Skirball Center for the Performing Arts Announces 2008-09 Season

By Richard Pierce

NYU’s Jack H. Skirball Center for the Performing Arts recently announced its programming for its 2008-09 season with executive producer L. Jay Oliva and director Michael Harrington introducing four new thematic series at the center, now in its fifth year as the premier venue for cultural and performing arts events for NYU and lower Manhattan.
    The four new series are Project 566: What’s Next—a lineup of artists comprising the emerging, eclectic, and electric in cutting-edge entertainment that includes two New York premieres; Big Red Chair—featuring a succession of fun and affordable multi-arts performances geared toward the entire family; Beyond the Classroom—an array of NYU community events including lectures, symposia, and student productions which may be of interest to our neighbors; and World Stages—a season-long celebration of music and dance events from around the world.
    A major highlight of the season as well as the inaugural event of the Project 566 series in September will be the New York premiere of the break/s by acclaimed hip-hop performance poet Marc Bamuthi Joseph.  The production runs Sept. 23, 25, 26, and 27 at Skirball after playing at the 2008 Humana Festival, the Walker Art Center, and the Kennedy Center, among others.  
    Other highlights of Skirball’s 2008 season include The Dirty Sock Funtime Band (Sept. 20); The Russian American Kid’s Circus (Oct. 4); a variety of music and dance performances partnered with the World Music Institute, including The Whirling Dervishes of Damascus (Sept. 21); In-Young Sohn’s NOW Dance Company from Korea (Oct. 24); Cabaret – A Concert Presentation by the Tisch School of the Arts (Oct. 17&18); Alan Menken and Tim Rice’s King David, presented by the Steinhardt School (Nov. 13 & 14); Aurelia’s Oratorio (Nov. 20-22); STACKS and BRACKO by Anne Carson (Dec. 4); and The Nutcracker, co-presented by the Joffrey Ballet School of New York (Dec. 12-14).
    For details about the highlights above as well as a current listing of all the Skirball Center’s 2008-09 events, visit www.skirballcenter.nyu.edu. Tickets can be purchased on the center’s Web site, by phone at 212-352-3101, or at Skirball’s Shagan Box Office.

A scene from the hip-hop performance the break/s

Photo by Bethany Hines