CLICK HERE FOR LOCAL PERFORMANCE VENUES
2026
JANUARY
through March 1 COCO FUSCO: TOMORROW I WILL BECOME AN ISLAND a fascinating retrospective of this vital and enormously influential performer/artist/thinker/teacher at Museo del Barrio
7-25 UNDER THE RADAR The annual series at multiple venues always introduces me to new artists and experiences. Always discoveries and revelations.
7-25 DREAMSCAPE written/directed Rickerby Hinds, choreographed by Carrie Mykuls. 59E59 from Edinburgh Fringe fest set in Riverside CA 1998 story of Black woman shot by police while unconscious. Beatbox, spoken word, hip-hop dance structured around autopsy report of 12 bullet wounds.
11 ALL SING! Public performance outside in Times Square of new choral work WHALE ROAD/HWAEL-RAD) by Jens Ibsen. I'll be in the chorus trying to keep up. 2pm on the big stairs/pyramid in Times Square. Produced by the wonderful Beth Morrison Productions/Prototype
12-13 SOLO DUET QUARTET Jeremy Nelson and Luis A. Lara Malvacías w/ Kalliope Piersol, Savannah Gaillard, ,Cristine Moya-Palacios, Cove Haselton. ATLAS Theater at NYU/Tisch Dance 7:30pm.
14-Feb 8 WATCH ME WALK Anne Gridley, the brilliant and wonderfully weird performer from early Nature Theatre of Oklahoma productions, presents herself in a script she wrote about her degenerative neural issues. Presented by Soho Rep as part of Under the Radar. Directed by Eric Ting and also featuring Alex Gibson and Keith Johnson
19-23 LETTER OF INTENT John Jesurun's fascinating site specific play with a great cast comes back for another run. It's a small apartment, so make reservation ASAP at: apartment1.org@gmail.com
FEBRUARY
through March 1 COCO FUSCO: TOMORROW I WILL BECOME AN ISLAND a fascinating retrospective of this vital and enormously influential performer/artist/thinker/teacher at Museo del Barrio
-through 8 WATCH ME WALK Anne Gridley, the brilliant and wonderfully weird performer from early Nature Theatre of Oklahoma productions, presents herself in a script she wrote about her degenerative neural issues. Presented by Soho Rep as part of Under the Radar. Directed by Eric Ting and also featuring Alex Gibson and Keith Johnson
-through Feb 21 A FRIEND GAVE ME A BOOK visual art installation by performer/singer/painter John Kelly, beautifully illustrated pages of his book recounting in fascinating and harrowing detail a fall from a trapeze in 2004. PPOW, 390 Broadway. Accompanying video with music by John and collaborators.
-through March 15 DISOBEDIENT SPACES: LOTTY ROSENFELD the Chilean artist whose subtle works poked holes in the brutal Pinochet regime in Chile at Wallach Art Gallery at Columbia University. Wed-Sun 12-6 free
through April 12 THE UNKNOWN a new solo thriller by the always fascinating David Cale, performed by Sean Hayes. Studio Seaview
2 FIRST MONDAYS Sarah Schulman's excellent reading series at PSNY. 7pm This week: Bobuq Sayed, Sa'ed Atshan, Alexander Chee. Free but rsvp
4 WHAT WE DID BEFORE OUR MOTH DAYS. A new collaboration between Wally Shawn and André Gregory! with John Early, Hope Davis, Maria Dizzia, Josh Hamilton. Previews start Feb 4 and opens March 2. Greenwich House Theater
5 THE TUNE UP! written and conceived by Suzan-Lori Parks and her band. Directed by Nigel Smith. Free! 7:30 Lincoln Center Rubenstein auditoreum. Produced by The Flea.
19-March 21 Dance Reflections by Van Cleef & Arpels Festival. Lots of performances, venues, workshops from international companies.
23 SPIRITUS reading of new solo play by Dael Orlandersmith. Directed by Danny Sharron. Vineyard Theatre.
MARCH
cont. through March 21 Dance Reflections by Van Cleef & Arpels Festival. Lots of performances, venues, workshops from international companies.
