BroadwayWorld.com New York City Stories

Mira Awad Set for 5 Metropolitan Room Performances, Begin. 6/4

Sat, 25 May 2013 18:41:50 PST

Mira Awad, a stage and television star in Israel, and an internationally acclaimed Arab-Israeli singer/songwriter returns to the Metropolitan Room for five special nights, June 4-8!

Singing songs that reflect her unique perspective as a Palestinian Arab citizen of Israel, Mira weaves together her passions for folk, rock and traditional Middle Eastern music. The result is a rich tapestry of sounds, songs and observations.

Awad, who sings in English and Arabic (with some Hebrew), and plays guitar, is joined by Avi Fox-Rosen on guitar. Her special guests are the Israeli singer-songwriter David Broza on June 5, American percussionist Shane Shanahan on June 6, and the trumpeter from Luxembourg Ernie Hammes on June 7.

Born in Rameh in Galilee to a Palestinian father and a Bulgarian mother, Awad stars on one of Israel's most popular television shows, Arab Labor, a comedy that tackles the thornier aspects of Jewish and Arab co-existence. A highly recognizable figure in Israel, Awad has proven to be a widely liked and persuasive advocate for the cause of equality and peaceful co-existence between Israel's Jewish and Arab citizens. She concertizes frequently across Europe and Israel. In 2009 she co-wrote the hit song "There Must Be Another Way" with her friend, the singer Achinoam Nini. The song represented Israel at the Eurovision Song Contest in Moscow, where it was a finalist.

There's a cove of $20, for tickets, visit http://metropolitanroom.com/show.cfm?id=86624.

13th Annual Mario Lanza and Elaine Malbin Vocal Competitions Set for Today

Sun, 26 May 2013 00:30:00 PST

Legendary opera star, Elaine Malbin, will be among a panel of experts judging the 13th Annual Mario Lanza and Elaine Malbin Vocal Competitions which will be held on the main stage at Broadway and 86th Street from 2:00 to 5:00 PM. Other judges will include Bill Ronayne, President of the Mario Lanza Society; Lewis Ehlers, noted opera agent and an associate with Robert Lombardo and Associates; and Cristina Necula, an opera singer and author of My Life in Opera. A total of 29 singers -- nine tenors and 20 sopranos - have registered as of this date and will compete for prizes. The competitions are the largest outdoor competitions in the country.

Among the registered singers are: Tenors: Curtis Bannister, Andrew Hiers, Edgar Jaramillo, Victor Khodadad, Young Kim, LaMarcus Miller, Ernest Revell, Dustin L. Scott and Halim Shon. Sopranos entered as of this date include: Jacqueline Ballarin, Lauren Barchi, Elise Brancheau, Christine Browning, Meagan Brus, Alanna Chait, Danielle Dean, Justyna Giermola, Sarah Gilbert, Samantha Guevrekian, Christina Hager, Stefanie Izzo, Kristen Jayne, Anna Kolkhida, Cynthia Ramos, Alexis Rodda, Asuka Uchida, Zoe Vandermeer, Brittany Walker and Laura Whittenberger.

The Vocal Competitions are part of the 26th Annual Memorial Day Weekend Music Festival on Sunday, May 26th on Broadway from 72nd to 86th Streets from 11:00 AM to 5:00 PM.

The festival will begin at 1:00 PM on the main stage with noted jazz singer Marion Cowings who, during an illustrious career, has performed at both the Kennedy Center and Lincoln Center and has been a soloist with the New York Philharmonic.

Following Mr. Cowings will be the presentation of the 1st Annual Madeleine Polayes Memorial Award for Community Service. Ms. Polayes was a long time Upper West Side community leader and activist.

There will also be an Authors Corner at 80th Street and Broadway where several noted authors will talk about their books and sign them, including: Malachy and Alphie McCourt who wrote Tis and A Long Stone's Throw, respectively.

Over 300 artists and craftspersons, antiques and collectibles dealers and purveyors of general merchandise will be exhibiting at the Festival. They will display their one-of-a-kind creations including pottery, ceramics, silver and gold jewelry, dolls, macrame and woodworking. There will be showings of 19th and 20th century artifacts including advertising memorabilia, ephemera, vintage clothing, postcards, china, glass and antique jewelry. In addition, there will be an ethnic food festival featuring the delicacies of over 20 countries.

The Coalition for a Livable West Side, a broad based community organization comprising over 2,000 individuals, block and tenant associations, cooperatives, community and environmental organizations, was organized in 1982 as a response to the threat of massive overdevelopment on the West Side.

The Safe Haven West Side Basketball League, which has provided recreational activity for the past 16 years to children from private, public and parochial schools who might not otherwise have access to it, is a co-sponsor of the Festival.

The Festival and concerts are free and will be held rain or shine.

Metropolitan Room to Launch 6th Annual MetroStar Talent Challenge, 7/8

Sat, 25 May 2013 12:10:24 PST

Something funny's happening to the "MetroStar Talent Challenge" this year. Singer-restaurateur Carolyn Montgomery-Forant joins the permanent jury, and the comic actor Jay Rogers hosts the 6th annual edition of the singers contest at the Metropolitan Room. The exciting competition, which has launched the careers of a number of standouts in cabaret, pop and jazz, is accepting applications through July 1. The 2013 "MetroStar Talent Challenge" runs for seven consecutive Mondays, from July 8 through August 19.

