January 6 – February 7, 2026
Opening Reception:
Wednesday January 14, 2026, 5:30 PM to 8:30PM
Hours:
Monday to Sunday 12 -9 PM
The 53rd Annual Audelco Awards for Excellence in Black Theater has nominated three Theater for the New City productions for Outstanding Ensemble Preformance, they are the following:
RITA IS THE GOAT | Danielle Aziza, Valerie Donaldson, Jonathan Duran, Melanie Maria Goodreaux, India Stachyra, Tiffany Renelle | Theater for the New City
WHEN GOLD TURNS BLACK | Leon Alexander, Dimitri Dewes Jr., Sania Hyatt, Brian Patterson, Jeffrey Roth, Kelechi Udenkwo, Jes Washington | Theater for the New City
THE PRYOR 55 | Michael Anthony Green, Martine Fleurisma | Theater for the New City & Fulton Arts Foundation
In addition, TNC’s Exectutive Artistic Director Crystal Field has been honored with a Legacy Award!
Three of our shows have AUDELCO nominations in the mainstage production of PRYOR 55, RITA IS THE GOAT and WHEN GOLD TURNS BLACK for OUTSTANDING ENSEMBLES.
PRYOR 55
OUTSTANDING ENSEMBLE
Michael Anthony Green
Martine Fleurisma
RITA IS THE GOAT
OUTSTANDING ENSEMBLE
Danielle Aziza Hauser
Valerie Donaldson
Jonathan Duran
Melanie Maria Goodreaux
India Stachyra
Tiffany Renelle
WHEN GOLD TURNS BLACK
OUTSTANDING ENSEMBLE
Leon Alexander
Dimitri Dewes Jr.
Sania Hyatt
Brian Patterson
Jeffrey Roth
Kelechi Udenkwo
Jes Washington
Crystal Field is also being honored for the Legacy Award!
AUDELCO was established in 1973 by Vivian Robinson, to generate more recognition, understanding and awareness of the arts in the African American communities; to provide better public relations and to build new audiences for non-profit theatre and dance companies.
Please find on our website a sample ballot for the AUDELCO Awards for the 2024- 2025 season. The nominations are the consensus of the AUDELCO Nominating Committee. Please feel free to become a member and vote for yourself, your cast and any other fellow nominees or other nominated productions that you have seen during the 2024-25 season.
We look forward to seeing you on Monday, November 17, 2025, at the 53RD Annual Vivian Robinson/AUDELCO Recognition Awards for Excellence in Black Theatre.
If you have any questions, kindly contact: Jacqueline Jeffries at (949) 291-8266/212 368-6906.
Looking forward to seeing at the awards show on Monday, November 17, 2025.
Curated by: Clara Chon and Katie Kotler
August 21st – September 21st
Open daily from 10AM -10PM
Poster Design by Rob Vargas
—-
Sisi Chen
Clara Chon
Soneale Gurley
Sam Tam Ham
Young Sun Han
Vinay Hira
Katie Kotler
Simeon Lee
Jamiyla Lowe
Libby Prosser
Kat Ryals
Katerina Sokolovskaya
Myles Starr
Erin Turner
Sherie L Weldon
—-
Liminal Gestures, presented within the storied halls of Theater for the New City, brings together a diverse group of 15 artists whose practices traverse textiles, media arts, painting, sculpture, ecological inquiry, and feminist critique. Rooted in an East Village landmark known for its unwavering commitment to inclusivity and egalitarianism, the exhibition transforms this historic space into a forum for critical engagement. Through explorations of multiplicity and collective experience, the works echo the theater’s long standing dedication as a space for all voices.
In an era increasingly marked by division and algorithmic consensus, Liminal Gestures embraces multiplicity not as a problem to be solved, but as something essential to existence itself. Against the pressure to conform to singular narratives and in its refusal of the logic of utility, Liminal Gestures asserts the vitality of art as a profoundly human endeavor. As gestures of resistance, ritual, and inquiry, the works serve as enigmas that invite contemplation beyond the noise of the modern world.
