bonnie “Prince” billy featuring Emmett Kelly + Jonathan richman featuring Tommy Larkins
THE TOWN HALL 123 W 43rd st nyc
LARRY ZUCKER , Executive director
M.A. PAPPER , Artistic director
JEFF MANN , Marketing director
MELAY ARAYA , Associate Artistic director & Archivist
CINDY BYRAM PR , Publicity
BILL DEHLING , technical director
CARL ACAMPORA , Production Manager
ALEX KOVEOS , digital Media Manager
LEIA-LEE DORAN , Principal designer
ABOUT THE ARTIST S
bonnie “Prince” billy and Jonathan richman, two distinctive and poetic American voices, join forces in a unique double-bill at The Town Hall.
throughout their unusual careers, both have explored and probed a broad range of music styles and approaches. Bonnie “Prince” Billy, once an alt-country artist with his particular take on folk music, took detours as a performer to celebrate the everly Brothers, Merle Haggard, and a Norwegian singer before establishing himself as a deeply original voice in roots music. Meanwhile, Jonathan richman, who started as an unusual, suit-and-tie leader of protopunk band the Modern Lovers, turned to an acoustic sound, better fitting his evolving writing style, before emerging as a lyrical balladeer as adept at singing in spanish, French, and Italian as in english.
their winding musical travels have resulted in two very personal and deeply affecting bodies of work.
bonnie “Prince” billy is just one of the alter-egos of Louisville, Ky. native Will Oldham. trained as an actor, he worked in film and television in the 1980s and early 90s. He debuted as a musician in 1992, using the name Palace and several variations on that moniker. But since 1998, most of his work has been under the name Bonnie “Prince” Billy. “His artistic trajectory has been as gnarled and twisted as his mountain-man beard, traveling in and out of one quintessential American genre after another, noisy and raw one moment, bright and polished the next,” noted Stereogum magazine. It’s a career chronicled on over 50 album releases since the early 1990s, from studio and live recordings to compilations.
Billy has defiantly followed his own path, taking time to pay tribute to the everly Brothers (What the Brothers Sang), Merle Haggard (Best Troubador) and, for good measure, Norwegian singer susanna Wallumrod (Wolf of the Cosmos). In a review of his 2019’s, I Made a Place, Billy’s first in release in eight years, Loud and Quiet magazine marveled he had reached the “kind of musical status that’s difficult to achieve now,” becoming a songwriter “prolific, well-respected, influential and very in tune with what’s happening around us – both socio-politically and musically.”
At the town Hall, Billy will perform with singer, songwriter, and longtime collaborator Emmett Kelly.
Photo © Mickie Winters
ABOUT THE ARTIST S
After his band the Modern Lovers broke up in the mid-70s, Jonathan richman “got tired of rock volume, streamlined his song structures, and added hints of music from other cultures, “ write Pitchfork. “But he also started peppering his albums with…tracks like ‘Ice Cream Man’ and ‘Buzz Buzz Buzz,’ which sounded like eisenhower-era novelties for grammar schoolers.”
It’s a peculiar and wonderful evolution that has resulted in more refined songwriting and streamlined live shows. For this performance, richman will be joined by drummer Tommy Larkin, a longtime musical partner.
“richman is one of America’s most unique and dynamic songwriters,” noted The Nashville Scene. “He has evolved from an angry young man driving past the stop & shop into a sorcerer-poet who understands that the chords to ‘Louie Louie’ are a form of ritual magic. today’s richman has the benefit of wisdom and awareness. More than anything, richman’s career has been about finding the beauty and the joy in simple moments.”
bonnie “Prince” billy and Jonathan richman are the kind of storytellers who can make the extraordinary sound easy — and vice versa. This special Town Hall show brings them together for one night, doing what they do best: finding beauty, humor, pathos, and a touch of the absurd in ordinary life.