Open to solo singers and vocal duos of all ages, backgrounds and styles that have not played a major engagement at the Metropolitan Room, the jury and audience-voted, elimination-round competition offers a career-boosting package of prizes and professional encouragements including a fully produced primetime Met Room engagement and live recording. Past winners have included Anne Steele, Liz Lark Brown, T. Oliver Reid, and Marissa Mulder. Billie Roe is the current MetroStar.

The comic actor Jay Rogers ("When Pigs Fly," Whoop-Dee Doo!") will host the seven-week competition, replacing Tom Gamblin, who is currently performing at sea. The MAC, Bistro and Nightlife Award-winning Montgomery-Forant, who, lately has been pursuing a career as a restaurateur, has been hinting at a return to singing.

She joins last year's other permanent jury members -- the acclaimed singer, actor and director Eric Michael Gillett, cabaret writer Roy Sander (the chairman), and the critic Rob Lester. After the contest's three weeks of trials (July 8, 15, 22), the permanent jurors are joined by different weekly guest jurors, drawn from the media, theatre and cabaret. The contest's co-producers are Bernie Furshpan, Joseph Macchia and Beck Lee.

To apply, performers must submit an application accompanied by a CD or recording (either by mail or via e-mail). For details and downloadable application form, visit www.metropolitanroom.com

"MetroStar" encourages singers to present well-rounded stage performances in which creativity, innovation and authenticity are prized over vocal fireworks.

The 2013 MetroStar Talent Challenge, the 6th annual edition, takes place on seven consecutive Mondays from July 8 to August 19. All shows are all at7pm; the cover charge for all shows is $20, with a two-drink minimum. Hailed as "the best of New York's smaller clubs" by The New York Times, the Nightlife, MAC and Bistro Award-winning Metropolitan Room, 34 West 22nd Street, celebrated its seventh anniversary this month. For reservations call212 /206-0440 or to order online visit www.metropolitanroom.com

Photo Flash: First Look - GAYFEST NYC's MOONLIGHT & LOVE SONGS, Opening Tonight

Fri, 24 May 2013 20:44:18 PST

GAYFEST NYC, Inc. (Bruce Robert Harris and Jack W. Batman, Producers; Craig Wesley Divino, Associate Producer), the country's premier producer of new LGBT- themed plays, present the Fifth Festival of Plays, a four-week event filled with powerful theatre works spotlighting gay issues. The Festival opens tonight with the New York premiere of Moonlight & Love Songs written by Scott C. Sickles and directed by Steven Petrillo. Check out a first look at the production below!

Tthe 7-member cast features Nick Bailey, D.H. Johnson, Kathryn Markey, Gerald McCullouch, Robert Meksin, Corey Richmond Skaggs and Christine Verleny. Performances began Thursday, May 23 and continue through Sunday, June 2, 2013 at the Abingdon Theatre Arts Complex (312 West 36th Street). Opening night is today, May 24, 2013 at 7:30 p.m. All proceeds from GAYFEST NYC benefit the Harvey Milk High School.

Moonlight & Love Songs finds forty-five and alone, architect Harry Wallace's romantic dreams come true when he falls in love with Jim, a young college student. Their romance seems motion picture-perfect until a staggering revelation causes it to implode. Public outrage follows as Jim attempts to repair the damage caused by his betrayal and Harry finds himself complicit in the deception.

The creative team includes Michael Bottari and Ronald Case (Set and Costumes), and John Eckert (Lighting). The Production Stage Manager is Amy Francis Schott.

Single tickets are priced at $25 and are available at www.Theatermania.com or by calling 212-352-3101. For additional information log onto: www.GAYFESTNYC.com.

Photo Credit: Carlos Gustavo Monroy

Robert Meksin, Kathryn Markey, D.H. Johnson, Gerald McCullouch, Christine Verleny, Nick Bailey Corey Richmond Skaggs

Gerald McCullouch, Nick Bailey

Corey Richmond Skaggs, Kathryn Markey, Gerald McCullouch, Nick Bailey

D.H. Johnson, Gerald McCullouch

Nick Bailey, Gerald McCullouch

Gerald McCullouch, Nick Bailey

Gerald McCullouch, Robert Meksin

Christine Verleny, Nick Bailey

Robert Meksin, Christine Verleny, D.H. Johnson, Gerald McCullouch, Nick Bailey, Kathryn Markey, Corey Richmond Skaggs

Finalists for Rockaway Barrier Beautification Project on Display at the Dome, 5/25-26

Fri, 24 May 2013 20:28:15 PST

NYC Parks invited local artists and designers to envision the surface of these ordinary barriers as canvases for art. Artists were encouraged to offer proposals that consisted of a simple bold pattern that could be painted by untrained volunteers using stencils in a single day. Additionally, artists were encouraged to account for the function of the barrier and its uneven surface, as well as the community's design preferences, which were gathered at a community brainstorming session on April 16.

