1. art and entertainment
2. theatre

2O14-2O15
THEATER
MUSIC
DANCE
CABARET
JAZZ
SIGNATURE EVENTS
WELCOME…
to McCarter’s 2014-2015 season!
Each year, the arrival of spring heralds a period of reflection and anticipation. Usually,
we are in the throes of a bustling presenting season and wrapping up our final theater
production of the current season and, after several months—in some cases, several
years—of diligent work, we are finally able to announce next season’s programming to
the donors, subscribers, and patrons who make this extraordinary effort so worthwhile.
The 2013-2014 season featured an array of stories. We traveled from Hyde Park, Chicago
to Hangzhou, China; we met August Wilson’s iconic Troy Maxson and Beaumarchais’
resilient Figaro. This sort of variety is a hallmark of McCarter’s Theater Series, and I am
proud to continue the tradition with the upcoming 2014-2015 season.
The year will begin with Shakespeare’s Antony and Cleopatra, a play I have been
yearning to direct since, at age 19, I assisted Tony Richardson on his production in
London. Performing the title role of Cleopatra will be the luminous Nicole Ari Parker
who was Blanche DuBois in my 2012 Broadway production of A Streetcar Named Desire. I’ve chosen to direct
Antony and Cleopatra on McCarter’s Berlind stage to ignite the intimate and seductive nature of the central love
story. Trust me, this will be a hot ticket.
The second production I’d like to highlight is Ken Ludwig’s Baskerville: A Sherlock Holmes Mystery. While I have long
admired his work, McCarter has never done one of Ken’s plays before. I am delighted that next year, in partnership with
Arena Stage in Washington DC, we will be the first to produce Ken’s newest comedy, a mystery thriller brought to life
with exquisite theatrical magic. Baskerville, which will be directed by McCarter favorite Gary Griffin, is an adventure
for the whole family.
Rounding out the season is Theresa Rebeck’s biting backstage comedy, The Understudy, directed by Adam Immerwahr,
a brilliant young artist who is McCarter’s Associate Artistic Director. In January, a new production of Athol Fugard’s
powerful and moving political play Sizwe Banzi is Dead will come to McCarter after opening at the esteemed
Market Theatre in South Africa. Finally, we will close the 2014-2015 season with Five Mile Lake by Rachel Bonds,
an extraordinary new talent. I fell in love with the tender and lyric Five Mile Lake as soon as I read it and cannot wait
to share this work and this writer with you.
As I hope is evident, we take great care at McCarter in selecting individual plays to produce, and in crafting
a robust, varied, and engaging season. I applaud you, our loyal subscribers, for taking full advantage of all the
Theater Series has to offer.
I look forward to seeing you at the theater!
Sincerely,
Emily Mann
Artistic Director/Resident Playwright
1 | 2014-2015 SEASON
RENEW
SUBSCRIBER BENEFITS
• You’re guaranteed a prime seating location all season.
• First choice of seat upgrades at time of renewal.
Flexibility – free and unlimited ticket exchanges
• (for
tickets of equal value). Donors of $100 or more
receive one free seat upgrade.
• 20% off tickets to the Theater Series ALL SEASON LONG.
et tickets for additional shows – BEFORE the general
• Gpublic!
Donors of $750 or more have access to
VIP seating.
Receive specially-priced ticket offers for select
• performances
of A Christmas Carol.
eceive 10% off at Terra Teatro – McCarter’s spot for
• Rdining
and conversation located in our West lobby.
Receive the McCarter Subscriber Discount Card –
• includes
special offers at Princeton area restaurants
and shops.
Subscriber Dress Rehearsals – Theater Series
• Subscribers
are invited to attend selected dress
rehearsals and get a sneak peek at the play
during the rehearsal process.
Receive an invitation to the Annual Season Preview
• and
Reception.
eceive exclusive insight from McCarter’s Artistic
• RDirector
and Special Programming Director.
609-258-5050 | www.mccarter.org
SUBSCRIBE! | 2
THERE IS MORE TO THEATER THAN JUST THE SHOW!
• Come to the theater early for Inside
Story, a 20-minute pre-show talk
before every performance in our
Theater Series.
• Attend an in-depth post-show
interview with a member of the
production’s creative team at
Dialogue on Drama.*
• Participate in a Post-Show Discussion
with members of the cast following
selected performances.*
• Visit our website (www.mccarter.org)
where you can find additional content,
explore production elements, find out
about the cast and creative team, and
view production photos and videos.
• TERRA TEATRO
Experience a bit of la dolce vita
right here at McCarter!
Located in the West Lobby of the
Matthews Theatre, Terra Teatro
features an inspired menu from the
Princeton favorite, Terra Momo
Restaurant Group. Terra Teatro is
open 90 minutes prior to and
during intermission of every
McCarter performance. For Berlind
Theatre performances, look for the
Terra Teatro kiosk pre-show and
during intermission inside the main
lobby of the Berlind Theatre.
• Get the inside scoop and stay up-
to-date on the latest McCarter news,
watch behind-the-scenes videos, chat
with fellow theatergoers, share your
best tips for enjoying a night out at
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CONNECT
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Fences Dialogue on Drama with Phylicia Rashad and Melissa Harris-Perry,
photo by Matt Pilsner
3 | 2014-2015 SEASON
*See page 28 for information on specific subscription packages that include these enhancements.
“[NICOLE ARI PARKER IS]
STUNNING ENOUGH
WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE’S
ANTONY
TO STOP TRAFFIC IN
TIMES SQUARE.”
&
—Huffington Post
CLEOPATRA
SEPTEMBER 5 –
OCTOBER 5
2014
“BREATH-STOPPING
IN BOTH SWIFTNESS
AND SENSUALITY...
COMPLETELY
ENCHANTING.”
—The New York Times
(on Emily Mann’s Romeo and Juliet)
Nicole Ari Parker
609.258.2787
directed by EMILY
MANN | www.mccarter.org
91 University Place | Princeton, NJ 08540
Starring Nicole Ari Parker as Cleopatra
This program is made possible in part by funds from the New Jersey State Council on the Arts/Department of State, a Partner Agency
of the National Endowment for the Arts and by funds from the National Endowment for the Arts.
She was the seductive queen of Egypt and he one of the generals of
Rome. Their tempestuous love affair would tear empires apart. Actress
Nicole Ari Parker (Boogie Nights, Soul Food) reunites with director
Emily Mann after their sizzling Broadway production of A Streetcar
Named Desire. Shakespeare’s Antony and Cleopatra is one of literature’s
great masterpieces, full of romance, passion, and betrayal. Don’t miss
this intimate tale of two legendary lovers whose desires shaped the
destiny of the world.
