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Ars Nova (theater)

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Ars Nova
(2007)
Map
Address511 West 54th Street
New York City
United States
DesignationNew York City Landmark
TypeOff-Broadway
Capacity99
Opened2002
Website
www.arsnovanyc.com

Ars Nova is an off-Broadway, non-profit theater in New York City’s Hell’s Kitchen neighborhood. Ars Nova develops and produces theater, comedy and music created by artists in the early stages of their professional careers. The theater's programs are designed to support a new generation of artists and audiences, with the ultimate goal of pushing the boundaries of live entertainment by nurturing experimental ideas into new work.

The theater was founded in memory of Gabe Wiener, a new music producer who died at the age of 26. Wiener was the brother of Jenny Steingart who, with her husband Jon, founded Ars Nova in 2002 with Wiener's youth and passion for the arts in mind. The Steingarts' mission, inspired by Wiener, was to give emerging artists a venue to develop and produce their work.[1]

Mainstage productions

Past mainstage productions

Past Ars Nova productions include The Lapsburgh Layover, Be a Good Little Widow, The Wii Plays, Now Circa Then, Bloodsong of Love, Missed Connections NYC, Sax & Dixon: We Thee Wed, Mel & El: Show & Tell, Two Girls for Five Bucks and the Ten Dollar Heartbreakers, Playlist, Jollyship the Whiz-Bang, Boom, From Up Here, Dixie’s Tupperware Party, At Least It’s Pink, 25 Questions for a Jewish Mother, Holy Cross Sucks!, Freestyle Love Supreme and The Wau Wau Sisters.[2]

Current mainstage productions

October 1, 2012 marked the premiere of the electro-pop opera, Natasha, Pierre, & The Great Comet of 1812, which is adapted from a portion of War and Peace. The show was written by Dave Malloy and directed by Rachel Chavkin, two members behind the Obie winning play Three Pianos, and features performances by Brent Arnold, Brittain Ashford, Gelsey Bell, Nick Choksi, Blake Delong, Mark Dover, Amber Gray, Dave Malloy, John Murchison, Paul Pinto, Raymond Sicam III, Phillipa Soo, Lucas Steele, Sally Wall, Pinky Weitzman, and Amelia Workman. The design team includes Mimi Lien, Bradley King, Matt Hubs, and Paloma Young.[3]

Programs and series

In addition to its mainstage theatrical productions, Ars Nova produces a number of different series, festivals and programs each year.

54/10 Music Marathon

In 2010, Ars Nova began its annual summer music marathon, 54/10, which is named for the theater's location at the cross streets of 54th Street and 10th Avenue. This festival features 10 days of concerts by emerging bands and music artists. Past acts have included Clydesdale Erotic, Justin Levine, Langhorne Slim, Semi Precious Weapons, Jay Brannan, The Woes, The Defibulators, Cynthia Hopkins, and The Spring Standards.[4]

ANT Fest

In 2008, Ars Nova premiered its All New Talent Festival, or ANT Fest. The festival ran from October 16 through November 24 and showcased the work of 175 new artists.[5] ANT Fest has since become an annual event, lasting for 30 nights and giving early-career artists a forum to present original material in front of a New York audience. Each show is given only one performance in order to allow for greater risk taking and the development of as many new artists as possible over the 30 night period.[6] As of 2012, the festival has been moved from fall to summer.[7]

Showgasm

Showgasm is a free, monthly variety show. It showcases short works (five minutes or less) by young artists who have not yet developed a full-length show, as well providing a venue for veteran Ars Nova artists to showcase new material.[8]

Uncharted

Uncharted is a music series for up-and-coming musical theater writers to showcase original work through concerts. Previous artists in the series include: Joe Iconis, Justin Levine, Daniel Zaitchik, Andrew Lippa, Chester Gregory, Debra Barsha, Gavin Creel, Scott Mebus, Bob Stillman, David Clement, Daniel Cartier, GrooveLily, Johnny Hancock, Janice Lowe, Michael Longoria, Ben Birney, Rob Seitelman, Alan Zachary, Michael Wiener, Chris Miller, Nathan Tysen, Benj Pasek, Justin Paul, Pale Horse and Rider, Lori Michaels, The Davenports and Nick Blaemire.[9]

Out Loud

The Out Loud series connects emerging playwrights with professional directors to help facilitate the writer’s creative process and contribute to his/her professional development. The majority of the plays produced during Out Loud come from members of Ars Nova's Play Group.[10]

