Wednesday, July 24 – 8 p.m.
BALLET FOLCLORICO DE CHILE EXCLUSIVE NY ENGAGEMENT
Founded in 1987, the Ballet Folclórico de Chile has performed all over the world, offering audiences a rich repertoire of dance pieces influenced by the different folkloric groups of Chile and neighboring countries Bolivia, Argentina and Peru. Twenty professional dancers, trained in ballet and wearing traditional and colorful costumes, will carry out exquisite choreography to a delightful selection of live music, creating an evening of visual poetry.
$30 Day of Performance, $25 Advance, $20 Members
Prior to the event there will be a Gallery Reception in the lobby of the Theatre with an art installation by Alex Rivera, free to the public. After the performance there will be a party for ticket holders starting at 9:30 p.m. with live music by the band Grupo Konga.
Thursday, July 25 – 8 p.m.
ALBERTO CORTEZ – EXCLUSIVE NY ENGAGEMENT
Known throughout Latin America and Europe, he is famous for turning literature into music using the work of classical writers such as Lope de Vega and el Marqués de Santillana, as well as the poetry of Antonio Machado. Argentinean singer and poet, Alberto Cortez will awaken and stir your soul with his deep, warm and sensuous voice and a selection of his popular songs.
$35 Day of Performance,$30 Advance, $25 Members
Thursday, July 25 – 8:00 p.m.
LATINO FLAVORED PRODUCTIONS presents “Yo Soy Latina” (“I am Latina”)
A Dominicana, a Nuyorican, a Chicana, a Panamanian, a Colombiana and a half Irish / half Cuban are invited to a “What is a Latina?” seminar. The women must figure out what will make them feel free. The facilitator never arrives and they wind up running the seminar themselves. The women share their opinions on Latino men, sex, favorite foods, interracial relationships, abuelas (grandmothers), and racism within and outside the Latino community, traveling into their own personal experiences through individual monologues. The performance will be in English.
$15 Day of Performance, $12 Advance,$10 Members
Friday, July 26 – 8:30 p.m.
CUCO VALOY
He made his first tambora (drum) at the tender age of four and is now known all over the world for his contribution to music from the West Indies. A legend in the Dominican Republic and one of New York's favorite artists, singer and composer Cuco Valoy, also known as El Brujo (the Warlock), will get you on your feet and dancing to the sounds of tropical music, savoring a mixture of merengue, salsa and cumbia rhythms.
$25 Day of Performance, $20 Advance, $15 Members
Saturday, July 27 – 3 p.m.
SESAME WORKSHOP presents “Sesame Street Music Works” Sesame Workshop, the creators of Sesame Street, proudly present “Sesame Street Music Works,” a bilingual initiative that encourages children to explore, create and grow with music. The project, which is designed for parents, early childhood professionals, music educators, and music therapists, offers tools and activities to bring music to life for young children and discover new ways to make, learn and appreciate music. The presentation will include the showing of a children's video in Spanish.
Following the presentation there will be a discussion about the power of music in children's lives that includes a Q&A session.
Walkaround Elmo will meet and greet the children before the event. After the workshop you can have your photo taken with walkaround Elmo at no charge.
FREE – RSVP required
Saturday, July 27 – 8 p.m.
ALTIPLANO
Founded in 1976, Altiplano presents a magnificent repertoire of traditional Andean and Amazonian music, taking you through a voyage of ancestral South American cultures, combined with their original compositions. Focusing on their identity, Altiplano's goal is to avoid being recognized as an exotic icon. They seek to be acknowledged as a group whose music has evolved not only from their heritage, but also through a lifetime of constructive work, interaction and dialogue with other cultures.
$25 Day of Performance, $20 Advance, $15 Members
Sunday, July 28 – 7 p.m.
ENSAMBLE GURRUFIO – EXCLUSIVE NY ENGAGEMENT
Ensamble Gurrufío has created a new style of instrumental Venezuelan music, using as their fundamental elements improvisation and spontaneity, while keeping the romanticism, melancholy and smoothness of Venezuelan tradition as the core of their sound. “What Piazzola does with tango, Gurrufío does with joropos, danzas and merengues.” -The Washington Post
CAFE CON PAN will be the opening act for Ensamble Gurrufío. Led by Humberto Medina, this New York band will offer an enjoyable selection of traditional Venezuelan music, interpreting joropos, gaitas tamboreras, guazas, and fulias, among other rhythms.