The finalists' designs will be displayed at MoMa PS1 VW Dome on May 25 and 26 from 2:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m and will also be available to view online at www.nyc.gov/parks/art-and-antiquities/rockaway-beautification.

The barriers will be painted by volunteers, with assistance from NYC Parks and other agencies, later this summer. Interested volunteers are invited to email artandantiquities@parks.nyc.gov.

NYC Dance Week Set for June 20-29

Fri, 24 May 2013 19:03:17 PST

Now in its second year, NYC Dance Week, a yearly festival that advocates dance conditioning and wellness, will offer more than 100 FREE and DISCOUNTED dance, fitness and wellness classes over the course of 10 days, running June 20 - 29, 2013. To date, 37 of NYC's top studios have joined the festival, opening their doors to thousands of New Yorkers, encouraging them to explore and take class during the festival. All participants must register for the event at http://nycdanceweek2013.eventbrite.com.

In partnership with sponsors Copacabana and Harkness Center of Dance two special events will also be held in conjunction with Dance Week. Dancers will burn the floor at Copacabana's Rooftop Garden, June 11, 2013 for the first NYC Dance Week Gala. Participants will have an exceptional opportunity to learn how to prevent injuries and safeguard the body in a special workshop presented by Harkness Center for Dance, Wednesday June 26, 2013. Harkness will also be offering two days of one-on-one injury prevention assessments during the festival.

Dance Week collaborates with noted studios throughout New York City to celebrate the joy and diversity of dance. The exhilarating event offerings move beyond traditional dance forms to teach participants how all dance genres benefit mind, body and spirit - a sampling of unique classes include aerial acrobatics, Bollywood, Hula, Capoeira and dance bootcamp. Participants will also be able to take class at the top training schools in NYC including Joffrey Ballet School, Mark Morris Dance Center in Brooklyn and The Ailey Extension.

Producing partner Fit Engine, a trusted source for inside information on fitness and wellness, will offer class reviews of participating studios and their class offerings to empower participants to choose the best classes for their level and interests.

A list of participating studios throughout Manhattan, Queens and Brooklyn can be found on Dance Week's website: http://nycdanceweek.org/the-festival/free-classes. Featured studios include: Joffrey Ballet School; Mark Morris Dance Center; The Ailey Extension; Ballet Academy East; Bent Pilates Studio; Heliummm Aerial Dance & Entertainment.

Additional 2013 sponsors include ZICO, Red Jacket Orchards, Core Food, POP Chips, Dynamic Sound, Kinky Boots the Musical, American Dance Festival, and BluePrintCleanse. Sponsor information can be found on Dance Week's website: http://nycdanceweek.org/the-festival/sponsors. The festival will offer dance promotions and sweepstakes on facebook.com/nycdanceweek and twitter (@nycdanceweek) throughout the festival.

2013 Schedule

Dance Week Gala at Copacabana

Date: June, 11, 2013

Time: 6:30 - 9:00 p.m.

Where: Copacabana Roof Garden, 268 West 47th Street, New York

Cost: $40 all inclusive VIP access

Tickets: http://nycdanceweekgala2013.eventbrite.com

A celebration gala will kick off the festival on Tuesday, June 11, featuring Dynamic Sound Entertainment who will spin the top hits, salsa and swing throughout the evening. The evening will also feature Copacabana's Latin buffet, drink specials, celebratory toasts, dance performances, silent auction and raffle items.

Dance Week Festival
Date: Thursday, June 20 - Saturday, June 29
Register: http://nycdanceweek2013.eventbrite.com/

Schedule: http://nycdanceweek.org/the-festival/free-classes; http://nycdanceweek.org/the-festival/discounts

Harkness Injury Prevention Seminar

Date: Wednesday, June 26

Time: 4:30 - 6:30 p.m.

Where: Peridance Dance Center, 126 East 13th Street, NY

The Harkness Center's Injury Prevention Workshop provides information to the dance community on all aspects of physical and psychosocial well being, to encourage healthy and safe training for career longevity. This program is intended for dancers, teachers, parents, and/or management, and includes topics such as: injury prevention, cross training, nutrition & hydration, pointe readiness, anatomy, and environmental safety. Participant should wear moveable attire.

Harkness Injury Prevention Assesments

Monday, June 24 at Dance New Amsterdam's Wellness Room, 280 Broadway, NY

Friday, June 28 at Harkness Center of Dance, 614 2nd Ave, Suite 2G, NY

Dance Week participants will have the opportunity to drop in for one-hour personal injury prevention assessment with a Harkness Center therapist. The session will cover complaints, medical and nutrition histories and performance during a series of tests. The screening is designed to evaluate the risk the dancer is exposed to and to discuss the dancer's concerns before an injury occurs. At the conclusion of the assessment the dancer is given an individually tailored injury prevention exercise regime with recommendations for modification of their technique, training strategies, footwear and/or dance environment. The aim of the screening is to maximize each dancer's potential for wellness. Thousands of dancers have participated in this program and have rated it 3.9 out of a perfect 4.0 for its relevance and helpfulness.