The Writer's Room

In 2012, the Manhattan Theatre Club launched The Studio at Stage II, with the intention of producing new works at the New York City Center. As a part of this program, the Manhattan Theatre Club teamed up with Ars Nova to create the Writer's Room. Together, the two theater groups will jointly select four playwrights per year to receive Writer’s Room Commissions. The commissioned writers will then come together to participate in a program designed to encourage artistic risk taking and provide developmental support. Both Ars Nova and the Manhattan Theatre Club have historically focused on producing new, experimental works, though from different angles. The ultimate goal of the Writer's Room is to combine the ideas and resources of both theaters in the hopes of expanding the bracket of work that either theater could produce alone.[11]

Play Group

The Play Group is a coalition of emerging playwrights that meets biweekly. Playwrights apply to the program, and, if selected, participate for up to two years. During this time, they receive support from the other members as well as Ars Nova staff, recommendations for commissions, fellowships, and awards, access to Ars Nova’s network of artists, tickets to Ars Nova productions, and the opportunity to participate in the Out Loud reading series and annual Play Group project/performance. [10] Past play group members include Annie Baker, Mike Batistick, Bekah Brunstetter, Evan Cabnet, Dylan Dawson, Kristoffer Diaz, Zayd Dohrn, Ron Fitzgerald, Liz Flahive, Sam Forman, Etan Frankel, Tasha Gordon-Solmon, Amy Herzog, Samuel D. Hunter, Branden Jacobs-Jenkins, Kyle Jarrow, Nick Jones, Steven Levenson, Barry Levey, Matthew Lopez, Liz Meriwether, Carly Mensch, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Gregory Moss, Janine Nabers, Rachel Shukert, Mat Smart, Aurin Squire, Adam Szymkowicz, Samuel Brett Williams and Beau Willimon.[12]

2012 Play Group members

  • Sarah Burgess
  • Sarah Gancher
  • Nick Gandiello
  • Dipika Guha
  • Stephen Karam
  • A. Zell Williams
  • Bess Wohl
  • Joshua Allen
  • Rachel Bonds
  • Jon Kern
  • Josh Koenigsberg
  • Michael Mitnick
  • Kim Rosenstock
  • Sharyn Rothstein[13]

Artists-In-Residence

The Artist in Residence program provides emerging directors, designers, composers, and playwrights with an artistic home for one year. Ars Nova's 2012 Artists in Residence are The Debate Society (Company-in-Residence), Portia Krieger (Director-in-Residence) and Shaina Taub (Composer-in-Residence). Each resident has access to the Ars Nova staff and resources, in return for providing expertise and assistance with artistic planning and production. Residents are also often commissioned to develop new work for the Ars Nova stage.[14]

Summer retreat

Each summer, a group of artists from the Ars Nova community are selected to attend a retreat outside of New York City. Ars Nova funds and facilitates the trip, giving the artists an uninterrupted week of work. The retreat itself is divided into a balance of focused work sessions, group discussions and social activities to help forge collaborations.[10]

Awards and honors

In 2008, the Village Voice awarded Ars Nova its "Best Theater Concessions" honor, commenting that "Ars Nova satisfies those few disconsolate [theater concession consumers] among us: In addition to reasonably priced cocktails, it features snacks thematically linked with the play on offer."[15]

Also in 2008, Ars Nova presented the world premier of Peter Sinn Nachtreib's boom, which went on to become the Theatre Communication Group’s most produced play for the 2009-2010 Season. [16]

In 2010, Ars Nova premiered Joe Iconis's Bloodsong Of Love, which received three 2010 Drama Desk Award nominations for Best Music, Best Book of a Musical, and Best Featured Actor in a Musical (Jeremy Morse). [17]

Notable alumni

Appearances in other media

In the "drinking and hacking" scene in The Social Network, Jesse Eisenberg, as Mark Zuckerberg, can be seen wearing an Ars Nova T-shirt. This shirt originally belonged to Eisenberg himself.[19]