cont. through March 15 DISOBEDIENT SPACES: LOTTY ROSENFELD the Chilean artist whose subtle works poked holes in the brutal Pinochet regime in Chile at Wallach Art Gallery at Columbia University. Wed-Sun 12-6 free
through April 12 THE UNKNOWN a new solo thriller by the always fascinating David Cale, performed by Sean Hayes. Studio Seaview
6,7, & 13, 14 A BRIEF HISTORY OF THE TELEPHONE in which the audience calls the incomparable Deb Margolin on her flip phone! Dixon Place
20-23 KRISTINA WONG FOODBANK INFLUENCER presented by New York Theatre Workshop "Work Out" series at two venues. Free
HETRICK MARTIN INSTITUTE 740 Broadway March 20 @ 6:30 PM March 21 @ 1 & 5PM
ST LUKE IN THE FIELDS 487 Hudson Street March 22 @ 7PM March 23 @ 7PM
19-22 JANE COMFORT AND COMPANY with music by HEATHER CHRISTIAN. New work and some revivals. La MaMa
continuing WHAT WE DID BEFORE OUR MOTH DAYS. A new collaboration between Wally Shawn and André Gregory! with John Early, Hope Davis, Maria Dizzia, Josh Hamilton. Previews started Feb 4 and opens March 2. Greenwich House Theater
APRIL
through April 12 UNCLE VANYA, SCENES FROM COUNTRY LIFE. Checkov's great play re-imagined by Krymov Lab NYC, lead by expatriate Russian director Krymov. LaMama
through April 25 LISTENING ALL NIGHT TO THE RAIN Video installation by British artist John Akomfrah. 30 minutes. Originally commissioned for Venice Biennale. Gorgeous multi-channel.
through Sept. 6. ACT BLACK: Posters from Black American Stage & Screen. And LOVE & FURY: New York's Fight Against AIDS. Poster House
5-19 OFF THE RECORD: ACTS OF RESTORATIVE JUSTICE "a radically interactive theatrical work" James Scruggs, Thomas Giovanni, Michael Rohd. HERE. A few years ago, I saw James' SUPREMACY LAND, and it was complex, stunning, funny, infuriating and truly brilliant art. The concept of him working with the always adventurous and challenging Michael Rohd thrills me. Collaborators Annalisa Dias and Thomas Giovanni.
9-May 10 LA MAMA MOVES Dance Festival
16-19 CENTER FOR FICTION: THIS IS NOT MAY '68. directed/choreographed by Patricia Hoffbauer. La Mama "eleven performers, ages 25-80 in a charged encounter between generations. Through a dynamic mix of text and movement, together they reimagine historical struggles for power, love, and knowledge. Here, the past activates us. The unfinished revolutions of 1968 cast a restless shadow, pressing urgently against our present time. As memory and bodies collide with lived experience, performers are propelled into unexpected situations and daring new possibilities"
24-May 10 THE DOOR SLAMS, A GLASS TREMBLES By Talking Band (Paul Zimet, Ellen Maddow) La MaMa
through April 12 THE UNKNOWN a new solo thriller by the always fascinating David Cale, performed by Sean Hayes. Studio Seaview
MAY
cont. through 10 LA MAMA MOVES Dance Festival
through Sept. 6. ACT BLACK: Posters from Black American Stage & Screen. And LOVE & FURY: New York's Fight Against AIDS. Poster House
1-3 LONG PLAY: BANG ON A CAN 60+ concerts throughout Brooklyn schedule
5-June 14 ANIMAL WISDOM new work by Heather Christian, Directed by Keenan Tyler Oliphant. Signature Theatre. Two actors rotate playing "H" (Heather). I saw Kenita R. Miller and she was very powerful. Even in the moments where there is too much explaining and setting-up, we followed her. The music, and the performances, are wonderful and hit a lot of styles without seeming juke-boxy. I'm not big on "ritual" but so what? she got me. The structure is kinda puzzling but the content carries.
15-16 ORDINARY DAYS a new solo work by Leonora Champagne 7:30 Dixon Place
15-June 21. JEROME new play by my former student, the very accomplished John J Caswell, Jr. at Playwrights' Horizons. Everything John did at ASU when was bracing, unsettling and utterly unique. Earlier, Playwrights also presented his WET BRAIN. "Jerome, a ghost town in the secluded Arizona backcountry, is home to Con and Doane, an aging gay couple who’ve built a quiet life far from the chaos of cities and other people—until a stranger arrives, fleeing his damaged past, and falls into their arms. Set at the height of the AIDS epidemic, John J. Caswell, Jr.’s new play is an unexpectedly funny, delicately wrought story of survival, even in the harshest of deserts."
16-December 6 IRIS VAN HERPEN the brilliant costume/fashion designer/sculptor exhibition at Brooklyn Museum.
21-June 27 CAN I BE FRANK? Morgan Bassichis' brilliant, hysterical, complex evocation/extension/homage to the much loved performer, Frank Maya. Soho Playhouse. Back again after winning several awards.
22 MOST WANTED Jessica Hagedorn collaborates with composer Mark Bennett for free presentation of this new musical work. Part of American Songbook Festival at Lincoln Center Rubenstein Atrium 7:30. Free but reserve
27-July 7
3LD @ La Mama Immersive works by Kevin Cunningham, Chick Mee, James Scruggs.
