Bryant Park announces the 2024 lineup for its free summer performing arts series: Bryant Park Picnic Performances presented by Bank of America. The annual festival will feature 25 live music, dance, and theater events between May 31 and Sept. 13. All shows are free and casual with no tickets required with more than 700 picnic blankets for audience members to borrow and ample chairs available.
Photo Credit: Ryan Muir.
Picnic Performances has grown to become one of New York City’s foremost outdoor performing arts festivals. Last summer, more than 75,000 people attended the series and nearly half a million enjoyed the free performance livestreams. Bryant Park Picnic Performances has become a vital outdoor platform for the City’s arts institutions, showcasing long-standing partnerships with Carnegie Hall, New York City Opera, Harlem Stage, The Town Hall, and Joe’s Pub, as well as new partnerships with New Victory Theater, World Music Institute, and Belongó.
The Bryant Park 2024 season features GRAMMY winners, world-class dance companies, theater stars, celebrations of centenaries in jazz and opera, a James Bond-themed finale, and dozens of local artists and spotlight performers from Ghana, New Orleans, Mexico, and South Africa.
“Thanks to Bank of America’s support, Picnic Performances has become a summer tradition for tens of thousands of New Yorkers. There is no easier way to enjoy this city’s exemplary arts and culture: just join us on the lawn” said Bryant Park’s president Dan Biederman.
Picnic Performances Leon Bostein leads the American Symphony Orchestra performing at Bryan Park’s Picnic Performances, 9/7/2023. Photo by Chris Lee.
Highlights of the Bryant Park 2024 Picnic Performances include the New York City Opera honoring the 100th anniversary of the death of Giacomo Puccini with a two-night celebration of his music featuring orchestra, chorus, and star vocalists. The summer of Puccini continues with a fully staged production of Tosca in August. Internationally acclaimed dance companies – including Mark Morris Dance Group, Ronald K. Brown/EVIDENCE, and David Dorfman Dance – headline multiple evenings of Contemporary Dance alongside established, rising, and student companies.
Jazzmobile celebrates the Centennial of legendary jazz vocalist Sarah Vaughan, “The Divine One,” with a jubilant performance by the acclaimed vocalist Charenée Wade and her septet. Carnegie Hall Citywide presents five concerts in July and August, beginning with a special evening with Pulitzer-Prize-winning composer Tania León and The Harlem Chamber Players with special guests. Carnegie Hall will also present the acclaimed South African musician Thandiswa Mazwai, GRAMMY Award-nominated bandleader of The Late Show Band Louis Cato, the high-energy Afrojazz trailblazer Michael Olatuja and Lagos Pepper Soup, and red-hot salsa dura band La Excelencia.
Photo by Fadi Kheir.
Joe’s Pub brings rising theater stars Jaime Lozano and Florencia Cuenca for Broadway en Spanglish, featuring bilingual performances of iconic show tunes with Mariachi Real de Mexico and more guest stars TBA. As part of New Victory Theater’s summer series New Victory Dance, Ephrat Asherie and Barkin/Selissen Project join for an interactive dance event curated specifically for kids and families. World Music Institute welcomes Ghanaian highlife band Gyedu-Blay Ambolley (NYC debut).
Asian American Arts Alliance features MacArthur ‘Genius’ pianist Vijay Iyer and his trio. The beloved Bryant Park tradition Accordions Around the World returns with 2024 GRAMMY nominee Zydeco star Dwayne Dopsie and Latin funk band Afro Dominicano. American Symphony Orchestra kicks off its season with Beyond the Hall, a program highlighting music from beyond the confines of the traditional concert hall.
Finally, The Town Hall and Belongó celebrate John Barry’s iconic James Bond music with an all-star lineup of musicians led by Arturo O’Farrill with the Afro-Latin Jazz Orchestra, and composer arranger and slide trumpet master Steven Bernstein, together with exciting surprise special guests.
The Picnic Performances are one of the best ways for New Yorkers to get outdoors and celebrate the arrival of Spring and Summer. We believe that the arts are a unifying force that promote cultural understanding, and we are thrilled to continue our support of one of the most iconic green spaces in the city. We are excited to be, once again, the presenting sponsor of the Picnic Performances, marking a more than 10-year-long partnership with Bryant Park.
José Tavarez, president, Bank of America New York City.
This season, 16 shows will be live-streamed for free on Bryant Park’s social media channels and website, reaching national and international audiences. Additional media support is provided by public radio stations WBGO and WQXR.
