 1939 British-ruled Palestine. Through this humiliation, he learns about racism firsthand in this powerful and electrifying political drama.

METROPOLIS - Thursday, 10/8/09 at 7:30pm
With live music by Donald Sosin, Directed by Fritz Lang, With Alfred Abel, Brigitte Helm
Reportedly inspired by a trip to New York City, Fritz Lang's stunning vision of a dystopian future in which an exploited working class lives underground, serving the wealthy ruling class, was the most lavish and influential of all silent films. With its spectacular sets, its thematic ambition, and its power-mad scientists, its alluring cyber-heroine, and its rebellious underlings, Metropolis set the template for many science fiction films to come. For years, the film was shown in highly edited prints in the United States; this recently restored version is the definitive edition of Lang's silent masterpiece.

OPA! THE MUSICAL - October 8-25, 2009
Book by Mari Carras & Laurel Ollstein, Music by Nicholas Carras & Donald Eugster, Lyrics by Mari Carras & Donald Eugster, Greek Choreography by Anthoula Katsimatides, Directed by Sam Viverito
A new musical about life and love on a forgotten Greek isle. When a cruise ship is spotted, the islanders band together to make themselves known to the rest of civilization, as well as to each other, in an inspirational and joyous blend of singing and dancing. Produced by Carras/Papageorgiou Productions, Inc. An Equity Showcase Production. 

EVA AYLLON - Friday, 10/9/09 at 7:30 & 10pm
Eva Ayllón pays tribute to the most influential singer and composer in her life, Chabuca Granda. The vocal nuances and powerful metaphors of Chabuca influenced a young Eva transforming her into the powerful singer we enjoy today. Chabuca Granda lived a short yet prolific career in Latin America and Spain. All her contemporary superstar friends sang her songs and made her a close friend, among them Violeta Parra from Chile, Armando Manzanero from Mexico and Mercedes Sosa from Argentina. In an intimate, acoustic setting, Eva delivers the best of Chabuca's repertoire in a special evening of homage to a legend.

Against the Rising Sea - October 15-25, 2009 - World Premiere
Written by Kelly Masterson, Directed by Joe Cacaci, Starring Elizabeth Franz
The On Golden Pond of ourtimes, starring Tony Award-winner Elizabeth Franz (Death of a Salesman). A new relationship is rocky, an old one is challenged and a beautiful house in Provincetown becomes The catalyst in this story about the importance of honor, honesty and the enduring power of love itself.

RULES OF THE GAME  -  Thursday, 10/29/09 at 7:30pm
Directed by Jean Renoir, With Marcel Dalio, Nora Gregor
Filmed by Jean Renoir as the storm clouds of war were hovering over Europe, this romantic rondelay set during a weekend hunting party is unparalleled in its emotionally and cinematically rich portrayal of romance and intrigue among a fading aristocracy. Filled with comedy and tragedy, the film is masterfully choreographed, yet it spills over with the vitality of life. Jean Renoir, the greatest of French directors, was the son of impressionist painter Auguste Renoir.

A NIGHT OF ITALIAN CULTURE AND HERITAGE - Friday, 10/30/09 at 8pm
Comedic sensation, Floyd Vivino, brings back the Italian American comedy you grew up with and world renowned Giada Valenti will serenade all. Known as "Italy's Voice of Love" Giada sets the stage for a trip to Italy through Italian & American songs that combine old and new world Italian culture.

ROSA PARKS - November 5-7, 2009
Music by Scott Ethier, Book & Lyrics by Jeff Hughes, Directed by Daniella Topol
This staged reading of the musical about one of the Civil Rights Movement's most respected heroines is brought to life through rich and beautiful songs. Rosa Parks depicts how an ordinary woman became renowned for an extraordinary, history-changing act of bravery.
Winner of a Richard Rodgers Award for staged readings, administered by the American Academy of Arts and Letters. Rosa Parks is being presented as part of The Public Theater's Music Theater Initiative.

