Performances Magazine | The Music Center, April 2025

Glorya Kaufman Presents Dance at The Music Center

April 2–6, 2025

The Music Center’s Dorothy Chandler Pavilion

Members of Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater. Photo by Dario Calmese.

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MAGAZINE

contents P1 Program

Cast, performances, who’s who, director’s notes and donors

6 In the Wings

Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra and Colburn School launch new partnership; Life of PI at the Ahmanson; Mark Morris Dance Group’s Pepperland.

12 Dogs on Stage Sit. Stay. Take a Bow. A dog’s life in theater is a tale best told by Bill Berloni, the go-to animal trainer on Broadway for nearly 50 years.

Kallista introduces elegant aesthetics and craftsmanship to create elevated plumbing fixtures for kitchen and bath.

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32 Parting Thought Performances’ program platform for shows and concerts can be accessed from any digital device.

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P. 12 BLEEKER STREET, P. 15 MAT HAYWARD, P. 22 COURTESY DESCANSO LOS ANGELES

17 Water Works

2 PERFORMANCES MAGAZINE

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WHEN THE WORLD CHANGES, RELY ON US

MAGAZINE

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IN TH E W I N G S

NEW SEASON, FUTURE HALL THE COMING SEASON at Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra, beginning in CHAMBER September, ushers in a new partnership between LACO and the Colburn School, whose Zipper Hall will become the ensemble’s new downtown home for concerts. The collaboration extends to the Frank Gehry-designed Colburn Center opening in 2027: LACO will perform regularly at its Terri and Jerry Kohl Hall, downtown’s first mid-sized concert hall. This season, LACO music director Jamie Martín leads orchestral and chamber music concerts at Zipper Hall and the Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts in Beverly Hills; programs include LACO-commissioned world premieres by composers Juhi Bansal, Christopher Cerrone and Pulitzer Prizewinning Michael Abels. Also on tap: a Baroque series at the Wallis and the Huntington’s Rothenberg Hall in San Marino, and jazz-centric Current programs led by LACO creative partner Lara Downes at Cicada Restaurant downtown. 213.622.7001, laco.org

6 PERFORMANCES MAGAZINE

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The Colburn School’s Terri and Jerry Kohl Hall, designed by Frank Gehry and opening in 2027

IMAGES COURTESY FRANK O. GEHRY & GEHRY PARTNERS

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IN TH E W I N G S

MUSICAL

Pi Plus Four Equals Epic 8 PERFORMANCES MAGAZINE

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WINNER OF THREE Tony Awards and the Olivier Award for Best Play, Life of Pi is an unforgettable and epic tale of adventure told with jaw-dropping visuals, innovative puppetry and exquisite stagecraft.

Chakrabarti’s stage adaptation of

Yann Martel’s best-selling novel was a Broadway and West End sensation; now a phenomenon captivating audiences around the globe, it’s at the Ahmanson Theatre May 6-June 1. After a shipwreck in the Pacific Ocean, a 16-year-old

EVAN ZIMMERMAN. OPPOSITE, MAT HAYWARD

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SGT. PEPPER MOVES HAILED AS THE “most successful and influential choreographer alive, and indisputably the most musical” by DANCE The New York Times, Mark Morris returns to Los Angeles May 16-18 with Pepperland. The work was a tribute to the 50th anniversary in 2017 of The Beatles’ groundbreaking album Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band. The Mark Morris Dance Group presents it at the Bram Goldsmith Theater at Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts, accompanied live by an unprecedented chamber ensemble: voice, soprano saxophone, two keyboards, theremin, and percussion.

Ethan Iverson’s original score intermingles arrangements of songs including “With a Little Help From My Friends,” “A Day in the Life,” “When I’m Sixty-Four,” “Within You Without You” and the title track with Pepperinspired original pieces inspired by classical forms and the blues. 9390 N. Santa Monica Blvd., Beverly Hills, 310.246.3800, wallis.org

Taha Mandviwala in the national tour of Life of Pi. Right: Mark Morris Dance Group, Pepperland

boy, whose name is Pi, survives on a lifeboat with four companions: a hyena, a zebra, an orangutan and a 450-pound Royal Bengal tiger.

The Music Center, 135 N. Grand Ave., downtown, 213.628.2772, centertheatregroup.com

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FEATURE

Bill Berloni and Bowdie, Winn Dixie in the stage musical

Sit. Stay. Take a Bow. A dog’s life on the stage is a tale best told by Broadway’s go-to animal trainer for nearly 50 years.

R y d

by SHERRY STERN and cookies—of the job.

“This is what the audience should remember: No dog walks up to a trainer and says, I want to be in show business,” explains Bill Berloni, go-to trainer for much of the theater world as well as film and television.

“We’re asking creatures to do something for us, and I believe we should be humane and kind about it and be their advocates,” he says. “I’m their advocate.”

Berloni’s career began serendipitously in 1976 when, as a young

actor, he was promised a role if he could find and train a rescue dog to play Sandy for the original production of “Annie.”

Over the next five decades his work has ranged from casting Toto in 67 productions of “The Wizard of Oz” to handling geese and rabbits for Broadway’s “The Ferryman” to, this week in Manhattan, having his rescue dog play Chowsie in the acclaimed Audra McDonald revival of “Gypsy.”

Up next in Southern California, his

M r W c

m DIANE SOBOLEWSKI

HOW WOULD YOU make sure Sandy sits still for a full two and half minutes while Annie belts out “Tomorrow”?

How can you be certain Bruiser barks on cue in “Legally Blonde”?

How do you ensure that Toto doesn’t jump off a bale of hay while Dorothy sings about a dreamy place somewhere over the rainbow?

These are not rhetorical questions when you train and handle dogs for the theater. These are the meat and potatoes—make that chicken

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WESTS FEATURE

GALA SATUR

SPRIN SATUR AND S

M

Naomi Watts and Bing in “The Friend.”

them. We go on a quest to find a dog in a shelter situation, rescue it and train it for that show.”

When visiting shelters, Berloni looks for three traits.

“Theater is a unique situation with what could be stressful situations,” he explains. “First, we look for dogs who can deal with stress. Next, they’ve got to be outgoing and friendly, so they come right up to you, a stranger, and say, ‘Hey, how are you?’ And number three, they have to be food-motivated.”

Once the dog is adopted comes the training. The hardest thing to teach a dog is to sit still, he says.

Not just stay, but

freeze.

“I don’t want an audience snickering because the dog is stealing focus,” Berloni says. “When a little girl is singing the song ‘Tomorrow’ you don’t want the dog looking around. You don’t want him licking his paws.

“You want him down on the floor, head down, motionless, for two and a half minutes. For ‘Somewhere Over the Rainbow,’ you want Toto to sit there and not look around.”

During every performance, Berloni or one of his trainers gives cues from the wings, but it’s Annie or Dorothy or Mama Rose who does

much of the on-stage direction using hand signals and food rewards.

That’s why when shows cast the people, Berloni wants the acting candidates to meet the animals.

“Whenever I do ‘Annie,’ I insist that I come into the final callbacks with the kids, because I can’t teach a child who’s never had a dog how to be a dog person in four weeks.

“I want the creators and the director and everybody to see how natural the child is with the dog and take that into consideration.”

Berloni always hope for actors without allergies; when that’s not the case, /CONTINUED ON PAGE 14

BLEEKER STREET

yappy Chihuahua, Ricky, has the indispensable role of Bruiser in “Legally Blonde” at La Mirada Theatre April 25-May 18.

Also on the canine horizon in Southern California: The labradoodle Kevin (supplied by a different trainer) is Sandy in the touring production of “Annie,” which recently played at the Segerstrom Center for the Arts in Costa Mesa and is coming to the Pantages Theater.

Before a curtain rises, before the training even begins, the key to putting an animal (usually a dog) in a show, Berloni says, starts like most stage and screen roles: with casting.

For a Sandy or a Bruiser or a Toto, Berloni and his wife, Dorothy, maintain a menagerie of 27 animals at home on their farm outside New York City; among them are several dogs that can fill those venerable roles and serve as their understudies.

Then there’s the rest of the time.

“Every story that comes across our desk has a different type of dog character,” he says. “It’s not like we keep 50 different breeds and hope that somebody calls and uses

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A MUSICAL GENESIS

MARTÍN + ALTSTAEDT + SCHUMANN Sep 13+14, 2025 Jaime Martín Music Director Nicolas Altstaedt Cello

A NO TE FROM JA IME M A R TÍN ON L ACO'S

2025/26 SE ASON Dear Listeners, It is with great pleasure that I invite you to the 2025/26 season of the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra—one that celebrates the timeless beauty of music. Together, we will explore the symphonic echoes of history and the evocative sounds of the future—notes that lead us into uncharted realms of musical wonder.

HARMONIC CONVERSATIONS

RICHARD GOODE PLAYS MOZART Dec 14+16, 2025 Margaret Batjer Director of Chamber Music Richard Goode Piano

I look forward to sharing our season with you.

LEARN MORE AT LACO.ORG

CURRENT:

INVENTIONS REIMAGINED

MA

Mar 28, 2026 Lara Downes Piano

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LACO-2526

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Music

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CURRENT:

REFLECTIONS IN SONG

MARTÍN + HAMELIN + BRAHMS

ROMANTIC RESONANCE

A BRAHMSIAN AFFAIR

Oct 4, 2025 John Holiday Countertenor Lara Downes Piano

Oct 25+26, 2025 Jaime Martín Music Director Marc-André Hamelin Piano

Nov 22+23, 2025 Margaret Batjer Director of Chamber Music

A GRAND BAROQUE SALON

MARTÍN + SAY + BEETHOVEN

FAUST + SOUSA + MENDELSSOHN

Jan 17+18, 2026 Pierre Hantaï Leader

Feb 14+15, 2026 Jaime Martín Music Director Fazil Say Piano

Mar 14+15, 2026 Dinis Sousa Conductor Isabelle Faust Violin

TEMPORAL ECHOES

MARTÍN + BANSAL + SHOSTAKOVICH

MARTÍN + MARWOOD + MOZART

BAROQUE IN BLOOM

Apr 11+12, 2026 Jaime Martín Music Director Anne Akiko Meyers Violin

May 16+17, 2026 Jaime Martín Music Director Anthony Marwood Violin, Coleman Itzkoff Cello

May 30+31, 2026 Margaret Batjer Leader Amanda Forsythe Soprano

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PASSION + MYSTERY

TURNING POINTS

RADIANCE + REVERIE

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NOTE FROM OUR PRESIDENT & CEO

RACHEL S. MOORE It is my pleasure to welcome Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater back to The Music Center for its second year of an exclusive Southern California residency, and, with that, to celebrate not only Alvin Ailey’s extraordinary legacy, but also the legendary Judith Jamison, the Ailey company’s artistic director emerita. Though originally considered Alvin Ailey’s muse, Jamison was a trailblazer and icon in her own right, whose artistry continues to inspire generations of dancers and choreographers.

Before she became one of the Ailey company’s great artistic directors —elevating its profile and securing its stature with the development of a world-class rehearsal and administrative building in New York City —Jamison was, first and foremost, a dancer. When she passed away last November, she was lauded by The New York Times as “…a performer of great intelligence, warmth and wit.” Her presence and stature on stage was magnetic, and she transformed all that she performed.

When Alvin Ailey’s Cry premiered at New York City Center in 1971, it was an immediate sensation. It propelled Jamison to international stardom in the dance world with her unparalleled grace and power.

Today, we honor her legacy in the way we know best, by presenting this exquisite company that clearly benefited not only from her talents, but also from her leadership.

Beyond the public performances, our Ailey residency includes a number of experiences for students and the public, including a special matinee at The Music Center for more than 3,000 middle school and high school students. We also arranged for the company to visit two middle schools within the Los Angeles Unified School District for a weeklong arts-learning experience based on Ailey’s Revelations, where the students explored the historical impact of Alvin Ailey and held discussions on the choreography of this master work. In addition, we arranged for the company to provide active aging dance workshops for older adults to express themselves through movement in North Hollywood (with partner EngAGE, Inc.), as well as in Los Angeles and in Pasadena (in partnership with the Los Angeles County Department of Aging and Disabilities) with the latter location also serving seniors from Altadena who were displaced when the Altadena Senior Center burned in the Eaton Fire.

Next up is our presentation from May 2–4, 2025, of Brazil’s Grupo Corpo (meaning “Body Group” in Portuguese), which blends popular Brazilian culture, African rhythms and classical technique. Grupo Corpo’s performances are a masterclass in artistry, athleticism and pure joy, something we could all use a little more of these days.

I hope you will join us. Be sure to follow us on Facebook, Instagram, X and Threads (@MusicCenterLA) for information about upcoming programs including the return in June of the much-beloved dancing program The Music Center’s Dance DTLA. My deepest thanks both to the amazing Glorya Kaufman, whose leadership has made it possible for us to experience some of the world’s most talented dance companies, and to the members of Center Dance Arts, founding supporter of Dance at The Music Center, for their passion and dedication to dance in Los Angeles.

Enjoy the performance!

Warmly,

Rachel S. Moore President & CEO, The Music Center

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Photo by Mario de Lopez.

THE MUSIC CENTER 2024/2025 BOARD OF DIRECTORS OFFICERS

Cindy Miscikowski Chair Robert J. Abernethy Vice Chair Rachel S. Moore President & CEO Diane G. Medina Secretary Susan M. Wegleitner Treasurer William Taylor Assistant Treasurer and Chief Financial Officer

Maria S. Salinas Corinne Jessie Sanchez Mimi Song Johnese Spisso Michael Stockton Jason Subotky Timothy S. Wahl Jennifer M. Walske Jay S. Wintrob

GENERAL COUNSEL

Rollin A. Ransom

DIRECTORS EMERITI

Wallis Annenberg Peter K. Barker Judith Beckmen Charlene Achki-Repko Darrell R. Brown Charles F. Adams Ronald W. Burkle William H. Ahmanson John B. Emerson ** Romesh Anketell Richard M. Ferry Jill C. Baldauf Bernard A. Susan Baumgarten Greenberg Phoebe Beasley Stephen F. Kristin Burr Hinchliffe, Jr. Dannielle Campos Kent Kresa Alberto M. Carvalho Mattie McFaddenElizabeth Khuri Chandler Lawson Riley Etheridge, Jr. Fredric M. Roberts Amy R. Forbes Richard K. Roeder Greg T. Geyer Claire L. Rothman Joan E. Herman Joni J. Smith Jeffrey M. Hill Lisa Specht ** Jonathan B. Hodge Cynthia A. Telles Mary Ann Hunt-Jacobsen James A. Thomas Carl Jordan Andrea L. Richard B. Kendall Van de Kamp ** Terri M. Kohl Thomas R. Lily Lee Weinberger Cary J. Lefton Alyce de Roulet Keith R. Leonard, Jr. Williamson Kelsey N. Martin ** Chair Emeritus Susan M. Matt Elizabeth Michelson Current as of Darrell D. Miller 3/13/2025 Teresita Notkin Michael J. Pagano Karen Kay Platt Susan Erburu Reardon Joseph J. Rice Melissa Romain Beverly P. Ryder

MEMBERS AT LARGE

3/17/25 6:20 PM

TMC ARTS

Arts and Cultural Experiences for All

The Music Center is a cultural anchor in Los Angeles and home to some of the world’s greatest and most highly regarded artistic programs and events.

Rooted in a strong commitment to equity, excellence and access, TMC Arts, The Music Center’s programming and producing engine, provides year-round events and activities inside The Music Center’s theatres, outdoors on Jerry Moss Plaza at The Music Center and at Gloria Molina Grand Park — a 12-acre adjacent green space — and in schools and neighborhoods all over Los Angeles County. From Glorya Kaufman Presents Dance at The Music Center to free and low-cost concerts and events, to learning experiences for all ages and more, TMC Arts’ programs reflect the diverse voices and interests of the many communities in Los Angeles County, bringing Angelenos together in ways that enable them to discover their shared humanity. TMC Arts’ programs connect people, offering participatory and immersive experiences with the chance to get creative and learn.