BERLIND THEATRE
609-258-5050 | www.mccarter.org
THEATER | 4
The
“A MASTERPIECE OF
COMIC CLOCKWORK,
RAUCOUSLY FUNNY!”
—The Wall Street Journal
OCTOBER 14 –
NOVEMBER 2,
2014
“A RAZOR-SHARP
BLACK COMEDY.”
—Entertainment Weekly
By Theresa Rebeck
609.258.2787 | www.mccarter.org
Directed by Adam Immerwahr
91 University Place | Princeton, NJ 08540
The show must go on—even when everything seems to be going hilariously
wrong. Pulitzer Prize-finalist Theresa Rebeck, creator and producer of the NBC
hit TV show Smash, pens a hysterical backstage battle royale. It’s the understudy
rehearsal for a hit new Broadway play, but the set technician is high, the cocky
movie star doesn’t understand the script, and the understudy is surprised to
find that the stage manager is his jilted ex-fiancée. Backstage friction takes
center stage in a biting comedy about art, celebrity, and the things we do
for the business we love. Just another day in the life of an understudy!
This program is made possible in part by funds from the New Jersey State Council on the Arts/Department of State, a Partner Agency
of the National Endowment for the Arts and by funds from the National Endowment for the Arts.
MATTHEWS THEATRE
5 | THEATER
Sizwe
Banzi is
Dead
“A JOYOUS HYMN
TO HUMAN NATURE.”
—The New York Times
JANUARY 16 FEBRUARY 15,
2015
“HYPNOTIC…
OVERWHELMING
COMPASSION…
POWERFUL.”
—The New York Post
609.258.2787
WRITTEN BY ATHOL
FUGARD, | www.mccarter.org
JOHN KANI, AND WINSTON
NTSHONA
91 University
Place | Princeton, NJ 08540
DIRECTED BY JOHN KANI
This program is made possible in part by funds from the New Jersey State Council on the Arts/Department of State, a Partner Agency
of the National Endowment for the Arts and by funds from the National Endowment for the Arts.
To stay above the water, Sizwe Banzi might just have to put himself below
the ground. John Kani won the Tony Award for Best Actor for his astonishing
performance in a historic collaboration with South Africa’s greatest playwright,
Athol Fugard (Master Harold and the Boys, Valley Song). Now, 40 years
later, Kani brings us a new production of this soaring and personal play, direct
from South Africa’s acclaimed Market Theatre. As relevant now as it was then,
Sizwe Banzi Is Dead is an exquisite demonstration of the political power
of storytelling. A striking tale of heroism and perseverance, this powerful
drama is filled with surprising humor and uplifting faith in the human spirit.
DIRECT FROM
SOUTH AFRICA’S
ACCLAIMED
MARKET THEATRE
A co-production with the MARKET THEATRE and SYRACUSE STAGE
BERLIND THEATRE
609-258-5050 | www.mccarter.org
THEATER | 6
“KEN LUDWIG IS ONE
OF THOSE RARE
CONTEMPORARY
PLAYWRIGHTS WHO
THINKS IN TERMS OF
OLD-FASHIONED
KEN LUDWIG’S
BASKERVILLE
A SHERLOCK HOLMES MYSTERY
KNOCKABOUT FARCE,
AND THAT’S SOMETHING
TO BE CHERISHED.”
—The New York Times
(on Ken Ludwig’s Moon Over Buffalo)
MARCH 10 – 29,
2015
“BEGUILING AND
REVELATORY...BOLD
AND INGENIOUS.”
—Philadelphia Inquirer
(on Gary Griffin’s My Fair Lady)
DIRECTED BY GARY GRIFFIN
609.258.2787 | www.mccarter.org
RLD
A WO RE!
E
PREMI
Sherlock Holmes is on the case. Comedic
genius KenPlace
Ludwig
(Lend Me NJ
a Tenor,
91 University
| Princeton,
08540
Moon Over Buffalo) transforms Arthur Conan Doyle’s classic The Hound of the
Baskervilles into a murderously funny adventure. The male heirs of the Baskerville
line are being dispatched one by one. To find their ingenious killer, Holmes and
Watson must brave the desolate moors. Under the direction of Gary Griffin
(My Fair Lady, Broadway’s The Color Purple), five transformable actors will
bring this spine-tingling Victorian whodunit to life with sheer inventiveness
and enormous heart. Get ready for a joyful, mischievous, comedy thriller
that is sure to keep you on the edge of your seat.
This program is made possible in part by funds from the New Jersey State Council on the Arts/Department of State, a Partner Agency
of the National Endowment for the Arts and by funds from the National Endowment for the Arts.
A co-production with ARENA STAGE
MATTHEWS THEATRE
7 | THEATER
“HEARTBREAKINGLY
BEAUTIFUL... WITTY,
FUNNY, AND HONEST... AN UNEXPECTED,
TRUTHFUL GLIMPSE
INTO LIFE.”
—NYTheatre.com
(on Rachel Bonds’ Michael & Edie)
MAY 1 – 31,
2015
“SUBLIME...
COMPELLING.”
—The New York Times
(on Rachel Bonds’ Michael & Edie)
A PLAY ABOUT A SMALL TOWN AND THE WIDE WORLD
609.258.2787 | www.mccarter.org
by RACHEL BONDS
directed by EMILY MANN91 University Place | Princeton, NJ 08540
This program is made possible in part by funds from the New Jersey State Council on the Arts/Department of State, a Partner Agency
of the National Endowment for the Arts and by funds from the National Endowment for the Arts.
Rachel Bonds’ Five Mile Lake is a stunning new play by a prodigously talented
writer. With exquisite care, Bonds paints a moving portrait of a group of young
people, yearning to make the right choices—and facing the choices they have
already made—as they journey into their thirties in a rapidly transforming world.
Directed by Emily Mann, Five Mile Lake continues McCarter’s tradition of
introducing major new plays and writers to the American stage (Vanya and Sonia
and Masha and Spike, The Convert, and Anna in the Tropics). Don’t miss this funny,
tender, and heart-wrenching play about those who stay, and those who go away.