###

About NYC Dance Week
NYC Dance Week collaborates with noted studios in New York City to celebrate the joy and diversity of dance with an exhilarating 10-day festival of FREE dance, fitness and wellness classes. The festival engages the community and families to experience dance, encouraging them to live active, healthy lifestyles. The organization moves beyond traditional dance forms to teach participants how all dance genres benefit mind, body and spirit. Additionally, throughout the year Dance Week promotes dance studios and companies through their newsletter, projects, dance/fitness events and partnerships. Formerly a chapter of National Dance Week, Tasha Norman founded the organization in 2005. More than 30 local studios partner with the organization each year to increase public awareness.

The Brick Theatre to Present GAME PLAY 2013, 7/5-28

Fri, 24 May 2013 18:22:53 PST

The Brick is pleased to announce the fifth annual Game Play festival, taking place July 2013 in Brooklyn, New York. This year's festival will once again feature cutting-edge works that lie at the intersection of video gaming and performance.

Appathon
In the spirit of the Greek Olympic Games and software programming Hackathons, The Brick presents APPATHON: a weeklong team-based performance competition using Droid and IOS smartphone Apps. All participants meet at The Brick on Sunday to divide into teams and plan the week. On Saturday at 8pm the teams compete at The Brick for audiences and glory.

DOT; A Videogame with No Winner
Presented by HOL
Programmed & Performed by Henrique Roscoe
Dot, a videogame with no winner is an audiovisual performance with synchronized sounds and images, played by a "game console" built and programmed by the artist, and controlled by retro videogame joysticks. The instrument is completely autonomous and works without the need of a computer. The project was created with the idea of criticizing some aspects of videogames, but using its own aesthetics, sounds and characteristic graphic elements.

Final Defenders
Presented by Dysfunctional Theatre Company
Written by Patrick Storck
The Konami Atari Alliance of Eden 3 is under attack by evil Queen Bowsera. Their only hope lies with a ragtag band of earthlings, each plucked out of their own time, each chosen for their unique gaming skills. They all had big dreams, but they never dreamed they'd become the Final Defenders.

Legendary, Maybe: 4 Machinima Theater Pieces Adapted from Livy
Presented by EK Machinima Theater
Adapted & Directed by Edward Kim, Translated by Carrie Thomas
Using characters from WoW, Far Cry 3, Minecraft, and other games, performers become "digital puppeteers" to tell stories from Livy's Ab Urbe Condita, in which they combine ancient texts with modern technology to create an original theatrical experience that the New York Times called "an impressive feat of engineering, coordination, and storytelling."

Ligature Marks
Presented by Gideon Productions
Written by Mac Rogers, Directed by Jor Dana Williams
Jill can't live without Terry. So it's up to both of them - and Terry's favorite online multi-player game, NOIR - to make sure she never has to. This noir comedy from the critically acclaimed, award-winning author The Honeycomb Trilogy and Viral charts a twisted romance between two of life's losers as they take one final last shot to be something other than who they are.

No Oddjob
Written & Performed by David Lawson
A solo performance exploring societal themes of video games, personal video game stories and the artistry of video games. No Oddjob contains stories about a misogynist getting angry over the end of Metroid, playing so much Goldeneye on NG4 that it seeps into your dreams, having sex fantasies about Laura Croft, and going into a moral panic over Mortal Kombat.

Social Gaming
Written & Directed by Amitech Grover - New Delhi, India
An internet performance event in real time between multiple cities. People separated by thousands of kilometers connect in real time through the digital medium, participate in an instruction-based gaming and interactive event which helps them understand each other better - culture, language, city and surroundings.

Targeting Eyes
Presented by CoPuppet
Written, Director & Performed by Semi Ryu
Targeting Eyes is a live game performance that explores the artist's cultural and gendered upbringing in Korea, where she was raised to avoid eye contact and to avert her gaze. This performance demonstrates her personal struggle in social spaces, revealing her anxiety, which creates diverse mixed reality states. This project playfully provides a game space with the goal of targeting eyes in First-person shooter (FPS) mode, using this game space as a strictly governed space, with clear rules and goals. The higher level of this game presents her as a voice-activated virtual puppet, allowing her to freely tell her stories, being detached from her social body, exploring her own ways of "Being- In the World".

That Cute Radioactive Couple: A Post-Apocalyptic Comedy
Written & Directed by Charles Battersby
Ray was prepared for the apocalypse, but he wasn't prepared to share his old fallout shelter with his new wife Jane. When nuclear war strikes, they find themselves trapped in a bunker built for one. Inspired by post-apocalyptic and dystopian video games like Fallout, Wasteland and Bioshock, this dark comedy has bittersweet fun with end of the world.

The Photo Album
Presented by The Story Gym
A photo album was recently found hidden under the floorboards of a basement apartment in Brooklyn. But who did the photos belong to and what memories did they capture? Audience members must scan the photographs using their smartphones/tablets to reveal clues in augmented reality that send them on a scavenger hunt to find characters and collect lost memories.

