Urban New York - Spring 2009

Event Descriptions

Mary Poppins
Based on P.L. Travers' cherished stories and the classic 1964 Walt Disney film, Mary Poppins - currently one of London's biggest sensations - features the Sherman brothers' original Academy Award- winning songs, and Oliver Award-winning director Richard Eyre leads a dream team of vision and stagecraft, bringing to life the story of the Banks family and their magical nanny. Mary Poppins marks the first collaboration between Disney, producer of the acclaimed The Lion King, Beauty and the Beast, and Tarzan®, and Cameron Mackintosh, legendary producer of the record-breaking The Phantom of the Opera, Cats and Les Miserables.

Kathy Griffin
Chicago native Kathy Griffin-a multi-faceted and controversial performer-comes to New York to share her unique brand of wit, snark and celebrity-bashing from her safe position on Hollywood's D-List. Watcher her perform to hear the stories, the dish and the things that she shouldn't say but you know you want to hear. Kathy has won an Emmy award for her Bravo series My Life on the D-List, has supplied voices for The Simpsons, Dilbert and was even featured in an Eminem video.

Fuerzabruta
A dance performance in a pool suspended over the audience's heads? Yup. Fuerzabruta is an event where worlds collide, dreams are real and reality takes a back seat. The visuals are spectacular. The effects are stunning. Performers run and tumble across a vertical wall of Technicolor cloth, a man runs headlong through a wall, two people try desperately to connect form opposite sides of a huge spinning and whirling sail and – most extraordinary of all – performers dance in a watery world just above the audience's heads. This all takes place to a soundtrack that traverses thumping club beats to the mellow sounds of new world music.

The Story of My Life
Starring Will Chase (Broadway credits include Rent, Aida, The Full Monty) and Tony Award nominee Malcolm Gets (Broadway's Amourand TV's "Caroline in the City"), this new musical tells the story of two childhood friends and how that friendship profoundly defined their lives. Thomas Weaver is a best selling, award-winning author. Alvin Kelby was his best friend for thirty years. But time can test the bonds of friendship – and when it does, Thomas calls on the only resource he has – his stories of Alvin – to learn where things went wrong. A richly melodic musical, The Story of My Life is a soaring tribute to the power of friendship and the people who change our lives forever.

Chicago
The appeal of this long-running Broadway revival is the sharp humor, the Bob Fosse-style choreography, and the jazzy tunes by Kander & Ebb (e.g. "All That Jazz"). Skimpy costumes, suggestive dancing, and sassy anti-heroines who murder without remorse will enthrall you.

New York City Ballet: An All-American Season Finale
New York City Ballet was the idea of Lincoln Kirstein and George Balanchine; envisioned in 1933 to be an American ballet where young dancers could be trained and schooled under the guidance of the world's greatest ballet masters. For over 50 years, City Ballet has performed new, modern repertory, and currently, the Company has approximately 90 dancers, making it the largest dance organization in America. Join Urban New York for a night of powerful, impressive movement, with one of the oldest and most respected dance companies in the world.

New York Knicks vs. Atlanta Hawks
Come see the New York Knicks play in the world famous Madison Square Garden. Under new head coach Mike D'Antoni the Knicks are once again an exciting team to watch. With the team trying to make a late push to make it into the playoffs every game counts. See stars like Al Harrington, David Lee, and Nate Robinson take the court against Joe Johnson and the Hawks.

West Side Story
This musical offers an urban twist to the famous story of Romeo and Juliet by transporting it to the streets of New York City in the 1950's. As the plot unfolds, lovers are caught between rival street gangs. The performance includes scores by Leonard Bernstein and Stephen Soundheim.

South Pacific
South Pacific concerns the lives of U.S. military men, nurses and the residents of the Polynesian island they occupy during World War II. Nurse Nellie Forbush is "In Love With a Wonderful Guy," a French planter with small children. Clean-cut Lt. Cable has fallen hard for Bloody Mary's daughter Liat. And the seabees, sailors and marines will tell you that there is "Nothing Like a Dame."

Amateur Night at The Apollo
Be part of the world's toughest crowd. Since 1934, aspiring artists and performers have graced the stage of the Apollo Theater in the hope that the magic of the hallowed stage and the approval of the infamous audience will launch their careers in the entertainment world. Amateur night's list of alumni is impressive, including Ella Fitzgerald, Billie Holiday, James Brown, the Isley Brothers, Luther Vandross, Michael Jackson, Lauryn Hill and many others. Perhaps we will witness the rise of a star.

