Jean Butler News

Nyu Skirball has announced its 2018-19 Dance Season! See full details below!

The American Dance Festival (ADF) kicks off week #4 with the return of Tere O'Connor Dance performing the ADF-commissioned Long Run. The North Carolina Museum of Art once again partners with ADF to present Dana Ruttenberg Dance Group's witty, interactive Naba 2.0. The Carolina Theater stage will be the scene of five spectacular solos by Michelle Dorrance, Rhapsody James, Yabin Wang, Aparna Ramaswamy, and Camille A. Brown in the Wondrous Women program. The talented ADF faculty will present work at Reynolds Industries Theater. ADF's Movies by Movers continues its summer screenings, and ADF School Tours offer a glimpse into the world of dancers-in-training.

I have never written 'tour de force' without a hint of irony. But that's simply the most accurate way to describe RIVERDANCE - THE 20TH ANNIVERSARY WORLD TOUR. The longest-running and most popular Irish-centric international dance act in history has been seen by over 25 million people over 20 years for one reason: it's really, really good.

The small house at T.U. Studios quickly filled as 8 p.m. ticked closer. The set was reminiscent of a small-town restaurant and bar set in the Midwest: Minnesota Viking banners adorned the walls and bar, a mounted deer head peered over the coat rack, and beer propaganda took up all other open spaces. A small table with a few chairs set center stage, and a bowl of mini pretzels sat on top of the table. It felt homey, warm and strangely inviting.

Mention the name 'Riverdance' and the general thought of many is Michael Flatley. Yes, Flatley, the Irish dance champion and the theatrical show consisting of mainly Irish music and dance, are synonymous.

Pulitzer Prize-winning Irish poet, former New Yorker Poetry Editor and pop music lyricist Paul Muldoon returns for his eighth season of the critically acclaimed feast of music, storytelling, poetry, and more.

Cathy Weis Projects announces the fall 2017 season of Sundays on Broadway, an ongoing series of performances, film screenings, and discussions on Sunday evenings at WeisAcres.

Actor Stephen Rea and cellist Neil Martin visit 92Y's Unterberg Poetry Center on Monday, May 22 at 7:30 PM for a words and music performance of  Seamus Heaney's translation of Virgil's Aeneid Book VI. The performance is a U.S. premiere; Rea and Martin, both of whom were friends and collaborators of Heaney, have performed the piece in the U.K.

The international Irish dance phenomenon, Riverdance, is delighting Syracuse audiences at the Crouse Hinds Theater. Now in its 20th year, it's easy to see why this dazzling production remains so popular and beloved. Under the fabulous direction of John McColgan, the dancers, musicians, and singers give captivating and high energy performances that leave us wanting more.

The annual dysfunctional family Christmas gathering? Oy! This family lives in Minnesota. Double oy!! Issue at hand: not one of the family members is anywhere near to being happy. Mom (Belinda Howell) is in denial, keeping her breast cancer a secret, her doctor son Michael (Patrick Burke) has been mysteriously separated from wife Jill (Rebekah Dunn) for three months, other son Carl (Greg D. Barnett), a struggling writer, is estranged from his girlfriend Rita, and daughter Stacey (Truett Jean Butler) is gay and separated from her partner, who hasn't yet told her parents about their relationship. Then there's obnoxious intruder Uncle Bob (Fox Carney) who does his best to upset everyone with his disgustingly uber jovial disposition, and Grandma (Marcia Rodd), with a tongue that could cut glass, who sashays around them all with digs, jibes and a whole barrel of insulting fun. Doug Engalla has skillfully directed a superb cast of players who only have to speak Phil Olson's hysterically funny lines to get laughs. It's a howler a la Neil Simon with a laugh about every two seconds, and each character has that dry infectious Minnesota accent that makes you double over every time you hear it.

The Group Rep presents the world premiere comedy A Nice Family Christmas written by Phil Olson, directed by Doug Engalla, produced by Alyson York.

The Group Rep presents the world premiere comedy A Nice Family Christmas written by Phil Olson, directed by Doug Engalla, produced by Alyson York.

It just wouldn't seem like the holidays at Harris Center for the Arts in Folsom without the wildly successful An Irish Christmas making another welcome return. This popular show is a great Irish celebration, bringing joy, hope, laughter, friendship, celebration of life through storytelling, music, song, and dance in a night that sparkles with life and a bit of 'Irish magic'!

It just wouldn't seem like the holidays at Harris Center for the Arts in Folsom without the wildly successful An Irish Christmas making another welcome return. This popular show is a great Irish celebration, bringing joy, hope, laughter, friendship, celebration of life through storytelling, music, song, and dance in a night that sparkles with life and a bit of 'Irish magic'!

Folks who are unfamiliar with the Don't Hug Me series of shows need look no further than at the signs in the lobby of the group rep that say 'Have a Crappie Day!' It's obvious that the show inside is unlike any other with an unmistakable individuality and peculiarly regional point of view, that everyone can relate to. We've all known people like these crazy characters. In a long series of Don't Hug Me productions the Olson Brothers are at it again, this time around with Don't Hug Me, We're Married, now onstage in NoHo through November 15.

The Group Rep presents the world premiere musical comedy Don't Hug Me, We're Married with book and lyrics by Phil Olson, music by Paul Olson, directed by Doug Engalla, choreography by Stan Mazin, and produced by Laura Coker for the Group Rep. The fifth in the popular Don't Hug Me series of musicals is set for a limited run, October 3rd through November 15th, at the Lonny Chapman Theatre in the NoHo Theatre and Arts District - North Hollywood, CA.

Baryshnikov Arts Center (BAC) is pleased to announce the dance presentations featured on the Spring 2014 BAC Presents performance series. The three presentations in March, April, and May are U.S. and New York Premieres of new works by international dance artists, reflecting BAC's mission to present and support innovative, contemporary choreographers and dancers from around the world.

Baryshnikov Arts Center (BAC) is pleased to announce the dance presentations featured on the Spring 2014 BAC Presents performance series. The three presentations in March, April, and May are U.S. and New York Premieres of new works by international dance artists, reflecting BAC's mission to present and support innovative, contemporary choreographers and dancers from around the world.

New York Live Arts presents the world premiere of Elena Demyanenko and Dai Jian's Blue Room, today, February 13 - 15 at 7:30pm in the New York Live Arts Theater. Also on the bill will be the world premiere of Raw Nerves, a solo by Demyanenko in collaboration with performer Leah Morrison, and Deja Ve - As a solo, a work by Dai Jian featuring Jian and dancer Austin Selden.