To celebrate the spookiest night of the year with art, music, and community spirit, Theater for the New City will host its annual Village Halloween Costume Ball on Friday, October 31. A large outdoor festivity will be held from 3:30 PM to 7:00 PM outside the Theater on East Tenth Street between First and Second Avenues (or if it rains, in a big tent), featuring performances and a costume competition for kids. The celebration moves inside from 7:00 PM to midnight with nonstop performances. Admission is free for the outdoor program and $20 for the indoor festivities. Costumes or formal wear are requested.
SCHEDULE OF EVENTS:
PART 1 – OUTDOOR EVENTS: 3:30 – 7:00 PM
Attractions: Variety performances by Bond Street Theater, Joe Bendik, Carol Tendava (Belly Dance), Arley Trice, Lily James Roberts, Vadim Astrakhan, George Bellici, Star 69, London Fog, Matthew Mendoza and others. Emceed by Mary Tierney and Rocco Nicholas. Children’s Costume Contest emceed by T. Scott Lilly and judged by Crystal Field, Terry Lee King and Emily Pezzella. Winners will receive prizes. The Red and Black Masque: an annual Medieval ritual ensemble theater piece which is performed by torchlight with audience participation (6:00-6:20).
PART 2 – INDOOR EVENTS: 7:00 – Midnight
CABARET PERFORMANCES (7:00 PM to 11:00 PM, Community Theater))
A succession of live, 10-minute performances staged in the Community Theater, plus playlets including works by Stephan Morrow, Toby Armor and Joan Kane, and an excerpt of “Sartre and Simone” by William Cane, among others. At 9:30, there will be a scream contest run by Lissa Moira. Melanie Maria Goodreaux and Crystal Field are emcees.
BALLROOM DANCING (8:00 PM to 11:00, Johnson Theater)
Art Lillard’s Heavenly Big Band, a 17 piece swing orchestra performing an extensive repertoire of songs from swing to samba to jazz ballad to Bossa Nova with a swinging singing soloist (8:00 – 9:30). Aerial Dance with Constellation Moving Company, performing high over our heads in exciting new challenges to eye and ear (9:30 – 10:00). Mr. Pablo’s Latin Dance Band, a five-piece fusion band with vocalist, mixing Salsa, Samba and Flamenco with Rock, Reggae and Funk (10:00 – 11:00)
DINING IN THE WITCHES’ CAULDRON (7:00 to 11:00 PM, Cino Theater)
Downtown’s most sensational Halloween cafe, featuring a variety of American and international delicacies at peoples’ prices ($4 buys you entree and dessert). Holiday dishes are contributed by neighboring East Village restaurants, some with celebrity chefs. Beginning at 7:00 PM, you can gobble couscous from a coffin lid while enjoying spine-tingling performances by performance artists, songwriters, poets and variety artists.
MONSTERS AND MIRACLES COSTUME PARADE (11:00 PM to Midnight, Johnson Theater)
This annual costume contest will be accompanied on piano by Peter Dizzoza. All costumed attendees are invited to march past a panel of celebrity judges. Winners receive one-year passes to TNC and a bottle of Moet & Chandon Champagne.
VAUDEVILLE PERFORMANCES IN THE WOMB ROOM (8:00 to 11:00 PM, Cabaret Theater)
LOBBY EVENTS (7:00 to 11:00 PM)
For more information visit theaterforthenewcity.net.
Theater for the New City is located at 155 First Avenue, at the corner of East Tenth Street, NYC
