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Dance News: Brooklyn's On Stage at Kingsborough Announces 2019-2020 Performing Arts Season
Music, Dance, Cabaret, Family Theatre & Circus
On Stage At Kingsborough, a leading performing arts presenter, is pleased to announce its 2019-2020 season featuring world class artists from around the globe. On Stage At Kingsborough brings high caliber performing arts to Southern Brooklyn, with a diverse roster of artists spanning multiple genres including cabaret, dance, music, and family programming.
This year marks the 10th anniversary season since Executive Director Anna Becker took the helm of On Stage At Kingsborough and brought a new artistic vision to the Performing Arts Center. In that time, audience numbers have grown exponentially, including a six-fold increase in attendance for mainstage performances. During her tenure, Becker expanded programming to include international dance, theater and a wider variety of music including cabaret, jazz, and rock, along with international holiday celebrations and family entertainment. The breadth of programming adopted an international focus to feature award-winning artists who are masters of their form from around the globe, including from countries such as Russia, China, England, Ireland, Argentina, Spain, Israel and more.
Becker also established the Jazz At The Lighthouse Series, which presents high-quality jazz performances in a nightclub setting in a modern lighthouse on the Kingsborough campus. Additionally, she developed the Artist Residency Program at Kingsborough where dance and theatre artists are given use of the Kingsborough stage to create new works, including world premieres, commissioned productions, and to offer open rehearsals and post-rehearsal discussions between artists and the audience. The program has hosted notable artists including multi-award-winning Camille A. Brown, John Heginbotham, Breton Tyner-Bryan, and RIOULT Dance NY, among others.
This 2019-2020 season, Becker has committed On Stage at Kingsborough to continue to present premier artists from around the globe in southern Brooklyn.
Dance:
This season, dance enthusiasts can experience companies from around the world. In a rare appearance direct from Krasnoyarsk, Russia, The National Dance Company of Siberia, founded by distinguished choreographer Mikhail Godenko, will premiere its majestic new show Russian Souvenirs. Like a fairy tale revealed, 50 stunning dancers in lavish costumes will flow from one popular Siberian folk dance to the next in a single, grand choreographic symphony. From choreographer Luis Bravo, creator of the Tony Award-winning Forever Tango!, comes Cumparsita, an all-new tango show full of heart-pounding excitement. In Cumparsita, the finest tango dancers in the world, accompanied by legendary Argentinean musicians, will bring the true story of the art of tango to life. To celebrate the 20thanniversary of the world-renowned Flamenco Festival New York, On Stage At Kingsborough has partnered with the festival to present the exclusive New York City engagement of Alas de Recuerdo. In this beautiful and moving production, María Morenopays homage to the great flamenco dancers that she has performed with the world over, and celebrates the personal experiences that have shaped her life and artistry.
Cabaret:
Cabaret aficionados will be delighted by this year’s offerings. Two-time Tony Award nominee Christine Andreas will honor the great leading ladies of Broadway with Here’s to the Broadway Ladies. Andreas will pay tribute to stars such as Ethel Merman, Julie Andrews, Angela Lansbury, and Barbra Streisand, by interpreting classics from Funny Girl, South Pacific, The King and I, Mame, and more. An electric performer, Andreas first captured Broadway’s heart in the 20th anniversary production of My Fair Lady as Eliza Doolittle, followed by a Tony-nominated turn as Laurey in Oklahoma!, Jacqueline in the Tony and Olivier Award-winning La Cage Aux Folles, Frankie in On Your Toes (Tony Nomination) and more.
Tony and Grammy award-winning film, stage, and concert artist John Lloyd Young, with Tommy Faragheron piano, will interpret spine-tingling, soul-bearing Broadway showstoppers, including hits from Jersey Boys, The Wiz, Chicago, Hair, and Dreamgirls, along with classics by legendary Broadway writers. Young originated the role of Frankie Valli in Broadway’s Jersey Boys and was later hand-picked to star in Clint Eastwood’s movie adaptation. He has played to sold-out crowds at the Hollywood Bowl and has appeared at Carnegie Hall, the White House, the Kennedy Center, Lincoln Center, Radio City Music Hall, Cafe Carlyle, and with the National Symphony Orchestra.