Join L.A.’s performing arts center as we bring together artists, children, teachers and people of all ages and backgrounds to make Los Angeles a better place. Your charitable gift to The Music Center’s annual fund will support unforgettable performances, immersive programs that welcome everyone as well as learning opportunities in hundreds of schools and communities.

The Music Center is truly a performing arts center for the 21st century, continually pushing the boundaries to engage communities and further inspire and contribute to the artistic voices of Los Angeles.

SCAN TO MAKE A GIFT

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Photo by John McCoy for The Music Center.

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WELCOME The Music Center Board of Directors welcomes six esteemed members of the community.

CINDY MISCIKOWSKI The Music Center Board Chair I’m thrilled to introduce our new additions to The Music Center’s Board of Directors. Each Board member has a deep respect for the arts as well as a deep commitment to The Music Center’s mission to enrich the cultural lives of every resident in Los Angeles County. Just as impressive, these six individuals have made their own impact on the communities we serve, forging indelible relationships

Charlene Achki-Repko joins The Music Center’s Board of Directors as a designee of Center Dance Arts (CDA), a community of dance patrons supporting performances, education and outreach. A lifelong dance enthusiast, she trained in ballet, tap and jazz in Fresno, California, and continues honing her tap skills with fellow CDA members. Achki-Repko had a distinguished career in magazine media, holding management roles at Dow Jones, The Wall Street Journal and Hearst Magazines. Now retired, she serves on the boards of USC Glorya Kaufman School of Dance, Everybody Dance LA!, and SHARE4Children.

LAUSD Superintendent Alberto Carvalho grew up in Portugal, where arts education was accessible to all students, shaping his lifelong passion for the arts. In high school, he played percussion and sang in a rock band, covering The Beatles and Queen. As a Music Center Board member, he champions the performing arts for young Angelenos. In June 2022, just months into his role as superintendent, he launched the Cultural Arts Passport, providing TK-12 students with diverse cultural experiences through partnerships with institutions like The Music Center.

with many of the residents who comprise our diverse county.

Their expertise will help catapult L.A.’s performing arts center into a future filled with even more unrivaled arts experiences for all Angelenos and high quality, unparalleled programming that can be found only at The Music Center.

I hope you enjoyed these wonderful performances of Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater presented by Glorya Kaufman Presents Dance at The Music Center!

Riley Etheridge, retired president of Capital Group’s North American Wealth Management Client Group, eagerly joined The Music Center’s Board of Directors. Both Etheridge and his former company are long-time Music Center supporters, and the arts has been Etheridge’s lifelong passion. An acclaimed musician himself, Etheridge has recorded five albums blending rock, country, blues, soul and folk. Since moving to L.A. in 2018, he has admired The Music Center’s efforts to provide free and low-cost arts programs and outdoor concerts on Jerry Moss Plaza such as Live at The Music Center.

Kelsey Martin, of Goldman Sachs, grew up immersed in the arts, attending an arts magnet school in Cleveland and experiencing musical theatre, the Cleveland Orchestra and local museums. He considers creative expression part of his DNA and is thrilled to join The Music Center’s Board as a designee of The Music Center Foundation. A soughtafter investment expert, he serves on the Foundation’s Board and chairs its investment committee. With a military background and a strong commitment to service, Martin is dedicated to giving back to the community.

Jonathan Hodge, wealth management manager at Bank of America, joined The Music Center’s Board after witnessing its impact, including the talent showcased at the Spotlight Grand Finale. Drawn to The Music Center’s mission of enriching L.A.’s cultural life, Hodge is committed to expanding BIPOC community engagement. A Connecticut native, Hodge moved to L.A. in 1998, where his early work in ticket brokering deepened his appreciation for the arts, from the LA Phil to Glorya Kaufman Presents Dance at The Music Center.

Susan Erburu Reardon joins The Music Center’s Board as a designee of the Los Angeles Master Chorale (LAMC), where she has served since 1992 and became Board Chair in 2024. Principal of True North Charitable Advising, Reardon provides philanthropic guidance to arts and culture nonprofits. Previously, she was LA Phil’s director of gift planning and spent 15 years with KCET. An attorney with over four decades of experience, Reardon also serves on the boards of APTS, Lorelei Ensemble, Idyllwild Arts Foundation, PBS SoCal and the Pfaffinger Foundation.

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DANCE NOTES At a public “dance talk” I had with Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater Interim Artistic Director Matthew Rushing, I asked him why the audiences in Los Angeles were so enthusiastic about the Company — more so than in any other city. He explained that Alvin Ailey learned how to dance in Los Angeles at the Lester Horton Studio, and Angelenos instinctively recognize Ailey’s work as being rooted in their own community. We are thrilled to welcome the Company back to The Music Center, with two distinct programs: Program A includes the Los Angeles premiere of Sacred Songs, which Matthew Rushing choreographed, and Program B is a special tribute to the legendary Judith Jamison, the company’s artistic director emerita, who passed away last year.

Sacred Songs is set to new arrangements of music that Alvin Ailey included in the original production of his seminal work, Revelations, but subsequently edited out. By creating a new piece with these musical selections, Rushing pays homage to Ailey’s vision while expanding upon Revelations’ themes of faith, resilience and spiritual transcendence. While Revelations presents a sweeping communal journey through suffering and redemption, Sacred Songs offers a more personal meditation on sacred expression, using the previously-excluded music to bring fresh nuance and perspective.

Rushing’s choreography mirrors Ailey’s signature fusion of classical, modern and gospel-inspired movement, infusing it with a contemporary sensibility. The use of these lost musical pieces serves as a bridge between past and present, reinforcing the enduring power of faith and communal strength in overcoming adversity. Through this, Sacred Songs not only honors Revelations, but also revitalizes and extends its legacy for new audiences.

Program B is dedicated to celebrating the immense contributions of Judith Jamison. A legendary performer, her breathtaking performance in Cry (1971) captured the power and resilience of Black women. She was appointed by Alvin Ailey to be the company’s second artistic director, and in this role, she expanded the Ailey company’s artistic legacy, nurtured new talent, introduced innovative works and ensured the company remained a global force in modern dance.

We hope you enjoy these performances as we celebrate both the legacy and the future of Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater.

Martin Wechsler Senior Advisor, TMC Arts Dance Presentations

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Glorya Kaufman Presents Dance at The Music Center Presents

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Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater’s Jacquelin Harris. Photo by Dario Calmese.

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Alvin Ailey, Founder Judith Jamison, Artistic Director Emerita

Matthew Rushing, Interim Artistic Director COMPANY MEMBERS

Leonardo Brito Patrick Coker Shawn Cusseaux Sarah Daley-Perdomo Caroline T. Dartey Isaiah Day Coral Dolphin Solomon Dumas Samantha Figgins James Gilmer Vernard J. Gilmore Ashley Kaylynn Green Jacquelin Harris Michael Jackson, Jr. Yannick Lebrun Xavier Mack

Renaldo Maurice Corrin Rachelle Mitchell Chalvar Monteiro Jesse Obremski Kali Marie Oliver Alisha Rena Peek Jessica Amber Pinkett Miranda Quinn Hannah Alissa Richardson Deidre Rogan Constance Stamatiou Christopher Taylor Fana Minea Tesfagiorgis De’Anthony Vaughan Dandara Veiga Isabel Wallace-Green Christopher R. Wilson

Ronni Favors, Rehearsal Director Clifton Brown, Assistant Rehearsal Director Kanji Segawa, Assistant Rehearsal Director

Bennett Rink, Executive Director Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater’s 2024–25 season celebrates the life and legacy of Artistic Director Emerita Judith Jamison (1943–2024).

Major funding of AILEY is provided by AARP, Anonymous, American Express, Bank of America, Bloomberg Philanthropies, BNY Mellon, Diageo North America, Ford Foundation, Fund II Foundation, The Hearst Foundations, Howard Gilman Foundation, Institute of Museum and Library Services, The Mellon Foundation, National Endowment for the Arts, The Prudential Foundation, The Shubert Foundation, Southern Company, The Thompson Family Foundation and Verizon Communications.

2025 North American Tour Sponsor

Support for this presentation is provided, in part, by: Glorya Kaufman Foundation

Moss Foundation

Center Dance Arts

Munger Tolles & Olson LLP

Dorothy Buffum Chandler Program Fund

The Music Center Foundation

Elisabeth Katte Harris

The Music Center Annual Fund PERFORMANCES MAGAZINE P5

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PROGRAM Wednesday, April 2, at 7:30 p.m.

Friday, April 4, at 7:30 p.m.

Saturday, April 5, at 2:00 p.m.

Sunday, April 6, at 7:30 p.m.

SACRED SONGS (2024)

Choreography by Matthew Rushing Assistant to the Choreographer: Alexandria Johnson Creative Associate and Music by Du’Bois A’Keen Costumes by Danté Baylor Lighting by Andre A. Vazquez Scenic Design by Matthew Rushing and Joseph Anthony Gaito

The creation of Sacred Songs is supported by The Kansas City Friends of Alvin Ailey — Sara & Bill Morgan New Works Endowment Fund, Tracy Elise Poole, Red Moose Charitable Trust, The Jeanne Greenberg Rohatyn & Nicolas Rohatyn New Works Endowment Fund, and Daria L. & Eric J. Wallach

— INTERMISSION —

MANY ANGELS (2024)

Choreography by Lar Lubovitch Assistant to the Choreographer: Katarzyna Skarpetowska Music by Gustav Mahler Costumes by Harriet Jung and Reid Bartelme Lighting by Clifton Taylor Scenic Design by Lar Lubovitch

After 60 years as a choreographer, I am still frequently asked “Why do you make dances?” In his writings, the 13th century theologian St. Thomas Aquinas posed a theoretical question about the mysterious behavior of angels to which no actual answer is possible. “How many angels can dance on the head of a pin?” is a saying still heard today to illustrate that some questions have no logical answer but may be understood as a matter of faith.

Occasionally, something may exist in the world just for the sake of itself. For example, a dance.

Many Angels is not really about angels (well, maybe a little). — Lar Lubovitch The creation of Many Angels is made possible by The Ellen Jewett and Richard L. Kauffman New Works Endowment Fund.

Lar Lubovitch was born in 1943 and founded Lar Lubovitch Dance Company, which tours worldwide, in 1968. Numerous dances of his have been performed by major U.S. and

international companies. Othello—A Dance in Three Acts, created with American Ballet Theatre and San Francisco Ballet, was featured on PBS’ Great Performances (Emmy nomination). Film and television dances include Fandango (International Emmy), My Funny Valentine for Robert Altman’s film The Company (American Choreography Award nomination), and Concerto Six Twenty-two and North Star for BBC. He has created ice dances for many Olympic skaters, as well as TV specials, including The Sleeping Beauty on Ice (PBS), and The Planets on Ice (A&E— International Emmy nomination, Cable Ace Award, Grammy Award). Broadway credits include Into the Woods (Tony nomination), The Red Shoes (Astaire Award) and the Tony Award-winning revival of The King and I. In 1987, he conceived Dancing for Life, the dance community’s first response to the AIDS crisis. In 2007, he founded the Chicago Dancing Festival. In 2016, he premiered the evening-length ballet The Bronze Horseman at the Mikhailovsky Ballet (St. Petersburg, Russia). Recent awards include Chicagoan of the Year; Ford Fellow (U.S. Artists); the Dance/USA Honor; Prix Benois de la Danse for Choreography (Bolshoi, Moscow); America’s Irreplaceable Dance Treasure (Dance Heritage Coalition); and Lifetime Achievement awards from American Dance Guild, ADF/Scripps, Dance Magazine and the Martha Graham Foundation. Lubovitch holds honorary doctorates from Juilliard and Boston Conservatory. Since 2018, he has been Distinguished Professor of Dance at University of California, Irvine.

“Adagietto” from Symphony No. 5 in C-Sharp Minor, performed by the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Daniel Barenboim conducting.

— PAUSE —

Lubovitch Dance Company and Pilobolus.

Monte’s signature style—recognized as daring, intense and passionate—is classical and highly athletic. Rooted in sensuality and controlled sustained energy, her work is notable for its expansive range of movement. Hers is a diverse vocabulary that refuses stylistic conformity. Monte founded her company, Elisa Monte Dance, in 1981 and served as artistic director until 2016. She has choreographed more than 50 works danced by countless domestic and international companies, including Boston Ballet, Batsheva Dance Company, Martha Graham Dance Company, San Francisco Ballet, Les Grands Ballets Canadiens, Teatro alla Scala Ballet, PHILADANCO!, and Dallas Black Dance Theatre. She is thrilled to have Treading back in this season’s Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater repertory and thankful to Alvin Ailey for his support and trust in her work. * Excerpts from “Music for 18 Musicians” used by arrangement with Hendon Music, Inc., a Boosey & Hawkes Company, publisher and copyright owner.

— INTERMISSION —

REVELATIONS (1960) Choreography by Alvin Ailey Music: Traditional Décor and Costumes by Ves Harper Costumes for Rocka My Soul redesigned

by Barbara Forbes Lighting by Nicola Cernovitch PILGRIM OF SORROW I Been ‘Buked

Music arranged by Hall Johnson*

Didn’t My Lord Deliver Daniel Music arranged by James Miller+

Fix Me, Jesus

TREADING

(1979, New Production 2024) Choreography by Elisa Monte Rehearsal Associate: Clymene Aldinger Music by Steve Reich “Music for Eighteen Musicians”* Costumes by Marisol Original Lighting by Tina Charney Lighting Design by Clifton Taylor

Music arranged by Hall Johnson*

TAKE ME TO THE WATER Processional/Honor, Honor

Music adapted and arranged by Howard A. Roberts

Wade in the Water

Music adapted and arranged by Howard A. Roberts “Wade in the Water” sequence by Ella Jenkins “A Man Went Down to the River” is an original composition by Ella Jenkins

Elisa Monte has been widely recognized as an important innovator and contributor to contemporary dance. She is a former principal dancer with the Martha Graham Dance Company and also danced with Lar

MOVE, MEMBERS, MOVE Sinner Man Music adapted and arranged by Howard A. Roberts

The Day is Past and Gone

Music arranged by Howard A. Roberts and Brother John Sellers

You May Run On

Music arranged by Howard A. Roberts and Brother John Sellers

Rocka My Soul in the Bosom of Abraham Music adapted and arranged by Howard A. Roberts

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This production of Treading is supported by an Anonymous Donor, Leanne Lachman, and the Pamela D. Zilly and John H. Schaefer New Works Endowment Fund.

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All performances of Revelations are permanently endowed by a generous gift from Donald L. Jonas in celebration of the birthday of his wife, Barbara, and her deep commitment to the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater. *Used by arrangement with G. Schirmer, Inc., publisher and copyright owner. +Used by special arrangement with Galaxy Music Corporation, New York City.

Thursday, April 3, at 7:30 p.m.

Saturday, April 5, at 7:30 p.m.

Sunday, April 6, at 2:00 p.m.

GRACE

(1999, New Production 2024) Choreography by Ronald K. Brown Rehearsal Associate: Arcell Cabuag Music by Various Artists* Costumes by Omatayo Wunmi Olaiya Lighting by Tsubasa Kamei This new production of Grace is supported

by Maury & Joseph Bohan.

The original production of Grace was made possible by Elizabeth Marsteller Gordon and Natasha Leibel Levine, M.D. & Harlan B. Levine, M.D. The creation of this work was made possible, in part,

by AT&T, the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation and The Harkness Foundation for Dance.