BERLIND THEATRE
609-258-5050 | www.mccarter.org
THEATER | 8
“McCARTER IS ONE OF PRINCETON’S
CULTURAL TREASURES”
—Patron
The Nile Project,
photo by Matzak Kacicnik
PRESENTING SERIES
When I take an overall look at each new McCarter season
(this is my 53rd), I always try to focus on what is new
and different. Yes, we will have our usual roster of
McCarter favorites, like Paddy Moloney and The
Chieftains, The Peking Acrobats, and David Sedaris.
But what keeps McCarter’s presenting series vibrant
and challenging is my annual opportunity to share the
“highlights” with you, so here goes:
• Numerous world music and dance events, incorporating elements from the Silk Road
nations along the Pacific Rim, along with Spain, Nova Scotia, Ireland, the Caribbean,
South and Central America, and West, South, and East Africa – plus the Bhangra
Rhythms of North India with Brooklyn’s Red Baraat (making its McCarter debut).
• A cross-section of The Great American Songbook represented by legends like Broadway’s
Chita Rivera, cabaret star Clint Holmes, and the musicals The Buddy Holly Story and
The Doo Wop Project. Talk about nostalgia!
• McCarter’s first dance event in the Berlind Theatre: Abraham.In.Motion from the
hottest new choreographer of the moment and winner of a 2013 MacArthur “genius
grant,” Kyle Abraham.
• A continued emphasis on new and emerging artists, such as Cécile McLorin Salvant,
whose sensational debut last season blew the roof off the Berlind; and 19-year-old pianist/
composer Conrad Tao whose triple-threat talents rival those of the young Mozart.
• Three landmark classical music events: the first McCarter recital ever by the great pianist
Maurizio Pollini; returning to a bygone era of McCarter concerts, our first big symphony
orchestra concert in almost 40 years: Michael Tilson Thomas and his San Francisco
Symphony (yes, we can fit them all on the McCarter stage!); and believe it or not,
McCarter’s first Messiah in over 50 years of musical presentations, a co-presentation
with the New Jersey Symphony Orchestra.
People always ask me, “Yes, but what are you most looking forward to this coming season?”
The politic answer would of course be “everything.” But, I confess to having my own
guilty pleasures, so here are three: the return of Australia’s Circus Oz in a new production
that is appearing only once in the eastern USA—right here at McCarter; organ superstar
Cameron Carpenter, whom I heard and saw (with Cameron, seeing is believing!) debut
his new digital organ this spring, an experience that can only be described as mindboggling;
and the San Francisco Symphony, because the single work conductor Michael Tilson
Thomas has chosen is one of my personal favorites: Mahler’s Symphony No. 7; not only
am I an admitted Mahler freak, but MTT is today’s foremost exponent of Mahler’s nine
symphonies, so a chance to hear any one of them up close played by a great orchestra is
a real treat.
To the right, you can see these events and others categorized in flights of musical, dance,
and vocal fancy. So now it’s my turn to ask you—what’s your fancy?
W.W. Lockwood, Jr.
Special Programming Director
AROUND THE WORLD IN MUSIC & DANCE
Ballet Hispanico
p11
The Silk Road Ensemble
p13
Natalie MacMaster p19
Soledad Barrio/Noche Flamenca
p19
Hugh Masekela and Vusi Mahlasela
p23
Paddy Moloney and The Chieftains
p23
The Nile Project
p23
PUSHING THE ENVELOPE
Abraham.In.Motionp11
Cécile McLorin Salvant
p15
Conrad Tao
p21
MORE THAN JUST JAZZ
Christian McBride Trio
p15
Chris Botti
p15
Fred Hersch and Julian Lage
p17
Hiromip19
Red Baraat
p23
AND NOW FOR SOMETHING
COMPLETELY DIFFERENT!
Momixp11
Ian Bostridge
p13
Cameron Carpenter
p14
Circus Oz
p19
Laurie Anderson
p21
GREAT AMERICAN SONGBOOK
The Doo Wop Project
Clint Holmes
The Buddy Holly Story
Ladies Sing the Blues
Chita Rivera
p15
p17
p17
p17
p19
LAUGH IT UP!
Potted Potter
Reduced Shakespeare Company
David Sedaris
p21
p21
p21
JUST CLASSICS, THANKS
Martha Graham Dance Company
p11
Swan Lakep11
Maurizio Pollini
p13
San Francisco Symphony
p13
Messiah
p14
609-258-5050 | www.mccarter.org
SUBSCRIBE! | 10
DANCE
GET THREE, CHOOSE A FOURTH!
The three-event Dance Series includes: Kyle Abraham, Martha Graham
Dance Company, and Paul Taylor Dance Company, PLUS ONE OF
YOUR CHOICE from the following: Swan Lake, Ballet Hispanico,
Soledad Barrio and Noche Flamenca, Wendy Whelan, or Momix.
SERIES INCLUDES:
KYLE ABRAHAM:
SWAN LAKE
What’s hot in contemporary dance, you ask?
The answer is easy: Kyle Abraham, whose company
Abraham.In.Motion is the talk of the town!
They will inaugurate a new program of dance
presentations in the Berlind Theatre with a
performance of Pavement. Using dance to probe
violence, Pavement pays comedic homage to the
backward jeans and high top fade era in Hip-Hop
while reflecting on the growth and loss of
Pittsburgh’s historically black neighborhoods.
Abraham’s choreography is mesmerizing and
articulate in an unclassifiable way, and his promise
among today’s emerging choreographers has not
gone unnoticed: he’s one of the recipients of a
2013 MacArthur Foundation Fellowship (the
so-called “genius grants”), the only choreographer
so honored.
One of Russia’s best-kept dance secrets is the State
Ballet Theatre of Russia. From the city of Veronezh,
they have brought several productions to McCarter in
past seasons, including Romeo and Juliet, Cinderella,
and Giselle. This time, the company of 55 returns with
its production of ballet’s all-time favorite classic, Swan
Lake, set to the glorious Tchaikovsky score.
Abraham.In.Motion
TUESDAY, OCTOBER 21, 2014 – 7:30pm
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 22, 2014 – 7:30pm
Please note: subscribers may select either performance
Presented in collaboration with
Princeton University’s Lewis Center for the Arts
and with support from the MidAtlantic Arts Foundation
State Ballet Theatre of Russia
FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 13, 2015 – 7:30pm
BALLET HISPANICO
For more than 25 years, Ballet Hispanico has been
one of the icons of Latino culture. Fusing Latin dance
with classical and contemporary techniques, they
create a new style of concert dance incorporating
theatricality, passion, and choreographers representing
Venezuela, Trinidad, Puerto Rico, Mexico, Brazil,
Argentina, and more. For their McCarter debut, Artistic
Director Eduardo Vilaro has selected a snapshot of
contemporary Spanish and Latino dance, including his
own Danzon, which will have you wanting to jump up
out of your seat and join the dancers on stage.
TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 17, 2015 – 7:30pm
MARTHA GRAHAM
DANCE COMPANY
Martha Graham founded contemporary dance in
this country as we know it today, and stands as one
of the true artistic giants of the 20th century. In the
course of the 181 works she created, Graham
conveyed the depth of human emotion by creating
her own vocabulary of movement which remains
unique to the company of dancers who continue to
carry the torch. Their McCarter program will include
Diversion of Angels, Cave of the Heart, and Errand
into the Maze. Suffice it to say that seeing Graham
at least once in your lifetime is an essential artistic
experience that is not to be missed.
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 1, 2015 – 7:30pm
Presented with support from the
New England Foundation for the Arts
WENDY WHELAN:
Restless Creature
For 25 years, Wendy Whelan captivated New York
City Ballet audiences with her elegant yet thrilling
movement. If the NYCB had the equivalent of a “prima
ballerina,” she was it. In Restless Creature, she joins
forces with four of today’s top male choreographers
in a vibrant suite of duets, created by and danced
with: Kyle Abraham (of Abraham.In.Motion); Joshua
Beamish and Brian Brooks; and Alejandro Cerrudo,
the Resident Choreographer of Hubbard Street Dance
Chicago. It’s not often that McCarter gets to host the
New Jersey Premiere of a major dance event and
we’re thrilled to see what this dance legend and her
colleagues have created.
TUESDAY, APRIL 28, 2015 – 7:30pm
MOMIX
Momix sprang from the inventive universe of Moses
Pendleton, one of the most imaginative beings on the
planet. Moses continues to conjure up a world of
surrealistic images by using props, lights, shadow,
humor, and the human body in ever startling ways.
Who knows at this point what he has in mind for his
latest creation? We wouldn’t attempt to hazard a
guess, other than to predict that it will involve his
company of inspired vaudevillians, creating slapstick,
science fiction, and improvisational surprise—often all
at once. Moses is a life force, and McCarter is always
happy to host his next flight of fancy.
Presented in collaboration with
Princeton University’s Lewis Center for the Arts
and with support from the MidAtlantic Arts Foundation
PAUL TAYLOR DANCE COMPANY
WEDNESDAY, MAY 20, 2015 – 7:30pm
To describe Soledad Barrio as a force of nature is
an understatement. This Spanish dynamo and the
Madrid-based company she founded in 1993 with her
husband and Artistic Director Martin Santangelo, has
become the gold standard for presenting flamenco in
its finest and most authentic form. While there may be
a dozen other dancers, singers, and musicians onstage,
Barrio is the indisputable star, a great artist without
pretense. Onstage, she’s more animal than woman,
living in the moment, making you aware that, above its
virtuosic feet, flamenco is an art of curves, arcs, and
circles. Her body is her soul’s instrument, ensnared by
the music, and you feel yourself fortunate to be in the
same space with her—which you will be at McCarter.
(Note: this performance was postponed from the 2013-14 season)
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 5, 2014 – 8pm
One of the great legacies in contemporary dance
involves Paul Taylor, who studied with Martha
Graham, became his greatest influence, and was a
member of her company in the late 1950s before
subsequently creating his own, which celebrates its
60th anniversary this year. Genius fosters genius, and
today, at 84 years old, Taylor remains the sole
surviving member of the universally recognized
great 20th century choreographers. With over 140
witty, menacing, and joyful creations to date, he
continues to amaze us with his inventiveness and
poignancy—his creativity seems unabated. Taylor
himself has received the Kennedy Center Honors, an
Emmy, and a MacArthur Foundation “genius grant.”
SOLEDAD BARRIO and
NOCHE FLAMENCA
WEDNESDAY, MAY 6, 2015 – 7:30pm
Martha Graham
Dance Company,
photo by John Deane
11 | DANCE
The Dance Series is supported in part by the Jerome Robbins Foundation and the Capezio Foundation
Paul Taylor Dance Company,
photo by Lois Greenfield
Ballet Hispanico,
Abraham.In.Motion,
photo by Eduardo Patino
photo by Eduardo Patino
609-258-5050 | www.mccarter.org
DANCE | 12
MUSIC
SERIES A
SERIES B
MAURIZIO POLLINI, piano
JEREMY DENK, piano
All the great pianists of our time have appeared at
McCarter with one notable exception, which is why
Maurizio Pollini’s first-ever Princeton recital promises
to be a landmark event. His mastery of the keyboard
is above reproach, and to call Pollini a legend is an
understatement—there is no more admired keyboard
artist in the world today and his recitals in the U.S.
are few and far between. Not many McCarter
concerts can truly be called “historic”—this one can.
His austere endeavor reminds us of the true beauty
of great art. Music of Schumann and Chopin.
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 22, 2014 – 7:30pm
JANINE JANSEN, violin
Itamar Golan, piano
An entire generation of dazzling women fiddlers has
emerged in the past decade and among the foremost
is Janine Jansen. She curates her own chamber music
festival in Utrecht and her best-selling recording of
Vivaldi’s The Four Seasons was an iTunes Classical
Essential in 2013. She visits McCarter for the first time,
and her debut program will include Sonatas by
Prokofiev and Ravel, plus other works. The New
York Times said it best: “Janine Jansen is a player
that you follow wherever she leads.”
MONDAY, FEBRUARY 9, 2015 – 7:30pm
THE SILK ROAD ENSEMBLE
Yo-Yo Ma, Artistic Director
Yo-Yo Ma’s Silk Road Ensemble returns to McCarter
following its sold out concert in 2012. The renowned
cellist still serves as its Artistic Director, overseeing
every program. Its members hail from more than 20
countries along the routes of the ancient Silk Road,
a series of land and sea trade routes crisscrossing
Eurasia from Japan to the Mediterranean Sea. Most
are musicians, but storytellers and visual artists also
number among them, and their voices and instruments
(kamancheh, gaita, shakuhachi, pipa, sheng and
bawu) support their goal: to maintain the integrity
of art rooted in authentic traditions while nourishing
global connections.
TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 24, 2015 – 7:30pm
Presented with support from the
Princeton University Music Department
Performance sponsored by
IAN BOSTRIDGE, tenor
Wenwen Du, piano
Songs of World War I
There are tenors, and then there is Ian Bostridge.