Photo © Angelina Castillo
THE TOWN HALL Presents
Friday, March 20, 2020 • 8pm
MiguEL POvEdA
With guest dancer Antonio molina “El choro”
The Greatest Flamenco Voice of his Generation
Friday, May 8, 2020 • 8pm
Thursday, April 2, 2020 • 8pm
debuting 5 new commisioned works, exploring the subject of healing from a wide range of historical and cultural perspectives
Celebrating carla bley
Arturo O’Farrill and the Afro-Latin Jazz Orchestra with carla bley, steve swallow and other special Guests
Saturday, May 9, 2020 • 8pm
dJANgO A gO gO 2020
stephane Wrembel Presents a Celebration of Guitar through the Music of django reinhardt
“Perhaps the most creative improviser in Gypsy jazz today, Mr. Wrembel plays the guitar with a rich and colorful lyricism.” –The New York Times
1935
Marian
makes her New York operatic debut
1944
discusses the race question on air at “ America’s Town Meeting ” 1945
Anderson
Langston Hughes
Dizzy Gillespie and Charlie Parker debut Bebop in a formal concert hall
1957
Ravi Shanka r performs here 9 years before he meets The Beatles 1961
Bob Dylan holds his first major concert at age 21
1964
Coretta Scott King debuts her Freedom Concerts
THE TOWN HALL FOUNDATION
The Town Hall’s mission is to provide affordable world-class entertainment by new and established artists to a diverse audience; to inspire the youth of our community to appreciate and participate in the arts at The Town Hall and in schools through our Education Outreach Program; and to preserve and enhance The Town Hall as a historic landmark venue for the enjoyment and cultural enrichment of generations to come.
b OA rd OF T rusTEE s
Pr E s I d ENT
tom Wirtshafter
Pr E s I d ENT Em E r ITU s
Marvin Leffler
E XE c UTIVE V I c E Pr E s I d ENT
susan Zohn
Tr U s TEE s
Jacobo Almuiña
Phyllis Putter Barasch
robert e evanson
Anne Frank-shapiro
Alfred H. Horowitz
Henry Johansson
Bruce s. Leffler
Marvin Leffler
david F. McCarthy
ellen Miller-Wachtel
Andrew t. Miltenberg
rita robbins
Madhu southworth
Nevin steinberg
tom Wirtshafter
susan Zohn
LIFE T r U s TEE s
Leona Chanin
Mary dettling-Wright
THE TOWN HALL sTAFF
E XE c UTIVE dI r E c TO r
Lawrence C. Zucker
Ar TI s TI c dI r E c TO r
M.A. Papper
dI r E c TO r OF Adm INI s T r ATION , sU bscr IPTION s & mE mb E rs HIP
Helen Morris
dI r E c TO r OF dEVELOP m ENT
Jacqueline Maddox
dI r E c TO r OF Ed U c ATION
Lauren Noble
dI r E c TO r O F mA r KETING
Jeff Mann
Ass O c IATE Ar TI s TI c
dI r E c TO r & Arc HIVI s T
Melay Araya
dIGITAL mE d IA mANAGE r
Alex Koveos
Pr IN c IPAL dE s IGNE r
Leia-lee
doran
V I c E Pr E s I d ENT
Alfred H. Horowitz
V I c E Pr E s I d ENT
Bruce s. Leffler
Tr EA s U r E r
Andrew t. Miltenberg
sE cr ETA ry
Phyllis Putter Barasch
AdVI s O ry cOUN c IL
Kathleen rosenberg, Chair
Nancy Berman
shauna denkensohn
sandy Horowitz
elizabeth Iannizzi
Zita rosenthal
rhoda rothkopf
Ar T s IN Ed U c ATION
AdVI s O ry cOUN c IL
dr. Charlotte K. Frank, Chair
Michael Fram
dr. sharon dunn
Gary Hecht
ernest Logan
dr. Lisa Mars
dr. eloise Messineo
dr. Pola rosen
Leona shapiro
George Young
T E c HNI c AL dI r E c TO r
Bill dehling
bOX O FFI c E mANAGE r
Angel rodriguez
cHIEF E NGINEE r steve Franqui
H OU s E mANAGE r richard Looney
I N s TITUTIONAL G IVING
Ass O c IATE
Barbara Matovu
dEVELOP m ENT Ass I s TANT
P. H. Lawson
Adm INI s T r ATIVE Ass I s TANT
Britni Montalbano
Ed U c ATION Ass I s TANT
s ophie s iegel-Warren
Ed U c ATION Adm INI s T r ATION
Ass I s TANT
Kylee Brinkman
WA r N i N g
the photographing or sound recording of any performance or the possession of any device for such photographing or sound recording inside the theatre without the written permission of the management is prohibited by law. Violators may be punished by ejection and violations may render the offender liable for monetary damages.
F ir E NOT ic E
the exit indicated by a red light and sign nearest to the seat you occupy is the shortest route to the street. In the event of fire or other emergency please do not run, WALK tO tHAt eXIt thoughtless persons annoy patrons and endanger the safety of others by lighting matches or smoking in prohibited areas during the performances and intermissions. this violates a city ordinance and is punishable by law.
