ADV – Leaderboard

"Opus" by Circa and the Debussy String Quartet at the Ankara International Music Festival. (Photo by Justin Nicholas)

BAM Announces 2015 Next Wave Festival

The fall festival brings together another slate of U.S. and New York premieres, with theatre works from Ivo van Hove, SITI Company and Miranda July.

NEW YORK CITY: Brooklyn Academy of Music has announced the lineup for its annual Next Wave Festival, including 32 dance, music, opera and theatre performances.

“The multidisciplinary approach of the 2015 Next Wave Festival artists reveals unique creative vision and rewards the adventurous spirit of our audiences,” said executive producer Joseph V. Melillo. “With resonant theatre, dance and music events as well as performance art, physical theatre and productions featuring live filmmaking, the festival presents an especially rich assortment of global contemporary performing arts.”

The theatre season begins with the U.S. premiere of Antigone (Sept. 24–Oct. 4), adapted by Anne Carson from Sophocles, and performed by Barbican and Les Théâtres de la Ville de Luxembourg. Ivo van Hove will direct.

Next is the U.S. premiere of James Thierrée’s Tabac Rouge (Sept. 30–Oct. 3), an exploration of desire, control and power through the unfathomable logic of dreams. Compagnie du Hanneton will perform alongside Thierrée, who will also direct.

Following will be the New York premiere of Thaddeus Phillips’s 17 Border Crossings (Sept. 30–Oct. 3), a surreal examination of imaginary boundaries and arbitrary passports. Lucidity Suitcase Intercontinental will perform.

Next will be Miranda July’s New Society (Oct. 7–10), a participatory performance art piece that artfully blends fiction and real life.

Following is the U.S. premiere of Helen Lawrence (Oct. 14–17), conceived by Stan Douglas and written by Chris Haddock, which is described as a “live-action film onstage” about a femme fatale seeking revenge for her husband’s murder. Canadian Stage will perform and Douglas will direct.

Next is the U.S. premiere of Martin Zimmermann’s Hallo (Oct. 15–17), a journey between collapse and order as a man tries to find himself. Zimmerman will direct.

Following is the New York premiere of Karin Coonrod’s texts&beheadings/ElizabethR (Oct. 21–24), a play constructed from the letters, speeches and prayers written by Queen Elizabeth I. Compagnia de’ Colombari will perform and Coonrod will direct.

Next is the New York premiere of Carl Hancock Rux’s The Exalted (Oct. 28–31), about a 20th-century German-Jewish art historian who was one of the first critics to discuss the importance of African art. Music will be by Theo Bleckmann, with Anne Bogart directing.

Following is the U.S. premiere of de Serpa Soares, Sussman and White’s More Up a Tree (Nov. 19–21), an exploration of music and rhythm through the relationship between a dancer and a drummer. Music by Jim White.

Next will be the New York premiere of Opus (Nov. 4–8), a battle between the acrobatic troupe Circa and the Debussy String Quartet as the instrumentalists combat the somersaulting acrobats. Yaron Lifschitz will direct.

Following is the New York premiere of Marguerite Duras’s Savannah Bay (Nov. 11–14), featuring the Théâtre de l’Atelier of Paris. Didier Bezace will direct.

Next is the New York premiere of Julia Wolfe’s Steel Hammer (Dec. 2–6), with text by Kia Corthron, Will Power, Carl Hancock Rux and Regina Taylor. Steel Hammer is an art ballad about the legendary folk hero John Henry featuring SITI Company and Bang on a Can All-Stars. Anne Bogart will direct.

Following is the world premiere of John Jahnke’s Alas, the Nymphs  ( Dec. 9–12), a collaborative dance-theatre piece about the ancient Greek myth of Hylas. Original score by Fennesz. Jahnke will direct.

Next is the New York premiere of Paterson Joseph’s  Sancho: An Act of Remembrance (Dec. 16–20), based on the remarkable true story of Charles Ignatius, the first man of African origin to cast a vote in Britain. Simon Godwin will direct.

Support American Theatre: a just and thriving theatre ecology begins with information for all. Please join us in this mission by making a donation to our publisher, Theatre Communications Group. When you support American Theatre magazine and TCG, you support a long legacy of quality nonprofit arts journalism. Click here to make your fully tax-deductible donation today!

ADV – Billboard