blog | Performance Space New York

Balinese? Yes Please!

We took two of our favorite interns to see one of our favorite summer festivals (River to River). Here’s a quick thought on one of the pieces from London-based intern Nicole…(read it with an accent)

Last Thursday a few of us at PS took a trip down to Wall Street to see The Set Up: I Nyoman Catrra, the 5th part in a series created by Wally Cardona and Jennifer Lacey who bring in international artists (that are said to be masters in their discipline) to teach what they believe to be the most important about the art form.

The dance itself was truly interesting, something that had a variety in pace and used the whole of the space. It was something that didn’t follow a common meter- something that is almost expected in Western dance- but it didn’t matter because it still complimented the rather spacious music that it was performed to.

In regards to the performance space, it was bright and airy which, I believe, worked well with the whole performance because it gave the music the opportunity to disappear into the void that the space created. It was particularly great to see how the whole space was used inside and outside the building; it added an additional dimension to the piece, whilst allowing the audience members that stood outside the opportunity to feel as if they were also included in the the viewing experience instead of being on the outside looking in.

PS122 June Auction

Back by popular demand: an auction! Join PS122 in wrapping up our 2013-2014 season with a bang by participating in our June Auction: a selection of artwork, tickets and experiences from our peers and close friends.

Items include a full set of The Wooster Group DVDs, memberships to the Norwood Club and to NYC’s ping-pong social club SPiN (host of our annual Red + White Party) and a private consultation with one of NYC’s top financial advisors, Josephine Linden.

Bid early and often—all money raised will ensure Performance Space 122 will finish this year in strength, which very tangibly and directly means that we are able to support the work, the people and the audiences as we should for an even more successful 2014/15 season.

View the full auction online: https://www.32auctions.com/PS1222014

Derek Recreated PS122 in Wolfenstein 3D

PS122’s late great Director of Production Derek Lloyd loved the upstairs theater at PS122 so much that he created a virtual 3D version of it manually in the 90’s shooter game Wolfenstein 3D. Derek created this back in 2004, well before consumer 3D software like Google Sketchup, but you can see his excitement for the space in the number of angles he chose and the music he added.

Spring Gala 2014 Wrap Up

Monday, May 12, 2014, we PS122 held our annual Spring Gala at the beautiful and extravagantly-decorated Diamond Horseshoe in the Paramount Hotel. As our guests and performers arrived for the night we had the voice of Leah Siegel guide and light their way down the spiral staircase with a balloon and lighting installation that was completely manipulated according to the pitch and tone of her singing. As guests were photographed, mingled with fellow attendees, and found their seats they all knew that the true meaning of the night was to celebrate the freedom of expression.

Like many of the artists we commission who break the boundaries of live performance and bring a little heat with them every time, we decided to keep the theme going (or rather, an issue with the hotel’s air conditioning system made the decision for us). Although a little more heat was provided than expected, it was with all good intentions to really set the tone for our following season. The night included live acts from Okwui Okpokwasili, Lena Hall, Amber Martin & Nath Ann Carrera, Olaf Triebel, Monica Bill Barnes & Ann Bass, and Duncan Sheik. Our hosts for the night, Michael Stipe, Justin Vivian Bond, and our MC CK Swett took center stage and brought a sense of energy to our live auction you couldn’t help but want to bid on every item.

This year’s Spring Gala honored advocates, heroes, and champions. Our honorees included: Tim Miller, John Fleck, and Holly Hughes, three of the N.E.A. Four, performance artists who lost their National Endowment for the Arts funding during the culture wars of the early ’90s. Clara Miller our Shining Star Honoree, founded the Nonprofit Finance Fund, a national CDFI that provides direct financing and financial counsel to social sector organizations. All in all this year’s Gala was one for the books, it showed our supporters and us just what this season has in store for everyone!

Get a Good Night’s Sleep at Dream of the Red Chamber

Jim Findlay, a PS122 artist whose performed on our stages more times than we can count, closes up shop this weekend at his newest installation work Dream of the Red Chamber, a performance for a sleeping audience presented by The Time Square Arts in production with 3-Legged Dog and Collapsable Giraffe. If you haven’t experienced it yet, we urge you to run to this absolutely FREE performance event.

Dream of the Red Chamber is created to be a dream play. The audience is invited to experience and partake in the work meanwhile they fall in and out of sleep. The set creates an inviting environment that facilitates sleep, while the live performance inspired by Cao Xueqin’s 18th century Chinese novel “Dream of the Red Chamber” — an epic love story between a stone and a flower – is performed, gently trying to shape the audience’s dreams

If you’re around Times Square this weekend stop by, hop in, & take a nap.


Dream of the Red Chamber, a performance for a sleeping audience.
by Jim Findlay
Brill Building / 1619 Broadway (between 49th and 50th)
May 16 – 5pm to 12m
May 17 – 5pm to 6am

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