Mon-Fri 9:30 am to 5 pm, for rental & membership info
b OX OFFI c E: 212.840.2824 Mon-sat 12 noon to 6pm. 24/7 recording
TI c KET m A s TE r : 800.982.2787 to charge tickets by phone.online ticketmaster.com
LO s T AN d FOUN d : 212.997.0113
c ELL PHONE POLI cy
Cell phones should be silenced prior to the performance as a courtesy to the performers and audience.
LO bby rEF r E s H m ENT by theatre refreshment Company of NY
MAJOR GIFTS, CORPORATE, FOUNDATION & GOVERNMENT SUPPORT
This program is supported, in part, by public funds from The New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the City Council. Town Hall’s Education Outreach Program and Global Icons Series are made possible by the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of Governor Andrew M. Cuomo and the New York State Legislature. We would like to thank the following foundations, corporations, and government institutions for their support:
the Achelis and Bodman Foundation
Affiliated Advisors
Apple Inc.
Bank of America
the Blakeley Foundation
Consolidated edison Company of New York
Council Member Ben Kallos
Council Member Keith Powers
Council Member Kalman Yeger
Cravath, swaine & Moore
robert evanson
dr. Charlotte K. Frank
Garber Atlas Fries & Associates
the Hearst Foundations, Inc.
the Hyde & Watson Foundation
JP Morgan Chase
edythe Kenner Foundation
the Kinder Morgan Foundation
the Jacob & Valeria Langeloth Foundation
Local One
the Mansfield Family Foundation
Morgan stanley
Nesenoff & Miltenberg, LLP
New York City department of Cultural Affairs
New York state Council on the Arts
New York University
stavros Niarchos Foundation
Henry Nias Foundation
Office of the President, Borough of Manhattan, Gale A. Brewer
Pricewaterhouse Cooper
the reed Foundation
s&P Global
the shubert Foundation
the shubert Organization, Inc.
theatre refreshments
ticketmaster
As of Mar 2, 2020
THE TOWN HALL’S YOUNG PATRONS CIRCLE
Join the next generation of Town Hall supporters! town Hall’s Young Patrons Circle is a special membership group, ages 21-40, that engages in social and educational activities through exciting events, performances, and programming. We are brought together by a shared love of the arts, a deep interest in social change, civic engagement, and a desire to become part of a growing group of like-minded individuals that support town Hall.
For more information about the young Patrons circle, please contact Jacquie Maddox, director of development - development@thetownhall.org
YOUNG PATRONS CIRCLE MEMBERS
Jesse Axelrod*
Kevin Costello
Jenna Clark Embrey
Kate Estes*
James Geoghegan
Ilia Gorodnichev
Anne Heestand
Christina Hoffman
Vincent Iannuzzi
Brice Jones
David P. Leffler
Marley Lewis, Yevgeny Vilensky
Gregory Minogue*
Sheila O’Donoghue
Anna Pappa Wirtshafter
Joseph Reigadas*
Pamela Schoenberg
Jonathan Tulman*
Veronica Underhill
Susan Walsh
Jessie Wirtshafter
Benjamin Wirtshafter*
Natalie Wright
*Young Patrons Circle Executive Committee
TOUR THE HISTORIC TOWN HALL
Town Hall has played an integral part in the electrifying cultural fabric of New york city for more than 90 years. A group of suffragists’ fight for the 19th Amendment led them to build a meeting space to educate people on the important issues of the day. during its construction, the 19th Amendment was passed, and on January 12, 1921 the town Hall opened its doors and took on a double meaning: as a symbol of the victory sought by its founders, and as a spark for a new, more optimistic climate. In 1921, German composer richard strauss performed a series of concerts that cemented the Hall’s reputation as an ideal venue for musical performances. since, town Hall has been home to countless musical milestones: the Us debuts of strauss, and Isaac stern; Marian Anderson’s first New York recital; in 1945, dizzy Gillespie and Charlie Parker introduced bebop to the world; Bob dylan’s first major concert in ‘63; and much much more.