In the Heights
This show will take you on a journey into one of Manhattan's most vibrant communities. With an amazing cast, incredible dancing and a gripping story of hope and self-discovery, In the Heights invites you into a world where the coffee from the corner bodega is light and sweet, the windows are always open, and the breeze carries the rhythm of three generations of music. Find out what it takes to make a living, what it costs to have a dream, what it means to be home, and what it takes to be the Tony Award winning Best Musical in 2008!

August Osage County
Meet the Westons. A vanished father. A pill-popping mother. Three sisters harboring shady little secrets. When the large Weston family unexpectedly reunites after dad disappears, their Oklahoman family homestead explodes in a maelstrom of repressed truths and unsettling secrets. Mix in Violet, the drugged-up, scathingly acidic matriarch, and you've got a major new Broadway play that unflinchingly – and uproariously – exposes the dark side of the Midwestern American family. When their patriarch vanishes, the Weston clan must return to their three-story home in rural Oklahoma to get to the heart of the matter. With rich insight and brilliant humor, Letts paints a vivid portrait of a Midwestern family at a turning point that is "not-to-be- missed" (Chicago Tribune).

Blue Note Jazz Club and Restaurant
Since its inception in 1981, Blue Note has become one of the premier jazz clubs in the world and a cultural institution in Greenwich Village. Over the years, famous acts like Sarah Vaughn, Lionel Hampton, Dizzy Gillespie, Stanley Turrentine, Oscar Peterson, Ray Brown, and Tito Puente have graced the stage. It has also become home to some current stars such as Chick Corea, McCoy Tyner, Joe Lovano, John Scofield, and Chris Botti. So come for a night of fine jazz and cuisine. James Moody will be performing on March 27. For over six decades, saxophone master Moody has serenaded lovers with his signature song Moody's Mood for Love an improvisation on the chord progressions of I'm in the Mood for Love.

Plataforma Churrascaria
Brazil is famous the world over for its barbecues, so Urban New York is giving you the opportunity to sample some authentic Brazilian fare in the Big Apple. Imagine an all you can eat salad bar followed by course after course of barbecued meats strait from the grill. You may need a nap after this one, trust us.

The Little Mermaid
Based on one of the most beloved Disney films of all time and the classic fairy tale by Hans Christian Andersen, The Little Mermaid is the new Disney musical that's poised to make a splash on Broadway. Like other Disney musicals that have taken audiences to the depths of a forest or jungle, The Little Mermaid promises to be an underwater scene brought to life by your favorite characters and popular songs such as "Part of Your World".

Jersey Boys
Broadway's biggest success story, and the winner of the 2006 Tony Award for Best Musical, takes you behind the music of Frankie Valli & The Four Seasons. Following the rags-to-rock-to-riches tale of four blue-collar kids working their way from the streets of Newark to the heights of stardom, Jersey Boys features the hit songs "Sherry," "Big Girls Don't Cry," "Walk Like a Man," "Can't Take My Eyes Off You," "Oh, What a Night," and more.

New York Rangers vs. Philadelphia Flyers
Want to see New York on ice? Well come on down to the famous Madison Square Garden and watch the exhilarating New York Rangers battle it out on home turf. This game promises to be a night of fast paced, body checking action. Come cheer on or root against the New York Rangers as they start off another hopeful season.

Don Giovanni
Don Giovanni is an opera based upon the legend of San Juan. It is a unique opera that can be described as "opera buffa", a blend of comedy and drama. The opera promises to be an unforgettable performance, with music by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and an Italian libretto by Lorenzo Da Ponte.

New York Yankees vs. Oakland Athletics
Take a trip to the Bronx to watch the exciting New York Yankees start off another exciting season in their new home. This is an event you definitely don't want to miss, as the Yankees are gearing up to be contenders for the championship title.

The Lion King
Now celebrating its tenth year on Broadway, The Lion King tells the classic Disney tale of Simba, a lion who goes astray from the pride and must return to avenge his father's death and claim his rightful place as king. The story comes alive in a whirlwind of majestic costumes and sets and a moving musical score. Don't miss this incredible show in a Broadway theater designed especially for the musical.

New York Mets vs. Florida Marlins
After a disappointing finish in 2008, the New York Mets look to rebound in their first season at the brand new Citi Field. K-Rod and JJ Putz join Jose Reyes, David Wright and Johan Santana as they try to lead the Mets back into the playoffs.

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Special acknowledgement is given to Dr. Arnold I. Kisch, CC '54, and to his wife, Victoria L. J. Daubert, Ph.D., for fully endowing all opera tickets.

The Urban New York Program is sponsored by Barnard College, Columbia College, The Fu Foundation School of Engineering and Applied Science, and the Class of 1954 Urban New York Fund.