New York City
BAM's Howard Gilman Opera House
April 16, 2019 @7:30pm (EDT)
This one-time special Cunningham Event, on what would have been his 100th birthday (April 16, 2019), comprises three distinct performances—one in each city. Taken together, they are the largest Cunningham Event ever.
In Night of 100 Solos: A Centennial Event, each of the three participating institutions—the Barbican, London, BAM in New York City, and CAP UCLA in Los Angeles—will present a ninety (90) minute performance comprised of 100 solos choreographed by Merce Cunningham. In each city, a former dancer experienced in creating Cunningham Events will work with an associate stager and other Merce Cunningham Dance Company alumni to impart the choreography to a new generation of dancers.
As was the case for the Events late in Cunningham’s career, it will be impossible for any one person to see all of Night of 100 Solos at once. However, reflecting Cunningham’s interest in technology, and taking advantage of the multiple time zones in which the Event will be staged, there will be a live-stream allowing anyone anywhere to experience each venue’s performance in real-time.
During the evening, a set specifically curated for each venue will grace the stage. Keeping with traditional Cunningham performances, each city’s performance will include live music performed by composers and musicians who represent expressions of Cunningham’s musical interests over the course of his lifetime. Former members of the Merce Cunningham Dance Company’s Music Committee are participating or supporting the evening.
All Choreography: Merce Cunningham
Staged by: Patricia Lent
Associate Stager: Jean Freebury
Music Coordinator: John King
Set Design: Pat Steir
Lighting Designer: Christine Shallenberg
Dancers:
Kyle Abraham, Christian Allen, Mariah Anton, Reid Bartelme, Jacqueline Bulnes, Cecily Campbell, Peiju Chien-Pott, Maggie Cloud, Jason Collins, Marc Crousillat, Angela Falk, Tamisha Guy, Jacquelin Harris, Forrest Hersey, Eleanor Hullihan, Shayla-Vie Jenkins, Claude “CJ” Johnson, Lindsey Jones, Sara Mearns, Sharon Milanese, Chalvar Monteiro, David Norsworthy, Keith Sabado, Vicky Shick, Joshua Tuason, and Anson Zwingelberg
Musicians:
David Behrman, Gelsey Bell, John King, Matana Roberts, and Jesse Stiles
Music Director: John King
Costumes designed and built by Reid Bartelme and Harriet Jung
Filming and Livestream Produced by: Nel Shelby Productions
Production Director: Davison Scandrett
Co-produced by The Barbican, London, Brooklyn Academy of Music, UCLA’s Center for the Art of Performance, and the Merce Cunningham Trust.
Creative Producer: Trevor Carlson
Executive Producer: Ken Tabachnick
Baryshnikov Arts Center (BAC) has provided studio space for the Night of 100 Solos creative team and cast to rehearse the BAM performance.
Night of 100 Solos: A Centennial Event is supported with a generous grant by the Howard Gilman Foundation.
The Cunningham Centennial is generously supported with major funding from the Merce Cunningham Trust, the Paul L. Wattis Foundation, the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation, the American Express Foundation and Judith Pisar.
Additional funding has been provided by the The Gladys Krieble Delmas Foundation, the Foundation for Contemporary Arts, Judy and Alan Fishman, Molly Davies, Myra Malkin and Barbara Pine.
