The Lucille Lortel Theatre announces a new live holiday performance series, Tinsel: A Global Holiday Celebration, running from tonight, Monday December 6, through Friday, December 31. The series showcases music, performance and dance with leading artists from around the globe, including productions featuring artists with roots from Australia, Brazil, Mexico, India and more.
Here’s the Tinsel: A Global Holiday Celebration line-up:
Reed Luplau’s Crikey…It’s Christmas! – Monday, December 6 | 7:00 pm
Crikey…It’s Christmas! is a whimsical journey celebrating all things Merry, Summery, and Australian. Join true leading Aussie stars – Ricky Rojas (Moulin Rouge! The Musical) and Mig Ayesa (Rock of Ages) as they relive their memories of all things special growing up in Australia. Directed, Choreographed and Conceived by Reed Luplau (Moulin Rouge! the Musical), this spectacular night features performers from Hamilton, Moulin Rouge! The Musical, The Lion King and Hello Dolly. ‘Shrimps on the barbie, surfs up and a cold one is in the esky, it’s time to go down under.’
Everett Bradley’s Holidelic – Thursday, December 9 | 9:00 pm; Friday, December 10 | 9:00 pm; Saturday, December 11 | 9:00 pm; Friday, December 17 | 9:00 pm;
Saturday, December 18 | 9:00 pm; Sunday, December 19 | 2:00 pm;
Tuesday, December 22 | 9:00 pm; Wednesday, December 23 | 9:00 pm;
Sunday, December 26 | 2:00 pm, Friday, December 29 | 9:00 pm;
Saturday, December 30 | 9:00 pm; Sunday, December 31 |10:30 pm
Bradley plays the role of Papadelic, Funk’s Father Christmas, an amalgamation of George Clinton and Santa Claus, featuring holiday-themed funk songs written by Bradley and brought to life by an array of top shelf noise makers.
Jared Grimes’s Christmas In The Lab – Saturday, December 11 | 7:00 pm
Jared Grimes in concert through movement and tap, musically exploring the infinite possibilities of your favorite Christmas songs!
Pastorela: A very Merry Immigrant Christmas – Tuesday, December 12 & Monday December 18 | 1:00 pm
After the darkest six years, evil was overpowered by a new ruler… and boy was he a disappointment! The world is in need of a new savior. An angel sent by God will announce to María, a young Mexican girl, that she is to become the mother of the savior, a Hispanic savior. This comedy about religion, politics and immigration will make you laugh in these dark times.
A “Pastorela” takes the Nativity story and its characters and gives it a comic and political twist according to the current events of the world. It’s the eternal fight of good versus evil.
To spread the word to the Mexican and Mexican-American Communities in New York City, LLT is partnering for a second time with the Mexican Cultural Institute of the Mexican Consulate in New York and the Institute of Mexican Studies at CUNY.
Jelani Remy’s ‘Tis de Season with Jelani! Monday, December 13 | 7:00 pm
Deck the halls with some Caribbean flavor this holiday season as Jelani Remy from Ain’t Too Proud: The Life and Times of the Temptations pays tribute to his West Indian roots using classical Holiday songs we know and love! Special guests include Jewelle Blackman (Hadestown) and Saint Aubyn from Ain’t Too Proud: The Life and Times of the Temptations. Featuring steel pan sounds – JELANI REMY’s ‘Tis de Season with Jelani! will be sure to heat up your Holiday Season and put pure joy in your heart!
Jaime Lozano & The Familia’s Canciones para Navidad (Songs for Christmas) -Wednesday, December 15 | 7:00 pm
“Mexican-born musical multi-hyphenate” Jaime Lozano – considered by Lin-Manuel Miranda as the “next big thing” on Broadway- is taking the Lucille Lortel stage with a concert full of stories and songs about finding a new home, learning a new language, trying to fit in, pursuing the American dream, missing their native land and what it means to celebrate Navidad as an immigrant in a new country. Joining Lozano is his “Familia,” an all-Latinx/Latino/Latine lineup of the best Broadway and Off-Broadway performers including Mauricio Martínez (On Your Feet!), Florencia Cuenca (A Never-Ending Line), Marina Pires (On Your Feet!), and Cedric Leiba, Jr. (Carmen La Cubana). It is our responsibility to create shows that tell our stories and celebrate who we are. As immigrants building a new life in a new place, we have learned that coming together as a community is coming HOME.
Brinda Guha’s invocation (a holiday summoning) – Thursday December 16th 7pm
in·vo·ca·tion, or the action of invoking something or someone for assistance or as an authority. The south asian diasporic arts encompass an intersection of ancestral knowledge with presence of mind and the power to future a world that centers the right to have peace in our hearts. A collection of séances to call healing spirits forward as we mindfully re-emerge into a new normal, arts worker Brinda Guha brings together various local creators who deeply converge with south asian artistry to create a moment of serenity before ultimately building a necessary and steadfast bastion of hope.
Featuring performances by Brinda Guha/Kalamandir Dance Company, Soles of Duende, Navatman Dance, Barkha Patel, and Ashni Davé.
Ilene Reid’s The Sounds Around the House – Friday, December 17 | 7:00 pm
Composer/vocalist Ilene Reid is a real life Chrismukkah miracle of jazz, comedy, joy, misery, Jewish guilt, and New York snark. Join her and her rocking band as she rings in the most wonderful – and trying – time of the year.
Cumbe’s Family Celebrations Throughout the African Diaspora – Sunday December 19th 7pm
Cumbé is a celebration of family traditions from the African Diaspora. Cumbé at its root means party or celebration. This performance will highlight traditions throughout the diaspora through music and dance.
Telly Leung’s Tossing Tinsel with Telly – Monday December 20 | 7:00 pm
Join host Telly Leung (Aladdin, Glee) for Tossing Tinsel with Telly, as he and some very special friends spill the tea (and maybe a cocktail or two) about their favorite holiday and show biz memories, play a few games, and sing a few tunes. Guests will include Ann Harada (Avenue Q, Shmigadoon), Michael Maliakel (Aladdin), Jaygee Macapugay (School of Rock, Here Lies Love), and Kennedy Kanagawa (Gold Mountain). Alan Muraoka (Sesame Street, Aladdin) directs this entirely Asian American Pacific Islander company. Music direction by Amanda Morton on the piano (KPOP), with Arei Sekiguchi (Curvy Window) on the drums. Guest produced by Christine Toy Johnson (Come from Away).
Ronny Dutra’s Réveillon Branco – Monday, December 27 & Tuesday, December 28 | 7:00 pm
What happens when a New Yorker ends up in Rio during New Year’s Eve?
Réveillon Branco – a Brazilian New Year’s Eve Celebration will take the audience on a journey through Rio’s most famous NYE party, in Copacabana Beach. It showcases the crazy/unusual traditions and superstitions the moment the clock ticks midnight, telling the story with a lot of Brazilian music and dance.
Latrice Royale’s Why It Gotta Be White Christmas?! – Monday, December 27 | 9:00 pm ; Tuesday, December 28 | 9:00 pm; Wednesday, December 29 | 7:00 pm
International drag superstar Latrice Royale (RuPaul’s Drag Race) brings her funky and soulful show to Lucille Lortel Theatre. Accompanied by Christopher Hamblin on the piano, her band, and dancers, Why It Gotta Be White Christmas?! features a variety of holiday music and stories delivered with Latrice Royale’s worldly candor and charm.
For more information, please visit www.lortel.org.
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