He defines the word eclectic and his unique,
challenging programs set him apart. To commemorate
the 100th anniversary of the start of World War I,
he will explore the music and poetry of The Great
War, including settings by George Butterworth and
Kurt Weill, of poems by A.E. Housman and Walt
Whitman, plus “war songs” by Ivor Gurney, Mahler,
Lehar, and Benjamin Britten.
MONDAY, APRIL 27, 2015 – 7:30pm
13 | MUSIC
Who’s the hottest pianist on the classical scene right
now? The answer’s easy: Jeremy Denk. For starters, he’s
one of the 2013 recipients of a MacArthur Fellowship
(the “genius grant”) and was just awarded the Avery
Fisher Prize. McCarter audiences have seen him
touring with violinist Joshua Bell, but it’s as a recitalist
that he has carved out his own unique place, focusing
on a broad and thought-provoking repertoire that
ranges from Beethoven and the Ives Sonatas to the
Ligeti Etudes and Bach’ Goldberg Variations. Denk is
equally recognized for his personal musical writing
and for his blog (“Think Denk,” check it out) where he
recounts his touring and performance experiences.
FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 7, 2014 – 8pm
SAN FRANCISCO SYMPHONY
Michael Tilson Thomas, Conductor
McCarter used to regularly play host to the leading
symphony orchestras of this country and abroad, like
those of Cleveland and Philadelphia. But not since
1975 has a big orchestra played on the McCarter
stage—at least, not until now. In his 20 years as Music
Director, Michael Tilson Thomas has elevated the
San Francisco Symphony into the pantheon of great
American orchestras. To bring the SFS to McCarter is
a historic moment for us, especially with a program
including just one work: Mahler’s titanic Symphony No. 7.
Michael Tilson Thomas,
photo by Stefan Cohen
TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 18, 2014 – 7:30pm
Joint Recital:
GIDON KREMER, violin
DANIIL TRIFONOV, piano
This joint recital pairs two virtuosi who are separated in
age by a couple of generations, but not by talent. The
unconventional violinist Gidon Kremer has made more
than 120 CDs and has long championed the works of
living Russian and Eastern European composers; it is
safe to say that no other soloist of his stature has done
as much for contemporary composers in the past 30
years. In contrast, Daniil Trifonov is the 22-year old
Russian wunderkind who has emerged as an exciting
new keyboard talent, winning both the Artur Rubinstein
and Tchaikovsky competitions in 2012. Their program
will incorporate music by Schubert, Mozart, Philip
Glass, and Mieczyslaw Weinberg.
Janine Jansen,
photo by Harald Hoffman
MONDAY, JANUARY 5, 2015 – 7:30pm
Three By Four:
THE PIANO QUARTETS PROJECT
With the Chamber Music Society
of Lincoln Center
Two masterpieces of the piano quartet literature by
Brahms (the g minor Op. 25) and Schumann (he only
wrote one), plus a third piano quartet: the only piece
of chamber music Mahler ever wrote. This all-star
quartet is composed of Chamber Music Society of
Lincoln Center members: the organization’s co-artistic
directors, cellist David Finckel and pianist Wu Han;
violist Paul Neubauer; and violinist Daniel Hope.
MONDAY, APRIL 13, 2015 – 7:30pm
Major support for the 2014-2015 Music Series provided by the Edward T. Cone Foundation
SPECIAL ADD-ON
EVENTS!
Gidon Kremer
(Series A OR B)
HANDEL’S MESSIAH
The New Jersey Symphony
Chamber Orchestra
Jacques Lacombe, conductor
Nathalie Paulin, soprano
Mireille Lebel, mezzo-soprano
Isaiah Bell, tenor
Gordon Bintner, bass-baritone
Montclair State University Singers,
Heather J. Buchanan, director
It’s hard to believe, but in the 50-plus years of
the Music Series, McCarter has never presented
Handel’s Messiah. So when the New Jersey
Symphony suggested a joint presentation of what
will also be their first Messiah in Princeton, we
jumped at the chance—especially as this completes
McCarter’s “Holiday Season Troika,” joining the
American Repertory Ballet’s Nutcracker, and our
own production of Dickens’ A Christmas Carol.
FRIDAY, DECEMBER 19, 2014 – 8pm
(Note: this performance will take place at Richardson
Auditorium and is a joint presentation of
McCarter Theatre and the NJSO)
CAMERON CARPENTER, organ
Yes, the “bad boy” of the organ Cameron
Carpenter returns, but this time with his brand-new
digital international touring organ. Designed by
Carpenter himself, it combines the “American
Classic” cathedral organ with its counterpart,
the cinema organ, in a single instrument, thus
keeping the best of the traditional pipe organ—
its emotional magnitude, its sonic range, its coloristic drama—but liberating these from the organ’s
immobility. Carpenter has singlehandedly added
a new dimension to the traditional organ recital,
bringing it to a new generation of audiences.
Whether he is playing Bach, The Beatles, or his
own transcriptions of film music and jazz, he
remains a true original—unorthodox,
controversial, and flamboyant.
FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 6, 2015 – 8pm
CONRAD TAO, piano
See page 21 for full event description.
TUESDAY, APRIL 21, 2015 – 7:30pm
Maurizio Pollini,
photo by Philippe Gontier
Daniil Trifonov, photo © Dario Acosta Deutsche Grammophon
609-258-5050 | www.mccarter.org
MUSIC | 14
SIGNATURE EVENTS
Cécile McLorin Salvant,
photo by John Abbott
CÉCILE McLORIN SALVANT
Christian
McBride
The sellout sensation of last year’s jazz season, Cécile
McLorin Salvant, returns to the Berlind, so here’s another
chance to be blown away by the jazz prodigy already
hailed as the “next big thing.” Cécile’s landmark year
saw the release of her debut CD, WomanChild, plus
a Grammy nomination, and critical acclaim exceeding
mere hyperbole. She puts original, idiosyncratic, and
virtuosic force on old repertory, some of it from the
high era of the Great American Songbook, some of it
older than jazz itself. The New York Times couldn’t have
said it better: “If anyone can extend the lineage of
the Big Three – Billie Holiday, Sarah Vaughan and Ella
Fitzgerald – it’s this 24-year old virtuoso.”
