Theater For The New City Announces Village Halloween Costume Ball

Theater for the New City (TNC) will emphasize Covid safety in this year's Village Halloween Costume Ball, presenting a hybrid (indoor/outdoor) celebration on October 31 to delight its community, young and old, and to celebrate the creativity that comes with the season. A large outdoor frolic will be held from 3:00 PM to 8:00 PM on East Tenth Street between First and Second Avenues (or if it rains, in a big tent), featuring performances, a costume competition and dancing to swing and Latin bands. This will be followed by indoor performances from 8:00 PM to midnight in TNC's large Johnson Theater, Admission will be free throughout the festival but donations will be gratefully accepted.

TNC has presented a Village Halloween Costume Ball annually since 1976. Traditionally, the celebration takes up every available inch (both floors) of TNC's multi-theater complex at 155 First Avenue (the former First Avenue Retail Market building) and adjoining outdoor spaces. In 2020, due to the Covid shutdown, TNC's Halloween tradition was maintained by presenting the entire event virtually. Last year, it was mounted entirely outdoors. This year, TNC aims to capture the event's intensity and traditional magic by bringing some of it back inside while maximizing Covid safety for both performers and attendees. TNC has installed Verve Filters in its HVAC system to maintain good air quality in the theater.

You've heard of The Twist, The Mashed Potato, The Loco-Motion, The Fly? As part of the afternoon's musical events, TNC artists, in collaboration with costumed revelers from the neighborhood, will create a new dance for Halloween called "The Spotted Lantern Squish."

SCHEDULE OF EVENTS

(as of September 27)

OUTDOOR EVENTS

3:30 - 4:30 PM

Cobu Kids, Yip Harburg Rainbow Troupe, Glitter Kitty, Matt Angel & Rob Varcony, Whimsical Hips Belly Dance led by Carol Tandva, John Grimaldi (juggling with fire), Elizabeth Ruf.

4:30-5:45 PM

Dancing in the street with Art Lillard's Heavenly Big Band, a 17 piece swing orchestra performing an extensive repertoire of songs from swing to Samba to Jazz Ballad to Bossa Nova with a swinging singing soloist.

5:45-6:30 PM

Costume judging and prizes with the "Monsters and Miracles Costume Parade." All costumed attendees are invited to march past a panel of celebrity judges. Adult winners will receive one-year passes to TNC and a bottle of Proseco; children get candy. Attendees will be judged in such categories as "Most Booster-Shot," "Most Testosteroned," and "Most Inflationed." Emceed by T. Scott Lilly.

6:30-7:45 PM

Dancing resumes with Mr. Pablo's Latin Dance Band, a five-piece fusion band mixing Salsa, Samba and Flamenco with Rock, Reggae and Funk.

7:45 - 8:00 PM

"The Red and Black Masque," an annual Medieval ritual show written by Arthur Sainer, scored by David Tice and directed by Crystal Field which is performed by torchlight. The audience will be invited to participate.

INDOORS - JOHNSON THEATER

8:00 PM TO MIDNIGHT

A succession of free, live, 10-minute performances staged in TNC's Johnson Theater. The growing list of performers includes F. Murray Abraham, Phoebe Legere, Penny Arcade, Cobu (all-female Japanese Taiko drumming and dance troupe), Peter Dizzoza, Vinie Burrows (performing "The Tell Tale Heart"), The Witcherly Sisters, Zero Boy, Bina Sharif, Flamenco singer/dancer Inma Heredia, Danielle Aziza (performance artist), TNC Street Theater Company in an excerpt from "Teacher! Teacher! I Love You!," Carol Tandava (Belly Dance), Peter Dizzoza, Star 69, Wise Guise, Elisa Blynn, Ellen Steier, William Electric Black, Lei Zhou, Lissa Moira Scream Contest, Richard West.

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