Food and drink are available for purchase from a curated lineup of local vendors near the lawn. At all performances, attendees can discover new dishes and celebrate classics from the five boroughs with a rotating line-up of artisanal vendors by Hester Street Fair. Stout NYC offers light bites and beer, wine, and non-alcoholic beverages for purchase.
Additional artist and performance information will be available in the coming months. For the most current information please visit here.
On Monday, April 8, Joe’s Pub Annual Gala celebrated 25 years of artistic excellence and support for up-and-coming talent. The dynamic creative community of New York City came together in style.
Vuyo Sotashe & Chris Pattishall | Credit David Andrako
Joe’s Pub, a program of The Public Theater, has been a shining light for performers since it started in 1998. They welcome everyone from up-and-coming talents to Grammy Award-winning icons like Adele and Alicia Keys. The event’s proceeds supported vital initiatives like New York Voices and Joe’s Pub Working Group. Along with the Vanguard Award & Residency, all are committed to developing the next wave of creative talent.
Ellen Winter | Credit David Andrako
Angélique Kidjo, the incomparable five-time Grammy Award winner and 2024 Vanguard Resident, was the star of the evening’s spectacular lineup of performances. Members of the Joe’s Pub Working Group for 2023–2024, including Queen Esther, Ellen Winter, and Firas Zreik, as well as former New York Voices members Omar Offendum, Vuyo Sotashe, and Chris Pattishall, joined her on stage. Angélique Kidjo’s incredible performance was without a doubt the high point of the evening; it was a fitting homage to her legacy and the inventive spirit that characterizes Joe’s Pub.
L-R Ashley Meeks/Joe’s Pub; Firas Zreik; Sienna George; Ania Washington/Joe’s Pub; Ellen Winter; Audrey Frischman/Joe’s Pub | Credit David Andrako
Joe’s Pub Working Group and similar programs give local artists the space they need to develop new ideas. Some of the talent supported in this hub are Ellen Winter, Firas Zreik, and Queen Esther.
The dedication to artistic freedom, diversity, and innovation will keep influencing how New York City’s cultural scene develops in the years to come. Cheers to another 25 years of incredible shows, creative partnerships, and treasured memories at Joe’s Pub.
Joe’s Pub at the Public Theater has announced iconic Americana artist Toshi Reagon’s 40th Annual Birthday Concerts from January 24-31, featuring a run of seven shows that showcase Reagon’s renowned repertoire, with a slew of special guests and events.
Joe’s Pub has hosted Toshi Reagon’s Birthday Concerts since 2005. Reagon is a multi-talented and versatile singer, composer, musician, curator, and producer with a profound ear for Sonic Americana. Her expansive career includes residences at Carnegie Hall, the Paris Opera House, and multiple festivals and venues nationally and internationally. She has worked with many musicians, choreographers, film and theater makers, including Meshell Ndegeocello, Alsarah, Lizz Wright, Urban Bush Women, Dorrance Dance, Ananya Chatterjea, Nona Hendryx, Carl Hancock Rux, Rhiannon Giddens, Robert Wilson, her band BIGLovely and many more.
Reagon co-composed music for two Peabody Award-winning films and is a 2015 Ford Foundation Art of Change Fellow, a 2018 United States Artist Fellow, and Andrew W. Melon Creative Futures Fellow Carolina Performing Arts. She is currently a Met Museum Civic Practice Fellow and a Bowdoin College Joseph McKeen Visiting Fellow. In 2021, Toshi received the APAP Award for Merit in the Performing Arts and was a recipient of the Herb Alpert Award in Music.
In 2022 Toshi Reagon received an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters degree from Emerson College. In 2011 she founded the Community-based festival Word*Rock*& Sword, and in 2018 she created the production company Wise Reagon Arts which produces the opera Octavia E. Butler’s Parable of the Sower, created by Toshi Reagon and Bernice Johnson Reagon. As of 2023 the opera has been presented on four continents and has been seen by over 40,000 audience members.
Toshi Reagon’s 40th Birthday Concerts include a fundraiser/concert performance of Octavia E. Butler’s Parable of the Sower and the popularSacred Music Show. Special guests include BIGLovely, Nona Hendryx, Helga Davis, Joan as Policewoman, Catherine Russell, Morley, and Tariq Al-Sabir.
Joe’s Pub was named for Public Theater founder Joseph Papp. Since it opened in 1998, it has played a vital role in The Public’s mission of supporting artists at all stages of their careers with an intimate space to perform and develop new work. It presents the best in live music and performance nightly, continuing its commitment to diversity, production values, community, and artistic freedom. In addition to one-night-only concerts and multi-night engagements, Joe’s Pub is home to the annual Habibi Festival, which hosts artists representing contemporary and traditional music of the SWANA (Southwest Asia/North Africa) region, and The Vanguard Award & Residency, a yearlong curation series that celebrates the career, and community, of a prolific and influential artist.