LeArN MOre. VIsIT THETOWNHALL.OrG/TOUrs
SUSTAINING MEMBERS
shari Acebedo**
Carol Albertus
emerson Allen*
Liz Armstrong**
Wanyong & Chris Austin*
Justine Barrett
William Beck
Kathleen Begala & Yves-Andre Istel*
Howard F. Berman**
dr. Betsy Bond*
Jane eisner Bram*
Pat Brown*
Katrina Browning*
James Buresh**
ralph Buultjens**
John Cafiero
Marcy & Leona Chanin Foundation**
dr. stuart Chassen*
Mindy A Cohen*
Gloria & Irwin Cohen*
John & Colleen Cook**
thomas dackow*
Kathleen davis-Groener**
Gordon Murray & Katherine deFoyd
Jamie delio**
shauna & Michael denkensohn**
susan & rick derrickson
Greg diamond
Michael & Allison dietz*
robert dwyer, Jr.*
Mike embler & Maria Cilenti**
Charles engros
Anna May & tim Feige
Hazel & russel Fershleiser**
Alfred Finger*
edmond FitzGerald
Peter Flaherty
Matthew Frank*
Michael & Anne Frank-shapiro*
Bobby & Vicki Freeman
Adrienne Frosch*
Yvette Geary
Lynn & Paul George*
Claudia Glasser
deborah Goldberg**
Marianne Goodman Md
Patricia Green**
Joe Guest
Agnes Gund**
Fran & richard Habib**
Kathleen Hagen*
Lisa & tom Hazen
Priscilla H. Hoffman
Bruce Horten & Aaron Lieber**
Mark Houle
Fern Hurst & Peter rubin**
Adam Idleberg*
todd Jick*
Lucas Katler
Michael & Jacqueline Kempner
Barbara Klein
donna & Jeff Knight*
Arthur Koenig**
eric & sandra Kransoff*
John Kuehn
Patricia Laxton
Jacqueline & Bruce Leffler*
dr. Charlotte Frank & Marvin Leffler**
Goldfarb & Fleece LLP**
Karin & Marc Leffler**
Ivy Beth Lewis**
robin & Jay Lewis**
Adam & Melony Lewis**
Michael Loeber
Genevieve Lynch
James & susan Maddox
Jean & Ken Malecki*
Jack & Carol Margossian
Jeff Marowits
Karl Marquardt*
Ingrid Matheson
robert & Merrideth McCarthy
david & Julie McCarthy**
Lori Mcgoran
richard & Merle Milder
dolores Miller
John Miller
Jenny Morgenthau*
James Naughton & Laura richards*
Carol & davis Noble*
James O’sullivan
Morris W. Offit**
dorinda J. Oliver**
Glenn & Linda Ostrander*
robert Ouimette
shelly Packer**
Judith Parker thomas Pepe**
Jennifer Poling
Patrick Pollari*
dasha rettew**
rita robbins**
A. Jeffrey rosen
rhoda rothkopf**
Fiona Howe rudin*
roberta schleicher*
Graham schweer
Local One, IAtse**
Alan shabot*
Patricia & Brian shea**
susan & Victor shedlin**
elena skolnick erik sonsteby*
Madhu r Goel southworth**
Jerry I. speyer**
CeeCee & eve stein**
Nevin steinberg**
Lera Jewels*
Abbe tiger
tim tompkins*
Lawrence Unger**
Patricia Wallace
Weston Wellington* richard Winn
Carol Marks & tom Wirtshafter**
Melissa Wohlgemuth*
dr. Helaine Worrell
Mei Young
Peter M. Ziemba & terry siegel*
susan Zohn**
Anita Jaffe & Lawrence C. Zucker**
sloan Zuckerman
Gary Zych
We invite you to support the Hall at any level, and enjoy the exclusive benefits of becoming a Town Hall Member.
Advance Ticket Access notification of Presale & discounts for concerts and Events
Member Discounts at local restaurants
Access to PATRON CIRCLE SEATS
reserved seats to town hall Presents concerts and other select events ( with special pricing, when available )
Complimentary Tickets to select town hall Presents shows & Events
Complimentary Tickets to Town Hall Gala
Special Invitations to Sound Check or Dress Rehearsal
Seat Plaque in The Hall
Complimentary Advertisement in Town Hall Gala Journal
Invitations to an Artist Meet & Greet after a select town hall Presents concert
Photo: © sachyn Mital
Bank of America applauds The Town Hall for its success in bringing the arts to audiences throughout the community. We commend you on creating an opportunity for all to enjoy and share a cultural experience. Here's to another season of Broadway by the Year! Visit us at bankofamerica.com/arts.