Ronald K. Brown is an advocate for the growth of the African American dance community and uses movement as a way to acquaint audiences with the beauty of traditional African forms and rhythms. Brown founded Brooklyn-based EVIDENCE, A Dance Company, in 1985 and has also set works on Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, Ailey II, Cleo Parker Robinson Ensemble, Dayton Contemporary Dance Company, Jennifer Muller/The Works, Jeune Ballet d’Afrique Noire, Ko-Thi Dance Company, PHILADANCO!, and others. Brown choreographed Regina Taylor’s award-winning play Crowns for which he won an AUDELCO Award. In addition, he has received a John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation Fellowship, a National Endowment for the Arts Choreographers Fellowship, a New York Foundation for the Arts Fellowship and a United States Artists Fellowship, among others. * “Come Sunday” by arrangement with G. Schirmer, Inc. publisher and copyright owner.

Composed by Duke Ellington. Performed by Jimmy McPhail. “Gabriel” Performed by Peven Everett and Roy Davis Jr. Published by Studio Confessions (ASCAP) and Warner Chappell Music Ltd (PRS). Licensed exclusively from Large Music, LLC. All Rights Reserved. 1996. “Bless It” by Paul Johnson. Recorded at Undaground Therapy Music Studios Chicago, IL. “Rock Shock” written and produced by Roy Davis, Jr., published by Roy Davis, Jr. Music (ASCAP). Recorded at Undaground Therapy Music Studios, Chicago, IL. “Shakara”

by Fela (Anikulapo) Kuti. Copyright Shanachie Entertainment Group. “Come Sunday” by arrangement with G. Schirmer, Inc. publisher and copyright owner. Composed by Duke Ellington.

Performed by Jennifer Holliday.

In 1971, Alvin Ailey choreographed Cry as a birthday present for his mother. Created on the legendary Judith Jamison, it went on to become an enduring work of American art.

— INTERMISSION —

The original production of Cry was made possible, in part, by a grant from the Ford Foundation.

AILEY EXCERPTS Choreography by Alvin Ailey Excerpt from PAS DE DUKE (1976) Music by Duke Ellington Costumes by Rouben Ter-Arutunian Lighting by Chenault Spence “Such Sweet Thunder” used by arrangement with G. Schirmer, Inc., publisher and copyright owner.

Excerpt from MASEKELA LANGAGE (1969) Music by Hugh Masekela Scenic Design by William Hammond Costumes by A. Christina Giannini Lighting by Chenault Spence Morolo “Morolo” composed by Hugh Masekela.

Excerpt from OPUS McSHANN (1988) Music composed by Jay McShann and Walter Brown Performed by Jay McShann Sets and costumes by Randy Barcelo Lighting by Timothy Hunter Doo Wah Doo Excerpt from LOVE SONGS (1972) “A Song for You,” music and lyrics

by Leon Russell Sung by Donny Hathaway Costume by Ursula Reed Lighting by Shirley Prendergast “A Song for You” used by arrangement with Universal Music Corp.

Excerpt from FOR ‘BIRD’—WITH LOVE (1984) “Bird Lives” music by Coleridge-Taylor Perkinson Set and costume design by Randy Barcelo Lighting by Timothy Hunter Original music composed, assembled and conducted by Coleridge Taylor Perkinson

— INTERMISSION — A TRIBUTE TO JUDITH JAMISON CRY (excerpt) (1971) Choreography by Alvin Ailey Music by Chuck Griffin Costume by A. Christina Giannini Lighting by Chenault Spence

Cry was made possible with generous support from Judith McDonough Kaminski and Joseph Kaminski.

“Right On, Be Free” written by Chuck Griffin and performed by The Voices of East Harlem, is used with permission of the publisher, Really Together Music.

— PAUSE —

REVELATIONS (1960) Choreography by Alvin Ailey Music: Traditional Décor and Costumes by Ves Harper Costumes for Rocka My Soul redesigned

by Barbara Forbes Lighting by Nicola Cernovitch PILGRIM OF SORROW I Been ‘Buked

Music arranged by Hall Johnson*

Didn’t My Lord Deliver Daniel Music arranged by James Miller+

Fix Me, Jesus

Music arranged by Hall Johnson*

TAKE ME TO THE WATER Processional/Honor, Honor

Music adapted and arranged by Howard A. Roberts

Wade in the Water

Music adapted and arranged by Howard A. Roberts “Wade in the Water” sequence by Ella Jenkins “A Man Went Down to the River” is an original composition by Ella Jenkins

I Wanna Be Ready Music arranged by James Miller+

MOVE, MEMBERS, MOVE Sinner Man Music adapted and arranged by Howard A. Roberts

The Day is Past and Gone

Music arranged by Howard A. Roberts and Brother John Sellers

You May Run On

Music arranged by Howard A. Roberts and Brother John Sellers

Rocka My Soul in the Bosom of Abraham Music adapted and arranged by Howard A. Roberts

All performances of Revelations are permanently endowed by a generous gift from Donald L. Jonas in celebration of the birthday of his wife, Barbara, and her deep commitment to the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater. *Used by arrangement with G. Schirmer, Inc., publisher and copyright owner. +Used by special arrangement with Galaxy Music Corporation, New York City.

For all Black women everywhere — especially our mothers.

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ALVIN AMERICAN DANCE THEATER WHO’S WHO DANCEAILEY NOTES: URBAN BUSH WOMEN ALVIN AILEY FOUNDER Alvin Ailey was born on January 5, 1931, in Rogers, TX. His experiences of life in the rural South would later inspire some of his most memorable works. He was introduced to dance in Los Angeles by performances of the Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo and the Katherine Dunham Dance Company, and his formal dance training began with an introduction to Lester Horton’s classes by his friend Carmen de Lavallade.

Horton, the founder of one of the first racially integrated dance companies in the United States, became a mentor for Ailey as he embarked on his professional

career. After Horton’s death in 1953, Ailey became director of the Lester Horton Dance Theater and began to choreograph his own works. In the 1950s and 60s, Ailey performed in four Broadway shows. In 1958, he founded Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater to carry out his vision of a company dedicated to uplifting the African American experience while enriching and preserving the legacy of modern dance. The creation of his masterpiece Revelations in 1960 cemented his reputation as a choreographer of unique vision, with the ability to transcend racial barriers and connect deeply to people’s humanity.

Ailey established the Alvin Ailey American Dance Center (now The Ailey School) in 1969 and formed the Alvin Ailey Repertory

Ensemble (now Ailey II) in 1974. He was also a pioneer of programs promoting arts in education. Throughout his lifetime he was awarded numerous distinctions, including the Kennedy Center Honor in 1988 in recognition of his extraordinary contribution to American culture. In 2014, he posthumously received the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the country’s highest civilian honor, in recognition of his contributions and commitment to civil rights and dance in America. Following Ailey’s death on December 1, 1989, The New York Times said of him, “you didn’t need to have known [him] personally to have been touched by his humanity, enthusiasm, and exuberance and his courageous stand for multi-racial brotherhood.”

MATTHEW RUSHING INTERIM ARTISTIC DIRECTOR Matthew Rushing was born in Los Angeles.

He began his dance training with Kashmir Blake in Inglewood, CA, and continued his training at the Los Angeles County High School for the Arts.

He is the recipient of The Music Center’s Spotlight Award and a Dance Magazine Award and was named a Presidential Scholar in the Arts. He was a scholarship student at The Ailey School and later became a member of Ailey II. During his career, Rushing has performed as a guest artist for galas in Vail, Colorado, as well as in Austria, Canada, France, Italy and Russia.

He has performed for Presidents George H. W. Bush, Bill Clinton, George W. Bush and Barack Obama, as well as at the 2010 White House Dance Series. During his time with the Company, he has choreographed five ballets: Acceptance In Surrender (2005), a collaboration with Hope Boykin and Abdur-Rahim Jackson; Uptown (2009), a tribute to the Harlem Renaissance; ODETTA (2014), a celebration of “the queen of American folk music”; Testament (2020), a tribute to Alvin Ailey’s Revelations created in collaboration with Clifton Brown and Yusha-Marie Sorzano; and this season’s Sacred Songs. In 2012, he created Moan, which was set on PHILADANCO! and premiered at The Joyce Theater. Rushing joined the Company in 1992. He became rehearsal director in 2010, associate artistic director in 2020 and interim artistic director in 2023.

JUDITH JAMISON ARTISTIC DIRECTOR EMERITA Judith Jamison joined Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater in 1965 and quickly became an international star.

Over the following 15 years, Alvin Ailey created some of his most enduring roles for her, most notably the tour-de-force solo Cry. During the 1970s and 80s, she appeared as a guest artist with ballet companies all over the world, starred in the hit Broadway musical Sophisticated Ladies and formed her own company, The Jamison Project. She returned to Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater in 1989 when Ailey asked her to succeed him as artistic director. In the 21 years that followed, she brought the Company to unprecedented heights—including two historic engagements in South Africa and a 50-city global tour to celebrate the Company’s 50th anniversary. Jamison was the recipient of numerous awards and honors, among them a Primetime Emmy Award, an American Choreography Award, a Kennedy Center Honor, a National Medal of Arts, a Bessie Award, the Phoenix Award and the Handel Medallion. She was also listed in The TIME 100: The World’s Most Influential People and honored by First Lady Michelle Obama at the first White House Dance Series event. In 2015, she became the 50th inductee into the Hall of Fame at the National Museum of Dance. In 2016, she received the Douglas Watt Lifetime Achievement Award from the Fred and Adele Astaire Awards. As a highly regarded choreographer, Jamison created many celebrated works, including Divining (1984), Forgotten Time (1989), Hymn (1993), HERE... NOW. (commissioned for the 2002 Cultural Olympiad), Love Stories (with additional choreography by Robert Battle and Rennie Harris, 2004), and Among Us (Private Spaces: Public

Places) (2009). Jamison’s autobiography, Dancing Spirit, was edited by Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis and published in 1993. In 2004, under Jamison’s artistic directorship, her idea of a permanent home for Ailey was realized and named after beloved Chairman Emerita Joan Weill. Following her retirement from the helm of the Company in 2011, Jamison continued to dedicate herself to asserting the prominence of the arts, and she remained committed to promoting the significance of the Ailey legacy—using dance as a medium for honoring the past, celebrating the present and fearlessly reaching into the future.

Her death on November 9, 2024, prompted an outpouring of love and admiration around the world from those who were touched by her magnificent artistry and extraordinary spirit.

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RONNI FAVORS REHEARSAL DIRECTOR Ronni Favors began dancing as a child in Iowa City. After studying at the National Music Camp in Interlochen, MI, as recipient of the Camp Scholarship, she continued her training at The Ailey School as a Fellowship student. Favors was a member of Ailey II, Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater and the Lar Lubovitch Dance Company, and has received the Min-On Art Award. Favors was the ballet instructor at the 1989 inaugural session of AileyCamp in Kansas City and served as artistic director of the Camp.

She is the Founding Director of Children’s Aid AileyCamp New York and provided guidance in the national implementation of the AileyCamp program. In 1997, Favors was named assistant rehearsal director of Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater and was its rehearsal director from 1999 to 2010. She worked with local dance students who performed in Alvin Ailey’s Memoria in Johannesburg, South Africa,

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as well as in Seattle, Copenhagen, Los Angeles, Chicago, Kansas City, New York and, most recently, Edinburgh, Scotland.

She set Alvin Ailey’s Night Creature on TU Dance and Oregon Ballet Theatre.

Favors rejoined the Company as rehearsal director in 2019.

CLIFTON BROWN ASSISTANT REHEARSAL DIRECTOR Clifton Brown, from Goodyear, AZ, began his dance training at Take 5 Dance Academy and continued in the first class of the Ailey/Fordham BFA in Dance program. Brown began his professional career when he joined the Ailey company in 1999 and served as choreographic assistant to Judith Jamison. He has also danced with Earl Mosley’s Diversity of Dance, Lar Lubovitch Dance Company, and was a founding member and rehearsal director for Jessica Lang Dance. He was nominated in the U.K. for a Critics Circle National Dance Award for Best Male Dancer and received a Black Theater Arts Award as well as a New York Dance and Performance (“Bessie”) Award. As a guest artist, Brown has performed with Miami City Ballet, Rome Opera Ballet, Nevada Ballet and Parsons Dance. He has set the work of Alvin Ailey, Earl Mosley and Jessica Lang on various companies around the world.

Television appearances as a guest artist include So You Think You Can Dance and Dancing With The Stars. He has had the privilege of performing at The White House for President Obama. Brown became assistant rehearsal director in 2019.

KANJI SEGAWA ASSISTANT REHEARSAL DIRECTOR Kanji Segawa, originally from Kanagawa, Japan, began his dance training with his mother Erika Akoh, studying ballet with Kan Horiuchi and Ju Horiuchi in Tokyo. Segawa was awarded the Japanese Government Artist Fellowship in 1997 to train at The Ailey School. A former member of Ailey II and Battleworks, Segawa danced extensively for Mark Morris and performed as a principal dancer in John Adams’ Nixon in China at The Metropolitan Opera.

Since 1999, Segawa has been creative associate for Jessica Lang, assisting her creations for companies worldwide including American Ballet Theatre, Pacific Northwest Ballet, The Royal Ballet and The National Ballet of Japan. With Lang, Segawa co-choreographed the world premiere production of Turandot for The Washington National Opera, directed

by Francesca Zambello. He was a dancer

with Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater under the direction of Robert Battle from 2011–2023 and became assistant rehearsal director in 2024.

BENNETT RINK EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Bennett Rink became executive director of Ailey in 2013. He first joined the organization as manager of special events in 1994, became development director in 1998, and served as senior director of development and external affairs from 2007 to 2012. In his tenure overseeing Ailey’s development and fundraising efforts, Rink led a major capital campaign to establish the organization’s first permanent home, The Joan Weill Center for Dance, which opened in 2005 and attracts more than 200,000 visitors each year. Rink also oversaw the campaign to build the organization’s endowment, which provides vital ongoing support for programmatic initiatives. When the Company celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2008, Rink supervised an 18-month celebration including events, promotions, collaborations and special performances, bringing public awareness of the Ailey organization to new heights. During his time as executive director, the Company has deepened its presence in New York City by establishing an annual spring season to complement its New York City Center winter season, while also extending its role as America’s “Cultural Ambassador to the world” with tours to Africa, Europe and South America. To reach audiences beyond live performances, Rink broadened the organization’s commitment to creating film and digital content. He has also extended the reach and impact of Ailey’s educational offerings, including the creation of new curricula and programs that reach across generations, from elementary school children to older adults. In 2017, the organization unveiled the Elaine Wynn and Family Education Wing, providing muchneeded additional studios and classroom space. The building now comprises 87,000 square feet and is the largest destination for dance in New York City. In recent years, Rink has overseen a branding initiative to express the totality of Ailey’s offerings, creating greater connectivity among Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, Ailey II, The Ailey School, Ailey Arts in Education & Community Programs, and Ailey Extension.

Most recently, he led the organization’s collaboration with the Whitney Museum on “Edges of Ailey,” the first large-scale museum exhibition celebrating the life, dances, influences and enduring legacy of Alvin Ailey. Rink is a graduate of Syracuse University and holds a B.F.A. in theater.

ABOUT THE COMPANY Founded by Alvin Ailey on March 30, 1958, Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater is one of the most acclaimed dance companies in the world. With a repertory that boasts close to 300 works by more than 100 choreographers, it has performed in more than 70 countries on six continents and has been designated a “vital American Cultural Ambassador to the world” by a U.S. congressional resolution.

