Perelman Performing Arts Center (PAC NYC)

Icons of Culture Festival kicks off tonight with our opening night gala and to celebrate we commemorate MTV co-founder Tom Freston as the ✨FIRST✨ PAC NYC Icon of Culture. “When Tom Freston walks through the door, somehow everybody else gets a whole lot better.” -Bono His indelible leadership and influence on music, media, and philanthropy make him a true icon. Congratulations Tom 💚

This week, the Lobby Stage performances are ICONS OF CULTURE FESTIVAL themed! Who is joining us for both conversations and free performances? Baaba Maal 🎵 (WEDNESDAY @ 9:00 PM) Born in the far north of Senegal, Baaba Maal sings about the technological, political, and environmental pressure on Africa as a country and continent, but still sings of his hometown of Podor on the edge of the Sahara desert, a place where many of the cultures of Western Africa meet. PETER X 📻 (THURSDAY @ 5:30 PM) Peter X is a Brooklyn based DJ and the curator behind Oscillate. His sound deftly blends together a number of genres from disco to minimal, capturing audiences and keeping them moving all night long. First Life 🥁 (FRIDAY @ 7:00 PM) First Life is a dynamic hip-hop/jazz band formed in the heart of downtown Jersey City, New Jersey. The group features four talented members: Adam Lomeo on guitar, André Mayes on turntables, Emilio Guarino on bass, and Lateef Dameer on the MPC/drum machine. Chinatown Records 華埠錄音 🎧 (FRIDAY @ 9:00 PM) Chinatown Records 華埠錄音 is a homegrown community effort to celebrate the music, memory, and history that comes with inherited family collections. Based in Manhattan Chinatown, artist and oral history educator YiuYiu 瑶瑶 is both DJ and researcher for the Chinatown Records archive, caring for and activating over 30 record/CD/tape collections inherited from her family and neighbors. Nora Schell 🎤 (SATURDAY @ 4:00 PM) Nora Schell is a Drama Desk, Drama League, and Clive Barnes Award nominated actor. Though they are primarily known for their theater career, they are just as passionate and dedicated to sharing their songwriting talents. Nora’s original music finds itself at the intersection of Y2K singer songwriter pop and early aughts pop punk, with faint echoes of 90’s grunge and riot grrrl influence…all funneled through the lens of Blackness. COMMUNITY ROOM with Elijah Amitin of Zopa 🎵 (SATURDAY @ 7:00 PM) Community Room is the electronic synth project of Elijah Amitin, Combining elements of, disco, funk, soul, Latin, classic techno, and house with analog sound design, this native New Yorker aims to express the common heartbeat of the city through deep danceable grooves and lyrical melodies. Kai, The Black Angel 🎙️ (SATURDAY @ 9:00 PM) Kai, the Black Angel is a New York City phenomenon. There’s nothing this person can’t take a grab at and dominate. There are so many people involved in the New York City nightlife, but only a select few can successfully stand out and let their talent speak for itself. Kai is one of them.

In Case You Missed It: Meet the first artists and artistic collaborations chosen to receive the 2024 Democracy Cycle commissions! Javaad Alipoor - America’s Kingdoms (working title) Baye & Asa - At the Altar (working title) Charlotte Brathwaite, June Cross, and Sunder Ganglani - Douglass v. Democracy (working title) Pablo Manzi and Teatro Bonobo - Estampida Humana (Human Stampede) Angélica Négron - The Puerto Rico Experiment (working title) Vickie Ramirez, Ty Defoe, and Jeanette Harrison - Six Nations: One Fire (working title) Abigail Nessen Bengson and The Bengsons - Sovereignty Hymns Talvin Wilks and Paul Schiff Berman - The Truth Beneath Congratulations to all these artists! What is The Democracy Cycle? The Democracy Cycle invites artists to explore themes relating to the nature, practice, and experience of democracy. This multi-year commissioning program is committed to 25 commissions across theater, opera, dance, music, and multidisciplinary practices. Each commissioned project will receive $60,000 in support, consisting of a $30,000 commission and another $30,000 for project development. Submissions for The Democracy Cycle’s next open call for proposals will begin in January 2025. https://lnkd.in/emqW6vbn

Emmy® Award-winning star of The Sopranos and The White Lotus Michael Imperioli discusses his multi-hyphenated artistic career and the milestone 25th anniversary of The Sopranos with international best-selling author Clémence Michallon (The Quiet Tenant). Tickets: https://lnkd.in/e_V5T-Pf

High wire artist Philippe Petit (Man on Wire) reflects on the 50th anniversary of his illegal walk between the Twin Towers with PAC NYC Artistic Director Bill Rauch. Tickets: https://lnkd.in/e_V5T-Pf

Award-winning Chef Marcus Samuelsson opens up with Iron Chef judge Nilou Motamed about his vision as a culinary artist, his African and Scandinavian aesthetics, and his celebration of food, music, culture, and art to impact the world. Tickets: https://lnkd.in/e_V5T-Pf

Say hello to some of our ICONS. See them in conversation starting October 30. Buy tickets: https://lnkd.in/e_V5T-Pf

Announcing the special guest for the LITTLE GOLD MEN LIVE episode being recorded at ICONS next week: John David Washington! Tix available: https://lnkd.in/e8e4TZDU

Do you have a favorite recipe from ICONIC chef Marcus Samuelsson? Come hear him in conversation with Nilou Motamed on Nov 2: https://lnkd.in/e_V5T-Pf

The weather may not be getting much colder, but October is flying by. Here is what is coming up this week on the Lobby Stage. Free and open to the public BMCC Live: Monologue Slam 📝 (WEDNESDAY @ 3:00 PM) Borough of Manhattan Community College (BMCC/CUNY) is proud to present free performances from the college’s music as well as speech, communication, and theatre arts departments as part of our afternoon showcase series each month. Meliki Hurd 🎵 (THURSDAY @ 7:00 PM) Meliki is a versatile artist from Brooklyn who uses storytelling at the core of all his work, whether in front of the camera or behind it. As a music artist, he draws on his acting background to infuse real-life stories into his lyrics. Goldie Harris 🎧 (THURSDAY @ 8:30 PM) Blending house, hip-hop, R&B, UK garage, grime, reggae/dancehall, afrobeats, amapiano, and Brazilian funk, Goldie’s mission is to make you dance to the rhythm of a global fusion. Michiko Egger 🎸 (FRIDAY @ 5:30 PM) Michiko Egger is a guitarist, singer, and songwriter based in Brooklyn. She is best known for her work with the Tony Award-winning Broadway show, Hadestown. NYCHA Resident Showcase 🎙️ (SATURDAY @ 3:00 PM) Spotlighting the incredible talents of public housing residents from across our city, this vibrant event features an array of performances, ranging from the powerful verses of spoken word poetry to dynamic dance routines, soulful music, and captivating singing. The showcase provides a platform for residents to express their creativity, share their stories, and connect with a broader audience, celebrating the rich cultural diversity and artistic brilliance within NYCHA communities. Fusilier 🎤 (SATURDAY @ 7:00 PM) Fusilier’s EP, Treason (Ba Da Bing!) locates its universe right after the Big Bang, where fragments join and create something entirely new. This liminal space in between is what occupies the mind of Atlanta-raised, Brooklyn-based multi-instrumentalist Blake Fusilier. See the entire October lineup at the link in our bio