As if it were the last time (a subtlemob)
Presented by cicumstance
Music & Text by Duncan Speakman and Sarah Anderson
A subtlemob is an invisible flashmob, only its participants are aware of it. It's like walking through a film, experienced on headphones, performed by you and hundreds of strangers. As If It Were The Last Time is about celebrating the present, about home, belonging and loss.

This genre breaking festival will play at The Brick (579 Metropolitan Ave at Lorimer Street, Williamsburg, Brooklyn) July 5-28. Tickets ($15) may be purchased online a twww.bricktheater.com or by calling 866-811-4111. Performance schedule TBA.

Rooftop Films Announce Upcoming Screenings, 5/31-6/1

Fri, 24 May 2013 17:32:45 PST

Rooftop Films in Brooklyn has announced their upcoming screenings from May 31 - June 1. The full schedule is below!

Following each screening there will be an after-party sponsored by Red Stripe

Friday, May 31
Trapped (Short Films)
Does the world ever seem slightly off to you, like you haven't slept in days? Are you worried that someone is plotting against you: your weird neighbor, or your adorable children, or your husband? Do you suspect that phantom casinos are scamming you, or the message in the heavy metal is making you evil? In this program of amusing and disquieting short films, it's all true. You're trapped, and these startling cinematic spectacles are your only escape.
Venue: On the roof of New Design High School, 350 Grand St. @ Essex (Lower East Side, Manhattan)
More info: www.rooftopfilms.com/2013/schedule/trapped-short-films/
8:00PM: Doors open
8:30PM: Live music by Lazyeyes
9:00PM: Films begin
11:30PM-1:00AM: After-party sponsored by Red Stripe at Fontana's (105 Eldridge St. @ Grand)

The Films:
A Pretty Funny Story (Evan Morgan | 20')
Comme des Lapins (Osman Cerfon | 8')
Club Magic Moment (Zachary Volker | 15') Rooftop Filmmakers' Fund recipient.
Endless Day (Anna Frances Ewert | 11')
Black Metal (Kat Candler | 9')
Avant Que de Tout Perdre (Xavier Legrand | 30')

***

Saturday, June 1
The Dirties (Dir. Matt Johnson | Canada | 83 min.)
Matt and Owen are high school best friends, constantly bullied by a group they call "The Dirties." When an assignment goes awry, the friends hatch a plan for revenge on their tormentors.
Venue: On the roof of New Design High School, 350 Grand St. @ Essex (Lower East Side, Manhattan)
More info: www.rooftopfilms.com/2013/schedule/the-dirties/
8:00PM: Doors open
8:30PM: Live music by Hanu Zahra
9:00PM: Film begins
10:30PM: Q&A with director Matt Johnson
11:30PM-1:00AM: After-party sponsored by Red Stripe at Fontana's (105 Eldridge St. @ Grand)

Mayor Bloomberg Reopens All NYC Beaches Following Superstorm Sandy

Fri, 24 May 2013 17:15:55 PST

Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg and New York City Parks Commissioner Veronica M. White today opened all 14 miles of New York City's beaches for the 2013 season. These beaches - Coney Island/Brighton and Manhattan Beaches in Brooklyn; Rockaway Beach in Queens; Orchard Beach in the Bronx; and Midland, Wolfe's Pond, Cedar Grove and South Beaches in Staten Island - were badly damaged by Hurricane Sandy and underwent a $270 million-plus restoration to open them this summer, creating new access, making them more resilient and better protected. More than 20 million people are expected to visit New York City beaches this summer. The Mayor and Commissioner made the announcement in Coney Island, where they were also joined by Department of Design and Construction Commissioner David J. Burney, New York City Economic Development Corporation President Seth Pinsky, Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz, and City Council Member Domenic Recchia.

"A few months ago, our region's beaches were scenes of the tragic devastation left by Hurricane Sandy," said Mayor Bloomberg. "In the wake of the storm, we promised New Yorkers that, no matter what it would take, every one of our City's beaches would be open on Memorial Day. And today, I'm very excited to make it official: All eight of the City's free public beaches will be open for the 2013 season beginning this Saturday."

"Our beaches are a summer vacation for millions of people, a driver of local businesses, and a backyard for local residents," said Commissioner White. "I am immensely proud of the work that the Parks Department's employees have done, and grateful to all of the support that we have received from our many partners in government and thousands of community volunteers. Today's opening underscores how far we have come - and we will continue to work to fully restore the damaged boardwalks and implement shoreline protection."

"Getting the beaches reopened after Hurricane Sandy was one of the most challenging, complex, and time-sensitive construction projects undertaken in our city in recent years," said David J. Burney, FAIA, Commissioner of the New York City Department of Design and Construction. "Since March of this year, hundreds of contractors have been working around the clock to build and deliver 35 modular comfort and lifeguard stations to beaches in three boroughs; construct new boardwalk 'islands' in the Rockaways; repair buildings damaged by the storm; and completely rebuild Steeplechase Pier on Coney Island. This massive mobilization of construction personnel would not have been possible without the leadership of Mayor Bloomberg and Deputy Mayor Harris; our colleagues at the Departments of Parks, Transportation, Buildings and Environmental Protection, as well as Con Ed and National Grid; and a tireless, dedicated team of architects and engineers at DDC. We at DDC wish all New Yorkers a safe and happy summer."