Forged during a pivotal moment in the civil rights movement, Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater was established to uplift the African American experience while transcending boundaries of race, faith and nationality with its universal humanity. Ailey invited dancers of all backgrounds to be a part of his vision while reimagining his company as a “library of dance,” a home for a wide range of choreographers’ works that might otherwise be lost. Before his untimely death in 1989, Ailey named Judith Jamison as his successor, and for 21 years she brought the Company to unprecedented success. In 2011, she selected Robert Battle as her successor; he stewarded the Company until 2023. Today, Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater continues to bring joy to audiences around the globe, while expanding its repertory with works by new choreographers and upholding Ailey’s legacy for future generations.

Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater gratefully acknowledges The Joan & Sandy Weill Global Ambassador Fund, which provides vital support for Ailey’s national and international tours.

The Ailey dancers are supported, in part, by The Judith McDonough Kaminski Dancer Endowment Fund.

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ALVIN AMERICAN DANCE THEATER WHO’S WHO DANCEAILEY NOTES: URBAN BUSH WOMEN LEONARDO BRITO (Rio de Janeiro, Brazil) began his training with Projeto Primeiro Passo and later studied at Escola Estadual de Dança Maria Olenewa, Centro de Arte Nós da Dança, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro and The Ailey School. He danced with Ailey II and then with Ballet Hispánico for five seasons. Brito has performed with the Mariinsky Ballet, Theatro Municipal do Rio de Janeiro and Focus Cia de Dança. In 2015, he received the III Brazilian Modern Dance Congress Award. He has performed works

by Robert Battle, Cassi Abranches, Jae Man Joo, Gustavo Ramírez Sansano, Marcelo Misailidis, Darrell Grand Moultrie, Eduardo Vilaro and Anabelle Lopez Ochoa. Brito is also proficient in capoeira, an Afro-Brazilian martial art. He has appeared in the FX series POSE, Willy Chavarria’s film Safe From Harm, Out Magazine, Hong Kong Dance Magazine, on the covers of Made in Brazil and SSAW, and in many other campaigns. He joined the Company in 2024. Instagram: @leonardobrittom PATRICK COKER (Chester, VA) began dancing at Jessica Morgan’s School of Dance in Midlothian, VA, and later the Eastern Virginia School for the Performing Arts. He graduated from The Ailey/Fordham BFA Program in Dance in 2014. He has performed with Cedar Lake Contemporary Ballet, Jessica Lang Dance, the Mark Morris Dance Group and BODYTRAFFIC. Coker has also danced with Jamar Roberts, The Verdon Fosse Legacy, Joshua Beamish’s MOVE: The Company, HopeBoykinDance and Earl Mosley’s Diversity of Dance. In 2018, he was an assistant to Jessica Lang as she choreographed EN on Ailey, and he joined the Company in 2019. Instagram: @pcoke SHAWN CUSSEAUX (St. Petersburg, FL) began his training at the Pinellas County Center for the Arts at Gibbs High School where he trained in ballet, modern and jazz. In 2020, Cusseaux received his B.F.A. in Modern Dance at Point Park University in Pittsburgh, under the direction of Garfield Lemonius. After graduation he joined BalletX, Philadelphia’s premier contemporary ballet company, where he

spent three seasons. During that time, he had the privilege of dancing at the Vail International Dance Festival and Ballet Sun Valley. Cusseaux has performed work by Jae Man Joo, José Limón, Edwaard Liang, Camille A. Brown, Matthew Nenan, Jamar Roberts, Dwight Rhoden, Hope Boykin, Amy Hall Garner, Jennifer Archibald and Nicolo Fonte.

He joined the Company in 2023.

SARAH DALEY-PERDOMO (South Elgin, IL) began her training at the Faubourg School of Ballet in Illinois under the direction of Watmora Casey and Tatyana Mazur. She is a 2009 graduate of the Ailey/Fordham BFA Program in Dance and trained at institutions such as the Kirov Academy, National Ballet School of Canada, The San Francisco Conservatory of Dance, and intensives at Ballet Camp Illinois and Ballet Adriatico in Italy. DaleyPerdomo was honored to be highlighted in Dance Magazine’s “On the Rise” feature in 2014, and to perform in Wayne McGregor’s Chroma for the filming of Lincoln Center at the Movies: Great American Dance. She is a recipient of a Youth America Grand Prix Award and an ARTS Foundation Award. She was a member of Ailey II and joined the Company in 2011.

CAROLINE T. DARTEY (Geneva, Switzerland) trained in rhythmic gymnastics in her hometown from the age of five, rising to national and international levels and becoming the Swiss champion in her category from 2009 to 2011. She later began dancing at the Conservatoire Populaire de Musique, Danse et Théâtre of Geneva. Dartey also trained at The Ailey School as a scholarship student and performed in Alvin Ailey’s Memoria during the Company’s 2017 New York City Center season. She was a member of Ailey II from 2018 to 2020 and has performed works

by Darrell Grand Moultrie, Uri Sands, Bradley Shelver, Troy Powell, Robert Battle, Amy Hall Garner, Kirven Douthit-Boyd, Andrea Miller, Alia Kache and Yannick Lebrun. Dartey’s commercial work includes Vogue World New York and performances with music artists Omah Lay and Pheelz on Late Night with Seth Meyers. Dartey joined the Company in 2021.

Instagram: @caroline_dartey ISAIAH DAY (Chicago) began his dance training with Yielded Vessel Dance Ministry at New Life Covenant Southeast. He also studied at Hubbard Street Youth Dance Center and The Chicago Academy for the Arts. He graduated in 2024

from The Juilliard School under the direction of Alicia Graf Mack. While at Juilliard, Day performed works by Jamar Roberts, Tiler Peck, Justin Peck, Jawole Willa Jo Zollar, Rena Butler and Ohad Naharin. He was named a YoungArts winner in Modern/Contemporary dance in 2019.

Day joined the Company in 2023.

CORAL DOLPHIN (Los Angeles) studied modern, West African, flamenco, ballet, hip hop, tap, aerial silk, salsa and acting under the mentorship of Debbie Allen. Dolphin began her professional career in New York as a founding member of BHdos, the second company of Ballet Hispánico. She later spent four years with Ronald K. Brown/EVIDENCE. She has worked with artists Madonna, Janet Jackson, Beyoncé, Cardi B and more. In 2019, she performed the Dream Ballet solo in the Broadway musical Oklahoma! She has choreographed for Miguel, Lauren Jauregui, Kali Uchis and Lenny Kravitz and for international brands such as Citibank and i-D. In 2020, Dolphin made her directorial debut with a short film in collaboration with renowned composer Raven Bush. Through her art, she aims to magnify universal truths, aspiring for her creations to ignite the remembrance of the divine and higher consciousness that is within us all. Dolphin joined the Company in 2023.

SOLOMON DUMAS (Chicago) was introduced to dance through AileyCamp. He later began his formal training at The Chicago Academy for the Arts and the Russell Talbert Dance Studio, where he received his most influential training. Dumas studied at New World School of the Arts and was a Fellowship Level 1 student at The Ailey School. He has performed with companies including Garth Fagan Dance; Ronald K. Brown/EVIDENCE, A Dance Company; and Labyrinth Dance Theater and was a member of Ailey II. Dumas joined the Company in 2016.

SAMANTHA FIGGINS (Washington, D.C.) began dancing at Duke Ellington School of the Arts under the tutelage of Charles Auggins and Sandra Fortune-Greene and attended summer intensives at Dance Theatre of Harlem under the direction of Arthur Mitchell. She continued her education at SUNY Purchase Conservatory of Dance.

There, she performed works by George Balanchine, Bill T. Jones, Paul Taylor and Twyla Tharp. Upon graduating cum laude,

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Figgins became a member of Complexions Contemporary Ballet, performing works by Dwight Rhoden, Jae Man Joo and Camille A. Brown. She also performed at the 2014 DanceOpen Festival in St. Petersburg, Russia. Figgins was featured on the cover of Dance Spirit magazine and in Pointe magazine’s “10 Careers to Watch” in 2013.

She has worked with Beyoncé and can be seen in the film Enemy Within alongside Tiler Peck and Matthew Rushing. Figgins joined the Company in 2014.

JAMES GILMER (Pittsburgh) trained at Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre School and the Pittsburgh Creative and Performing Arts School. After graduating, he performed with Texture Contemporary Ballet and joined Cincinnati Ballet in 2011.

While dancing with the Cincinnati Ballet for six seasons, Gilmer was promoted to soloist in 2015 and performed works by Victoria Morgan, Amy Seiwert, Septime Webre, Ohad Naharin, Val Caniparoli, Annabelle Lopez Ochoa, Edwaard Liang, Jennifer Archibald and George Balanchine, to name a few. Gilmer was also a member of Amy Seiwert’s Imagery, performing during the summer seasons since 2013, and ODC/dance, performing works by Brenda Way, KT Nelson, and Kate Weare. Gilmer performed in New York City Center’s 2021 and 2022 Twyla Tharp celebrations and in Fall for Dance, where he was featured in choreography by Jamar Roberts. He joined the Company in 2019.

Instagram: @james.agilmer VERNARD J. GILMORE (Chicago) began his training at Curie Performing and Creative Arts High School in Chicago under Diane Holda. He later studied at the Joseph Holmes Chicago Dance Theater with Harriet Ross, Marquita Levy and Emily Stein. He received first place in the all-city NAACP ACT-SO competition in 1993. He attended Barat College under scholarship and tutelage of Rory Foster and Eileen Cropley.

He then studied as a scholarship student at The Ailey School and was a member of Ailey II. In 2010, he performed as part of the White House Dance Series. Gilmore is a choreographer whose work has been a part of the Ailey Dancers Resource Fund, Fire Island Dance Festival 2008 and Jazz Foundation of America Gala 2010, and he produced the Dance of Light project in 2010 and 2015. An excerpt of Gilmore’s work La Muette was performed in 2017 as part of the “Celebrating the Men of Ailey” program at New York City Center. Nimbus Dance Works performed a new work by Gilmore in 2018.

He is a certified Zena Rommett Floor-Barre

instructor and teaches workshops and master classes around the world. Gilmore joined the Company in 1997.

ASHLEY KAYLYNN GREEN (Charleston, SC) began her training at Columbia City Jazz where she found her love for dance. She trained in a variety of styles including ballet, modern, jazz, tap, and hip hop. In 2020, Green received her B.F.A. in Dance from Point Park University in Pittsburgh, under the direction of Garfield Lemonius. There, she performed works by Peter Chu, Aszure Barton, Kyle Abraham and Darrell Grand Moultrie.

After graduation she joined Whim W’Him Seattle Contemporary Dance where she received a Princess Grace Award in Dance.

Green joined the Company in 2021 and that year was named one of “25 to Watch” by Dance Magazine.

JACQUELIN HARRIS (Charlotte, NC) began her dance training at Dance Productions Studios under the direction of Lori Long. Harris received a silver ARTS award from the National Foundation for the Advancement of the Arts and was a Presidential Scholar in the Arts semifinalist. She graduated with honors from the Ailey/Fordham BFA Program in Dance. In 2016, Harris was named one of “25 to Watch” by Dance Magazine. She received a 2017 dance fellowship from the Princess Grace Foundation-USA. Harris has performed as a guest artist with Twyla Tharp, the Merce Cunningham Trust and Roderick George. She was a member of Ailey II and joined the Company in 2014.

MICHAEL JACKSON, JR. (New Orleans) began his dance training at age 14 at the Duke Ellington School of the Arts in Washington, D.C., under the direction of Charles Augins. He became a member of Dance Theatre of Harlem Dancing through Barriers Ensemble in 2005. In 2006, he joined Dallas Black Dance Theatre, and, in 2008 joined PHILADANCO!, where he also worked as artistic director of D3. Jackson joined the Company in 2011 and rejoined in 2015.

YANNICK LEBRUN (Cayenne, French Guiana) began training in his native country at the Adaclam School under the guidance of Jeanine Verin.

After graduating high school in 2004, he moved to New York City to study at The Ailey

School as a scholarship student. Lebrun was named one of Dance Magazine’s “25 to Watch” in 2011, and in 2013, France-Amérique magazine highlighted him as one of the 50 most talented French people in the United States. In November 2016, Lebrun was a guest performer with The Royal Ballet in Wayne McGregor’s Chroma. In 2019, he choreographed Saa Magni, his first work for Ailey II, and in 2021, he created Lora for ABT Studio Company. In 2024, he was a nominee for the UK Critic’s Circle National Dance Award for outstanding male modern performance in Dancing Spirit. Lebrun was a member of Ailey II and joined the Company in 2008. Instagram: @yannicklebrun XAVIER MACK (Washington, D.C.) began his dance training at Divine Dance Institute in Capitol Heights, MD. He went on to earn his BA in Modern Language & Linguistics from the University of Maryland-Baltimore County.

After graduation, Mack spent five seasons with Dallas Black Dance Theatre. In 2018, he had the pleasure of performing alongside legendary soprano Kathleen Battle in her concert Underground Railroad: A Spiritual Journey. Mack has performed as a guest artist in benefit galas and festivals for CityDance, TITAS/DANCE UNBOUND, FINTDAZ, Jacob’s Pillow and Dance Fest Skopje. He has performed works by Norbert De La Cruz III, Hope Boykin, Hans van Manen, Aszure Barton and Darrell Grand Moultrie. He joined the Company in 2022. Instagram: @x.mack RENALDO MAURICE (Gary, IN) began his training with Tony Washington and graduated from Talent Unlimited High School. He attended Emerson School for Visual and Performing Arts, studying with Larry Brewer. Maurice was a scholarship student at The Ailey School, Ballet Chicago, Deeply Rooted Dance Theater and Martha Graham School of Contemporary Dance. He received second place in modern dance from the National Foundation for Advancement in the Arts and received the Dizzy Feet Foundation Scholarship. In 2012, he was honored with the key to the city of his hometown. Maurice has choreographed and performed with Grammy® nominated artists Jazzmeia Horn, KEM and Grammy® Award winner Madonna.

He has also incorporated his passion for the

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ALVIN AMERICAN DANCE THEATER WHO’S WHO DANCEAILEY NOTES: URBAN BUSH WOMEN arts with social responsibility by becoming the co-artistic director of Indiana’s South Shore Dance Alliance. He was a member of Ailey II and joined the Company in 2011.

Facebook: @Maurice Gardner Instagram: @mauricerenaldo CORRIN RACHELLE MITCHELL (Baltimore) began her dance training in her hometown at LeRe’s Performing Arts Center, owned by her mother and father. She attended Baltimore School for the Arts where she trained with Norma Pera and Linda-Denise FisherHarrell. Mitchell graduated in 2017 with a B.F.A. in Dance from Point Park University where she worked with choreographers Troy Powell, Garfield Lemonius and Debbie Allen.

After completing one year of apprenticeship, Mitchell joined Ailey II in 2017, performing works by Uri Sands, Bradley Shelver, Troy Powell, Robert Battle, Darrell Grand Moultrie and Amy Hall Garner. She joined the Company in 2019. Instagram: @_slimrin_ CHALVAR MONTEIRO (Montclair, NJ) began his training at Sharron Miller’s Academy for the Performing Arts and studied at The Ailey School before receiving his B.F.A. from SUNY Purchase Conservatory of Dance. Monteiro has worked with Sidra Bell Dance New York, Elisa Monte Dance, Keigwin+Company, A.I.M

by Kyle Abraham, BODYTRAFFIC and GALLIM. In 2019, Monteiro performed in Merce Cunningham Trust’s Night of 100 Solos: A Centennial Event and joined the faculty at NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts in 2020.

His choreography has been presented in numerous festivals and institutions across the United States, including Ailey’s 2021 Virtual Spirit Gala, Fire Island Dance Festival, Fordham University and SUNY Purchase.