TOKYO STORY - Thursday, November 5, 2009 at 7:30pm
Directed by Yasujiro Ozu, With Chishu Ryu, Setsuko Hara, Japanese director Yasujiro Ozu explored universal themes, including the generational tensions of family life, and the ongoing clash between modernity and tradition. His films were simple in plot; Tokyo Story follows an aging couple on a journey from their rural village to visit their married children in bustling postwar Tokyo. Ozu's signature is his meditative visual style; at the heart of the film are the exquisite performances by his favorite actors, Chishu Ryu as the aging father and Setsuko Hara as the daughter.

PEACE WORROIR, by Doron Ben-Atar - Friday, 11/6, 2009 at 8pm
Academics and actresses at a cocktail party become embroiled in intellectual banter and sexual politics. Secret affairs, pent up jealousies, long hidden resentments and strong political allegiances fight for center stage in this witty and provocative new play.

BALLET HISPANICO - November 7-8, 2009
With theatricality and passion propelling every move, the dancers of Ballet Hispanico bring a dramatic sensibility and contagious delight to each performance. New versatile programs demonstrate the high-energy pulse of Latino rhythms and contemporary choreographic perspectives.

8 ½ - Thursday, 12/12, 2009 at 7:30pm
Directed by Federico Fellini With Marcello Mastroianni
A carnivalesque self-portrait of a movie director, 8 1/2 moves freely between the frenzy of real life on a movie set, and the director's dream and fantasy life. Marcello Mastroianni perfectly captures the bemused wonder of the film director, creating an indelible portrait of the artist as ringleader. A lavish fantasia rooted in personal experience, this is the fullest expression of Fellini's desire to fuse realism and poetry. 8 1/2 has inspired numerous movies about movies including this year's eagerly awaited new film 9.

2001: A SPACE ODYSSEY - Thursday, 11/19, 2009 at 7:30pm
Directed by Stanley Kubrick With Keir Dullea
Nothing less than an epic vision of the history of humanity from the clash of cavemen to the space age, 2001: A Space Odyssey is Stanley Kubrick's masterpiece, a film about space travel that was made with the same spirit of innovation and technological bravura as the space program itself. The film works on numerous levels, including cold-war satire, darkly comic warning against dehumanization, and mind-expanding journey into a new form of human consciousness, with an abstract and mysterious final sequence that must be interpreted by the viewer.

ALICE IN WONDERLAND - Saturday, November 21, 2009 at 11am & 1pm
Adapted by James Armstrong from Alice's Adventures in Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass by Lewis Caroll, Directed by Nicole Juliett Libby
The White Rabbit may be late but you're right on time for a magical theater experience. Staten Island's own Actor's Harbor Theater presents Alice in Wonderland. Take a journey down the rabbit hole as Alice converses with The Cheshire Cat, attends a mad tea-party, plays croquet with the Queen of Hearts and battles the evil Jabberwock. Suggested for children ages 5-11.

Marc Salem, MINDGAMES, TOO - Saturday, 11/21, 2009 at 8pm & Sunday, 11/22, 2009 at 3pm
Join us as Marc Salem breaks that eternal lock on the mind. Playing "games" with the mind, he allows us to see our perceptions and our selves in a new way, all the while having fun. Marc Salem has brought insights to audiences around the world on the stage and on TV, including 60 Minutes and The O'Reilly Factor. Find out what people are really thinking, truths they might not know themselves with mental mentoring and the magic of Marc Salem. Back by popular demand, will include material never seen before in New York.

A CHRISMAS CAROL - Friday, 11/27, 2009 at 1pm & 4pm
TheatreworksUSA's musical interpretation of the Charles Dickens classic captures both the humorous and touching moments of this story with witty dialogue and fresh new songs, conveying Dickens' original message that the holiday season should be a "kind, forgiving, charitable time," a sentiment which still rings true today. Appropriate for Grades 1-8.

NELIDA TIRADO: FLAMENCO - Saturday, 11/28, 2009 at 8pm
The passion and fury of flamenco is brought to life by Nélida Tirado Flamenco. Known for her intense grace and commanding style, and hailed as "magnificent" by The New York Times, Nélida Tirado has earned a worldwide reputation as a force to be reckoned with in flamenco. Tirado formerly trained with Ballet Hispanico and Spain has worked with Compania Maria Pages, Noche Flamenca, and featured in "Riverdance" on Broadway and Dance Magazine's "25 to Watch" 2007. Come experience the music, the rhythm, and the fiery qualities of flamenco from the feet of a genius of the form.Presented in association with Mario A. Torres Productions.