"When Hurricane Sandy hit New York City last October, our beaches took an impact that severely damaged the boardwalks and shoreline," said Sanitation Commissioner John J. Doherty. "For several weeks, the Department of Sanitation worked around the clock and removed over 430,000 tons of storm debris from our beach communities of the Rockaways, Staten Island, and parts of Brooklyn - where many of our Sanitation Workers lived -- so that the City's beaches could start the recovery process for the coming Summer season. I am proud of the dedicated work and commitment displayed by the men and women of Sanitation in assisting other agencies and volunteers in reviving our beaches."

"The Parks Department and all of its partners have done a phenomenal job working around the clock to get the beaches up and running, and Workforce1 was happy to help hire more than 1,000 people to help Parks with the recovery efforts," said Rob Walsh, Commissioner of the NYC Department of Small Business Services. "The City has also been working hard to help small businesses impacted by Sandy get back on their feet. This summer when you visit the City's beaches, take a short detour and support some of the small businesses that have reopened as well."

"Despite damage sustained during Hurricane Sandy, our City's fourteen miles of swimming beaches will again serve as a popular summer destination for New Yorkers and visitors alike, enhancing our coastal communities, generating important economic activity and serving again as a first line of defense against future extreme weather events," said New York City Economic Development Corporation President Seth W. Pinsky. "As we work to develop comprehensive long-term plans to protect our entire coastline and make our City more resilient, I want to thank our partner agencies from all levels of government for their hard work and collaboration and to congratulate them on this significant milestone."

"The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is pleased to be able to place roughly four and a half million cubic yards of sand along beaches in New York City that were so severely impacted by Hurricane Sandy," said U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, New York District Commander Col. Paul Owen. "We'll start placing sand this summer, in coordination with our local partners in the city, at both Rockaway Beach and Coney Island where previously constructed coastal storm risk reduction projects were severely impacted and need to be restored to provide increased risk reduction in the near future while also providing recreational and economic benefits to these recovering communities as well."

"In the wake of Hurricane Sandy, we witnessed unlimited examples of the power that committed and civic-minded New Yorkers can have when their City needs them," said Chief Service Officer Diahann Billings-Burford. "Thousands of volunteers mobilized to our beaches and parks to help City government clean and restore impacted areas. As we head into the summer season, we will continue to work with community partners to direct the talent and good-will of New Yorkers who want to give back towards addressing our City's most pressing needs."

"Today marks a great day for people with disabilities because more accessible amenities are being added in the reconstruction of our beaches," said Victor Calise, Commissioner of the Mayor's Office for People with Disabilities. "I applaud the continued daily hard work of Commissioner White and her team at NYC Parks to ensure that parks, playgrounds and beaches are accessible to people with disabilities. With the addition of newly constructed accessible comfort stations, first aid stations and the inclusion of additional beach mats, everybody will be able to enjoy the summer months at our city's beaches."

The work, totaling more than 500,000 person-hours, included debris removal and salvage operations, demolition work, repair of damaged boardwalks, renovation of damaged buildings, replacement of buildings with elevated and storm-resistant models, creation of boardwalk islands around beach amenities, installation of ramps and stairs for beach access, implementation of shoreline protective measures, repairs to playgrounds and other recreational facilities adjacent to the beaches, environmental monitoring, and installation of utilities. This work was made possible thanks to funding through the Office of Management and Budget, and support from the Public Design Commission.

As part of the post-storm clean-up, more than 40,000 cubic yards of debris - enough to fill 12 Olympic-sized swimming pools - were removed. Nearly 8,000 volunteers came to beaches and parks in an effort organized with the help of the Partnerships for Parks and NYC Service. These volunteers carted sand out of playgrounds, gathered debris from shorelines and planted native, wetland plants. Further assistance was provided by thousands of temporary workers, funded by Disaster National EmergenCy Grants from the US Department of Labor and FEMA through the NYS Department of Labor and NYC Department of Small Business Services. The NYC Department of Small Business Services helped connect more than 1,000 New Yorkers to recovery jobs through its network of Workforce1 Career Centers. The NYC Department of Sanitation, with assistance from these volunteers and grant-funded workers gathered more than 200,000 cubic yards of displaced beach sand. This sand was cleaned, sifted of debris by the Army Corps of Engineers and City contractors, and then returned to the beaches.

New storm-resistant, accessible public restrooms and lifeguard stations, designed by Garrison Architects, have been installed in Coney Island, Brighton Beach and Rockaway Beach to replace facilities that were destroyed by the storm. In the coming weeks, more of these buildings will be brought to some of Staten Island's beaches. The new buildings were fabricated off-site, using modular construction, to minimize their impact on the communities and environment. The buildings are sustainably built - containing skylights and solar panels, and elevated on concrete pilings to better withstand future severe weather events. The buildings are also accessible to people with disabilities, with switchback ramps from the beach. Members of the design team included Sage and Coombe, Matthews Nielsen, ATL architects and McClaren Engineers, and Jacobs General Contractors.