SUNDAY, OCTOBER 26, 2014 – 7:30pm
Presented with support from the MidAtlantic Arts Foundation
ROSANNE CASH
with John Leventhal
The River & the Thread
BRUCE HORNSBY
Solo Piano
For over 25 years, Bruce Hornsby has been one of
popular music’s true “quadruple threats” – as singer,
songwriter, bandleader and pianist, selling more than
11 million recordings and picking up three Grammy
awards along the way. An inveterate improviser of
eclectic musical interests, Hornsby has successfully
ventured into jazz, classical, bluegrass, and even
electronica, serving as a high-profile collaborator with
everyone from Bob Dylan and Elton John to Branford
Marsalis, Pat Metheny, and Ricky Skaggs, not to
mention more than 100 concerts with The Grateful
Dead as their guest keyboardist.
PLEASE NOTE: All ticketholders will receive a copy
of Bruce Hornsby’s new CD at the concert which is
included in the ticket price.
SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 27, 2014 – 8pm
CHRISTIAN McBRIDE TRIO
It’s no surprise that Christian McBride is the most
in-demand bassist of his generation. The tone that he
elicits from an upright bass is one of jazz’s forthright
pleasures, combining his musicianship with an innate
ability to communicate his enthusiasm to an audience.
McBride comes to the Berlind with his new trio: pianist
Christian Sands and drummer Ulysses Owens Jr.
Together, the three promise an evening encompassing
blues, standards, ballads, up-tempo songs, jazz
humor—a set The New York Times called “constant
sleek fun, organized and coordinated.”
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 17, 2014 – 8pm
KYLE ABRAHAM:
Abraham.In.Motion
See page 11 for full event description.
TUESDAY, OCTOBER 21, 2014 – 7:30pm
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 22, 2014 – 7:30pm
Please note: subscribers may select either performance
15 | SIGNATURE EVENTS
The latest CD from the legendary Rosanne Cash,
The River & the Thread, resembles its predecessors
(Black Cadillac, The List) in exploring family, heritage,
place and time, resonating with her complex and
soulful relationship to the American south, where her
musical and family legacy is firmly rooted. Her older
recordings, encompass country, rock, roots and pop
influences, and have earned her 12 Grammy nominations and 11 number one singles. All her songs, quietly
brilliant and literary without being static, represent
Americana in the most open sense of the word.
THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 6, 2014 – 7:30pm
CHRIS BOTTI
He’s back! The lush, sensuous, and melodic sounds of
the world’s largest selling jazz instrumentalist returns
to once again captivate McCarter audiences. In fact,
there’s hardly been a week since 2004 when Chris
Botti has not dominated the Billboard jazz charts
with one or more of his CDs, starting with When I Fall
in Love and continuing non-stop with To Love Again,
Italia, Chris Botti in Boston, and his latest, the Grammywinning Impressions, in which he expresses his love for
romantic melodies from around the world.
Chris Botti
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 19, 2014 – 7:30pm
THE DOO WOP PROJECT
Talk about nostalgia! Take a musical trip down memory
lane with five leading cast members from several
Broadway shows: McCarter favorite Jarrod Spector
(currently starring in the new smash hit Beautiful:
The Carole King Musical), plus Dominic Nolfi, Dwayne
Cooper, Charl Brown, and Dominic Scaglione. With
The Doo Wop Project, they pay homage to the music
that was inspired by the Doo Wop sound—songs and
groups we hear all the time, or exist only as a memory,
or got lost along the way, like Randy and the
Rainbows, Thurston Harris and The Skyliners, not to
mention hits from Smokey Robinson, Frankie Valli and
the 4 Seasons plus doo wop arrangements of songs
by Michael Jackson, Cyndi Lauper, and others.
(This show is not a performance of—or affiliated with—the show
Jersey Boys.)
FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 2014 – 8pm
Rosanne Cash,
photo by Clay Patrick McBride
2014-2015 Signature Series sponsored by
Abraham.In.Motion,
photo by Carrie Schneider
CREATE YOUR OWN SERIES | PICK ANY 3 SIGNATURE EVENTS
SIGNATURE EVENTS | 16
SIGNATURE EVENTS
LADIES SING THE BLUES:
Catherine Russell, Brianna Thomas
& Charenee Wade
In a program originally produced by Jazz at Lincoln
Center, three vocalists—Catherine Russell, Brianna
Thomas, and Charenee Wade—will channel the
independent, liberated spirits and pioneering
vocalizations of four 1920s blues divas: Bessie Smith
(the “Empress of the Blues”); Mamie Smith (the “Queen
of the Blues”); Ma Rainey (the “Mother of the Blues”);
and the legendary stage and screen icon, Ethel
Waters (Member of the Wedding, South Pacific).
Music director/pianist Mark Shane will lead a
six-piece band featuring arrangements of this era,
demonstrating the ageless relevance of this transcendence of love’s follies through innuendo, revelation,
and plain old stompin’ the blues away!
CAMERON CARPENTER, organ
See page 14 for full event description.
FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 6, 2015 – 8pm
SWAN LAKE
State Ballet Theatre of Russia
See page 11 for full event description.
FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 13, 2015 – 7:30pm
BALLET HISPANICO
See page 11 for full event description.
TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 17, 2015 – 7:30pm
Cameron Carpenter,
photo by Thomas Grube
SATURDAY, DECEMBER 13, 2014 – 8pm
THE BUDDY HOLLY STORY
The Broadway Musical
The Buddy Holly Story
FRED HERSCH, piano
JULIAN LAGE, guitar
The arrestingly innovative pianist Fred Hersch continues
to reinvent the standard jazz repertoire unlike anybody
else, which helps explain his five Grammy nominations,
not to mention more than three dozen recordings as
composer, bandleader, and theatrical conceptualist/
innovator of individualistic jazz. Jason Moran put it
this way: “Fred at the piano is like LeBron James on
the basketball court.” Hersch’s recent collaborators
include 25-year-old guitar prodigy Julian Lage—he’s
already channeling Jim Hall and Pat Martino—who
displays masterful chops in distilling guitar traditions
from prebop swing to bluegrassy flash. Together,
the duo released Free Flying last fall, on which their
development and execution of musical ideas takes
co-improvisation to the highest level.
America’s own Buddy Holly, another legend who
changed the face of popular music, is often cited as
the single most influential creative force in early rock
n’ roll who paved the way for the next generation of
legends. This Broadway musical follows his meteoric
rise to fame: from humble country music roots to the
top of the charts and his untimely death at the age of
only 22. The best way to describe this show is simply
to list the fifties favorites that we can’t get out of our
heads, golden oldies which will have you on your
feet, rockin’ in the aisles: Peggy Sue, That’ll Be the Day,
Raining in the Aisles, Maybe Baby, Ritchie Valens’
La Bamba and the Big Bopper’s Chantilly Lace.