ROSA LOSES HER FACE - December 4-13, 2009
Written by Kitty Chen, Directed by Nancy Robillard
The sometimes antagonistic mother/daughter relationship has never been as funny as when Amy comes home to visit her mother. Rosa Loo's old-world traditions clash with Amy's more modern beliefs as they look for allies in their battle to see who's right and who's wrong. What they discover is an unexpected, hilarious surprise to themselves and the audience.
In association with the Electric Theatre Company of Scranton.

Sweet Karma - December 4-20, 2009
Written by Henry Ong, Directed by Marcy Arlin
The story of Cambodian doctor Haing S. Ngor, who survived the horrors of war in Cambodia and fulfilled the American dream of winning an Oscar for his role in the film The Killing Fields. Based on a true story, Sweet Karma chronicles Ngor's amazing life in Los Angeles, as well as his dark and tragic past in a Cambodia ruled by the Khmer Rouge. Produced by the Obie Award-winning Immigrant's Theatre Project.

Paul Taylor DANCE COMPANY - December 19-20, 2009
The Company brings several pieces from its current critically acclaimed National Tour to Queens Theatre, including, Changes, inspired by music of The Mamas and The Papas. This season the Company begins celebrating Paul Taylor's 80th birthday. Bringing the celebration to Queens Theatre in the Park, PTDC invites you to join members of the Company for post performance discussions to learn about the style, energy and technique behind the master himself.

SANTA MEETS THE WICKE WIZARD - Saturday, 12/26, 2009 at 11am & 1pm
This fun-filled, action-packed, musical comedy from Taubenslag Productions is sure to become your family's favorite holiday treat! Suggested for children ages 4-10.

THE NUTCRACKER - Tuesday, 12/29/09 at 1 & 4pm & Wednesday, 12/30/09 at 1 & 4pm
It's a tradition as big as the holiday season itself. The young, and the young at heart, will delight to the magic and the wonder of this classic holiday treat, specially conceived for children by NYC's own Ballet for Young Audiences. Ring in the New Year with this classic. For all ages.

FERDINAND THE BULL - Saturday, 1/9/2010 at 11am & 1pm
The Hudson Vagabond Puppets Company presents Ferdinand The Bull, based on the classic tale by Munro Leaf and illustrations by Robert Lawson. The story of a peaceful bull that would rather sit and smell the flowers than fight is told with a larger-than life bull, masked dancers, and specialized mechanical figures. Each scene brings to life one of the pages of the book. Suggested for children ages 4-10.

International Guitar Night - Friday, 10/22, 2010 at 8pm
International Guitar Night started as an impromptu concert in a converted laundromat in San Francisco. This year, celebrating ten years of touring, IGN founder Brian Gore will be joined by Lulo Reinhardt, from Germany, a descendant of the great Django Reinhardt along with Itamar Erez from Israel, and Stephen Bennett from Virginia. This promises to be a spirited evening of solo and collaborative guitar music performed in a number of musical styles. 

HOT PEAS 'N BUTTER - Saturday, 2/6/2010 at 1pm & Sunday, 2/7, 2010 at 2pm
Winner of the "Parent's Choice Award," Hot Peas 'N Butter is a unique children's musical group that incorporates elements of traditional Latin music, Afro-Caribbean rhythms, jazz, folk, and rock. By combining an interactive, invigorating approach to performance with mature, multicultural music, Hot Peas 'N Butter has developed a distinctive way of creativity in kids and adults alike. Suggested for children ages 4-11.