An additional $386 million has been allocated from the City's budget to allow restoration work to continue throughout the summer and in coming years, including a full restoration of the nearly 5 miles of damaged boardwalk citywide; installation of shoreline protection; and continued repairs to beaches, shorefront parks and playgrounds.

The Parks Department will soon begin installing emergency protective measures along Rockaway Beach and at South, New Dorp, Oakwood and Cedar Grove Beaches in Staten Island. This includes the installation of berms and sand-filled geotextile bags, and the replacement of damaged concrete baffle walls in Rockaway. The work will protect the beaches from erosion, and protect coastal communities from flooding and wave action. And this summer, the US Army Corps of Engineers will add nearly 1 million cubic yards of sand to Coney Island and 3.6 million cubic yards of sand Rockaway Beach as part of the Corps' near-term coastal restoration efforts, restoring these beaches to their original design profiles. The Army Corps also assisted Parks with design work on emergency protective measures for Staten Island's beaches, including almost 18,000 feet of berm and approximately 90,000 cubic yards of sand.

Beaches will open for swimming 10:00 AM tomorrow, and will be open from 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM, daily through Labor Day, September 2. More than 1,400 lifeguards will be in place for opening day. Swimmers are reminded to observe the following beach safety tips.

· Swim only when lifeguards are present: Lifeguards are there for your protection. Follow their directions and all rules.

· Swim with a friend: Drowning often involves single swimmers. A friend can signal for help if a problem develops.

· Swim sober: Alcohol impairs swimming ability and is a major factor in drowning.

· Supervise children: Watch children closely even when lifeguards are present.

· Never chew gum or eat while swimming.

While enjoying themselves at the beach this summer, all New Yorkers are also reminded to dispose of their litter in the many trash receptacles that are provided. Each summer day, Parks picks up nearly 200 tons of litter dropped on the ground or left behind at our beaches, picnic areas picnic areas, parks and playgrounds. New Yorkers are encouraged to "bag it at the beach" by disposing of their litter and helping to keep our city lean, green and clean.

The Health Department regularly tests the city's beach water and inspects beaches to ensure compliance with local, state and federal safety standards. When water near the beaches becomes contaminated, it can pose health risks - especially to infants, toddlers, people over 65, and those with underlying medical conditions. Beach advisories, closures and water quality test results will be posted at www.nyc.gov/health/beach and updated regularly throughout the summer. You can also get this information by calling 311.

Since 2002 the Bloomberg Administration has invested over $9.5 billion towards projects that better treat wastewater and manage stormwater. As a result our waterways are cleaner than they have been in a century. Investments in wastewater infrastructure also helped ensure a quick recovery for the city's waterways after Sandy. DEP was able to treat 99 percent of all wastewater within three days of the storm; and 100 percent of all wastewater within two weeks. The City's 14 wastewater treatment plants - which all meet or exceed the highest national standards - prevented billions of gallons of toxic wastewater from being discharged into rivers, harbors and bays.

Alongside infrastructure upgrades, the City has launched the Green Infrastructure Plan, an alternative approach to improving harbor water quality that combines traditional infrastructure upgrades and the integration of green infrastructure to capture and retain storm-water runoff before it ever enters the sewer system. Over the next 20 years, the Department of Environmental Protection is planning for $2.4 billion in public and private funding for targeted green infrastructure installations, as well as $2.9 billion in cost-effective grey infrastructure upgrades. Taken together, these investments will lead to a greater improvement in harbor water quality, and at a lower cost to ratepayers, than traditional upgrades alone.

New York Live Arts Announces 2013-2014 Season, Feat. Over 40 Artists

Fri, 24 May 2013 17:04:59 PST

Bill T. Jones, Executive Artistic Director, and Carla Peterson, Artistic Director, of New York Live Arts today announced the presenting season for 2013-2014. The season runs from September 23, 2013 through May 31, 2014 and includes more than 100 performances and events by more than 40 featured artists. Season highlights include ten world premieres, eight international productions, the Replay Series, Studio Series, Fresh Tracks Performance and Residency Program, visual art and humanities programming in the Ford Foundation Live Gallery, and more.

"Our season, taken as a whole, draws a revealing picture of what is among the most exciting, delightful and exhilarating expressions of our time." said Carla Peterson, Artistic Director. "We highlight emergent, topical, often provocative ideas framed in beautiful works by nine International Artists from South Africa, Mozambique, Morocco, Serbia, Israel, France and Switzerland. Alongside this richly global perspective are trailblazing voices: from masters like Trisha Brown, to acclaimed artists like John Jasperse, Cynthia Hopkins and luciana achugar, to younger artists who each show enormous promise, pluck, and fresh connection to our contemporary, multivalent terrain."