Joe’s Pub 2024 winter lineup includes a wide variety of events, including the return of Kim David Smith, Mali Obomsawin, Penny Arcade (as part of the Under the Radar Festival), neurodiverse cabaret from EPIC Players, Isaac Oliver, Xavier Smith, Never Sleep Alone, the debut of Venus Cuffs, Magatte Fall (curated by Angelique Kidjo), Mai Khoi, Nella, Jill Sobule, Donny McCaslin and performance pieces in concert, including Fouad of Nazareth, and Ethan Lipton & His Orchestra.
To purchase tickets to Toshi Reagon’s 40th Birthday Celebration Concerts, and for more information on Joe’s Pub, visit here.
Joe’s Pub 2024 Winter Lineup
Under the Radar Festival
Penny Arcade: The Art of Becoming
Tuesday, January 16 at 7:00 p.m.
Wednesday, January 17 at 7 p.m.
Thursday, January 18 at 7:00 p.m.
Sunday, January 21 at 8:30 p.m.
From one of downtown’s most articulate survivors, comes Penny Arcade’s humorous and revealing musical memoir, The Art of Becoming.
Storytelling
House of SpeakEasy: Seriously Entertaining
Tuesday, January 9 at 7:00 p.m.
Tuesday, February 6 at 7:00 p.m.
Seriously Entertaining is House of SpeakEasy’s acclaimed series of literary cabarets where authors take the stage to riff informally, dinner-theater-style, on the evening’s theme. The Wall Street Journal calls it “Think-y entertainment for New York’s book-loving crowd,” and The New York Times says it’s “a literary mixtape [with] perfect flow and variety.”
Generation Women
Wednesday, January 10 at 7:00 p.m.
Friday, February 9 at 7:00 p.m.
Generation Women is a multigenerational storytelling night that invites a woman or non-binary performer in their 20s, 30s, 40s, 50s, 60s, and 70s+ to share an original true story on a theme. The mission of Generation Women is to amplify underheard voices and create space for intergenerational connection and community.
Amanda Krische: Open Invitation, presented in partnership with YoungArts
Saturday, January 27 at 7:00 p.m.
Part performance art play, part dance production, and part dinner party, Open Invitation is a farcical riot of an evening. Created and directed by multidisciplinary choreographer Amanda Krische, and featuring live music and a cast of dynamic performers, audiences are invited to participate in a night of play, care, and movement theater. Through a revolving door of short stories told through movement, Open Invitation constructs a surrealist dream space.
EPIC Underground: Storytellers
Wednesday, February 21 at 7:00 p.m.
The EPIC Underground: Storytellers is a night of dramatic storytelling, stand-up, and spoken word featuring neuro-diverse performers and their original works centered around the theme of Origins. Join the storytellers as they weave their captivating journey through a unique lens of experiences – from triumphs to trials, from laughter to tears – resulting in the joy of finding their authentic selves.
Cabaret
Peter Smith: Songs for a New Year
Thursday, January 11 at 9:30 p.m.
Kick-off 2024 at Joe’s Pub with one of New York’s favorite showgirls, Peter Smith (and a band!) singing songs and slinging stories in celebration of fresh starts. She has been called “a genius” in The Hollywood Reporter and The New Yorker has called her “wickedly playful.”
Photo: Shaniqwa Jarvis.
Monét X Change: Life be Lifein’
Tuesday, January 16 at 9:30 p.m.
Wednesday, January 17 at 9:30 p.m.
Thursday, January 18 at 9:30 p.m.
Born and bred in New York City, Monét X Change is an entertainment spitfire and the first double crown winner from RuPaul’s Drag Race having earned the title Miss Congeniality on Season 10 and becoming the first Queen of Color inducted into the Hall of Fame after winning All-Stars 4. Known for delivering energetic and show-stopping performances, Monét’s showmanship is a reflection of a tireless work ethic to cultivate and perfect her immaculate lip-syncing skills, comedic chops, and pitch-perfect live singing skills.
The Meeting* hosted by Justin Elizabeth Sayre
Sunday, January 28 at 9:30 p.m.
Justin Elizabeth Sayre brings back their classic comedy-variety show, The Meeting* for another round of fun. With lots of special guests, laughs and commentary on the world that is, Sayre returns to the format and the fun.