Monteiro has been featured in Vogue Beauty, Document Journal for Moncler, and fashion campaigns for Uniqlo and Lululemon. He was a member of Ailey II and joined the Company in 2015. Instagram: @chlvrmntro JESSE OBREMSKI (New York City) began his studies at The Ailey School and continued at Jacob’s Pillow, Springboard Danse Montreal and Earl Mosley’s Diversity of Dance. He graduated from LaGuardia High

School and Juilliard. Obremski performed with the Lar Lubovitch Dance Company, The Limón Dance Company and Gibney Company, among others. He is a soughtafter educator, choreographer and restager of José Limón’s works. He received the Asian American Arts Alliance’s 2016 Jadin Wong Award and achieved Eagle Scout rank in the Boy Scouts. Obremski has been mentioned in The New York Times, on NY1, and was featured in Dance Magazine’s “On the Rise” in 2019. He performed at the FINA World Championships in 2019 and at the White House for President Obama.

Obremski is the founder/artistic director of Obremski/Works, which has been presented internationally, including by the Kennedy Center. He joined the Company in 2024.

Website: jesseobremski.com Instagram: @jesse_obremski KALI MARIE OLIVER (Akron, OH) began her dance training with her mother and went on to train at Nan Klinger’s Excellence in Dance. She attended summer intensives at Chautauqua Institution, Alonzo King LINES Ballet and The Ailey School. Oliver graduated magna cum laude from the Ailey/Fordham BFA Program in Dance. Upon graduating, she worked closely with Karole Armitage as a guest artist with Armitage Gone! Dance.

Oliver spent three seasons in Ailey II under the direction of Francesca Harper, during which time she performed in the Holland Dance Festival. She has had the privilege of performing works by Alvin Ailey, William Forsythe, Robert Battle, Andrea Miller, Elizabeth Roxas-Dobrish, William Isaac, Baye & Asa and Maurya Kerr. She was honored to be a guest artist during Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater’s 2023 New York City Center season and was thrilled to officially join the Company in 2024.

Instagram: @kmo_98 ALISHA RENA PEEK (Upper Marlboro, MD) is a graduate of the Ailey/ Fordham B.F.A. Program in Dance and recently earned her M.B.A. from the University of Maryland Global Campus.

Peek began her formal dance training at the Washington School of Ballet and continued at the Kirov Ballet Academy, Dance Theatre of Harlem Kennedy Center Residency and The Art of Technique. Professionally, Peek has danced in Ailey II, taught Horton in The Ailey School’s Junior Division, served as an assistant to Milton Myers and Hope Boykin, participated in the HopeBoykinDance Bubble Residency and performed in both An Evening Of Hope and Moments By Hope.

Peek appeared in the hit FX series POSE and

choreographed a short film produced by BEATS by Dre. This is her fourth season with the Company. Instagram @alishapeek JESSICA AMBER PINKETT (Baltimore) began her dance training at Baltimore Dance Tech under the direction of Stephanie Powell. She graduated from George Washington Carver Center for Arts and Technology and earned a B.F.A. with honors in Dance Performance and Choreography from Towson University.

She has had the privilege of performing works by Alvin Ailey, Judith Jamison, Tally Beatty, Camille A. Brown, Linda-Denise Fisher-Harrell, Jamar Roberts and others.

She has performed as a guest artist with The Black Iris Project and was a member of Ailey lI from 2016 to 2018. Pinkett made her New York choreographic debut and performed alongside Madison McFerrin in OPEN AIR. In 2023, she led the world premiere of HopeBoykinDance’s States Of Hope at The Joyce Theater. She was a member of Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater from 2018 to 2021 and rejoined the Company in 2024. She continues exploring the depths of her artistry as a freelancer, teacher, choreographer and filmmaker.

Instagram: @jessica.a.pinkett MIRANDA QUINN (Baltimore) trained in various genres of dance from ages 2 to 18 at Mid-Atlantic Center for the Performing Arts under the artistic direction of Shannon McHale.

Quinn graduated from The Juilliard School in 2019 under the direction of Alicia Graf Mack.

Her attendance at the school was made possible by the Jerome L. Greene Fellowship.

She joined the Company in 2019. Quinn is beyond thrilled and honored to be a part of the Ailey community and legacy. Instagram: @mirandaming4 HANNAH ALISSA RICHARDSON (Toronto, Canada) graduated with honors from The Ailey School Certificate Program. Richardson has performed works by choreographers including Ray Mercer, Bradley Shelver, Kirven Douthit-Boyd, Earl Mosley, William Forsythe and Robert Battle. She has been a featured dancer in festivals including Jacob’s Pillow and the Holland Dance Festival and had the honor of performing the world premiere of Grace and Mercy choreographed by Ronald K. Brown at Bard’s SummerScape festival. Some of her film and television credits include Orion Pictures’ Every Day and Disney Channel’s Backstage.

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Richardson was a proud member of Ailey II for one season before joining the Company in 2022. She is also a guest artist with Ronald K. Brown/EVIDENCE, A Dance Company. Richardson is thrilled to be part of Ailey and is grateful for all those who have continued to support her along her journey. Instagram: @hannahxrichardson DEIDRE ROGAN (Fort Myers, FL) began her dance training in Fort Myers under Melinda Roy, Roberto Munoz and Cheryl Copeland.

Rogan graduated with honors from the Ailey/Fordham B.F.A. Program in Dance in 2015. She is a YoungArts scholarship winner, performed as a United States Arts Ambassador for President Barack Obama during the Opening Ceremony of the Hannover Messe and was the associate choreographer under choreographer Hope Boykin for the City Center Encores Off-Center production of Promenade in 2019. Rogan danced with Ailey II from 2014 to 2016 and with Parsons Dance from 2016 to 2022.

This is her third season with the Company.

Instagram: @deidre_rogan CONSTANCE STAMATIOU (Charlotte, NC) began her dance training at Pat Hall’s Dance Unlimited and North Carolina Dance Theatre. She graduated from Northwest School of the Arts and studied at SUNY Purchase and as a Fellowship student at The Ailey School.

In 2009, Stamatiou received the Leonore Annenberg Fellowship. In 2022, she was one of Sports Illustrated’s “Top 100” and, in 2023, she was nominated for the UK Critic’s Circle National Dance Award for outstanding female modern performance in Cry. She has performed at the White House, in a TED Talk with Judith Jamison and has appeared on So You Think You Can Dance, Dancing with the Stars, Logo’s Trailblazer Honors, Elle’s movement series, Good Morning America and TODAY. Stamatiou has danced in the films Shake, Rattle & Roll, Bolden and the commercial I Love NY. She is a mother of two. Stamatiou was a member of Ailey II and joined the Company in 2007. Instagram: @constance.stamatiou CHRISTOPHER TAYLOR (Newark, NJ) started his dance training at The Ailey School when he was 11. He later attended Arts High School in Newark. During his training, he attended AileyCamp Newark, performing numerous times at The Apollo Theater and Lincoln Center in works by Rennie Harris, Robert

Battle and other choreographers. After graduating from Arts High School, Taylor received a scholarship to The Ailey School’s Professional Division. In 2022, he joined Ailey II under artistic director Francesca Harper and went on to perform works by Harper, William Forsythe, Andrea Miller and Robert Battle. This is his third season in the Company.

FANA MINEA TESFAGIORGIS (Madison, WI) is an artist, actor and dancer. She is an alumna of Ballet Madison, Interlochen Arts Academy, and the Ailey/Fordham B.F.A. Program in Dance where she graduated with a major in dance and a minor in journalism.

Professionally, Tesfagiorgis has danced with Ronald K. Brown/EVIDENCE, Earl Mosley’s Diversity of Dance and The Black Iris Project, among others. Since shifting into acting, she has studied at The Freeman Studio, The Kimball Studio and Lesly Kahn Acting Studio. She appeared in the film In the Heights, the first national tour of My Fair Lady, the opening of The 73rd Annual Tony Awards, POSE, Wu-Tang: An American Saga, and in the short films Booked, Date Nights, Love on Speed and the EMMY Award-winning WILD. She was previously a member of Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater from 2013 to 2019. Follow her journey on FanaMinea.com as well as Instagram and TikTok: @fanaminea DE’ANTHONY VAUGHAN (Kansas City, MO) was introduced to dance at age three by his grandmother. He received his training from AileyCamp, Kansas City Friends of Alvin Ailey and Kansas City Ballet School. He continued his training in New York City at The Ailey School as a scholarship student.

In 2014, Vaughan joined Dallas Black Dance Theatre where he performed works by Matthew Rushing, Darrell Grand Moultrie, Kirven Douthit-Boyd, Alvin Ailey, Elisa Monte, Donald McKayle and many more. This is Vaughan’s second season with the Company.

Instagram: @leedeevaughan DANDARA VEIGA (Alegrete, Brazil) began her dance training at Social Project Primeiros Passos before receiving a scholarship to her hometown school Escola de Danca Ballerina. She also studied at Studio Margarita Fernandez in Argentina, Opus Ballet in Italy, Annarella Academia de Ballet e Dança in Portugal, and as a scholarship student at The Ailey School in 2016. From 2017 to 2023,

Veiga danced with Ballet Hispánico.

From 2023–2024, she performed with The Metropolitan Opera and projects including Site-Specific Dances, Opus Ballet, Noname and the Black Iris Project. Veiga was named one of Dance Magazine’s “25 to Watch” in 2023. She has worked with artists including Charla Gen, Annabelle Lopez Ochoa, Noah Gelber, Gustavo Ramírez Sansano, Edwaard Liang, Christopher Huggins and Ray Mercer.

This is her first season with the Company.

Instagram: @Iamdandaraveiga ISABEL WALLACE-GREEN (Houston) began her dance training at Houston Ballet Academy.

She graduated summa cum laude from the Ailey/Fordham B.F.A. Program in Dance with a dual degree in Dance and African/African American Studies. She performed with New Chamber Ballet, Urban Souls Dance Company, and was an ensemble member of The Radio City Christmas Spectacular.

Wallace-Green was a company member with DBDT: Encore before joining Dallas Black Dance Theatre in 2021. While in Texas, she partnered with University of Houston and Texas Southern University art museums to premiere her first solo show, Resilience.

Wallace-Green joined the Company in 2023.

CHRISTOPHER R. WILSON (Augusta, GA) is a graduate of John S. Davidson Fine Arts Magnet School and graduated cum laude from the Ailey/Fordham B.F.A. Program in Dance. He trained at Colton Ballet School, Alonzo King LINES Ballet and The School at Jacob’s Pillow before beginning his professional career with BHdos, the second company of Ballet Hispánico. He has performed for Queen Sofía of Spain and Princess Beatrix of the Netherlands and has had the privilege of performing on the main stage of the 2017 Essence Festival in New Orleans. Wilson has performed works

by Judith Jamison, Alonzo King, Wayne McGregor, Camille A. Brown, Kyle Abraham and Hans van Manen, among others. He has been a guest artist for the Jacob’s Pillow Dance Festival and with The Black Iris Project, starting in the Emmy-nominated film, A Mother’s Rite. Wilson was a member of Ailey II and joined the Company in 2018.

Instagram: @christopher.r.wilson

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ALVIN DANCE FOUNDATION BOARD OF TRUSTEES DANCEAILEY NOTES: URBAN BUSH WOMEN Daria L. Wallach, Chairman Anthony S. Kendall, President Sela Thompson Collins, Jaishri Kapoor, Stephen J. Meringoff, Arthur J. Mirante II, Vice-Chairmen Jolen V. Anderson Eleanor S. Applewhaite Laura D. Corb Suzan Kereere Anthony A. Lewis Jack Pitts

Muhammad Qubbaj Lata N. Reddy Bennett Rink Oti Roberts Cara Robinson Danielle M. Robinson, Ph.D.

Tara L. Smith Joan H. Weill Edna Kane Williams DeJuan V. Wilson Jean-Rene Zetrenne Pamela D. Zilly

Philip Laskawy, Stanley Plesent, Esq.*, Joan H. Weill, Chairmen Emeriti Debra L. Lee, Henry McGee, Presidents Emeriti Gina F. Adams, Simin N. Allison*, Anthony M. Carvette, Kathryn C. Chenault, Guido Goldman*, Bruce S. Gordon, John H. Schaefer, Lemar Swinney, Honorary Trustees *In Memoriam ALVIN AILEY DANCE FOUNDATION Recipient of the National Medal of Arts Bennett Rink, Executive Director Pamela Robinson, Chief Financial Officer Eric D. Wright, General Manager Isabelle Mezin, Director of Company Business Affairs Gregory Stuart, Company Manager Joseph Anthony Gaito, Technical Director HaeJin Han, Production Stage Manager Yi-Chung Chen, Lighting Director Jon Taylor, Wardrobe Supervisor Jorge Lanuza, Master Carpenter David Trudeau, Master Electrician Michel Harruch, Sound Engineer Jason Rosenberg, Property Master Justin Coffman, Assistant Company Manager Kait Mahoney, Assistant Stage Manager Natalia Carlson, Assistant Lighting Director Danté Baylor, Wardrobe Assistant Katie Chihaby, Wardrobe Assistant

TOURING CONTACT OPUS 3 ARTISTS Tel: (212) 584-7500 opus3artists.com

Myles Fowler, Flyman/Assistant Carpenter Jameson Bernhagen, Assistant Electrician Amadea Edwards, Director of Administration Chelsea Gillespie, Licensing & Clearance Manager Michelle Grazio, Company Business Affairs Manager Ebonie C. Pittman, Managing Director of Development Christopher Zunner, Director of Public Relations Lynette P. Rizzo, Associate Director of Marketing Donald J. Rose, M.D., Director of the Harkness Center for Dance Injuries, NYU Langone Orthopedics Sheyi Ojofeitimi, PT, D.P.T., O.C.S., C.F.M.T., Director of Therapy Services / Health & Safety Advisor Jessi Patz, PT, D.P.T., C.K.T.P., Physical Therapist Dionne Vernon, PT, D.P.T., P.E.S., M.B.A., Physical Therapist Amy Zink, PT, D.P.T., C.S.C.S., C.P.I., Physical Therapist Ronnell Kitt, Physical Therapy Aide

PRODUCTION CREDITS Lighting system provided by 4Wall Entertainment.

Touring sound system provided by Gibson Entertainment Services.

Domestic trucking services provided by Stage Call Corporation.

Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater is a proud member of Dance/USA, the national service organization for professional dance.

Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater dancers appear courtesy of the American Guild of Musical Artists.

Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater crew members belong to the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees.

AILEY TOUR MERCHANDISE Ailey Tour Merchandise and AileyShop.com are managed by The Araca Group | AileyShop.com Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater | The Joan Weill Center for Dance 405 West 55th Street, NY, NY 10019-4402 | Tel: (212) 405-9000 | ailey.org Facebook: @AlvinAileyAmericanDanceTheater | Instagram: @alvinailey | Tiktok: @AlvinAileyOfficial Headshots: Alvin Ailey photo by Jack Mitchell. Matthew Rushing, Clifton Brown, Patrick Coker, Solomon Dumas, Vernard J. Gilmore, Renaldo Maurice, Constance Stamatiou and Fana Minea Tesfagiorgis photos by Andrew Eccles. Shawn Cusseaux photo by German Vazquez. James Gilmer photo by Michael Jackson, Jr. Ronni Favors, Sarah Daley-Perdomo, Isaiah Day, Coral Dolphin, Samantha Figgins, Ashley Kaylynn Green, Michael Jackson, Jr., Yannick Lebrun, Corrin Rachelle Mitchell, Chalvar Monteiro and Christopher R. Wilson photos by Dario Calmese. All other photos by Nir Arieli.

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A timeless love. An iconic ballet.

BOSTON BALLET’S SWAN LAKE

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June 26–29, 2025 Enter the enchanting world of Swan Lake, where romance and betrayal unfold through breathtaking choreography and Tchaikovsky’s timeless score. Boston Ballet’s exquisite production brings this iconic masterpiece to life with dazzling precision, evocative storytelling and stunning design.