Kicking off the season will be the U.S. premiere of Boyzie Cekwana (South Africa) and Panaibra Canda's (Mozambique)The Inkomati (dis)cord, a work that "shreds preconceptions about African performance" (Independent South Africa). International Artists feature prominently throughout the season, including the U.S. premiere of Jérôme Bel's Disabled Theater, co-presented with Performa for Performa 13, for a limited engagement from November 12 - 17, 2013. A collaborative work with 11 mentally disabled actors from Switzerland's Theater Hora, described by Roberta Smith in the New York Times as "transcendent art in a dance-performance piece," Disabled Theater opens up of a space where disability is not expelled from visual and discursive practices, nor hidden behind the screen of political correctness.

Other international productions include the New York City premiere of Moroccan Bouchra Ouizguen's Ha!; French dancer-choreographer Jeanne Morodoj's La Poème and Tel-Aviv-based choreographer Arkadi Zaides's A Response to Dig Deep. Works by Serbian artists Saša Asenti? and Ana Vujanovi? and French artists Alain Buffard and Maud Le Pladec will also have their U.S. premieres.

From April 7 - 13, 2014, the celebrated Trisha Brown Dance Company (TBDC) will be in residence at New York Live Arts for a series of performances, classes and discussions that highLight Brown's investigations of complexity and subtle variations on unison and non-unison movement. Performances will include two works from Brown's "Unstable Molecular Structure" cycle: Opal Loop/Cloud Installation #72503 (1980) and the rarely-seen Son of Gone Fishin' (1981), with music by Robert Ashley. The program also includes early work Solo Olos (1976) and Rogues (2011), with a score by Alvin Curran.

"We support and present artists who, as cultural innovators, are engaged in some of the most compelling, challenging and provocative ideas of contemporary times," said Bill T. Jones. "Through commissioning, presentation, publication and public dialogues, we strive to bring audiences and artists together in lively dialogue. For more than five decades, Trisha Brown's work has helped to both define and confront our notions of dance performance, and we are extremely pleased to welcome the Trisha Brown Dance Company to Live Arts for their spring residency next April."

In keeping with Live Arts' deep commitment to supporting the creation of new works, the season also includes a wide array of exciting new commissions presented through the Dance Theater Workshop Commissioning Fund, including world premieres by Molissa Fenley, Donna Uchizono, Cynthia Hopkins, Beth Gill, luciana achugar, John Jasperse, Elena Demyanenko & Dai Jian, Niv Acosta, Tess Dworman and Kimberly Bartosik.

"We are pleased to announce the 2013-2014 Season, which is reflective of the pluralistic organization we are becoming," said Jean Davidson, CEO & Executive Director of New York Live Arts. "We strive to produce and present artists, works and ideas that cannot be experienced elsewhere in NYC. We are so grateful to the foundations, government agencies and individual contributors who are sustaining this vision and helping bring this work to our audience."

The Replay Series offers audiences a look back at seminal works in the careers of established artists, as well as remounted runs of both in-demand shows and those that warrant greater visibility from previous seasons. This season's Replay Series artists and works include Fenley's Energizer and The Floor Dances, Big Dance Theater's Ich, Kürbisgeist, and Uchizono's State of Heads.

Also included in the 2013-2014 season is Live Artery, a multi-day event dedicated to connecting dance and movement-based artists, curators and presenters at Live Arts during the annual APAP|NYC Conference. Live Artery 2014 will feature work-in-process showings by Live Arts' second Resident Commissioned Artist Kyle Abraham, Founder and Artistic Director of Abraham.In.Motion, as well as other artists to be announced. The Studio Series work-in-process showings will feature artists Sam Kim, Jon Kinzel, Rashaun Mitchell, Cori Olinghouse, Jimena Paz, Saul Ulerio and Mariana Valencia. Additional programming highlights include the Fresh Tracks Performance and Residency Program, founded in 1965 by Dance Theater Workshop, which annually offers six early-career artists comprehensive performance and residency support; and Live Arts' education initiative, Shared Practice, which returns for a second year and features workshops with season artists that aim to provide a dynamic exchange of information in support of furthering the artistry of all involved.

The All Access Season Pass for the 2013-2014 season is currently on sale to the general public. Passes are available for the entire season or for the fall season only. Single tickets go on sale on to New York Live Arts Members, Associate Artists and Season Pass holders on July 15 and to the general public on July 22. Passes and tickets are available in person at the box office, by calling the box office at 212-924-0077 and online at newyorklivearts.org.

Major support for New York Live Arts is provided by: Bloomberg Philanthropies; The Brownstone Foundation; The Robert Sterling Clark Foundation; Con Edison; The Joseph and Joan Cullman Foundation for the Arts; Doris Duke Charitable Foundation; The Ford Foundation; The Fan Fox and Leslie R. Samuels Foundation; Florence Gould Foundation; Japan Foundation; Jerome Foundation; Lambent Foundation; MAP Fund, a program of Creative Capital; The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation; Mertz Gilmore Foundation; Mid-Atlantic Arts Foundation; New England Foundation for the Arts; The New York Community Trust; Robert Rauschenberg Foundation; The Rockefeller Foundation NYC Cultural Innovation Fund; The Jerome Robbins Foundation; The Scherman Foundation; The Shubert Foundation; and the Trust for Mutual Understanding. New York Live Arts is supported by public funds administered by the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs, the New York State Council on the Arts and the National Endowment for the Arts.