Lisa Stephen Friday: Trans Am
Monday, January 29 at 6:30 p.m.
TRANS AM is a daring, new, one-woman rock musical by Lisa Stephen Friday, featuring the music of Lisa Jackson & Girl Friday. It’s a touching, funny, rock-your-face-off look at a transgender woman’s very human experience. The band was a cult favorite, punk-pop/glam-rock darlings in the 90s and aughts, regularly headlining NYC clubs like CBGB, The Knitting Factory, Arlene’s Grocery, Mercury Lounge, and more. Lisa is an extraordinary storyteller, actress, and musician with a fascinating life story, and the play is a necessary piece of theatre in today’s rapidly shifting cultural landscape – exploring what it means to be different in a world where labels of “other” are still too often the status quo.
Photo by Mike Kozemchak.
OK, Olympia, Let’s Go!
Monday, February 5 at 6:00 p.m.
A multimedia celebration through live theater and film of the life and career of Olympia Dukakis written by her brother Apollo Dukakis and edited by her children Christina, Peter, and Stefan Zorich. The evening will feature performances by Apollo Dukakis and Phyllis Kay with special appearances by Blythe Danner (Tony and Emmy Award winner), Rocco Sisto (two-time Obie Award winner), and Austin Pendleton (Obie & Drama Desk Award winner).
Kim David Smith: More Mostly Marlene
Tuesday, February 6 at 9:30 p.m.
Described by Broadway World as the “David Bowie of cabaret,” “slyly subversive” by The Wall Street Journal, and labeled the “male Marlene Dietrich” by The New York Times, Australian cabaret performer Kim David Smith conjures the glitter, doom, and decadence of 1920’s Berlin and beyond in his intimate celebration of Dietrich’s musical and cultural legacy: “Mostly Marlene.”
Tease Factory, presented in partnership with Venus Cuffs
Wednesday, February 14 at 9:30 p.m.
Get ready for a taste of the erotic, a rhinestone butt jiggle, spoken word that opens your mind, and sexy burlesque that will tingle your senses -this is the classiest tease you will ever experience in your life.
Mama Alto: Transcendent
Sunday, February 18 at 8:30 p.m.
One of Australia’s finest cabaret artists, Mama Alto, makes her solo USA debut at Joe’s Pub. Mama Alto is a jazz singer, cabaret artiste, and gender transcendent diva. Her liquid velvet voice comes to the fore, traversing smoky torch songs, sumptuous jazz ballads, and luscious vocals.
Joe McGinty & The Loser’s Lounge: The Music of Neil Young
Thursday, February 22 – Saturday, February 24 at 7:00 p.m.
Thursday, February 22 – Saturday, February 24 at 9:30 p.m.
Joe McGinty & The Loser’s Lounge present the music of Neil Young! For the first time, The Loser’s Lounge will perform an entire show of Neil Young’s incomparable catalog, including songs from his solo career, his work with Crosby, Stills & Nash, The Buffalo Springfield, Rick James, the hits, the oddities, and more.
Comedy
The Last Night On Earth hosted by Matt Wilkas & Nadia Quinn
Wednesday, January 10 at 9:30 p.m.
Join Nadia Quinn and Matthew Wilkas for a magical evening of music, comedy, a bunch of VERY special guests, and a healthy dose of introspection.
Ruby McCollister: Hollywood Soldier
Wednesday, February 7 at 9:30 p.m.
Ruby McCollister presents notes, thoughts, and pieces from her newest work-in-progress solo show: Hollywood Soldier. A night of revelations, laughs, and special guests.
Isaac Oliver is Your Valentine
Tuesday, February 13 at 9:30 p.m.
Writer/performer Isaac Oliver (Intimacy Idiot, The New York Times, “High Maintenance,” “GLOW,” “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel”) returns to Joe’s Pub for his annual Valentine’s Eve night of solo sit-down comedy.
Never Sleep Alone
Wednesday, February 21 at 9:30 p.m.
Celebrity sex and dating guru Dr. Alex Schiller leads her audience through a wildly entertaining comedy show where people laugh and learn. Whether you’re single and seeking or happily coupled, NEVER SLEEP ALONE is the New York night you’ve always wanted.
Ryan Raftery: The Titans of Media Trilogy (Tues Anna Wintour | Wed Martha Stewart | Thur Kris Jenner)
Tuesday, February 27 – Thursday, February 29 at 7:00 p.m.
Ryan Raftery returns to Joe’s Pub with his TITANS OF MEDIA TRILOGY OF FEMALE EMPOWERMENT. The Anna Wintour, Martha Stewart, and Kris Jenner musicals will be performed in repertory, Tuesday – Thursday, a different diva center stage every night.