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Boston Ballet in Mikko Nissinen’s Swan Lake; photo by Rosalie O’Connor; courtesy of Boston Ballet.

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Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater’s Caroline T. Dartey.

Photos by Dario Calmese.

Center Dance Arts (CDA) is a dynamic community of patrons with a passion for dance. CDA brings dance to life in Los Angeles by promoting The Music Center’s world-class dance performances, extensive arts learning, as well as local and free and low-cost dance and dancing experiences, helping ensure that all may know and savor the transformative power of this incredible art form.

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CDA dance season preview brunch at the Jonathan Club. Photo by Michelle Shiers.

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The Music Center Thanks Center Dance Arts

From all of us at The Music Center, we thank Center Dance Arts members for their unwavering support of dance. We welcome you and look forward to many seasons of dance ahead!

Photos (left to right): Guests enjoying a Meet the Artists reception. Rachel S. Moore interviewing artists during Meet the Artists Reception, Artists speak with CDA members at a Meet the Artists reception.

Center Dance Arts Board of Directors Charlene Achki-Repko President Jane Jelenko* Founding President Liane Weintraub* Founding Chair Mattie McFadden Lawson Chair Emerita Catharine Soros Chair Emerita Jane ArnaultFactor, Ph.D.* Susan Baumgarten JoAnn Bourne Robert Braun Terri Childs Brian Duck Mira Hashmall Joan Herman Liz Levitt Hirsch* In memoriam

Edward Lazarus Judith Reichman, M.D. Julia Strickland Sue Tsao Ana T. Valdez * Founding Member Center Dance Arts

Center Dance Arts Members DANCE SPONSOR ($25,000+) Estate of Liz Levitt Hirsch Allen and Anita Kohl Marie Song DANCE AMBASSADOR ($10,000–$24,999) Charlene Achki-Repko Jane Arnault-Factor Susan Baumgarten JoAnn and Wayland Bourne Walter and Sara Chameides Terri and Timothy Childs Brian Duck and Chad Olsen Lisa Field Joan A. Friedman, Ph.D. and Robert N. Braun, M.D. Mira Hashmall, Esq. Joan Herman and Richard Rasiej Jane Jelenko Jewish Community Foundation of Los Angeles Carol and Patrick Kinsella Edward Lazarus and Amanda Moose MaddocksBrown Foundation Olivia and Anthony Neece Judith Reichman, M.D. Catharine and Jeffrey Soros

Use your camera to scan QR code to join today.

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Julia Strickland and Timothy Wahl Sue Tsao Cynthia Watson M.D. and David B. Katzin M.D., Ph.D. Alyce Williamson

Ellen Pansky Sandra Rapke Julia M. Ritter

DANCE PATRON ($1,000–$2,499) Laura and Kenneth Adler DANCE ADVOCATE Joanne Baizer ($5,000–$9,999) Josephine Baurac K&F Baxter Family David Bender Foundation David Shaw and Elizabeth and Sheila Blackwell Brack Duker Dr. Judith Flinder Norman and Sadie Lee Blumenthal Foundation Irene and Stuart Boyd June Li Cheryl and David Anita Lorber Brickey David Minning and Rose Chan and Diane Wittenberg Warren Loui David and Janet Polak Marlene Chavez Ph.D Audrey Prins and Lillian Chin Josh Trachtenberg Allison Clago Nancy Cotton DANCE ENTHUSIAST Aviva Covitz ($2,500–$4,999) Nancy Neal Davis Donna Altmann Judith and Jerrold Paul N. Barkopoulos, M.D. Felsenthal Karla and Richard Judy and Arnie Chernick Fishman Sharon and Gray Davis Tony Foster Lynne and James Susan Friedman DeWitt Paul Greenberg Jennifer Diener Household Gerry Friedman Penny Haberman Leslie and Frederick Claire and Robert Gaylord Heron Marcy Gross Christine M. Hessler David and Susan AC Hoffing Hirsch Household Mary Ann HuntBonnie Oda Homsey Jacobsen and Philip R. Homsey II Harold Huttas and Jay Kinn and Jules Scott McPhail Vogel Linda and David Kagel Aliza Lesser Barbara and Beth and Leslie Richard Kernochan Michelson Vivian Krepack Kathy and Michael Carl Large Moray Rhonda Leal Renae Williams Niles Deborah B. Lewis and Greg Niles

Stephen and Jennifer Maguire Household Paula Marcus Kim Margolin Julie McDonald Sara Jane McKernan Vibiana Molina Diane Morton Beatrice H. Nemlaha Steven Neu David Richard Pullman Nan Rae Kathleen Reiss Koni and Geoffrey Rich Hadley and Lee Rierson Ricki and Marvin Ring Richard Rho and Steven DeMille Helene Rosenzweig, M.D. Desiree Samuels Kirsten Sarkisian Maxine Savitz Bob and Helene Schacter Sherie and Alan Schneider Sabrina Heron Strong Joanne Takahashi Roni Tunick Leon and Stephanie Vahn Household Laurie Vender and Stephen Halper Daniel and Janice Wallace Laura Wallace Marcia and Charles Wasserman Karen and Les Weinstein Dianna Wong

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INTRODUCING

Join us for a grand evening celebrating The Music Center’s Spotlight. This unforgettable evening will begin with an elegant dinner at 5:00 p.m. followed by the Spotlight Grand Finale performance at 8:00 p.m.

St An

“It an

HONORARY CO-CHAIRS Teresita and Shelby Notkin

Photo: John McCoy for The Music Center.

HONORARY COMMITTEE Pamela and Dennis Beck Judith and Thomas Beckmen Merle Mullin Fredric Roberts

PL EN UP An Ph J

To learn more, contact Serena Bernolak at (213) 972-3315 or specialevents@musiccenter.org musiccenter.org/spotlightgala

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Photo: John McCoy for The Music Center.

We invite you to consider a legacy gift that will create inclusive arts and cultural experiences for Angelenos for generations to come.

Imagine a child experiencing a live performance for the first time, a teacher discovering new ways to inspire students, a couple enjoying a worldrenowned dance company or a family learning new dance moves together.

Know that it is your generosity that allows The Music Center to provide these meaningful experiences that enrich the lives of all Angelenos. Imagine the impact your legacy gift can make!

WAYS TO GIVE: • Include a gift in your will or living trust • Designate The Music Center as a beneficiary of your retirement plan, life insurance policy or donor advised fund

Students enjoy The Music Center’s 45th Annual Very Special Arts Festival.

“It’s very gratifying to know I am doing something now and for the future.” — Mimi Rotter, Dorothy Chandler Society member

• Receive income during your lifetime, with the remainder supporting The Music Center, via a charitable gift annuity or charitable remainder trust • Create an estate note, which is an irrevocable pledge against one’s estate • Create a named, endowed fund — providing lasting support in perpetuity

To learn more, contact Becky Birdsong at (213) 972-3358, legacy@musiccenter.org or visit musiccenterlegacy.org

PLANNED GIFTS AND ENDOWMENT GIFTS $1,000,000 AND ABOVE The Ahmanson Foundation The Ashkenas and Fabian Family Bank of America Foundation The Blue Ribbon Terri and Timothy Childs David Conlon Jill and Curtis Kaufman Diane and Leon Morton Merle and Peter Mullin National Endowment for the Arts Estate of Robert W. Olsen Fredric M. Roberts Estate of Frank J. Sherwood Estate of Dorothy C. Waugh PLANNED GIFTS AND ENDOWMENT GIFTS UP TO $999,999 Anonymous (4) Phyllis Abrams and Jules Smith

Caroline L. Ahmanson The Annenberg Foundation Kathryn A. Ballsun Pamela and Dennis Beck Judith and Thomas Beckmen Estate of Miriam Birch Judith Blumenthal Borden-Rozner Trust Linda and Maynard Brittan Estate of Maurice and Jane Cattani Club 100 Margaret Sheehy Collins Estate of Dorothy and Sherrill Corwin Mary Levin Cutler James A. Doolittle Foundation Kimberly Marteau and John Emerson Estate of Sylvia Kunin Eben Carolyn Dirks/Joseph B. Gould Foundation

Estate of Thomas F. Grose William Randolph Hearst Foundation Joan E. Herman and Richard M. Rasiej Ann and Steve Hinchliffe Joan E. and John Hotchkis Freya and Mark Ivener Robert Jesberg and Michael J. Carmody Carrie and Stuart Ketchum Joyce and Kent Kresa Estate of Helen Lamm Dr. Stephen Lee Mrs. J. Hart Lyon Rachel S. Moore and Robert Ryan Stephen D. Moses Robin and Gerald Parsky James B. Pendleton Foundation Barbara and Sheldon Pinchuk Nan Rae Estate of Lee and Larry Ramer

Penelope C. Roeder Estate of Constance E. and Edward Ropolo Mimi Rotter Estate of Barbara and Charles Schneider Estate of Mary Shambra Howard Sherman and J. Gregg Houston Lisa Specht I.H. Sutnick Gretchen Valentine Andrea and John Van de Kamp Dietrich Eugene Wagner Washington Mutual

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THE MUSIC CENTER THANKS ITS SUPPORTERS INDIVIDUALS AND FAMILY FOUNDATIONS

Kurt and Susan Wegleitner Alyce de Roulet Williamson

Donors from 3/1/2023—1/5/2025

$25,000–$49,999 Kathy and Charles Adams William and Karla Ahmanson The Estate of Martin Balser Pamela and Dennis Beck Claire and Brad Brian Kristin Burr Walter and Sara Chameides Otis and Elizabeth Chandler Faith Childs-Davis Brian Duck and Chad Olsen Maria and Riley Etheridge Johnese Spisso and Ross Hartling Erika and Jeff Hill Lisa See and Richard Kendall Susan and Steven Matt Beth and Leslie Michelson Darrell Miller The Estate of Robert W. Olsen Rose and Michael Pagano Joan Herman and Richard Rasiej Melissa and Alex Romain LSMK Investments Wendy Ruby Marc and Eva Stern Foundation Julie and Michael Stockton Hope Landis Warner Wendy and Jay Wintrob

$1,000,000 AND ABOVE Robert J. Abernethy In Memory of Jacqueline and Arthur Burdorf Terri and Timothy Childs Glorya Kaufman Foundation Cindy Miscikowski / The Ring-Miscikowski Foundation / The Ring Foundation Moss Foundation Fredric Roberts Mimi Song $100,000–$999,999 Helen and Peter Bing Sascha Brastoff Foundation Dorothy B. Chandler Program Fund Helen Funai Erickson Mary Ann Hunt-Jacobsen and Eric Jacobsen Anita Mann Kohl and Allen D Kohl Terri and Jerry Kohl Lily Lee and Tom Chang Marla and Cary Lefton Marie H. Song Estate of Rosalind Wyman $50,000–$99,999 Gregory Adams Margaret Sheehy Collins Robert L. Gold Edgerton Foundation Marcia Israel Foundation Alfred E. Mann Charities Teresita and Shelby Notkin Ann A. Park Julia Strickland and Timothy Wahl Jennifer and Steven Walske

$10,000–$24,999 Charlene Achki-Repko Donna Altmann Jane Arnault-Factor Barnard College Susan Baumgarten Estate of Herbert Mayer Berk JoAnn and Wayland Bourne Louise and John Bryson Joan A. Friedman, Ph.D. and Robert N. Braun, M.D. MaddocksBrown Foundation Estate of Elizabeth H. Dailey

Richard Ferry Lisa Field Bruce Goldsmith Jill Baldauf and Steven Grossman Mira Hashmall, Esq. Jane Jelenko Soo-Kyong Jo Cynthia Watson, M.D. and David B. Katzin, M.D., Ph.D. Jacqueline Kehle Carol and Patrick Kinsella Kent Kresa Amanda Moose and Edward Lazarus Olivia and Anthony Neece The Parvin Foundation Karen Kay Platt and Lawrence B. Platt Judith Reichman, M.D. Monica and Joseph Rice Cynthia Patton and Patrick Robison Beverly Ryder Catharine and Jeffrey Soros Lisa Specht Cathy Stone Sue Tsao Alexandra Seros and Bruno Ulloa Paul and Liza Wachter Lynne Silbert and Seth Weingarten $5,000–$9,999 Lucy Farber and James Bright Maynard and Linda Brittan/Traub-Brittan Family Foundation Lynne and James DeWitt Mark Dipaola Michael Dreyer Gary Duck Elizabeth and Brack Duker Gerry Friedman Laura C. Guthman Karen Molleson and Lowell Hill Paul James Lisa and Howard King Linda and William Krantz Corinne Sanchez and Efren Cruz Manjarrez Diane Wittenberg and David Minning Cynthia Monaco and Daniel Jaffe June Li

Anslyene Lloyd Anita Lorber De Marchena-Huyke Foundation Mary Ann Weisberg and Bryce Perry David and Janet Polak Phyllis Present Audrey Prins and Josh Trachtenberg Robert Ronus Fran and Ray Stark Foundation Rubin and Elinor Turner Leslie Vermut and Thomas Weinberger The Wetsman Foundation/Janis Wetsman Iris M. Whiting Laura-Lee Woods $1,000–$4,999 Gay and Harry Abrams Laura and Kenneth Adler Robert Attiyeh Joanne Baizer Howard Banchik Paul N. Barkopoulos, M.D. Josephine Baurac Frank and Kathy Baxter David Bender Joni and Miles Benickes Susan and Jeffrey Berman Beverlee Bickmore and Jim Kelly Leigh Lindsey and Andrew Blaine Judith Flinder Blumenthal Irene and Stuart Boyd Geri Brawerman Cheryl and David Brickey Darrell R. Brown Mary Lou Byrne and Gary Kearney Diane Buck Reynolds Cafferata Fanya Carter Marlene Chavez Karla and Richard Chernick Lillian Chin Allison Clago J.Renée Cline Jacqueline Cochran Jane and Lawrence Cohen Mel and Renate Cohen Don and Marilyn Conlan Janet Cooper Nancy Cotton Aviva Covitz Alison Bryan Crowell and Richard Crowell

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Nadine and Harold Davidson Nancy Neal Davis Sharon and Gray Davis Sherwin Dela Cruz Dr. Richard Rho and Steven DeMille Laura Donnelley Constance B. Elliot Don and Jackie Feinstein Jerrold and Judith Felsenthal Judy and Arnie Fishman Sandra Krause and William Fitzgerald Christopher Forman Malsi Doyle and Michael R. Forman Susan Friedman Diane Futterman Christina Garcia George and Mary Garvey Constance Gavin Leslie and Frederick Gaylord Carol S. Gee Matthew Gelfand Roslyn and Abner Goldstine Kelly and Louis Gonda Helen Gordon Diane Green Adrienne and Stuart Green Paul Greenberg Cynthia Griffin Marcy Gross Cornelia HaagMolkenteller, M.D. Penny Haberman Laurie Vender and Stephen Halper Nancy and Michael Harahan Sylvia and Steven Harrison Betty Hayman Diane J. Henderson Claire and Robert Heron Christine M. Hessler David and Susan Hirsch Jonathan B. Hodge Fritz Hoelscher AC Hoffing Greg Holcomb Katinka and Eugene Holt Bonnie Oda Homsey and Philip R. Homsey II

