The Greene Space at WNYC and WQXR Announces Highlights from the 2024 Spring Season
Events include a night of readings for National Poetry Month with WNYC’s Morning Edition Host MICHAEL HILL; “Global Movements, Local Impacts: An Evening with WNYC & BBC Newshour” – a roundtable looking at the impacts of migration; and an Asian American / Pacific Islander Heritage Month celebration with performers from the Metropolitan Opera
Award-winning singer, songwriter, and musician Toshi Reagon named The Greene Space’s Artist in Residence Spring 2024
(New York, NY – April 19, 2024) – Today, The Jerome L. Greene Performance Space at WNYC and WQXR announce exciting highlights from its upcoming season of vibrant live programming featuring classical stars, award-winning artists, WNYC radio hosts, and the Spring 2024 Artist in Residence Toshi Reagon.
The season kicks off on Friday, April 19 with Poetry Unplugged with Morning Edition. For years, WNYC has invited its listeners to submit poems for National Poetry Month, to be read on-air. This special event will bring together WNYC’s favorite local poets to read for a live audience.
In honor of Earth Month, WQXR and Juilliard students present thought-provoking performances inspired by our changing environment (4/30). In May, WQXR partners with the Metropolitan Opera to mark Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month with live musical performances by singers including Siman Chung, Yi Li, and Ying Fang (5/1).
The Greene Space will also present three nights with its Spring 2024 Artist in Residence, multi-talented folk, blues, gospel, rock, and funk musician Toshi Reagon. During these performances, Reagon will present songs from her congregational opera based on Octavia E. Butler’s novels Parable of the Sower and Parable of the Talents, which enjoyed renewed popularity during the pandemic.
“The Greene Space serves as a home for artists working at the intersection of journalism, art, and media. We are delighted that our spring season showcases diverse voices and perspectives that will spark crucial conversations and inspire positive change,” said Kristina Newman-Scott, Executive Director, The Greene Space. “Through our programming, we aim to cultivate a sense of unity among our audience and foster deeper connections between them.”
WNYC LIVE
POETRY UNPLUGGED
Friday, April 19 at 7-8:30pm
WNYC Morning Edition host Michael Hill celebrates National Poetry Month with live readings by some of WNYC’s favorite local poets.
GLOBAL MOVEMENTS, LOCAL IMPACTS: AN EVENING WITH WNYC AND BBC NEWSHOUR
Wednesday, May 1 at 7-8:30pm
WNYC goes beyond the headlines about immigration with a panel of journalists including WNYC reporter Arun Venugopal, BBC Newshour host Nuala McGovern, and BBC Assistant Editor Heba Ayoub. Moderated by Director of the Migration Policy Institute at New York University School of Law Muzaffar Chishti.
WQXR LIVE
WQXR CELEBRATES EARTH MONTH WITH JULLIARD
Monday, April 30 at 7-8:15pm
Exceptional Juilliard music and drama students unite to create an unforgettable “open house” that celebrates our planet. The performance promises to be a thought-provoking experience that showcases the talent and creativity of Juilliard’s rising stars, and sparks conversations about the natural world and its influence on artists. Hosted by Annie Bergen.
WQXR AND THE METROPOLITAN OPERA CELEBRATE ASIAN AMERICAN PACIFIC ISLANDER HERITAGE MONTH
Monday, May 6 at 7-8:15pm
This live event features performances by singers Siman Chung, Yi Li, and Ying Fang, and pianist Katelan Trần Terrell. Debra Lew Harder will moderate a discussion with the singers and composer Huang Ruo – who will talk about his upcoming NY premiere of An American Soldier – and Tony Award-winning scenic designer Mimi Lien.
PRIDE NIGHT WITH QUEEN OF THE NIGHT WITH THORGY THOR
Friday, June 7 at 7-8:15pm
Drag performance artist and violinist Thorgy Thor is back to round off her residency with a variety show celebrating Pride Month. Expect fantastic musical guests, drinks, games, and comedy.
ARTIST IN RESIDENCE: TOSHI REAGON
SONGS FOR THE JOURNEY
Wednesday, May 15, 7-8:30
Toshi Reagon is the creator of the congregational opera based on Octavia E. Butler’s Parable of the Sower and Parable of the Talents. She invites audiences to participate in an intergenerational Freedom Song Rehearsal that explores resilience, hope, and the unyielding human spirit reverberating through the music.
THE PARABLE PATH: WALKING IN THE FOOTSTEPS OF OCTAVIA E. BUTLER
Tuesday, May 21, 7-8:30pm
Reagon hosts a discussion and performance that draws wisdom from Octavia E. Butler’s Parable of the Sower and Parable of the Talents, including climate change, urban resilience, and the importance of community in the face of adversity.
2024 DO YOU KNOW WHO YOU’RE VOTING FOR
Wednesday, May 22, 7-8:30pm
Globally, more voters than ever in history will head to the polls as at least 72 countries (plus the European Union)—representing a combined population of about 49% of the people in the world—are meant to hold national elections. The results, for many, will prove consequential for years to come. Media activist and filmmaker, J. Bob Alotta, explores options for agency and accountability in the age of disinformation.
Information and tickets for each event may be found at: https://thegreenespace.org/events/
Select events are available as a live webstream at www.thegreenespace.org.
Additional events will be announced throughout the Spring.
Lead philanthropic support for The Jerome L. Greene Performance Space is provided by The Jerome L. Greene Foundation. Additional support for The Greene Space comes from the Howard Gilman Foundation and public funds from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the City Council. The Greene Space Artist-in-Residence Program is supported in part by the National Endowment for the Arts.
ABOUT THE JEROME L. GREENE PERFORMANCE SPACE
The Greene Space is New York Public Radio’s intimate performance space and multiplatform production studio with a mission to channel the collective genius of New York City to produce forward-looking live art, theater, and journalism that sparks change. It provides a space for fostering artistic experimentation and exploration, convening challenging conversations and forging connections between New York City’s diverse communities. Since 2009, The Greene Space has hosted luminaries including Janelle Monáe and The National, actors Frances McDormand and the late Philip Seymour Hoffman, writers Nikki Giovanni, Hilton Als, and Roxane Gay, and newsmakers Mayor Bill de Blasio and Chelsea Manning, among many others. For more information, visit www.thegreenespace.org.
ABOUT THE ARTIST IN RESIDENCE PROGRAM
The Greene Space’s Artist in Residence (AIR) program welcomes NYC’s most innovative artists, cultural institutions, and community organizations as partners in curation and programming. The AIR program prioritizes the creation and advancement of socially conscious and relevant works by artists and organizations that help promote a more equitable society in NYC and beyond.