$25 Day of Performance, $20 Advance, $15 Members
Tuesday, July 30 – 8 p.m.
“DEMASIADO AMOR” (“Too Much Love”)
Film: Mexico, 2001 / Directed By: Ernesto Rimoch
In this romantic comedy, the orphan sisters Beatriz and Laura dream of immigrating to a foreign country. Their goal is to run a lodging house and live off the rents. They don't have enough money for the two tickets to Europe, so Laura travels to Spain to start off the project, and Beatriz remains alone in Mexico waiting for the right moment to catch up with her sister. While Beatriz nurtures the desire to move away, she begins to feed off dreams and fantasies. In the midst of easy love affairs that earn her enough money to support Laura who has not been able to find a job in Spain, Beatriz meets Carlos, a man with whom she travels throughout Mexico, discovering the unimaginable beauty of her country, her soul and her own body. The film is in Spanish with English Subtitles. “Demasiado Amor” is presented in collaboration with CinemaTropical.
$6 Day of Performance, $4 Members
Thursday, Aug. 1 – 8:30 p.m.
SPINETTA – EXCLUSIVE NY ENGAGEMENT
Argentinean rock star Spinetta is one of the founders of Latin America's Rock en Español movement and one of the first to fuse rock rhythms into traditional South American music. Influenced by some of the most important US rock bands, Spinetta formed his first band in 1968, recorded his first LP in 1970 and has since become one of the most influential and successful Spanish rock musicians. Spinetta will bring a fiery lineup of some of his old tunes as well as his latest compositions.
$25 Day of Performance, $20 Advance, $15 Members
Friday, Aug. 2 – 8:30 p.m.
DANILO PEREZ TRIO
Panamanian pianist and composer Danilo Pérez is a leader in a new generation of jazz musicians. An innovative and immensely talented player with a sophisticated grasp of jazz traditions, Danilo is never content to simply rehash the music of earlier masters. By combining distinctive Latin rhythms with his abiding love for jazz, he's earned a reputation as an artist who transcends conventional definitions of jazz. Grammy nominated Danilo Pérez has already left a remarkably fresh imprint on contemporary music and offers one of the grooviest performances, not to be forgotten!
$25 Day of Performance, $20 Advance, $15 Members
Saturday, Aug. 3 – 3 p.m. & Sunday, Aug. 4 – 6 p.m.
L’OM-IMPREBIS presents “La Mujer Invisible” (“The Bogus Woman”) – US PREMIERE
All the way from Spain, “La Mujer Invisible” is a drama about an intellectual African woman who arrives in a European country looking for political asylum. Written by award winning British playwright, Kay Ashead, and directed by Spanish director Santiago Sánchez, the piece discloses the cruel reality of immigration in today's Europe. The Spanish interpretation of the very talented translator Carla Matteini, carries on the rich colloquial and poetic language of Ashead’s original script while maintaining the core themes and sentiment of the story. “La Mujer” is the brilliant Brazilian actress Rita Siriaka who portrays a multitude of characters; her performance is passionate and compelling even as it navigates such complex subjects as human rights violations. The English production of “La Mujer Invisible” won the Fringe First Award in 2000 in its successful performance at the Edinburgh Festival. The performance will be in Spanish.
$20 Day of Performance, $15 Advance, $12 Members
Saturday, Aug. 3 – 7 p.m. & 10 p.m.
SOLEDAD
Just as Argentinean tango has become famous the world over, through the voice of 21-year-old Soledad, the world may soon embrace another style of Argentinean music known as sones folclóricos. Soledad is currently the most celebrated singer of Argentinean popular music to emerge in the last decade. Not only has she recorded with top artists such as Ricky Martin, she has been recognized by Sony International for having sold one million copies of her first two albums.
$50 Day of Performance, $45 Advance, $43 Members
Sunday, Aug. 4 – 3 p.m.