Monique Gingold and Douglas Honig Virginia Huey Ana Iglesias William H. Isacoff, M.D. Jody Isenberg Tomoko Iwakawa Maria Rosario Jackson, Ph.D. Judith Jenkins Ruth Jervis Nikil and Ela Jhaveri Paul Johnson Randi and Richard Jones Linda and David Kagel Jill and Curtis Kaufman Natsuo Kawada Kenneth and Stefanie Kay James Kelly Dr. Susan Kendall Barbara and Richard Kernochan Jules Vogel and Jay Kinn Michael and Patricia Klowden Vivian Krepack Debi and Scott Kroman Kathleen and John Lacey Rosanne Lapan Rhonda Leal Ellen and David Li Lee Samantha Leddel Norman and Sadie Lee Foundation Stephen Lee Aliza Lesser Deborah B. Lewis Dr. Melvyn Lewis Claudia Lin Ellyn and William Lindsay Mark and Helaine Lipis Anslyene Lloyd Mary Looker Marlene and Sandy Louchheim Rose Chan and Warren Loui Helen Lowy Maureen and Robert Lucas Nigel Lythgoe Stephen and Jennifer Maguire Ruth Flinkman-Marandy and Ben Marandy Megan Marcus Paula Marcus Kim Margolin

Pauline Marks Barbara Marshall Nancy and Patrick McCabe Peter and Kathleen McCoy Julie McDonald Harold Huttas and Scott McPhail Sara Jane McKernan Diane G. Medina Linda and Sheldon Mehr Jodie Mendelson Vibiana Molina Kathy and Michael Moray Judge Judson W Morris, Jr. Patricia Glaser and Sam Mudie Shaun Murdock Beatrice H. Nemlaha Steven Neu Chris and Richard Newman Renae Williams Niles and Greg Niles Michael I. Nissman Frank O’Dea Margaret O’Donnell Alan Oppenheimer Ellen Pansky Susan and Michael Patzakis Nina and Leo Pircher Steve Pomeroy Lawrence Post Debbie and Rick Powell Marilyn and Allen Pucket David Richard Pullman Justine Quinones Nan Rae Rollin A. Ransom Esq Sandra Rapke Paula Reach Ellen Regenstreif Kathleen Reiss Jennifer Revit Geoffrey and Koni Rich Hadley and Lee Rierson Rick and Marvin Ring Sharon Rising Rosemary and Robert Risley Julia M. Ritter Henry Robles Jaclyn Rosenberg Laura and James Rosenwald Helene Rosenzweig, M.D. Mimi Rotter

Linda and Tony Rubin Nancy Lee Ruyter Carol Saikhon Maria Salinas Denise Samuels Kirsten Sarkisian Ariane and Lionel Sauvage Maxine Savitz Mariette and Alexander Sawchuk Helene and Bob Schacter Sherie and Alan Schneider Joan Seidel SF & RL Pepper Family Foundation Kimberly Shah Deena Sharp Sheila Blackwell and David Shaw William Shipman Jennifer Diener and Eric Small Lucerne Snipes Joan Snyder Sabrina Heron Strong Kristan and Philip A. Swan Joanne Takahashi Clare Phillips Tayback and Christopher Tayback Peter Taylor Barbara Augusta Teichert Roni Tunick Jessica and William Turner Stephanie and Leon Vahn Scott Vandrick and Tony Foster Andrea Van de Kamp Janice and Daniel Wallace Laura Wallace Marcia and Carles Wasserman Karen and Les Weinstein Leslie Raffel and Robert Wemischer Susan and Josh Wieder Hashim Williams Leilani J. Wilmore Bonnie Nash and Donald Wing Dianna Wong Gillian Wynn Beth McGlynn and James Zapp Susan Zolla

Special thanks to our donors who wish to remain anonymous.

The Music Center strives to acknowledge all our supporters appropriately. If your name has been misspelled or omitted from this list in error, please contact the Advancement Office at (213) 972-3333.

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THE MUSIC CENTER THANKS ITS SUPPORTERS CORPORATIONS, FOUNDATIONS AND GOVERNMENT $1,000,000 AND ABOVE County of Los Angeles $100,000–$999,999 The Eli and Edythe Broad Foundation The Ford Foundation The Getty Foundation Max H. Gluck Foundation Los Angeles County Department of Mental Health The Music Center Foundation The Ralph M. Parsons Foundation $50,000–$99,999 The Ahmanson Foundation Bank of America California Arts Council Los Angeles County Department of Arts and Culture Superior Grocers $25,000–$49,999 CA Office of the Small Business Advocate City of Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs The Capital Group Companies / Michael Stockton

Dwight Stuart Youth Fund The Rosalinde & Arthur Gilbert Foundation Honda KPMG LLP/Greg Geyer National Endowment for the Arts The Robert Nelson Foundation Munger Tolles & Olson LLP Perenchio Foundation Silicon Valley Community Foundation Edward A. and Ai O. Shay Family Foundation I.N. and Susanna H. Van Nuys Foundation U.S. Bank / Carl Jordan $10,000–$24,999 Colburn Foundation Edison International David Geffen Foundation HUB International Insurance Services, Inc. Insurance Brokers The Kenneth T. and Eileen L. Norris Foundation The Korea Foundation The Liberty Company Los Angeles Dodgers The Kenneth T. and Eileen L. Norris Foundation The Louis and Harold Price Foundation The Sidley Austin Foundation

TH EX The Lucille Ellis Simon Foundation Sony Pictures Entertainment UCLA Health U.S. Bank Foundation U.S. Venture-Schmidt Family Foundation Villa Gardens $5,000–$9,999 Kaiser Permanente KLM Foundation Morrison & Foerster Foundation Pasadena Showcase House for the Arts Sidney Stern Memorial Trust $1,000–$4,999 Anthem Blue Cross Barr Foundation Bessemer Trust Company, N.A. Burnand-Partridge Foundation Chu Gooding Architects, Inc. Friars Charitable Foundation Justin Construction M.J. Hellmuth Plumbing, Inc. Macy’s MonteCedro Pro One Stage Productions SJM Industrial Radio Sunrise Window Cleaners, Inc. Thornton Foundation Whittier Trust Company of California

TM

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GU Pe Ga Ab Ad Al G Ch A Ro D Om Jo Al C Se St M Co Jo Sa Ca Je T De

THANK YOU TO OUR CORPORATE DONORS! The Music Center is L.A.’s performing arts leader, enriching the cultural lives of more than 400,000 members of our diverse community with more than 1,000 performances and arts activities annually.

Anonymous

OP Ca

For more information: musiccenter.org/businesspartners or contact Jason Frazier | jfrazier@musiccenter.org | (213) 972-3319 P22 PERFORMANCES MAGAZINE

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THE MUSIC CENTER EXECUTIVE TEAM Rachel S. Moore President & CEO Howard Sherman Executive Vice President & COO, TMC Ops William Taylor Senior Vice President, Finance / CFO Josephine Ramirez Executive Vice President, TMC Arts Susan Avila Senior Vice President, Advancement Shelby D. Boagni Senior Vice President, People & Culture Bonnie M. Goodman Senior Vice President, Marketing & Communications

TMC OPS BUILDING SERVICES Carlos Acosta Engineer Eduardo Aguilar Arreola Engineer Emmanuel Campos Engineer Ramon DeLeon Assistant Chief Erik Ekserjyan Mailroom Clerk Ruben Enriquez Mailroom Clerk Nick Garcia Engineer Jose Godinez Engineer Damon Joseph Engineer Adrian Martinez Engineer Adrian Padilla Engineer Jorge Padilla Engineer Jose Quintero Landscaping Alex Romero Lead Engineer Jose Santillan Lead Engineer Edgar Vasquez Coordinator Brandon Villalobos Engineer FOUNDERS Daniel Cristante Coordinator Lisa King Manager Georgi Nikolov Director Elia Ortega Coordinator GUEST RELATIONS Peggy Alvarez Head Usher Gabriel Figueroa Head Usher Abraham Gonzalez Head Usher Adrian Romero Head Usher Alvin Broussard Assistant Director, Guest Services Christine Cox House Manager, Ahmanson Theatre Robert Devis House Manager, Dorothy Chandler Pavilion Omar Garcia Head Usher Jose Agustin Garibaldi Head Usher Alexander Mochizuki Event Staff Coordinator Seng Neth Head Usher Steve Olear Logistics & Scheduling Manager Courtney Rabena Head Usher Jose L. Rivas Head Usher Santa Roman-Garcia Head Usher Carolyn Van Brunt Vice President Jeanice Williams Coordinator, Tours & Special Events Demetra Willis Head Usher OPERATIONS ADMINISTRATION Carol Zamora Executive Assistant

PRODUCTION Shawn Anderson Head Carpenter, Ahmanson Theatre Shane Anderson Head Flyman, Ahmanson Theatre Jared Batty Head Electric, Ahmanson Theatre Jason Clark Director, Production Marcus Conroy Head Electrician, Walt Disney Concert Hall Timothy Conroy Head Carpenter, Dorothy Chandler Pavilion Emmet Kaiser Head Carpenter, Mark Taper Forum Ryan Lebetsamer Head Electric, Dorothy Chandler Pavilion Christian Lee Head Audio/Video, Mark Taper Forum Scott Lucas Head Property, Ahmanson Theatre Charlie Miledi Head Carpenter, Walt Disney Concert Hall Katie Miller Production Manager John Phillips Head Property, Walt Disney Concert Hall Lisa Quang Senior Production Coordinator Mary Romero Head Property, Mark Taper Forum Lee Smilek Head Wardrobe Robert Smith Head Audio/Video, Ahmanson Theatre Aaron Staubach Head Electrician, Ahmanson Theatre Kevin Wapner Head Audio/Video, Walt Disney Concert Hall SCHEDULING & EVENTS Liliana Gonzalez Assistant Director, Events Ruben Lopez Event Conversions Coordinator Jenny Calvo Mackay Events Operations Coordinator Marisol Moro Garcia Scheduling & Lease Events Administrator Colin Perkins Lease Events Manager Felipe Roque Events Operations Coordinator Sharon Stewart Director Ken Talley Senior Scheduling Administrator SECURITY MANAGEMENT & ADMINISTRATION Brenda Hernandez Commander FSD Bedros Ohanian Director, Security & Life Safety Scott Pollack Commander, Events Operation Group Vivian Sanchez Adjutant Gonzalo Silva Assistant Director of Security Edward Too Commander, Field Services Curtis Vanterpool Logistics and Scheduling Manager THE BLUE RIBBON Suzy Boyett Director Cinda Rosenberg Senior Coordinator

TMC ARTS

Julia Diamond Vice President

CIVIC STRATEGIES, PARTNERSHIPS & IMPACT Caroline Chang Program Manager Letitia Fernandez Ivins Senior Director Cristina Lucio Program Manager Victoria Perera Rojas Associate Director, Evaluation & Learning DANCE & DANCING PROGRAMS Jocelyn Garcia Program Manager Martin Wechsler Senior Advisor DIGITAL INNOVATION Kamal Sinclair Senior Director Beata Calinska Associate Director EDUCATION/SCHOOLS AND NEIGHBORHOODS Keith Wyffels Associate Vice President Patrice Cantarelli Associate Director, School Programs Ebony Ruffin Manager, Professional Development Monk Turner Director, The Music Center On Tour Sydney Ko Coordinator Vincent Lopez Coordinator Juan Sanchez School Programs Coordinator Jill Sowell Program Manager GLORIA MOLINA GRAND PARK Cristabel Campos Ruiz Marketing Manager Cara Delaporta Lease Events & Location Coordinator Adam Epelbaum Senior Digital Marketing Coordinator Brian Foreman Production Manager Robert Gonzalez Director Anna Morrison Events Promotion Coordinator Angela Tsai Business Manager Carolina Xique Program Coordinator PRODUCING & CONCERTS Taylor Comen Senior Director, Producing Lauren Evans Business Manager U-Jung Jung Coordinator Patrick Traylor Producing Production Manager SPOTLIGHT & CREATIVE WORKFORCE READINESS Jeri Gaile Fredric Roberts Director, Spotlight program Monique Carroll Program Manager Corisa Moreno Program Manager Jordan Adelman Coordinator

BUSINESS RESOURCES ADVANCEMENT Belby Aguillon Manager, Advancement Business Operations Serena Bernolak Director, Events and Stewardship Becky Birdsong Director, Legacy Giving Colleen Blackler Membership Manager, Center Dance Arts Cheryl Brown Vice President, Advancement Corinne Burch Coordinator, Advancement Services

Hillary Chisum Senior Director, Advancement & Board Relations Jason Frazier Assistant Director, Corporate Giving Erica Goodrich Executive Assistant, Advancement Veronica E. Green Director, Annual Giving Rosalind Grush Assistant Director of Grants & Philanthropy Maggie Kolina Coordinator, Major Gifts Mayra Medina Gift Administration Manager Chelsea Onyeokeziri Coordinator, Advancement & Board Relations Lorena Panfilo Manager, Prospect Development Jennifer Rivera Director, Individual Giving & Center Dance Arts Laurie A. Selik Senior Director, Institutional Giving Heather Siemienas Senior Director, Principal Giving Scott Vandrick Philanthropy Officer FINANCE Michelle Alfonso Controller Laura Canon Accounts Payable Specialist Jazmine Centeno Payroll Clerk Maria Justo Clerk, Accounts Payable / Accounts Receivable Andrew Kayano Manager, General Accounting and Financial Systems Jane Lin Senior Payroll Specialist David Modisett Manager, Financial Planning Kirman Ng Staff Accountant Cindy Rauch Manager, Accounts Payable /Accounts Receivable Sandra Wright Director of Payroll Services PEOPLE & CULTURE Carol Farag HR Manager Victoria McElroy Director of HR MARKETING & COMMUNICATIONS Danielle Bliss Coordinator, Ticketing & Marketing Strategy Gil Diaz Manager, Media Relations Lisa Ducore Assistant Vice President, Marketing and Brand Communications Stephanie Kao Manager, Web Content and Digital Analytics Hillary Litherland Manager, Social Media & Content Creation Mike Mancillas Manager, Digital Programming Daniela Messarina Marketing & Communications Manager Sofia Saenz Coordinator, Marketing & Brand Communications Marielle Shrock Marketing Specialist Melissa Tan Assistant Vice President, Ticketing and Marketing Strategy PRESIDENT’S OFFICE Susan Hutcheon Executive Assistant to the President & CEO CREATIVE SUPPORT Keith & Co. Graphic Design

The stage crew, wardrobe crew and box office staff are represented by the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees, Moving Picture Technicians, Artists and Allied Crafts of the United States of America and Canada, AFL-CIO, CKC, Local Numbers 33, 768 and 857, respectively.

The house managers employed by The Music Center are represented by the Association of Theatrical Press Agents and Managers.

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BOARD OF SUPERVISORS COUNTY OF LOS ANGELES

Support from the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors plays an invaluable role in the successful operation of The Music Center.

Janice Hahn Supervisor, Fourth District Lindsey P. Horvath Supervisor, Third District Kathryn Barger Chair, Fifth District Holly J. Mitchell Supervisor, Second District Hilda L. Solis Chair Pro Tem, First District (From left to right)

Photo Credit: David Franco, Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors Photographer.

LAND ACKNOWLEDGMENT As a steward of The Music Center of Los Angeles County, we recognize that we occupy land originally and still inhabited and cared for by the Tongva, Tataviam, Serrano, Kizh and Chumash Peoples. We honor and pay respect to their elders and descendants — past, present and emerging — as they continue their stewardship of these lands and waters. We acknowledge that settler colonization resulted in land seizure, disease, subjugation, slavery, relocation, broken promises, genocide and multigenerational trauma. This acknowledgment demonstrates our responsibility and commitment to truth, healing and reconciliation and to elevating the stories, culture and community of the original inhabitants of Los Angeles County.

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We are grateful to have the opportunity to live and work on these ancestral lands. We are dedicated to growing and sustaining relationships with Native peoples and local tribal governments, including (in no particular order) the: • Fernandeño Tataviam Band of Mission Indians • Gabrielino Tongva Indians of California Tribal Council • Gabrieleno/Tongva San Gabriel Band of Mission Indians • Gabrieleño Band of Mission Indians-Kizh Nation • San Manuel Band of Mission Indians • San Fernando Band of Mission Indians

This acknowledgment, however, is empty without our efforts to counter the effects of structures that have long enabled injustice against Native Americans.