Join Scott Coulter, his trio, and a cast of leading Broadway and cabaret performers for a thrilling musical celebration of Sir Andrew Lloyd Webber, Sir Elton John, And Sir Paul McCartney with Music of the Knights ®. These three musical geniuses will be honored with legendary songs such as “Memory,” “Don't Cry for Me, Argentina,” “The Phantom of the Opera,” “Can You Feel the Love Tonight,” “Your Song,” “Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me,” “Yesterday,” “Hey Jude,” and more. Coulter is one of New York's most honored vocalists, having received five MAC Awards, five Bistro Awards, and two Nightlife Awards for Outstanding Vocalist.
Music:
Musical offerings this season include a performance from Under the Streetlamp, who will deliver an electrifying evening of classic hits from the American Doo Wop, Motown, and old time Rock ‘n’ Roll Songbook. Starring leading cast members of the Tony award-winning musical Jersey Boys, the show features tight harmonies and slick dance moves that harken back to an era of sharkskin suits, flashy cars, and martini shakers. Filled with great music and humorous behind-the-scenes tales, the concert brings back the classic hits of Frankie Valli, Elvis Presley, Tom Jones, The Beatles, Roy Orbison, Bobby Darin, and many others, and magically recreates the time when singers would gather under a street lamp to sing their favorite songs.
MusicTalks, an organization that breaks down the barriers between musicians and audience will present a special Hanukkah performance with Hanukkah on the Roof! Join Host Elad Kabilio, Yiddish theatre star Daniella Rabbani, the Israeli ensemble 12thNight Klezmer, and special guest vocalist Michael Einav, of Fiddler on the Roof in Yiddish, for a joyous evening of beautiful music, passion, and humor that will bring the Hanukkah celebration into the world of Fiddler on the Roof, for the ultimate Shtetl experience in Yiddish, English, and Russian.
The Hit Men are five legendary musicians (Lee Shapiro, Jimmy Ryan, Jeff Ganz, Russ Velazquez, and Steve Murphy), who have toured and recorded with some of the biggest names in the music business. With Time Travel Tourthey will relive the music, the magic, and the memories of those times. The group will perform hits by the music greats they have performed with, including “Maggie May,” “Anticipation,” “I’m Still Standing,” and “Every Breath You Take,” and will tell rollicking behind-the-scenes stories about their unforgettable experiences on the road. Members of The Hit Men have toured with stars including Frankie Valli, Carly Simon, Tommy James, Carole King, Cat Stevens, Jim Croce, Cheap Trick, Elton John, Paul McCartney, Journey, Foreigner, The Animals, The Who, Barry Manilow, Rod Stewart, Blood, Sweat & Tears, and many others. They have appeared on over 85 albums, winning multiple Gold and Platinum Recording Awards, Emmy nominations, Telly Awards, and more.
On Stage At Kingsborough’s Jazz At The Lighthouse series offers intimate performances inside a modern lighthouse, where the audience can enjoy jazz concerts replete with wine, cheese and picturesque sweeping floor-to-ceiling views of the sea. This year’s series will offer three unforgettable performances.
Join the Veronica Swift Trioas they perform songs from the Great American Songbook, including bebop and jazz age favorites. At age 25, Veronica Swift is recognized as one of the top young jazz singers on the scene.Swift grew up on tour with her jazz pianist father and jazz singer mother, appearing at venues like The Jazz Standard and Dizzy’s Club. Since then, her passionate and intense vocals have thrilled audiences at Lincoln Center, where she appeared with Michael Feinstein, as well as headlining appearances at Telluride Jazz Festival, Blues Alley, The Jazz Cruise, and Birdland. In 2015, Swift won second place at the prestigious Thelonious Monk Jazz Competition and received the Downbeat Award for Outstanding Vocalist; in 2017, she was awarded Hot House’s Best Rising Star Award.
