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Now in its fourth year, undergroundzero: festival of theater artists, is a three-week event running from July 6th to 25th, 2010, that showcases innovative talent in experimental theater. Presented by East River Commedia at PS122 (150 1st Avenue at 9th Steet), the artists invited to be in the festival are asked to present a piece of their own choosing, creating a unique experience "where risk-taking is encouraged and expected."
The festival was created to weave a "flying repertory" of highly creative and fearless theatrical experimentation. Artists both local and international are given free-reign to shape each affair to the limits of their inspiration.
This year's artists include several of the festival's past favorites, as well as many new faces. Doris Mirescu's trilogy ode to German director, Rainer Werner Fassbinder --From Dawn til Night (The Earth is Uninhabitable like the Moon) -- is the multimedia final chapter. The second part won the 2009 undergroundzero Best Production Award.Local director Anna Brenner -- winner of the 2009 festival's Audience Choice Award -- presents Are We Here Yet?, which establishes five characters struggling to make connections with people and with their own distinct Americanness.
There is a wealth of talent coming from abroad to the festival, as well. The Adventures of Alvin Sputnik: Deep Sea Explorer is a musical, one-man micro-epic puppet show about love and a pending apocalypse performed by its Australian creator Tim Watts. Actor John Wesley Zielmann channels quintessential pop artist Andy Warhol in the German piece Forever Art, directed by Johanna Zielinski.
In addition to many full productions, the festival invites spectators to participate in in-progress works and discussions with artists as well as conversational mixers with all involved. Each Tuesday brings a "meta-theatrical talk show" called commonground, and every Friday heralds a late-night dance party hosted at the P.S.122 venue.
Tickets ($20) can be purchased by visiting PS122.org or by calling (212) 352-3101. The special "PS122 Passport" allows purchasers to see five shows for $55, and holders enjoy various discounts and benefits at East Village area community partners and businesses.
for festival performance schedules and more information go to: www.ps122.org/performances/undergroundzero_2010.html
undergroundzero:a festival of theater artists
July 6-25, 2010
PS122 - 150 1st Avenue at 9th
The international festival on spirituality, Divinamente New York, comes here from Rome, Italy, April 22 to 26, 2010, for the second consecutive year. A five-night festival, it celebrates spirituality and artistic exploration through a range of events including musical and theatrical performances and round-table discussions.
This year's theme, "The Fear of God," traces the feelings of fear and trepidation as they evolve into comfort, acceptance, and peace -- will be addressed in six different theatrical, artistic, and musical productions, and will be held in several NYC venues including the Rubin Museum of Art, Symphony Space, and the Italian Cultural Institute.
Divinamente New York is an offshoot of the Festival Divinamente Roma, founded in 2008 by Italian actress, director, and cultural icon Pamela Villoresi, who has appeared in over 100 plays, 11 films and 12 television productions. She has worked with such famed Italian actors as Vittorio Gassman and Nino Manfredi, and directors as Marco Bellocchio, the Taviani brothers, Ettore Scola and Giorgio Strehler.
The Festival opens at the Italian Cultural Institute with a round table discussion on the theme led by Villoresi with readings taken from "Noah’s Arch" by Michele di Martino, Dante's Inferno and The Bacchae by Euripides. To be held on Thursday, April 22, it will be followed by "The Path of the Soul," an original concert featuring Russian duo clarinetist Anton Dressler and pianist Uri Brener performing the music of various composers in a variety of styles.
On Friday, April 23, at Symphony Space, Napolitana vocalist Teresa De Sio’s secular prayer will invoke Paradise on earth through popular music.
The Rubin Museum will host the third night of the festival, Saturday, April 24, and is a great setting for the story of the love between Galileo Galilei and his illegitimate daughter, Suor Maria Celeste, played by actress Federica Bern.
At St. Mark’s Church, on Sunday, April 25, Vanessa Gravina will perform the courage of Francesca, the Saint of Immigrants live on stage.
On Monday, April 26 at the Italian Cultural Institute, the closing event will feature the captivating voice of Evelina Meghnagi as she relives the exodus of the Sephardic Jews through Africa and Europe to the Roman community.
Divinamente New York is sponsored by MIBAC, ARCUS, The Italian Cultural Institute of New York, and ARMUSER Association.