MONDAY, JANUARY 26, 2015 – 7:30pm
SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 29, 2014 – 8pm
CLINT HOLMES:
Stop This Train
Clint Holmes is a longtime Las Vegas headliner who
has firmly established himself as a New York cabaret
star, a reputation reaffirmed as recently as this past
fall when his latest show, Stop This Train, was awarded
the 2013 Broadway.com Cabaret Award for Best
Celebrity Male Vocalist. The title of his show (based
on a John Mayer song) is autobiographical and he
meditates on the imprints left both by one’s childhood
home and venturing out into the wider world.
Mr. Holmes exhibits the stamina and drive of a
dynamo half his age, and his deep affection for
Paris is reflected in a group of songs related to
France and sung in both French and English.
FRIDAY, DECEMBER 12, 2014 – 8pm
Produced by DeepEnd
Productions
17 | SIGNATURE EVENTS
Julian Lage,
photo by Ingrid
Hertfelder
Ladies Sing the Blues,
photo by Frank Stewart
2014-2015 Signature Series sponsored by
Fred Hersch
Clint Holmes
CREATE YOUR OWN SERIES | PICK ANY 3 SIGNATURE EVENTS
SIGNATURE EVENTS | 18
SIGNATURE EVENTS
HIROMI
Solo Piano
It’s hard to believe that Hiromi hasn’t been to
McCarter in almost a decade. And while her mentor
jazz master Ahmad Jamal, may have “discovered”
her while she was still a student at Boston’s Berklee
College of Music, it didn’t take long for the rest of
the jazz world to catch up. If there’s one phrase to
describe her, its high voltage, incendiary, and brazenly
virtuosic. A superstar in her native Japan, as she plays
she changes the musical landscape, incorporating R&B,
rock, and avant-garde, filled with hairpin turns,
tempo shifts, and surprising turns.
SUNDAY, MARCH 15, 2015 - 3pm
THE PEKING ACROBATS
Chita Rivera,
photo by Laura Marie Duncan
Australia’s National Circus
CIRCUS OZ
in But Wait…There’s More
Only East Coast Engagement
From the land down under comes Circus Oz, the best
little circus in the world in its only engagement in the
eastern USA this year! With an astonishing mix of
stunt-jumping acrobatics, cutting-edge juggling,
virtuosic unicycling, elegant trapeze flying, the
exciting Rou Cyr rim, cheeky impersonations, ridiculous
knockabout comedy, and multi-skilled human physical
exuberance, their new show But Wait . . . There’s More
uses circus to satirize the rising tide of information,
speed, consumerism, visual pollution, the ‘net, and
today’s manic fast-paced lifestyles—all entwined
with music performed by the live Circus Oz band.
The result is a punchy, exciting, funny, vaudevilleinspired show—gleefully Australian and designed
for audiences of all ages.
CHITA RIVERA
What becomes a legend most? If any performer
possesses the secret of life, Chita Rivera at 80
seems to have it. She came to New York in the 1950s
and the rest is razzle-dazzle history: starring roles in
the original West Side Story, Bye Bye Birdie, and
Chicago; two Tony Awards; and a Kennedy Center
Honor. It’s in her air of mischievous, never-say-die
sensuality, and her insistence on laughing at life’s
misfortunes that she personifies unstoppable vitality
and joie de vivre. So you can call her a legend if
you want, but she’s very much here and will be at
the Berlind with her longtime trio.
Hoop plate spinning! Bowl balancing! Pole Climbing!
This troupe of elite gymnasts, cyclists, jugglers,
acrobats, and tumblers continues to leave family
audiences spellbound with their daring demonstrations
of strength, balance, agility, grace, and unique
artistry. Accompanied by live music, they transform
2000-year-old traditions into a modern kaleidoscope
of movement, defying laws of body mechanics and
physics. Don’t forget to bring the kids, but don’t let
them try this stuff at home!
TUESDAY, MARCH 31, 2015 – 7:30pm
SOLEDAD BARRIO and
NOCHE FLAMENCA
See page 11 for full event description.
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 1, 2015 – 7:30pm
Noche Flamenca
SATURDAY, MARCH 14, 2015 – 7pm & 9:30pm
Please note: subscribers may select either performance
Hiromi, photo by Sakiko Nomura
SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 21, 2015 – 2pm & 7:30pm
SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 22, 2015 – 3pm
Visions from Cape Breton and Beyond:
NATALIE MacMASTER and
DONNELL LEAHY
A Celtic Family Celebration
Cape Breton superstar Natalie MacMaster is a
fiddling, singing, and step-dancing fireball on stage,
performing jigs and reels with unstoppable, foottapping energy. Her husband, Donnell Leahy is no
slouch either as fiddler and step-dancer, and together
they have created a new show to bring their fans the
next chapter in their musical and personal growth.
Featuring their five children, as well as their Celtic
band of dancers and singers from Cape Breton
and Lakefield, Ontario, their newly expanded show
highlights the talents, influences and stories of North
America’s first family of traditional Celtic fiddlers.
SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 2015 – 8pm
19 | SIGNATURE EVENTS
2014-2015 Signature Series sponsored by
Circus Oz,
photo by Rob Blackburn
CREATE YOUR OWN SERIES | PICK ANY 3 SIGNATURE EVENTS
SIGNATURE EVENTS | 20
SIGNATURE EVENTS
Conrad Tao
CONRAD TAO, piano
If you’re wondering about the “next generation” of
gifted artists who are shaping the future of classical
music, you need look no further than 19 year-old
pianist/composer/violinist Conrad Tao. He is a true
triple threat; a piano prodigy who gave his first solo
recital at the age of four. He was also the only
classical musician on Forbes’ 2011 30 under 30 list.
Most recently, he commissioned a piano concerto for
the Dallas Symphony, which premiered this past fall
to commemorate the 50th anniversary of JFK’s
assassination.
TUESDAY, APRIL 21, 2015 – 7:30pm
Presented with support from the
Princeton University Music Department
WENDY WHELAN:
Wendy Whelan,
photo by Nisian Hughes
DAVID SEDARIS
David Sedaris’ annual visit has become a McCarter
tradition—and one with never an unsold seat! This
“rock star of writers” is a commentator on PRI’s This
American Life and a prolific author whose shelf of
best-sellers includes Dress Your Family in Corduroy and
Denim, Squirrel Seeks Chipmunk: A Modest Bestiary and
his latest, Let’s Explore Diabetes with Owls, which was a
2013 Grammy nominee for Best Spoken Word album.
Do we need to add that he may just be the funniest
man alive?