BALLET FIESTA MEXICANA
Ballet Fiesta Mexicana was created by Yloy Ybarra in 1999 as a means to provide the public with the opportunity to discover and appreciate the performing arts while developing cultural awareness of Mexico's vast folkloric history. Ybarra’s rich and diverse repertory celebrates Mexico’s history from the pre-Columbian civilizations through to the revolutionary years. Working with Young Audiences New York, Arts Connection and different cultural organizations, Ballet Fiesta Mexicana has brought the experience of Mexico's folklore, dance, music and regional costume to thousands of students. The company has quickly become a success in its engagements at Queens Museum, the National Arts Club (tribute to Octavio Paz), the American Museum of Natural History, the Metropolitan Museum of New York, Thalia Spanish Theatre and this year at Riverside Church. Ballet Fiesta Mexicana continues to act as an ambassador for Mexican culture in America through its creative performance.
FREE for Children, $5 Adults
Sunday, Aug. 4 – 7 p.m.
“BICHO DE SETE CABECAS” (Brainstorm)
Film: Brazil, 2001 / Directed By: Laís Bodanzky
This Brazilian box office hit is based on the true story of a middle class adolescent forced to endure a hellish trip when he is unjustly sent to a mental institution. It is the story of an odyssey lived by Neto, a handsome young man living the average São Paolo teenage life of alternative rock, road trips and the occasional marijuana joint. Neto would rather spend more time with his friends than at home with his overbearing parents. Feeling they can no longer control him, Neto's parents trick their son into being admitted to a mental institution. Neto falls into the absurd system of cruelty and corruption of an archaic hospital bureaucracy. His is a voyage that pivots between reality and fantasy and is a bad trip that threatens to push Neto over the edge into insanity… The film is in Portuguese with Spanish Subtitles. “Bicho de Sete Cabecas” is presented in collaboration with CinemaTropical. Following the film there will be a Q&A session with the Director of the film.
$6 Day of Performance, $4 Members
Tuesday, Augu. 6 – 8 p.m.
“LA FUGA” (The Escape)
Film: Argentina, 2000 / Directed By: Eduardo Mignona
Best Foreign Film, GOYA award winner “La Fuga” brings together a cast of Argentina's most popular actors in a film of tenderness, love, mercy and terror. It is the summer of 1928 and several men are crawling inside a tunnel. The calculations fail and the hole leading them to freedom absurdly opens in the middle of a coal and timber shop in Buenos Aires, owned by a Spanish couple who realize the hole is the end of a tunnel crossing the street from the National Penitentiary building just in front. From this moment on, the film retells the fate of each of these runaways: an anarchist, a crook, three murderers, a card cheater, and an innocent man. They are tough guys, with moral codes of their own, ready to do anything not to go back to prison. The film is in Spanish with English Subtitles. “La Fuga” is presented in collaboration with CinemaTropical.
$6 Day of Performance, $4 Members
Wednesday, Aug. 7 – 8 p.m.
A-QUO DANZA CONTEMPORANEA – US PREMIERE featuring “LA PRESA” Founded in 1997, this contemporary Mexican dance company has presented its work on renowned national stages all over Mexico as well as distinguished Festivals such as “The Ocsar Lopes Ibero American Festival.” Co-director Lourdes Luna possesses a remarkable ability to create choreography filled with dynamic phrases and rigorous naturalness, while co-director Bernardo Torres’ choreography is underscored by a theatrical background. The work of A-quo Danza Contemporánea has achieved its own prominence on the merit of its unique corporal language.
“LA PRESA” – WORLD PREMIERE
This year the Theatre has commissioned for the first time the presentation of a bi-national collaborative dance project with artists from Mexico and the United States. The project, which resulted in the creation of the dance piece, “La Presa” (that which is hunted), was developed in Mexico and choreographed by Stephen Petronio to the music of composer Carlo Nicolau. “La Presa” will celebrate its World Premiere as part of A-quo Danza Contemporánea’s repertoire in this year’s Festival.
$30 Day of Performance, $25 Advance, $20 Members
Thursday, Aug. 8 – 8 p.m.
DIVAS MEXICANAS
Magos Herrera and Iraida Noriega have two of the most beautiful voices from Mexico's contemporary music scene. The combination of Magos’ jazzy fusion of Latin rhythms and Iraida's own jazz journey, create a powerful, deep and magical show that gives us a clear sound of the new voice of Mexican artists. Both young vocalists are featured in the acclaimed compilation CDs Mexican Divas vol. II & III (Opción Sónica).