Theater for the New City’s Street Theater Summer Tour – HOME SWEET HOME or A LIFE IN NEW YORK
Theater for the New City’s award-winning Street Theater Company will open its 2025 annual tour Saturday, August 2 with “Home Sweet Home, or A Life In New York,” a rip-roaring original musical which tells a story of a young orphan, born in America but longing to understand his roots, as deportations shake the lives of his immigrant friends. Book, lyrics and direction are by Crystal Field, Artistic Director of Theater for the New City (TNC). The musical score is composed and arranged by Peter Dizozza. Free performances will tour parks, playgrounds and closed-off streets throughout the five boroughs from August 2 through September 14.
Coming back with it’s 13th season!
From August 24 to September 14, 2025, Theater for the New City (TNC), under the direction of Crystal Field, will resume its 13th Dream Up Festival, a feast of adventurous theater. The annual event is an ultimate new works festival, dedicated to the joy of discovering new authors and edgy, innovative performances.
The Festival is helmed by the theater’s Literary Manager, Michael Scott-Price. This year it offers 22 plays. Audiences will savor the excitement, awe, passion, challenge and intrigue of new plays from around the country.
Monday, March 10, 2025
Theater for the New City
155 First Avenue (between 9th & 10th Street)
JOHNSON THEATER
We have been burning the midnight oil to make this 10th NY ACKER more of a landmark. All the Awards have been special. This one is like continuing the idea of community, culture,
THeater for the new Cirty
We have produced 2 new books. he bio-booklet is now a 200 page book. Will be a good reference tool. Can One is attached to this email. The heavy lifting for this book was done by James Muscarella,
Christopher Heffernan, Antony Zito, Chi Lau, Zacharly Leu, Coss Marte, John Goglio. These people did real services to the community. I was in charge of over 60 people. Then I stepped back and let them break into groups. They did. This group of leaders made this happen. Against all odds.
Then we have the event. Entertainment Trumpet Player Frank London. I witnessed him playing on a number of occasions, always kicking it up. There was one at an ultra orthodox LES above Houston, a radically marginalized group of keepers of the Torch – He kicked the program up to the high-end. Accompanying him is the all-star DJ – Marcuas GlitteriS≥.
We have 2 fabulous posters – 1 poster by Ray Felix. -Bronx Super Hero’s. Conbody supporter. 1 Poster Ernest Gusella. supporter Jo Ro
Antony Zito created the box and the RIP cups. Both museum q
We have the 2 posters. Athony Zito,
Christopher Heffernan, Chi Lau, Zacharly Leu, Coss Marte, John Goglio
THEATER FOR THE NEW CITY’s
Dream Up Festival 2025
In 2010, the inaugural Dream Up Festival offered 25 shows consisting of 23 World Premieres and 2 American Premieres. The festival had reviewers from NY Times, NY Press, Show business Weekly, the Advocate, NYTheatre.com and others.
Festival performance dates: August 24 – September 14, 2025.
All performances will take place at Theater for the New City.
NOW ACCEPTING SUBMISSIONS
We prefer works that have gone unproduced in New York City, but we will consider an updated version of previously produced NYC production. To qualify for the festival, our goal is works by US and international artists as World or NYC premieres. Translations and new adaptations of known material will be acceptable.
The festival is available to both performance groups and individuals. Plays, dance theater, solo works and interdisciplinary material will all be welcome so long as they can co-exist in repertory with other productions in the festival lineup. Technical requirements and use of production effects will need to be limited. Scenic elements are welcome but one or more of these elements will have to be used in an inventive way.
ABOUT DREAM UP – TNC’s Summer Showcase
The motto of the festival is “Dream Up: Invent, Concoct.” The festival is dedicated to new works. The question of the artist’s vision to free or attack the material will be asked in each application. The festival does not want traditional theater which is presented in a traditional way. Theater for the New City wants to use this festival as a way to push ideas to the forefront with the hope of revealing roads less traveled or undiscovered. Presentation of a straightforward play must be imaginative in some way.
FESTIVAL GUIDELINES
TNC’s 2025 summer festival known as Dream Up Festival will run August 24 to September 14, 2025.
We are accepting applications: February 26, 2025 to May 26, 2025.
Early Bird Submissions: February 26 to April 3 $50. General Submissions: April 4 to May 26 $60 certified check, cashier’s check, or money order in US Dollars payable to: Theater for the New City
All applications must be accompanied with a submission fee.
*We prefer the application materials to be emailed to tncdreamup@gmail.com and the submission fees be paid online at Dream Up Festival Call for Plays
Snail option is mailed to:
TNC’s Dream Up Festival 2025
Theater for the New City
155 First Avenue New York, NY 10003
PLEASE INCLUDE THE FOLLOWING WITH EVERY SUBMISSION:
• Script/or Concept (if not text based)
• Bio Primary Artist (and Collaborators if known)/ Production History
• Brief Statement
• Synopsis of Work w/character breakdown
• Submission Form
+Submission Fee
REVIEW NOTIFICATION:
All applicants will receive a position notice (accepted, wait listed, or not accepted) after their submissions are evaluated in spring 2025.
PLEASE SEND ALL SUBMISSIONS (scripts, bios, statements, synopsis, submission form) TO: tncdreamup@gmail.com
Any mailed submission materials submitted to the festival will NOT BE RETURNED. Sorry.
TWO WAYS TO PAY SUBMISSION FEE:
Pay online https://theaterforthenewcity.net/donations/dream-up-festival/
Or
MAIL SUBMISSION FEE SEPARATELY TO:
TNC’s Dream Up Festival 2025
Theater for the New City
155 First Avenue
New York, NY 10003
Please mark your submission fee subject line with the name of your festival project.
Please contact us at literary@theaterforthenewcity.net if there are any questions and check out our website at Dreamup Festival Website
DREAM UP FESTIVAL FORM
Title of Submission: _____________________________
Contact Name: __________________________
Phone: _________________________________
Mailing Address:
Street: ______________________ City:______________ State:______
Zip:_______ Country
(if outside the US) :______________
Email Addresses: ___________________________________
Genre of Work (Please Mark): Dance Musical Drama
Length (Please Mark): Short One Act Full Length
Estimated Running Time in Minutes: ___________
Number of Cast / Crew: _________________________
Technical Requirements (for set, lighting, sound if known):
This piece previously had a (Please Mark): Reading, Staged Reading, Workshop, Full Production (please tell us when and where)
Please express in a short statement (500 words max.) what makes this
inventive or what will make it inventive when presented.
Please Note: Submissions without a statement will not be considered.
Participation Info:
Theater for the New City will present a lineup of wide-ranging and original theatrical visions embracing drama, poetry, music, and dance in the summer of 2025 from performing artists representing theater and performance companies in our theater complex in downtown New York.
Tickets prices can range from $15 to $20. Special Engagement ticket price may vary.
TNC’s Dream Up Festival 2025 website and festival website will go under construction in late spring/early summer 2025.
Festival artists receive 60% of their box office proceeds. TNC retains the remaining 40%.
- All judged applicants will receive a position notice (accepted, wait listed, or not accepted) after their submissions are read.
- Acceptances will be emailed on or about June 9, 2025.
- Artists who are accepted will be required to submit participation documents by about June 23, 2025.
- A non-refundable $950 participation fee will be required, in the form of a certified check, cashier’s check or money order or online payment for participating productions. No personal or company checks will be accepted.
Final Deadline to apply is May 26. US and International artists are welcome to apply.
For general inquiries: please contact us at literary@theaterforthenewcity.net
There will be dances, stories and traditional music from Native Peoples of the Northeast, Southwest and Great Plains regions. The event has become a treasured New York tradition for celebrating our diversity by honoring the culture of our first Americans. TNC donates all proceeds from the event to college scholarship funds for Native American students!