Harlem Stage is kicking-off the Fall 2017 Season with its first ever Open House and the sounds of DJ Stormin Normin. What could be better than that! September 16th, Save that date. The Open House will include a tour of the historic Gatehouse and a chance to meet some of the artists, all to the soulful sounds of DJ Storming Norman. “All drummers, percussionists, dancers, and culture enthusiasts are invited to participate in a drum circle led by second year artist-in-residence, Christian Scott aTunde Adjuah, who is a grammy nominated jazz trumpeter. Bring your tambourines, djembes, congas, cajones, hand percussion and…..joy!” Stretch Music will honor the rhythmic tradition of Christian’s Afro New Orleanian/Black Indian culture throughout this season. Harlem Stage Open House is a Free event, welcoming the community.
Programming will continue through the season with Music, Dance, Film, Spoken Word, and the Dinner/Discussion series, WaterWorks at 10: Visionary Artists and Transformative Art. Tickets for the 2017 Fall Season go on sale August 14th, and can be purchased online or by phone at 212-281-9240 ext 19.
Below are a few highlights of the new season to look forward to ~
MUSIC: Harlem Stage in collaboration with Manhattan School of Music presents Monkmania, A Centennial Tribute to Thelonius Monk featuring special guest soloist Regina Carter, Violin; John Beasley, Guest Conductor and Arranger; and The MSM Monk’estra Ensemble (December 1); A free Carnegie Neighborhood Concert with Jazzmeia Horn (December 7); Christian Scott aTunde Adjuah continues his Stretch Music Residency with two nights of concerts showcasing a range of cultural influences from his native New Orleans to West Africa and the Caribbean (December 14 & 15).
FILM: Dreamstates, written by Rwandan-born Anisia Uzeyman in her directorial debut, paints an underground portrait of a sultry, sensual, and quixotic America through the fleeting romance of two artistic lovers. The film stars acclaimed poet and actor Saul Williams who will perform a post screening DJ and poetry set (October 6); Some Girls, directed by Raquel Cepeda and produced by Henry Chalfant, focuses on a group of troubled Latina teens from a Bronx-based suicide prevention program who are transformed by an exploration of their roots via the use of ancestral DNA testing, followed by a trip to the seat of the Americas (November 29).
DANCE: Declassified Memory Fragment is a dance theater work, created by Olivier Tarpaga and Esther Baker, with a live band inspired by the ideas and themes of memory, history, politics and cultural realities affecting the continent of Africa (October 4); World renowned Misty Copeland will lead a ballet class for select students, followed by a discussion with the legendary Carmen de Lavallade (November 6).
Dance: A Misty Copeland Ballet Class, in Association with Dance Theater of Harlem and Harlem School for the Arts, Monday, November 6th at 5pm. Tickets: $50. A limited number of tickets will be available to the public. Harlem Stage is honored to host world renowned Misty Copeland for a Ballet Class designed to deepen the engagement in the arts for young ballet students in the Harlem Community and collaborate with Harlem arts organizations. Students selected by and from Dance Theater of Harlem and Harlem School for the Arts will participate in a one-hour ballet class with Ms. Copeland. We will open the Harlem Stage Gatehouse to students and their families to experience the inspiring, empowering, and history-making Misty Copeland. The Ballet Class will be followed by an intimate conversation around the concept of “being the first” between Misty Copeland and legendary dancer, choreographer and actress, Carmen De Lavallade, moderated by Zita Allen from New York Amsterdam News. This event is made possible with the generous support of Valentino D. Carlotti.
SPOKEN WORD: Native Tongue: A Story Slam, created by award winning storyteller Aman Ali, will investigate the theme of ‘Home’ through the viewpoint of multigenerational artists, thinkers, and disrupters. Native Tongue Story Slam showcases and celebrates the lives of marginalized voices around the corner and around the globe (October 12).
DINNER/DISCUSSION: WaterWorks at 10: Visionary Artists and Transformative Art is a discussion series that is dedicated to reflecting on the visionary artists and transformative art that has been created in the Harlem Stage Gatehouse. This discussion series that is dedicated to reflecting on the visionary artists and transformative art that has been created in the Gatehouse. It is designed to highlight the significance of our WaterWorks commissioning program – past, present and future, while creating space for dialogue, community and transformational ideas. Join us for an intimate dinner party examining the trend of hidden influences in American Pop Culture and the importance of intersectional artistic practice featuring WaterWorks artist Tamar-kali in conversation around her new work Demon Fruit Blues. She will be joined by Kyra Gaunt PhD, Elissa Blount Moorhead, Maureen Mahon-Tate PhD and Peg Schuler-Armstrong, in a delicious conversation focusing on the role of the ‘Blues Woman’ in contemporary music and how the legacy of African American culture and traditions inform her new work. Only 50 tickets available. Tickets: $50. Monday, November 13 at 7:30pm.
This season, Harlem Stage welcomes Monique Martin (previously at SummerStage) as the new Director of Programming. Harlem Stage is located at 150 Convent Avenue at West 135th Street. You can also follow Harlem Stage on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter.