THEATER FOR THE NEW CITY
Executive Director, Crystal Field, with
The LES Committee, Presents:
The 30TH Annual LOWER EAST SIDE FESTIVAL OF THE ARTS
FREE!!!
Memorial Day Weekend
MAY 23, 24, 25, 2025 – Friday, Saturday, Sunday
Theater for the New City
155 First Avenue (btw E 9th and E 10th Street)
New York, NY 10003
212-254-1109
Directions
Listen to our LES promo on 1010 WINS!
Theater for the New City has currently scheduled over 200 performing arts organizations, independent artists, poets, puppeteers and film makers for its 30th annual Lower East Side Festival of the Arts.
Admission is free but donations will be gratefully accepted.
Indoor performances will take stage from 6:00 PM to midnight each day, utilizing two of TNC’s four theaters. From 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM Saturday, vendors and food sellers, including booths from nearby restaurants, will set up in the closed-off block of East Tenth Street between First and Second Avenues.
The festival has been presented annually since 1996, although in 2020 it was produced online due to pandemic concerns. A cohort of theater, dance, performance, music, film, literary and visual artists are participating on all three days. Multidisciplinary indoor performances will take stage from 6:00 PM to midnight each evening, utilizing two of TNC’s four theaters. From 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM Saturday, vendors and food sellers, including booths from nearby restaurants, will line the closed-off block of East Tenth Street between First and Second Avenues. On Saturday afternoon inside in the Johnson Theater, there will be performances by and for children, curated by T. Scott Lilly, Danielle Hauser and Miguel Loyola, emceed by John Grimaldi. A fine art show, curated by Carolyn Ratcliffe, will be hanging throughout the fest in the theater’s lobby gallery. A film program will be presented Saturday from noon to 10:00 PM in the Cabaret Theater, featuring works by auteurs from the Lower East Side/East Village along with works that reflect the essence of the neighborhood. Over 25 films curated by Burak Tatar will be screened, accompanied by talkbacks with a number of the film makers. On Saturday from 1:00 PM to 5:00 PM, an Outdoor Stage adjoining the theater will offer music and multi-discipline performances curated by Richard West, assisted by Didi Champagne. On Sunday from 4:00 PM to 7:00 PM in TNC’s Community Theater, there will be a “Poetry Jam with Prose on the Side” curated by Lissa Moira.
This year, the festival is mounted with the theme “We will not be silenced, speak up for democracy.” The subject will be addressed in some of the playlets and acts written for the festival.
As of this writing, the performers’ roster includes such luminaries as David Amram, Austin Pendleton and Penny Arcade. City council member Carlina Rivera will speak on Saturday, May 24 at 6:30 PM.
Performing ensembles participating will include Bond Street Theater, Chinese Theatre Works, Cobu, The Drilling Company, Ego Actus, Folksbiene National Yiddish Theater, Kinding Sindaw, Le Squeezebox Cabaret, New Yiddish Rep, Textile Theater Company, Wise Guise, Tilted Axes, Oyu Oro and many more.
There will be original writings (many penned exclusively for the festival) by Anne Lucas, Barbara Kahn, David Willinger, Douglas Lackey, Eduardo Machado, Elizabeth Ruf, Ishmael Reed, Lissa Moira, Larry Littany Litt, Miguel Loyola, Pamela Enz, Toby Armour, Tom Diriwachter, and Victor Vauban Jr.
Excerpts of plays performed will include works by Toby Armour, Briana Bartenieff, Stephan Morrow; Peter Welch, and Roman Primitivo, Stephan Morrow, projects of Mary Tierney’s TNC Theater Workshop, and songs from TNC’s 2024 Street Theater.
Individual performers appearing will include Austin Pendleton, Bryce Payne, Jeff Davis, John Grimaldi, Lei Zhou, Stan Baker, Terry Lee King (Amazin’ Grace), Thomas Baker, Tym Moss, Zero Boy, Ed Malin and JC Augustin.
Dance performances will include works by Ashley Liang Dance Company, Carol Tandava, Charly Wenzel, Infinity Dance Theater, Rastro Dance Company (Julieta Valero), Rod Rodgers Dance Company and Thunderbird American Indian Dancers. Aerial dance will be performed by Constellation Moving Co.
Musical performers appearing will include Alessandra Belloni, Art Lillard Quartet, Citizens United Protest Band, David Amram, Ejyp Johnson, Joe Bendik, Judy Gorman, Louisa Bradshaw, Maude Lardner Burke, Michael A Green, Michael David Gordon, Mimi Block, Mister Pablo, Noam Finegold: Burning City Orchestra, Peter Dizozza, Rew Starr, Richard West, Robert Gonzales Jr. and Yip Harburg Rainbow Troupe.
Comedy performers will include Hollie Harper, Joan Reinmuth and others TBA.
“Poetry Jam with Prose on the Side,” curated and hosted by Lissa Moira, will take stage Sunday, May 26 from 4-7pm in TNC’s Community Space Theater. Wordslingers are TBA. An open mic will follow as time permits.
Throughout the festival, an art show curated by Carolyn Ratcliffe will grace the TNC lobby spaces. This art show will have its own free, special opening Wednesday, May 21 from 5:00 PM to 8:00 PM.
Curtis Widem, who’ll be performing as the “Free Art Dude” in the lobby and in front of TNC this Friday 5/23 from 6pm- 8pm.
Emcees will be Crystal Field, Robert Gonzales Jr., Danielle Aziza, Melanie Goodreaux and Sabura Rashid (in the Johnson Theater) and David F. Slone Esq. and Joan Kane (in the Cabaret Theater). The film program will be emceed by Burak Tatar.
Specialty curators of the festival include Lissa Moira (poetry), Burak Tatar (film), T. Scott Lilly and Danielle Hauser (kids’ performances), Carolyn Ratcliffe (visual art) and Richard West and Didi Champagne (outdoor theater-dance-music). The whole festival is run by the LES committee (see below) and chaired by Crystal Field.
Lower East Side Festival of the Arts Exhibit
LES: We Will Not Be Silent-Speak Up For Democracy
Check out the Gallery Guide here: We will Not Be Silent-Speak up For Democracy
SCHEDULE IS SUBJECT TO CHANGE
FRIDAY EVENING IN THE JOHNSON – MAY 23
6:00 PM – COBU
6:22 PM – A Play by Richard Ploetz
6:34 PM – CONSTELLATION MOVING COMPANY
6:46 PM – Thunderbird American Indian Dancers
6:58 PM – PENNY ARCADE
7:20 PM – Glitter Kitty
7:32 PM – Rita Constanzi (Harp)
7:44 PM – Rod Rodgers Dance Company
8:06 PM – Folksbiene
8:18 PM – The Shine Challenge by Ishmael Reed
8:30 PM – Julieta Valero (Dance)
8:42 PM – Scammed Into Love by Briana Bartenieff
8:54 PM – KT Sullivan
9:06 PM – A Play by Anne Lucas
9:18 PM – Mister Pablo (Music)
9:30 PM – Inma Heredia (Dance)
9:42 PM – Jose Francisco Ruiz
9:54 PM – Sylvain Leroux (Flute)
10:06 PM – Austin Pendleton
10:18 PM – Boxcutter Collective
10:30 PM – Louisa Bradshaw
10:42 PM – Ejyp Johnson
10:54 PM – Hollie Harper
11:06 PM – Drilling Company
11:18 PM – Gravity
11:30 PM – Bryce Payne
11:42 PM – Rocco George
11:54 PM – Terry Lee King w/ Billy Little
FRIDAY EVENING IN THE CABARET – MAY 23
6:30 PM – Star ’69 (Rob Varkony)
6:52 PM – Catalina Beltran
7:04 PM – Hija de la Tierra by Yenny Sanchez
7:16 PM – Devorah Shubowitz
7:28 PM – Viktoriya Papayani
7:40 PM – Miguel Loyola
7:52 PM – Stan Baker
8:04 PM – Textile Theater Collective (Claude Solnik)
8:16 PM – Clara (Ego Actus)
8:28 PM – David Jacobsen
8:40 PM – Anita Daswani
8:52 PM – Stefan Harris
9:04 PM – Michael A. Green
9:16 PM – Evan Laurence
9:28 PM – Larry Litt
9:40 PM – Ed Malin (Monologue)
9:52 PM – William Electric Black
10:04 PM – Wendy Stuart
10:16 PM – Elisa Blynn
10:28 PM – Dana II by Jasmine Hyman
10:40 PM – Luke Grande
10:52 PM – Loretta Auditorium
11:04 PM – Ellen Steir
11:16 PM – Lady Clover Honey
SATURDAY AFTERNOON YOUTH PERFORMANCES
JOHNSON THEATER
Coordinators: Danielle Aziza & T. Scott Lilly
Hosted by John Grimaldi
2-5 PM
2:00 PM JOHN GRIMALDI
2:15 PM MOVE. MAKE. BLOOM
2:30 PM MARTIAL ARTS FAMILY STUDIO
2:45 PM TNC ARTS IN EDUCATION
3:00 PM THE ZYLIK BROTHERS
3:15 PM COBU “NEXT GENERATION”
3:30 PM THE YIP HARBURG RAINBOW TROUPE
3:45 PM SOCIETY OF AMERICAN MAGICIANS YOUTH, MILES WEINBERG
4:00 PM EAST SIDE DANCE COMPANY
4:15 PM PS 166 AMAZING ATHLETE’S CIRCUS
4:30 PM FAIRY TALE MARIONETTES
SATURDAY FILM PROGRAM 12 PM – 10 PM
The Cabaret Theater (downstairs) seats about 65
Curator: Burak Tatar
Technical Director: Roy Chang
Hosted by Burak Tatar and Eva Dorrepaal
Q&A After each block.
12:00 PM [#1] Flying Lessons
1:40 PM – (block of 3 films)
[1-3 / #2] Elder Artists & Institutional Legacy
[2-3 / #3] The Man in the Red Bandana
[3-3 / #4] West Landing
2:25 PM – (block of 5 films)
[1-5 / #5] XenoAmerica
[2-5 / #6] The State of Apathy
[3-5 / #7] My Back Pages
[4-5 / #8] Path
[5-5 / #9] Feeling the Blues
3:18 PM – (block of 5 films)
[1-5 / #10] Surrogate
[2-5 / #11] CLIME
[3-5 / #12] Unstaged: Untouched
[4-5 / #13] Caution Spawn Ahead
[5-5 / #14] Gold Punch
4:30 – 5:30 PM : FILMMAKER NETWORKING PARTY
5:30 PM – (block of 6 films)
[1-6 / #15] Lovearthcam
[2-6 / #16] Clock Shop
[3-6 / #17] Brooklyn
[4-6 / #18] Not So American
[5-6 / #19] The Bad Daughter
[6-6 / #20] PRIME REAL ESTATE
6:58 PM – (block of 4 films)
[1-4 / #21] The Gender Symphony
[2-4 / #22] The Price of Gum
[3-4 / #23] Moonlight in the Bronx
[4-4 / #24] The Voyage Back – Lovers scene
7:45 PM [#25] A Phantom Song
8:45 PM – (block of 4 films)
[1-4 / #26] Stalled
[2-4 / #27] Launch at Paradise
[3-4 / #28] Don’t Forget You Are A Boy
[4-4 / #29] Out to Run: A Tale of Blood Velvet
Download for full descriptions here:
FILM PROGRAM SCHEDULE
SATURDAY EVENING IN THE JOHNSON – MAY 24
6:00 PM – Tilted Axes (Procession in)
6:22 PM – John Grimaldi (Juggler)
6:34 PM – A Play by Douglas Lackey
6:45 PM – Councilmember Carlina Rivera
6:51 PM – Councilmember Gale Brewer
6:58 PM – Infinity Dance Theater
7:10 PM – Yara Arts (Ukranian Theater)
7:22 PM – A Meeting of Minds by Crystal Field
7:34 PM – Sunscreen by Amy Coleman
7:45 PM – Judy Gorman
8:02 PM – Mimi Block
8:14 PM – Ego Actus
8:26 PM – Carol Tandava (Belly Dance)
8:38 PM – Rainbow Troupe
8:50 PM – Ashley Liang (Dance)
9:12 PM – Chinese Theater Works
9:24 PM – A Play by Tortas Y Tacones (JC Augustin)
9:36 PM – Zylik Brothers
9:48 PM – Artichoke Dance Company
10:00 PM – David Amram
10:22 PM – A Play by Victor Vauban
10:34 PM – TNC Street Theater
10:46 PM – Peter Dizozza
10:58 PM – Tym Moss
11:10 PM – Bennet Pologe (Opera)
11:22 PM – The Wise Guise
11:34 PM – A Play by Eduardo Machado
11:46 PM – The Prior 55 by Andrea Fulton
11:58 PM – Ms. Phillip
SUNDAY EVENING IN THE JOHNSON – MAY 25
6:00 PM – Oyu Oro
6:22 PM – Joan Reinmuth (Comedienne)
6:34 PM – Here I Am by Toby Armour
6:46 PM – Zero Boy
6:58 PM – A Play by Tom Diriwachter
7:10 PM – Lex and the Cult of Spirits
7:22 PM – Charles Krezzel
7:34 PM – Alessandra Belloni
7:46 PM – Barbara Kahn (Excerpt from The Road Ahead)
7:58 PM – Charly Wenzel
8:10 PM – WillieAnn Gissendanner
8:22 PM – Melange
8:34 PM – Kinding Sindaw
8:46 PM – David Mandelbaum – New Yiddish Rep
8:58 PM – Kanpai
9:20 PM – Toni Renee Taylor (Dance)
9:34 PM – The India Center
9:46 PM – Art Lillard Quartet
9:58 PM – A Play by Barbara Kahn
10:20 PM – Rori Nogee
10:32 PM – Zen Mansley
10:44 PM – Lily James Roberts
10:56 PM – Robert Gonzales Jr. (Music)
11:08 PM – A Play by Stephan Morrow
11:20 PM – Valery Oisteanu (Poet)
11:32 PM – Darling Toby
11:44 PM – Le Squeezebox Cabaret (David Slone)
SUNDAY EVENING IN THE CABARET – MAY 25
6:30 PM – Burning City Orchestra
6:52 PM – Maude Lardner Burke
7:04 PM – LES Performing Arts
7:16 PM – Anwar Suleiman
7:28 PM – J Dolan Byrnes
7:40 PM – Richard Weber
7:52 PM – Joe Bendik
8:04 PM – Peter Welch
8:16 PM – Roman Primitivo
8:28 PM – The Head Peddlers (Elizabeth Ruf and Karl Bateman)
8:40 PM – Rew Starr
8:52 PM – Michael Sanders
9:04 PM – Beth Griffith
9:16 PM – Sarah Lilly
9:28 PM – Dante Jayce
9:40 PM – Thomas Goggans
9:52 PM – Randy Mchaney
10:04 PM – Justine Hall
10:16 PM – Christine Stoddard
10:28 PM – Levi Frazier
10:40 PM – Dada NY
10:52 PM – Thomas Baker
BACKGROUND
The first festival, presented June 14 to 16, 1996, was a three-day, indoor and outdoor multi-arts festival, organized by TNC and a coalition of civic, cultural and business leaders. The aim was to demonstrate the creative explosion of the Lower East Side and the area’s importance to culture and tourism for New York City. It employed two theater spaces at TNC plus the block of East Tenth Street between First and Second Avenues, featured over 100 attractions, drew favorable press and attracted crowds from all around the City. Its success prompted TNC to continue the festival annually on Memorial Day Weekend. For 28 years it has been presented free each year to an average attendance of 4,000. (In 2020 it was held online due to pandemic concerns).
The concept of the festival was developed by Crystal Field, Executive Artistic Director of TNC and Esther Cartegena (d. 2006), President of Loisaida, Inc., to portray the Lower East Side (LES) as a haven for artists and artistic creation. The region is a unique multi-ethnic community with an unusually high level of artistic vitality. Large populations with differing languages and cultures coexist there successfully and a large artistic population helps glue the neighborhood together. Its theaters are also an unprecedented source of tourism. Sam Shepard’s Pulitzer Prize-winning play, “Buried Child,” was commissioned and first produced by TNC. The committee envisioned an event that would demonstrate the region’s cultural fervor, its large artistic population and its multiplicity of ethnic influences to contradict the neighborhood’s stereotype as a dangerous refuge for drug dealers and criminal activity.
Disciplines presented have always included theater, music, dance, poetry, puppetry, cabaret, visual art, film and children’s programming.