$20 Day of Performance, $15 Advance, $12 Members
Friday, Aug.9 – 8 p.m.
JOHNNY PACHECO
For decades, Johnny Pacheco has been at the center of the Latin music universe. His nine Grammy nominations, ten Gold records and numerous awards pay tribute to his creative talent as musician, composer, arranger, bandleader, and producer. Moreover, he is the pioneer of an unforgettable musical era that changed the face of tropical music history, the Fania All-Stars era. Pacheco's pioneering musical approach has made him one of the most solicited producers in Latin music. He has worked with many of the best Salsa artists like Celia Cruz, Willie Colón, Héctor Lavoe, Rubén Blades, Cheo Feliciano, and Pete “El Conde” Rodríguez and has also been recognized all over the world as one of the top flutists of this era.
$25 Day of Performance, $20 Advance, $15 Members
Saturday, Aug.10 – 3 p.m. & 7 p.m.
TEATRO HUGO & INES presents “Short Stories”
This Peruvian theatre troupe has performed throughout the Americas, Canada, Europe and Asia, including the Henson International festival of Puppet Theatre in New York. It has become one of the most popular puppetry companies in the World. On this occasion, Hugo will perform a one-man show of “Short Stories,” offering an astounding and delightful performance for youngsters and adults. Creating a riot of characters composed of hands, knees, feet, elbows, and a handful of props, Hugo will transform the ordinary into extraordinary as he introduces audiences to a parade of memorable beings who, in their brief moments on the scene, play out the poetic moments of daily life. This performance is for ages 10 and up.
FREE for Children (ages 10-17 yrs.)
Adults: $12 Day of Performance, $10 Advance,$8 Members
Sunday, Aug. 11 – 7 p.m.
ALBITA
A contemporary star of Cuban music, Albita combines Afro-Cuban and Spanish rhythms with modern arrangements, original poetry, and a hipster's flair. She has been credited for reviving styles of indigenous country Cuban music that had gone out of fashion, giving a modern twist to guajiras and sones. On stage, Albita is a study in smoldering sensuality and daring rakishness, making audiences swoon with her potent voice and her electric moves. Watch her hips dissolve into a polyrhythmic son, and you'll understand why her reputation as an intoxicating performer has preceded her.
$30 Day of Performance, $25 Advance, $20 Members
July 24 – August 11
ART INSTALLATION – ALEX RIVERA
Artist Alex Rivera will produce an interactive multi-media installation that will be displayed in the lobby of Queens Theatre in the Park. The installation will use live video and sculptural elements to address the Latino immigrant experience. The computer is central to Alex’s work, both technically and metaphorically, as he uses the language and imagery of ‘Cyberspace,’ to create rich metaphors and ironic juxtapositions. His work is unique in that his videos are less narrative, documentary, or experimental; it would be more accurate to say that they are built as ‘radical collages’ that force startling collisions of concepts.
Acknowledgements
Sponsors: AT&T, Delta Air Lines, Con Edison, Hoy, LTV and Time Warner Cable of New York City.
These events are also made possible with public funds from the National Endowment for the Arts, the New York State Council on the Arts and the NYC Department of Cultural Affairs Challenge Grant Program. Additional funding has been provided by the New York Community Trust, the St. Paul Companies, Inc. Foundation and Arts International with funding from the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation, The Ford Foundation, and The Rockefeller Foundation.
Queens Theatre in the Park is funded in part by the NYC Department of Cultural Affairs, Claire Shulman: Borough President of Queens, Speaker Peter F. Vallone and The Council of the City of New York, and the Queens Delegation of the New York State Legislature, with additional funding provided by Assembly members Jeffrion Aubry, Barbara Clark, Michael Cohen, Ivan C. Lafayette, Marge Markey, Nettie Mayersohn, Audrey Pheffer, and Mark Weprin and NYS Senator Serphin R. Maltese.
Tickets
To purchase tickets, for reservations and information, call 760-0064.
All performances and events will take place at Queens Theatre in the Park, located in the historic Flushing Meadows Corona Park, right off of exit 9E from the Grand Central Parkway (near Shea Stadium).