The Music Center is committed to working with First Peoples to build and sustain partnerships and grow collaborations that engage and respect the knowledge, expertise and agency of First Peoples, past, present and future. The Music Center strives to be a champion of the arts in Los Angeles for all people. We are listening, learning, unlearning, and will evolve in the work ahead.

To learn more about the First Peoples of Los Angeles County, please visit the Los Angeles City/County Native American Indian Commission website at lanaic.lacounty.gov

3/17/25 6:20 PM

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Here and below: Kallista faucets in diverse finishes and colors complement bold design.

WATER WORKS

ALL IMAGES COURTESY KALLISTA

Kallista balances elegant aesthetics and craftsmanship to create elevated fixtures for kitchen and bath. by ROGER GRODY IN FEBRUARY, MORE than 100,000 people gathered in Las Vegas for the annual Kitchen & Bath Industry Show, where manufacturers debut products accommodating the latest trends. Among the exhibitors was Kallista, one of the companies transforming kitchens and bathrooms into showplaces for innovative design.

Founded in San Francisco in 1979, Kallista was acquired a decade later by industry leader Kohler Co., and

remains the parent company’s more exclusive luxury label.

Along with other high-end manufacturers, Kallista has been instrumental in elevating utilitarian products such as free-standing tubs, introducing a sense of glamour to residential plumbing.

According to Kallista managing director Alexander Dornbracht— whose family founded a prestigious faucet brand in Germany—the

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Clockwise from top: Brushed French gold, blue chrome, and assorted handle colors enhance Kallista hardware.

pandemic interrupted new product development for much of the kitchen and bath industry. Meanwhile, his creative staff continued to focus on the future, just as Americans discovered a newfound appreciation for their homes.

“Consumers now define luxury through multisensory and emotional engagement in personal spaces,” Dornbracht says.

“The rooms in which we spend the most time, and the activities that occur in those spaces, are not just viewed as utilitarian, but as opportunities

to have more enriching human experiences.”

The result: a demand for distinctive design, high-quality materials and artisanal craftsmanship.

“We don’t design around engineering, we engineer around design,” says Dornbracht of Kallista’s approach to luxury fixtures. “For both kitchen and bath, customi-

zation and unique materials are in demand.”

Consumers currently favor a less austere approach to modern design and are willing to inject kitchens and bathrooms with more color.

“Even in contemporary spaces, designers are moving away from minimalistic design styles— there’s a demand for a

softer contemporary look.”

The Guise collection of bath faucets and the Vir Stil line for the kitchen reflect Kallista’s warmer brand of minimalism.

The latter, a Bauhausinspired collection by designer Laura Kirar, features vertical fluting accents that contribute both visual and tactile interest. In the bathroom,

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SPRING ‘25

SEASON

: Make 2025 a year filled with the art of performance.

Experience work by visionary artists, including: > Andy Akiho Trio > Eiko Otake and Wen Hui > Miguel Gutierrez > Elevator Repair Service > Cécile McLorin Salvant > Quetzal > Rianto

IGNITE YOUR CURIOSITY

CAP.UCLA.EDU

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RIANTO Photo by Bernie Ng, courtesy of Esplanade — Theatres on the Bay

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Textured Argile tub and, below, Kallista managing director Alexander Dornbracht

the Argile freestanding tub provides a textural experience, its minimalist aesthetic enhanced through a decorative raised relief.

Dornbracht reflects on the greater consum-

er interest iin color for both kitchen and bath.

“Kallista’s role in satisfying the color trend is mostly about our ability to bring a designer’s or consumer’s vision to life,” he says.

Colored handle upgrades, and the capability to customize products with almost any finish or material, further satisfies the trend. Textured, hand-painted blue enamel levers for Kallista’s Script Decorative faucets are an ideal example.

Regarding smart-home advances, Dornbracht

feels that “in a world that is overwhelmed with technology, designers and consumers frequently experience luxury in simplicity.

“Yes, tech has a place in interiors,” he continues.

“But it should be supportive, in the background, rather than a front-facing experience.”

Consumers appreciate designs with an understated sophistication, Dornbracht reiterates.

“Luxury is tactile,” he says. “People want to feel the luxury, they want a

quiet engagement with products.”

Favored among discerning homeowners and designers, Kallista products are available throughout Southern California, notably at Kohler showrooms in Culver City and West Hollywood.

Kallista; kallista.com Kohler Signature Store, 3250 Helms Ave., Culver City, 310.597.4550 Kohler Experience Center, 8955 W. Beverly Blvd., West Hollywood, 424.281.3802

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T

OSVALDO GOLIJOV’s

A CLASH OF DICTATORS AND POETS

THE LIFE, LOVE AND LEGACY OF

Federico García Lorca CHRISTOPHER KOELSCH SEBASTIAN PAUL AND MARYBELLE MUSCO PRESIDENT AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER

JAMES CONLON

RICHARD SEAVER MUSIC DIRECTOR

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APRIL 26 THROUGH

MAY 18

LAOPERA.ORG 213.972.8001

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Alambre with tres quesos and, below, plancha action at Descanso

Miracle Mile Mexican

IN A CITY revered for its endless takes on Mexican cuisines, newcomer Descanso brings something unexpected to the party: plancha dining.

Imagine your favorite street vendor elevated to elite status. Instead of peeking through a truck window on a busy corner, you sip a vibrant cocktail while comfortably seated around a vast plancha grill, your bespoke meal sizzling.

Some liken the format to Benihana, but don’t expect onion volcano antics. Plancha feasts are unabashedly upscale, starring contemporary entrees such as Mexican white

IMAGES COURTESY DESCANCO LOS ANGELES

New Descanso debuts upscale and festive plancha dining. by GRETCHEN KURZ

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N O RT H A M E R I CA N P R E M I E R E

RUFUS Wainwright’s

REQUIEM Photo courtesy L’Oreal

IMAGES COURTESY DESCANCO LOS ANGELES

SUNDAY, MAY 4, 2025 AT 7PM GRANT GERSHON, CONDUCTOR JANE FONDA, NARRATOR LIV REDPATH, SOPRANO LOS ANGELES CHILDREN’S CHORUS 88 SINGERS, ORCHESTRA GRANT GERSHON KIKI & DAVID GINDLER ARTISTIC DIRECTOR

JENNY WONG

REENA ESMAIL

ASSOCIATE ARTISTIC DIRECTOR

SWAN FAMILY ARTIST-IN-RESIDENCE

L A M AST E R C H O R A L E .O R G · 2 13-97 2-7 2 8 2 This program is made possible by Kiki Ramos Gindler and David Gindler, Jason Subotky and Anne Akiko Meyers, the Lovelace Family in memory of Lillian Lovelace, and Kristan and Philip A. Swan.

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At Descanso: elote asada, stripped off the cob, and, above, the 360-degree tower bar

seabass with lemon beurre blanc, and center-cut ribeye with charred onions and fingerling potatoes.

Crispy-skinned Atlantic salmon, pork loin al pastor,

and a duo of three-cheese Anaheim chile rellenos are also offered. The classic street-food elote gets an upgrade, stripped off the cob for drip-free eating.

It’s veteran restaurateur Rob Arellano’s elevated take on his original Descanso in Costa Mesa.

After two years searching for a neighborhood where locals and visitors intersect, he transformed the defunct Callender’s Grille into a showpiece worthy of fronting the dynamic SAG-AFTRA Plaza. It’s in walking dis-

tance of the Los Angeles County Museum of Art and La Brea Tar Pits.

A soaring washed brick arcade welcomes Descanso visitors into a vast space anchored by a glittering two-story tower bar with 360-degree seating. Wildly colorful works by local artists, and heritage imagery spanning Aztec mythology to Frida Kahlo, fill the space.

The setting is a culinary village of sorts, with options for every craving, crowd and occasion.

Seeking a quick taco

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Clockwise from left: rib-eye tacos made while you watch, vibrant mural

by Danial Felechner, and agave-spirit cocktails

or two made while you watch? A taquero mans a corner counter grill, filling just-made blue-corn tortillas with your choice of starring ingredients.

Find dishes for lunch, dinner, brunch and kids on a sweeping menu of classics including seasonal oysters, enchiladas

langosta and pork-belly gordita plus contemporary creations such as birria empanadas and arroz con leche cheesecake.

Executive chef Jose Angulo’s expansive menu includes all the categories that matter most to fans of Mexican fare—ceviches, soups, tacos, enchiladas, grilled steaks and fresh fish—plus savory starters and lush desserts that bookend the feast.

Midweek happy hour,

4 to 6 p.m., is kind to the cocktail budget and adds snacks ideal after work or before a show. You won’t find a better cucumber black-salt margarita in this zip code and still have dinero left for a crispy carnitas bean dip.

Working with a cache of 150 agave spirits, Descanso mixologists create alluring mezcal and tequila cocktails as well as Mexico-inspired libations using aged rums,

rye whiskey, vodka and gin. Tequila tasting trios and margaritas celebrate Mexico’s heritage spirit.

The communal nature of plancha grills makes Descanso an inventive choice for memorable group meals and celebrations. A party of eight fits a single grill, creating an intimate party that’s as easy as making a reservation. For a top-tier VIP vibe, there’s a private plancha room for a

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FIND YOUR CREATIVE SPARK.

When mind, body, soul, and senses all play together, you’re living the creative life.

At our communities, you’ll encounter fascinating neighbors, stylish ambiance, Planchero Chef’s Table experience for up to 10.

Passionate fans of Mexican spirits can join Descanso’s Casillero Club for access to rare tequilas and mezcals and on-site lockers. Perks include priority reservations and extras from the kitchen or bar on every visit.

Descanso 5773 Wilshire Blvd., L.A. 213.672.2444 descansorestaurantla.com

chef-crafted cuisine, and a tantalizing array of creative activities and clubs to embrace.

If the dance of life has a hub, this is it.

Book a tour and see for yourself.

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FEATURE /CONTINUED FROM PAGE 12

he says, “it diminishes how much I can work with them.” This year he’s been fortunate to work on Broadway with two animal lovers.

Actress Julianna Margulies was happily kissed on the face by Charlie, a Havanese mix, for 138 performances of the recent comedy “Left on Tenth.”

In the case of “Gypsy,” Berloni supplies Chowsie, played by Tana June, for Audra McDonald’s Mama Rose. He and McDonald had worked together previously, in 2014, on the Billie Holiday bio play

“Lady Day at Emerson’s Bar and Grill.”

McDonald, herself a dog advocate, had a say in Tana June’s casting and has bonded so much with the rescue that they sometimes nap together in her dressing room between performances.

The actress has posted photos smiling with her co-star on Instagram.

“Just me and Tana June.

Chillin on a two-show day,” she wrote recently.

Tana June, who came from an Indiana shelter, was a smooth adoption.

Finding the first Bruiser was a different story.

When Berloni was asked to cast a Chihuahua for the original 2007

Audra McDonald and Tana June on Instagram

production of the musical “Legally Blonde,” the play’s director Jerry Mitchell asked for what was seemingly impossible: to give lines to Bruiser.

Berloni had no idea how to make that happen—but began to look at shelters and came across Chico, a blonde Chihuahua so

ferocious that he scared the workers.

“He was a tough little street dog from Newark who just barked all the time, which is probably why he ended up in the shelter,” Berloni says.

Clearly Chico had the temperament to fearlessly walk onto a stage. But he

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woofed nonstop.

The problem proved to be the solution. As Berloni attempted to get the dog to stop barking, a light bulb went off. The key: allowing him to bark, then training him to stop on cue. It worked and that’s why Chico’s successor is played by the yappy Ricky.

When Ricky flies to Southern California for La Mirada’s “Legally Blonde,” he’ll come with Rochelle Scudder, an actress who is one of Berloni’s handlers.

Scudder’s first work with an animal was as an actor playing the role of Margot, the sorority sister who talks with Bruiser.

Years later, after an injury slowed her career, she remembered how much she enjoyed working with the dog and approached Berloni about a job.

Nowadays she regularly appears in the cast or ensemble of “Annie,” “Legally Blonde” or “The Wizard of Oz,” while also taking care of the animal actor. She’s sort of a twofor-one that Berloni offers the production companies.

Scudder’s prime responsibility is the care and feeding of the animal, who must be rested and hungry before a show begins, so it has energy and will respond to food rewards. Also fundamental to her job, as her bio states, is “teaching dozens of human actors to handle their animal co-stars.”

As Scudder explains, “A theater can be a danger-

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ous place. There’s a lot of moving parts and it goes dark sometimes—and things can happen with a live audience.

“Training an actor to stay in character, while at the same time constantly monitoring the dog’s well-being, is what we do.”

“Annie” provides the best example, she says.

“A child is alone on stage with a dog. We train the girl to notice when the dog starts paying attention to something else that isn’t her. We train her to be acutely aware of what the dog is thinking and feeling, and she has to do it while staying in character and singing.”

In “Legally Blonde,” it’s all about the talking scene.

“That first cue between Margot and Bruiser has to come from the actor,” Scudder says. “So I have to train her to be as competent as I would be.”

The actor’s relationship with the animal builds in the theater, where scenes can be rehearsed, and the actor and dog can bond.

For Berloni’s film projects, it’s generally a quicker experience: He shows up the day of filming and gives signals from behind the camera.

One exception was “The Friend,” a new movie starring Naomi Watts, Bill Murray ... and Bing, a towering 160-pound harlequin Great Dane, found in Ohio after an extensive search.

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Because the Great Dane has such a pivotal role in the story, Berloni pushed hard for Watts to spend time with Bing before filming began.

“She jumped into prepping for that character.

She said, ‘Guys, if you can come to my house, I can work with you three or four times a week,’ which is what we did,” he says.

As Watts said at the Toronto Film Festival, “We had to create an unbelievable level of trust between us all and between the trainers—and Bing had more than one.

“You know,” she added with a laugh, “Bing had a much bigger entourage than me.”

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PARTIN G TH O U G H T

REPROGRAMMED!

Performances Magazine unveils a digital program platform for shows and concerts

DROP DOWN MENU Table of app contents.

SEARCH Find whatever it is you want to know—easily.

REGISTER Stay arts-engaged, access past programs.

SIGN IN Link to your performing-arts companies and venues.

THE ESSENTIALS Acts, scenes, synopses, repertory and notes.

THE PLAYERS Bios and background for cast, crew and creators.

CONTRIBUTORS Donors and sponsors who make it all possible—you!

other arts-centric features.

Audiences receive a link and a code word that instantly activate the app; QR codes are posted, too.

Screens go dark when curtains go up and return when house lights come back on.

Updates—such as repertory changes, understudy substitutions and significant new donations —can be made right up to showtime, no inserts necessary.

Other plusses include video and audio streams, translations and expanded biographies.

For those who consider printed programs to be keepsakes, a limited number, as well as commemorative issues for special events, continue to be produced. Collectibles!

Meanwhile, there is less deforestation, consumption of petroleum inks and programs headed for landfills.

For the ecologically minded, the platform gets a standing ovation.

The digital Performances is but one more reason for audience excitement. Activate your link and enjoy the shows. —CALEB WACHS

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NO RUSTLING PAGES, no killing trees . . . the digital Performances program platform has proved to be one of the more enduring recent theater innovations.

The touchless platform provides the programs for 20 Southern California performing-arts organizations, from the Los Angeles Philharmonic and Ahmanson Theatre to San Diego Opera, where the app made its debut.

Among a variety of features, it provides cast and player bios, donor and season updates, and numerous

WHAT’S ON What’s coming at a glance and ticket information.

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