The annual Lower East Side Festival of the Arts, themed Renaissance: Arts Alive 25 this year, celebrates its 25th anniversary virtually, demonstrating how Coronavirus will not quench the artistic output of this culturally-oriented neighborhood. From 6:00 PM Friday, May 22 to 11:59 PM Sunday, May 24, a handful of stars and over 100 performing arts organizations, independent artists, poets, puppeteers and film makers will join forces with the presenting organization, Theater for the New City (TNC), as it live-streams from its website: www.theaterforthenewcity.net Emcees for the event will be Crystal Field, Robert Gonzales, Alberto Minero and Sabura Rashid. Curators are Crystal Field (Theater), Lissa Moira (Poetry), Carolyn Ratcliff (Fine Arts), Donna Mejia (Kids’ Performances) and Eva Dorrepaal (Film). Technical staff are David Aronson, John David West, Brian Park, Roy Chang and Alexander Bartenieff.
On Saturday, May 23 at 8:00 PM, there will be a live concert of performances by David Amram, Charles Busch, F. Murray Abraham, Penny Arcade, Phoebe Legere, Austin Pendleton, William Electric Black and Reno. Following their performances, a number of these major LES artists will do a virtual “sit around” to discuss theater, politics, COVID-19 and the human spirit.There will also be a Poetry Jam Sunday, May 24 with 28 poets. An hour-by-hour schedule will be available on the TNC website beginning on Monday, May 18.
Offerings will include both live and recorded material from artists presently residing on the Lower East Side, arts groups performing there, prominent writers and artists whose work has dealt directly with the Lower East Side experience, and plays written especially for this festival. The distinct ethnic communities of the Lower East Side are amply represented, including the Latin American, African American, Chinese, Japanese, Indian, Irish, Italian, Jewish, Native American, Polish and Ukrainian communities. There will be testimonials by local elected officials and activists.
Renaissance: Arts Alive 25 is dedicated to essential workers: the frontline professionals who preserve our daily lives. These include professionals in the healthcare sector (doctors, nurses, EMT), government services (including fire, police, sanitation, mass transit, National Guard); public utilities, post office and other delivery services; private industries including eldercare, airports, food service workers, grocery store clerks and workers in such jobs as cashiers, stock clerks, security, airport, gas station attendants, pharmacists, funeral home workers, news providers, homeless services, food pantry workers and volunteers, janitorial staff, radio and TV engineers, communications network providers and more.
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