For more info about the Divinamente New York Festival, visit: www.divinamente.info
Divinamente New York
April 22nd-April 26th, 2010
sponsored by
The Italian Cultural Institute
Silvia Giampaola
Attachè for Cultural Affairs
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Tel. 212 879 4242 ext.333
From February 11-18, during Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Fall/Winter 2010 (MBFW), thousands of fashion industry professionals will come together in Bryant Park's iconic Tents for one last time before MBFW relocates to Damrosch Park in Lincoln Center next September.
Retailers, reporters, editors, fashionistas, celebrities from the A to D lists and the occasional interloper will pack the lobby to see Collections from the world’s established and up-and-coming designers, and how the fashion community sets the tones and trends for what (they hope) the rich and famous will wear in Fall/Winter 2010 (or just to grab a free vodka tonic, frappuccino or the latest copy of WWD.)
"As we close a chapter in the history of our event, IMG is excited to be working with Lincoln Center, the CFDA and the City to create a new home for the fashion industry at Lincoln Center,” said Peter Levy, Senior VP and Managing Director of IMG Fashion Worldwide. “We are looking forward, with our partners, to rolling out our plans in the coming months."
"All of us at IMG Fashion are excited about the outstanding and stellar lineup which has come together from around the world to share in this historic Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week," said Fern Mallis, Senior VP of IMG Fashion. “This will be a significant season, as we reflect on 17 years, 31 seasons and close to 2,500 fashion shows in Bryant Park that have launched many careers....from Designers to Editors, Models, Producers, Celebrities, TV Commentators and Reality Shows. We all also look forward to the change - and September's move to Damrosch Park in Lincoln Center."
The two highlights of every recent February Fashion Week are non-traditional runway shows: the Heart Truth Red Dress Collection 2010, featuring A-list celebrities modeling red dresses created by top designers; and The Project Runway final runway show, featuring designs from the four finalists of the 2009-10 season. Needless to say these two shows are very hot tickets, although I did get invited to last year's Red Dress show and hope to be there again on February 11. (Alas, a Project Runway invitation is a very long shot.)
A runway show by the legendary Tommy Hilfiger will close Fashion Week at Bryant Park forever — or least the forseeable future — when his models start the final walk down the runway of The Tent at 8 p.m. on Thursday, February 18.
The Bryant Park Tents’ three venues include:
the Salon (the smallest)
the Promenade (the one with two runways)
the Tent (the biggie)
Over the course of eight days, the runway venues, lobby and backstage sponsor-lounges will be bustling from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., when approximately 100,000 people come to attend shows, meet and greet the media, retailers and fashion professionals.
Title sponsor Mercedes-Benz is joined by DHL, American Express, Maybelline New York, W Hotels Worldwide, TRESemmé, The Heart Truth Campaign, Starbucks Frappuccino Coffee Drink, Peroni, Chambord, Martini Gold Mixers and O.N.E. (One Natural Experience) as well as the media outlets The New York Times, Vevant, Women's Wear Daily and Getty Images.
Other shows on the Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week's schedule are:
BCBGMAXAZRIA
Richard Chai
Duckie Brown
Toni Maticevski
Ports 1961
Anne Bowen
La Perla
Farah Angsana
Cynthia Steffe
Yigal Azrouёl
Michael Angel
Christian Siriano
Nicole Miller
Charlotte Ronson
Venexiana
Lacoste
Georges Chakra
Andy & Debb
Adam
Academy of Art University
Prabal Gurung
ARISE Magazine African Collective - III
Lela Rose
Luca Luca
Malandrino
DKNY
Rebecca Taylor
Calvin Klein Men’s Collection
Hervé Léger by Max Azria
Diane Von Furstenberg
TonyCohen
Y-3
Tuleh
Custo Barcelona
Vassilios Kostetsos
Carolina Herrera
Carlos Miele
Jill Stuart
Donna Karan Collection
Tracy Reese
Monique Lhuillier
Yeohlee
Tadashi Shoji
Ecco Domani Fashion Foundation
Perry Ellis
Elie Tahari
Badgley Mischka
Vera Wang
Pamella Roland
Max Azria
Dennis Basso
Diesel Black Gold
Thuy
Tibi
Narciso Rodriguez
Toni Francesc
Tory Burch
Michael Kors
Nanette Lepore
3.1 Phillip Lim
Milly by Michelle Smith
Alexandre Herchcovitch
Anna Sui
Brian Reyes
Ralph Lauren
Isaac Mizrahi
Trias
Calvin Klein Women’s Collection
Naeem Khan and J. Mendel
For more information: http://www.mbfashionweek.com/newyork
Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Fall/Winter 2010
February 11-18
Bryant Park
(between 6th Av and 5th at 42nd St)