Zalmen Mlotek - Sunday, 2/21/10 at 3pm
100 Years of Yiddish Theater Music - From shtetl to Klezmer Revival featuring special guest Daniella Rabbani, and the New Yiddish Chorale.  One of the world's most acclaimed authorities of Yiddish song in a musical journey that explores the wonderful legacy of Yiddish theater music and its influence on American popular culture. Mlotek, who is the Artistic Director of the National Yiddish Theatre - Folksbiene, and the co-creator of the musical hits The Golden Land, Those Were the Days and On Second Avenue, introduces and performs musical gems, as translations appear on a large screen.

BEST OF MOMIX - March 20-21, 2010
MOMIX presents exciting selections from their international sensations: Opus Cactus, Lunar Sea and others, along with several of the best pieces from their Queens Theatre performances of Baseball, Passion and MOMIX in Orbit. The dancer-illusionists are known for their exceptional inventiveness and physical beauty. An evening of MOMIX will change the way you look at dance.

Avi Hoffman - Still Jewish After All These Years: A Life in the Theater - March 25-28, 2010
In this third part of a trilogy (Too Jewish, Too Jewish Two), Hoffman takes a fond look back at his 40 years as a performer, including a stint in the Yiddish Theater when he was eight. The show is full of anecdotes punctuated with songs, including Hoffman's salute to the Jewish songwriters who influenced him growing up, like Bob Dylan and Paul Simon. Still Jewish After All These Years is 90 minutes of entertainment.

CINDERELLA - Saturday, 3/27/10 at 11am & 1pm

A unique telling of the classic fairy tale that shouldn't be missed. The World Dance Theatre performs this internationally loved, timeless fairy tale in its varied forms, through international dance, music, and storytelling. Each segment of Cinderella allows the audience to view the story from a different culture's perspective, including that culture's dance, music and traditional costumes. For all ages.

AN EVENING WITH Lucie Arnaz - Saturday, 4/3/10 at 8pm
Lucie Arnaz is theater royalty. The daughter of Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz, Lucie is a veteran of Broadway having performed in They're Playing Our Song, Cabaret, L'il Abner, and Once Upon a Mattress, among others. She has toured the U.S. and Europe, and now you can enjoy her show's unique blend of standards and nostalgia.

BEAUTY & THE BEAST - Saturday, 4/10/10 at 11am & 1pm
Taubenslag Productions returns to Queens Theatre with one of the most beloved fables of all time. Watch as the beautiful heroine tames the savage beast. Children of all ages will be enchanted by this delightful production. This musical fantasy is sure to warm your hearts. Suggested for children ages 4-10.

Terry Waldo'S THIS IS RAGTIME - Saturday, 4/10/10 at 8pm
Spend an evening with the man The New York Times called a "ragtime pianist nonpareil and eminent scholar of the form." Terry Waldo, world-famous performer of ragtime, stride and classic American popular music, has played in Carnegie Hall, The Kennedy Center, The Supreme Court (at the request of Justice Sandra Day O'Connor), and many of NYC's historic jazz and cabaret venues like The Cookery, The Village Gate and The Bottom Line. Now Terry Waldo brings his popular solo show This Is Ragtime to Queens.

TSIDII: TO THE RISING SUN - Sunday, 4/11/10 at 3pm
Tony Award-nominee (The Lion King) Tsidii brings her dazzling vocal style to Queens Theatre in the Park in her production: To the Rising Sun, featuring the music of Odetta, the "Queen of American Folk music," Nina Simone, the "High Priestess of Soul," and "Mama Africa" herself, Miriam Makeba. Tsidii presents an entertaining dialogue of music, engaging the audiences on a journey. The second half of the performance features original songs by Tsidii.

CLOSER THAN EVER - April 16-25, 2010
Music by David Shire, Lyrics by Richard Maltby, Jr., Directed by Richard Maltby, Jr.
Queens Theatre presents the 20th anniversary production of Closer Than Ever, a lively musical done in the style of a 1960s revue. It is filled with songs that reflect on marriage, parents, children, and lasting friendships. Richard Maltby directs the production, which stars original cast members Sally Mayes and Lynne Wintersteller. Closer Than Ever received the Outer Critics Circle Award for Best Off-Broadway Musical, and Maltby, Shire, and Wintersteller were each honored with Drama Desk Awards. Presented by Queens Theatre in the Park and Bristol Riverside Theatre in association with Neil Berg and Adam Friedson.