Music
Sxip Shirey’s Hour of Charm
Thursday, January 11 at 7:00 p.m.
Fresh off a winter run in Munich with the contemporary circus production LIMBO, Sxip Shirey curates a night of surprising sounds, beautiful songs, and fantastic compositions.
Bria Skonberg / Anat Cohen
Friday, January 12 at 7:00 p.m.
New York-based and Canadian-born singer, trumpeter, and songwriter Bria Skonberg has been described as one of the “most versatile and imposing musicians of her generation” (Wall Street Journal). Bria has stormed onto the jazz scene with her smoky vocals, blistering trumpet, and compelling compositions and arrangements. The Juno Award winner has sung the music of Aretha Franklin alongside Michelle Williams of Destiny’s Child, played with U2 at the iconic Apollo Theater, sat in with the Dave Matthews Band, and much more.
Celebrate AMERI’KANA feat. Making Movies, The Sensational Barnes Brothers, Los Texmaniacs & AMERI’KANA All-Stars
Friday, January 12 at 9:30 p.m.
Celebrate AMERI’KANA is a journey into the rich tapestry of American music, celebrating its diverse origins and the individuals who contributed to its evolution. The specialty show features Latin GRAMMY-nominated Panamanian band Making Movies, Memphis gospel/soul group The Sensational Barnes Brothers, and GRAMMYAward-winning Tex-Mex Conjunto ensemble Los Texmaniacs. The evening will also include a collaborative ensemble called AMERI’KANA All-Stars led by Making Movies with Los Texmaniacs, The Sensational Barnes Brother, Mexican singer-songwriter Renee Goust, Memphis swamp/soulstress Marcella Simien, and more.
Julia Keefe Indigenous Big Band / Mali Obomsawin: Sweet Tooth
Saturday, January 13 at 6:30 p.m.
The Julia Keefe Indigenous Big Band (JKIBB) continues sacred traditions, performing new works, reimagined traditional melodies, and standards made famous by the Indigenous jazz musicians who came before us. JKIBB is a sonic celebration of the diversity and vitality of Indigenous voices in jazz: past, present, and future.
Bitch / Kaia Kater
Saturday, January 13 at 9:30 p.m.
Bitch is a longstanding queer music icon who released her newest album Bitchcraft in 2022 on Kill Rock Stars. With her signature electric violin and lyrical smarts front and center over huge beats and deep synths, Bitch coined the genre “Poet Pop” and she has been touring nationally ever since. Montreal-born Grenadian-Canadian. Kaia Kater’s jazz-fueled voice and deft songcraft have garnered acclaim from NPR’s Tiny Desk, The Guardian, Rolling Stone, and No Depression. Her upcoming album, Strange Medicine, is due out May 2024.
James Brandon Lewis / ETHEL & Robert Mirabal
Sunday, January 14 at 5:30 p.m
Love is connection. Love is gratitude. Love is passion. Love is audacity. These qualities define tenor saxophonist James Brandon Lewis’ second album with the glorious Red Lily Quintet: For Mahalia, With Love. In this unique expression of thirteen years of friendship and collaboration, GRAMMY Award-winning, master musician, actor, artist, and storyteller, Robert Mirabal, elder of the Taos Pueblo, and GRAMMY Award-winning, genre-defying, New York-based string quartet, ETHEL, come together gratefully to, yet again, reimagine the concert experience.
Sirintip / Kaki King / Pipo Romero
Sunday, January 14 at 8:30 p.m.
Sirintip is an award-winning experimental Swedish-Thai singer and composer clout in both the pop and jazz worlds. Her unique use of effect pedals with her voice has brought her around the world performing with Snarky Puppy, Mark Guiliana (David Bowie), Benny Andersson (ABBA), and more, heard on over 30 officially released recordings. With a star-studded career that has spanned two decades, Kaki King continues to live at the forefront of guitarists and performance-makers. In the past, she has collaborated with Dave Grohl of the Foo Fighters and toured with Natalia Lafourcade, contributed music to Sean Penn’s Into the Wild (which won a Golden Globe Award for Best Original Score), and performed in a variety of spaces.
Pipo Romero, a gifted composer and virtuoso acoustic guitarist from Cádiz, Spain, has become a prominent figure in the acoustic guitar scene. His unique fusion of styles, labeled “Spanish Acoustic Fingerstyle,” has garnered praise from critics and journalists. His compositions blend Folk, Flamenco, Celtic, and classical melodies, creating an emotional and multicultural experience.