Celebrate Valentine’s Day at the Lighthouse with romantic French Gypsy Jazz tunes from Tatiana Eva-Marie & The Avalon Jazz Band. The audience will be serenaded with songs inspired by the Parisian jazz scene of the 1930s, such as “La Vie en Rose,” “I Wish You Love,” and “Autumn Leaves,” made famous by such jazz greats as ÉdithPiaf, Yves Montand, and Charles Trenet. Tatiana Eva-Marie has performed in some of the most renowned cabarets and theaters in France, including the Comedie Francaise. She and The Avalon Jazz Band have performed in New York at Lincoln Center, Dizzy’s, The Iridium, and Birdland, along with at festivals such as The New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival and Midsummer Night Swing, and on tour internationally.
Award-winning singer/songwriter, entertainer and recording artist Ty Stephens and (the) SoulJaazz will offer an evening of cool, urban-tinged jazz, funk, and R&B. The audience can groove to classic tunes like "Puttin' On The Ritz," "I Can See Clearly Now," and "Happy," tributes to R&B and jazz legends such as Stevie Wonder, Donny Hathaway, and Bill Withers, and soulful originals by Ty Stephens.Stephens has appeared on Broadway in the original productions of Sophisticated Ladies and Marilyn, An American Fable, and has performed with Houston Person, Harry Belafonte, Gregory Hines, Smokey Robinson, and more, along with opening for such superstars as Stevie Wonder, Tony Bennett, Alicia Keys, and Steely Dan. SoulJaazz members have toured and recorded with Wayne Shorter, Tito Puente, George Benson, B.B. King, Beyoncé, Celine Dion, and Little Richard, among others.
Family Programming:
For children or the young at heart, On Stage at Kingsborough will offer several unique productions that will inspire and uplift. All family shows will offer fans an opportunity to meet the cast post-show. From TheaterWorksUSA comes an enchanting adaptation of Peter Pan, told through the eyes of the Darling Family who live in Edwardian England. Adapted by Tony award-winners John Cairdand Trevor Nunn (Les Misérables, and Nicholas Nickleby), this charming production celebrates the magic of the imagination as the Darling family transforms their nursery into Neverland by turning pillows into clouds, long-johns into shadows, and an ironing board into a ship’s plank. Also fromTheatreWorksUSA,comes Charlotte's Web. Based on E.B. White's loving story of the friendship between a pig named Wilbur and a little gray spider named Charlotte, this treasured tale, featuring madcap and endearing farm animals, explores bravery, selfless love, and the true meaning of friendship.
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To celebrate the holidays, the On Stage At Kingsborough audience will receive a sneak peak of A Charlie Brown Christmas in advance of its North American tour. Join Charlie Brown, Snoopy, Lucy, Linus, and the whole Peanuts gang as they produce their own Christmas play. With a concert of beloved holiday carols backed by a live trio playing the unforgettable music of Vince Guaraldi, this fresh take on Charles M. Schulz’s timeless story captures the spirit of Christmas.
Direct from China comes the New Shanghai Circus, which will offer a spectacular extravaganza of dazzling acrobatics that draws upon 2,000 years of Chinese circus traditions. Breathtaking and polished to perfection, astonishing athletes defy gravity and execute stupendous feats as they stretch the limits of human ability in this spellbinding show. The company has won more Gold, Silver, and Bronze Medals in domestic and international circus competitions than any other Chinese acrobatic company.
"I am thrilled to celebrate my tenth season at On Stage At Kingsborough with what I think is one of our most exciting and awe-inspiring lineups yet. We are pleased to continue to expand our programming through partnerships with companies and artists from around the world. This year we will present a truly broad range of artists, from Siberian folk dance to Chinese circus and from tango to the best in jazz and cabaret. I am proud to continue our legacy of presenting exclusive Brooklyn engagements from one-of-a-kind, globally recognized performing artists” said Becker.
Box Office Location: On Stage at Kingsborough box office, Kingsborough Community College, 2001 Oriental Boulevard (cross street: Oxford), Brooklyn, NY
Box Office Hours: 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. from Monday-Friday & 1 hour before curtain times
By Phone: (718) 368-5596
Online: www.OnStageAtKingsborough.org
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