3 MO' DIVAS, Saturday, April 24, 2010 at 8pm
Musical barriers are smashed as 3 Mo' Divas delivers 10 styles spanning 200 years of music in one concert. From Puccini to Proud Mary, no one is left out. These classically trained women aren't just singers. They're exhilarating vocalists who all possess class, sass and style. Variety called them "...an unparalleled collection of voices and material." An excellent concert for the entire family, 3 Mo' Divas is guaranteed to have you standing and cheering! Co-Produced with Kupferburg Center Performances.

Oleta Adams - Saturday, 5/1/Saturday, April 24, 2010 at 8pm10 at 8pm
Gospel-rooted, three-time Grammy nominee Oleta Adams could have become an operatic lyric soprano. Instead, seasoned by worldwide tours with Tears for Fears, Phil Collins, Michael Bolton, and Luther Vandross, her fresh, appealing, and unique mix of soul, R&B, urban, and popular music has created vibrant albums such as her breakthrough success Circle of One, with the Brenda Russell composition Get Here, an unofficial anthem of the Gulf War. Enjoy art from the heart of Oleta Adams.

JEANNE RUDY DANCE- Sunday, 5/2/10 at 3pm
Award-winning, awe-inspiring Jeanne Ruddy Dance showcases original works by Artistic Director, Founder and former Martha Graham Principal Dancer, Jeanne Ruddy, as well as guest choreographers. Queens Theatre in the Park brings you this magnificent company from Philadelphia so that you can feast on an evening of elegant and innovative offerings. Sure to satisfy all ages, and all tastes from the novice dance aficionado to the veteran of the most sophisticated dance performances.

LATE NITE CATECHISM 3 - May 7-23, 2010
New York Premiere, Written by Maripat Donovan
The latest of the famous Late Nite Catechism series is sinfully funny. A dissertation on the sacraments of marriage and last rites. Every performance is different and class participation is a must! Be warned: you might want to be in your seat before show time. Sister does not tolerate latecomers!

PHILADANCO - May 15-16, 2010
Philadelphia Dance Company, better known as Philadanco, fuses ballet, modern and ethnic dance better than anyone. Queens Theatre in the Park is committed to presenting performing arts that provide audiences with the highest quality work. QTP also produces new plays, with a concentration on up-and-coming directors and playwrights. QTP has broadened the experience of its core audience to include works by under-recognized artists from around the world and works that tap into the diverse communities of Queens.

Queens Theatre in the Park is located in Flushing Meadows Corona Park in the New York State Pavilion designed for the 1964 World's Fair by Philip Johnson. The Pavilion was converted to a theatre in 1972 and was operated by various organizations until 1985. QTP was officially established in 1989 with the full support of the community and the Queens Borough President. After a $4 million renovation that brought full ADA compliance, the Theatre officially opened to the public in 1993 in a facility that allows it to stage productions equal to those of any Off-Broadway house in Manhattan in its 464-seat main stage theatre and its 99-seat Studio Theatre. What was then a small cabaret-style theater with an operating budget of under $500,000 has transformed itself into a major performing arts center with exhibition galleries with a projected operating budget of $3.9 million for FY2009.

QTP became an independent nonprofit in 1997. It is a member of the Cultural Institutions Group receiving support from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs. The Theatre presents and produces 300 performances annually. QTP serves 100,000 people annually who reflect the rich demographics of its community population. Currently 75% of the Theatre's constituency is from Queens. In addition to its own season, QTP frequently provides its space for use by community arts organizations and local promoters.

QTP has recently completed a $ 23 million physical transformation of the Theatre. This major capital investment has added a 75-seat cabaret performance space with a full service cafe and kitchen facility; created a dramatic new 3,000 square foot lobby/reception area; provided new visitor amenities and improved the facility's accessibility. These improvements have transformed Queens Theatre in the Park into a destination for the residents of the borough and beyond.

Queens Theatre in the Park events are made possible with public funds from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs, the New York State Council on the Arts and the National Endowment for the Arts.

 

 

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