References

  1. ^ Green, Jesse (February 25, 2007). "Care and Feeding of Plays and Playwrights". The New York Times.
  2. ^ "ARS NOVA: About Us; History". Arsnovanyc.com. Retrieved September 19, 2012.
  3. ^ "Ars Nova to Present NATASHA, PIERRE & THE GREAT COMET OF 1812, 10/1-11/10". Opera.broadwayworld.com. September 18, 2012. Retrieved September 19, 2012.
  4. ^ Strassler, Doug (July 31, 2012). "Start Your Engines for 54/10 Music Marathon at Ars Nova". New York Press.
  5. ^ "Inaugural Ars Nova Theatre Festival Takes Its First Step Oct. 16". Playbill.com. October 16, 2008. Retrieved September 19, 2012.
  6. ^ Scheck, Frank (October 16, 2011). "Upper Fest Side: talent shows are a steal". New York Post. Retrieved October 2, 2012.
  7. ^ Firestone, Lonnie (May 31, 2012). "Ars Nova's ANT Fest Fosters New Talent". Backstage.com. Retrieved September 19, 2012.
  8. ^ a b "Showgasm at Ars Nova". Mapcidy.com. January 25, 2010. Retrieved September 19, 2012.
  9. ^ Gioia, Michael (September 12, 2012). "Jeremy Kushnier, Kevin Massey, Ryah Nixon, Alexandra Socha Sing Matthew Robinson Tunes Sept. 12 at Ars Nova". Playbill.com. Retrieved September 19, 2012.
    • "Hairspray's Michael Longoria Plays Ars Nova April 11, 2005". Broadwayworld.com. Wisdom Digital Media. Retrieved September 19, 2012.
    • "Bob Stillman Performs Uncharted Songs at Ars Nova, Oct. 18". Boadwayworld.com. Wisdom Digital Media. October 11, 2005. Retrieved October 3, 2012.
    • "Uncharted: David Clement And Daniel Cartier". SmartTix. SmartTix Entertainment Services, Inc. May 25, 2005. Retrieved October 3, 2012.
    • "Uncharted: GrooveLily". Theatermania.com. TheaterMania.com, Inc. Retrieved October 3, 2012.
    • "Uncharted: Janice Lowe". Theatermania.com. TheaterMania.com, Inc. Retrieved October 3, 2012.
    • "Uncharted: Johnny Hancock". SmartTix. SmartTix Entertainment Services, Inc. May 11, 2005. Retrieved October 3, 2012.
    • "Hairspray's Michael Longoria Plays Ars Nova April 11". Boadwayworld.com. Wisdom Digital Media. March 28, 2005. Retrieved October 3, 2012.
    • "Uncharted: Pale Horse And Rider, Lori Michaels, The Davenports". SmartTix. SmartTix Entertainment Services, Inc. October 11, 2005. Retrieved October 3, 2012.
    • "Uncharted: Ben Birney And Rob Seitelman". SmartTix. SmartTix Entertainment Services, Inc. June 06, 2006. Retrieved October 3, 2012. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
    • "Let It Sing -- The Songs of Alan Zachary and Michael Weiner". Theatermania.com. TheaterMania.com, Inc. Retrieved October 3, 2012.
    • Pincus-Roth, Zachary (November 10, 2006). "Evening of Songs by Miller and Tysen— with McElroy and Caplan—Plays Ars Nova Nov. 12". Playbill.com. Retrieved October 3, 2012.
    • Gans, Andrew (June 26, 2006). "Wicked's Espinosa to Be Part of Pasek and Paul Evening". Playbill.com. Retrieved October 3, 2012.
  10. ^ a b c "ARS NOVA: Programs On-Stage". Arsnovanyc.com. Retrieved September 19, 2012.
  11. ^ "MTC Announces The Studio at Stage II, The Writer's Room in Partnership with Ars Nova, and Two Productions". Boneaubryanbrown.com. June 27, 2012. Retrieved September 19, 2012.
  12. ^ "Play Group". Ars Nova NYC.
  13. ^ BBW News Desk (February 1, 2012). "Ars Nova Announces 2012 Programming". Offoffbroadwayworld.com. p. 2. Retrieved September 19, 2012.
  14. ^ "Ars Nova Announces 2012 Programming Page 2". Offoffbroadwayworld.com. February 1, 2012. p. 1. Retrieved September 19, 2012.
  15. ^ "Best Theater Concessions in New York: Ars Nova Theater". Village Voice. Retrieved October 4, 2012.
  16. ^ "boom". New Dramatists. Retrieved October 4, 2012.
  17. ^ "Bloodsong of Love". MrJoeIconis.com. Retrieved October 4, 2012.
  18. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Simon, Perry Michael (October 20, 2011). "A Place To Start Something". Nerdist.com. Retrieved September 19, 2012.
  19. ^ Diamond, Robert. "Ars Nova and The Social Network". BroadwayWorld.com. Retrieved September 19, 2012.

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