-through May 31 VANESSA Samuel Barber/Gian Carlo Menotti. In English in new adaptation. Directed by RB Schlather. I am told it was quite brilliant at Williamstown Theatre Festival last year. Heartbeat Opera Company at Baruch Performing Arts Center.
JUNE
cont through 14 ANIMAL WISDOM new work by Heather Christian, Directed by Keenan Tyler Oliphant. Signature Theatre. Two actors rotate playing "H" (Heather). I saw Kenita R. Miller and she was very powerful. Even in the moments where there is too much explaining and setting-up, we followed her. The music, and the performances, are wonderful and hit a lot of styles without seeming juke-boxy. I'm not big on "ritual" but so what? she got me. The structure is kinda puzzling but the content carries.
- June 20 WELL, I'LL LET YOU GO. Written by Bubba Weiler, directed by Jack Serio. I've heard very good things about this new play at Seaview
cont. through June 21. JEROME new play by my former student, the very accomplished John J Caswell, Jr. at Playwrights' Horizons. Everything John did at ASU when was bracing, unsettling and utterly unique. Earlier, Playwrights also presented his WET BRAIN. "Jerome, a ghost town in the secluded Arizona backcountry, is home to Con and Doane, an aging gay couple who’ve built a quiet life far from the chaos of cities and other people—until a stranger arrives, fleeing his damaged past, and falls into their arms. Set at the height of the AIDS epidemic, John J. Caswell, Jr.’s new play is an unexpectedly funny, delicately wrought story of survival, even in the harshest of deserts."
cont through Aug 17 GREATER NEW YORK MOMA/PS1 survey or NYC based artists.
5-7 INTERNATIONAL HUMAN RIGHTS FESTIVAL/HANNAH ARENDT a series of performances and discussions focused on work made in response to Arendt's writing. 30th St. Theatre, 259 W. 30th St. co-sponsored by Bard College/Hannah Arendt Center
cont through 27 CAN I BE FRANK? Morgan Bassichis' brilliant, hysterical, complex evocation/extension/homage to the much loved performer, Frank Maya. Soho Playhouse. Back again after winning several awards.
cont. through December 6 IRIS VAN HERPEN the brilliant costume/fashion designer/sculptor exhibition at Brooklyn Museum.
12-July 13 STRIP Jimmy DeSana, Carolee Schneemann, Martha Wilson (with Jacki Apple) exhibit at P.P.O.W Gallery, 392 Broadway, featuring the documentation of Wilson/Apple's 1973 TRANSFORMANCE, in which Jacki and Martha disguised themselves as wealthy women and spent the day visiting art galleries and luxurious restaurants. A kind of invisible theatre and beautifully documented piece of public performance of identity shift and tricksterism.
19 OH SANKOFAH! written/directed by Carl Hancock-Rux at Lincoln Center Junteenth Celebration Festival 6pm. Through music, choral performance, dance, and storytelling, pays tribute to the use of African-American folklore as a vital means of survival during the trauma of the Transatlantic Slave Trade. The work features actor/comedian Phyllis Yvonne Stickney; performers Vinson Fraley and Chanon Judson; blues jazz guitarist Marvin Sewell; the Etienne Lashley Choir; Jamel Gaines Creative Outlet Dance Theater; and contemporary art garments and installation by Dianne Smith. Free but better access of you reserve.
30-July 26 THE POTLUCK by César Alvarez, directed by Sarah Benson. Soho Rep at Playwrights Horizons. Based on Alvarez' childhood as a member of survivor community of 1979 Greensboro Massacre in North Carolina. A musical about ghosts and capitalism. I've never seen a disappointing show at Soho Rep.
JULY
5 CATCH! on Governors' Island! Catchball at 1:30 and shows at 5:30 as part of LMCC River to River Festival
2-26 OTHELLO Classical Theatre of Harlem at Marcus Garvey Park
cont. through July 13 STRIP Jimmy DeSana, Carolee Schneemann, Martha Wilson (with Jacki Apple) exhibit at P.P.O.W Gallery, 392 Broadway, featuring the documentation of Wilson/Apple's 1973 TRANSFORMANCE, in which Jacki and Martha disguised themselves as wealthy women and spent the day visiting art galleries and luxurious restaurants. A kind of invisible theatre and beautifully documented piece of public performance of identity shift and tricksterism.
cont. through July 26 THE POTLUCK by César Alvarez, directed by Sarah Benson. Soho Rep at Playwrights Horizons. Based on Alvarez' childhood as a member of survivor community of 1979 Greensboro Massacre in North Carolina. A musical about ghosts and capitalism. I've never seen a disappointing show at Soho Rep.