MONDAY, APRIL 6 – 7:30pm
REDUCED SHAKESPEARE COMPANY
In The Complete History of Comedy (Abridged)
Yes, the Bad Boys of Abridgement are back! After
applying their fast and funny approach to Shakespeare,
The History of America, The Bible, Western Civilization,
and All the Great Books, the Reduced Shakespeare
Company now sprints through the most serious subject
of them all: Comedy. The RSC will deconstruct the
funny and find out what makes people laugh. Are
there really only five jokes? Who is funnier, Sigmund
Freud or Adam Sandler? And if anyone can do
comedy (i.e. Adam Sandler), why can’t anyone who
can apply a band-aid perform brain surgery?
Restless Creature
See page 11 for full event description.
TUESDAY, APRIL 28, 2015 – 7:30pm
POTTED POTTER
The Unauthorized Harry Experience
Bring your wands, Potter fans! The Olivier Award
nominated parody by Daniel Clarkson and Jefferson
Turner take on the ultimate challenge of condensing
(or “potting”) all seven Harry Potter books (and a real
life game of Quidditch) into 70 hilarious minutes with
brilliant songs, ridiculous props, and a generous
helping of Hogwarts magic. And even if you don’t
know the difference between a horcrux and a
Hufflepuff, Potted Potter is perfect for ages 8 to
Dumbledore (who is very old indeed).
Laurie Anderson,
photo by Tim Knox
FRIDAY, MAY 1, 2015 – 8pm
MOMIX
See page 11 for full event description.
WEDNESDAY, MAY 6, 2015 – 7:30pm
FRIDAY, APRIL 10, 2015 – 8pm
LAURIE ANDERSON
The Language of the Future
The foremost performance artist of our time, Laurie
Anderson’s genre-crossing work encompasses
everything from film and music to writing, photography,
and sculpture. She continues to challenge audiences
with her multi-media solo presentations in her various
roles as visual artist, composer, poet, filmmaker,
ventriloquist, vocalist, and instrumentalist. Infused with
her hallucinatory language, she weaves in eloquent
leitmotifs and brilliantly conceived tangents to create
a uniquely satisfying meta-narrative, addressing
universal themes in the vernacular of the commonplace.
SATURDAY, APRIL 18, 2015 – 8pm
21 | SIGNATURE EVENTS
2014-2015 Signature Series sponsored by
Momix
CREATE YOUR OWN SERIES | PICK ANY 3 SIGNATURE EVENTS
SIGNATURE EVENTS | 22
SIGNATURE EVENTS
WORLD MUSIC
PADDY MOLONEY and
THE CHIEFTAINS
Seasons come, seasons go, but one thing remains
constant: The Chieftains remain the embodiment
of the spirit of Irish music, dance, and the spirit of
St. Patrick’s Day. Led by Paddy Moloney, the master
of the pipes and tin whistle, their nucleus includes
Sean Keane (fiddle), Matt Molloy (flute), and Kevin
Conneff (bodhran drum). But that’s not all! Chieftains
concerts always incorporate guest musicians (like
harpist Triona Marshall and guitarist Tim Edey) and
traditional Irish step dancers (like the Pilatzke Brothers
and Cara Butler).
MONDAY, MARCH 2, 2015 – 7:30pm
THE NILE PROJECT
The SIlk Road Ensemble
RED BARAAT
New Orleans meets Delhi in a sonic adventure! Red
Baraat is a pioneering eight-piece big band from
Brooklyn with its own singular sound: a merging of
hard-driving North Indian Bhangra rhythms with a host
of sounds: funk, go-go, hip-hop, and jazz (we’re not
kidding!). Leading an audience as diverse and joyful
as the band itself, it has subsumed a plateful of global
influence with a studied, multi-ethnic cool, communing
with their fans in a joyful, near hedonistic celebration
of music and. They may be flying under the radar at
the moment, but not for long!
The Nile Project is a cross-cultural musical
collaboration that brings together 18 musicians from
East African Nile-sharing nations who have learned
from one another and translated that experience into
collectively composed new musical works. A powerful
pan-Nile percussion section drives this orchestra of
Ethiopian masenko and saxophone; Egyptian ney, oud,
violin, simsimiya and tanbura; and Ugandan adungu,
bass guitar, plus six vocalists singing in 11 different languages. The concert will be preceded by a
lecture-demonstration showcasing the musical traditions
and instruments featured in the ensemble and will be
followed by a Q&A with the audience.
Vusi
Mahlasela,
photo by Erik
Forster
SATURDAY, MAY 2, 2015 – 8pm
Presented with support from the MidAtlantic Arts Foundation
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 18, 2014 – 8pm
THE SILK ROAD ENSEMBLE
Yo-Yo Ma, Artistic Director
See page 13 for full event description.
TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 24, 2015 – 7:30pm
HUGH MASEKELA and
VUSI MAHLASELA
20 Years of Freedom
Two of South Africa’s true freedom fighters and
musical icons come together in an historic collaboration
to honor 20 years since the end of Apartheid. In a
collaborative performance, Hugh Masekela and
Vusi Mahlasela feature South Africa’s Freedom Songs,
including many of their own. Known simply as
“The Voice” in his native land, Vusi Mahlasela became
a singer-songwriter and poet-activist at an early
age and was asked to perform at Mandela’s
inauguration in 1994 and at the 2010 World Cup
opening ceremonies in Soweto. Hugh Masekela is
a multi-talented man of all musical trades—
flugelhornist, trumpeter, bandleader, composer,
singer, and a defiant political voice.
WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 2015 – 7:30pm
Hugh Masekela
23 | SIGNATURE EVENTS
2014-2015 Signature Series sponsored by
The Nile Project
Red Baraat,
photo by Ferny Chung
CREATE YOUR OWN SERIES | PICK ANY 3 SIGNATURE EVENTS
SIGNATURE EVENTS | 24
m
a
t
s
s
i
C
r
h
a
r
C
o
l
A
By Charles Dickens
Adapted by David Thompson ~ Directed by Michael Unger
DECEMBER 5 – 28, 2014
Adikesh S. Nathan and Graeme Malcolm in A Christmas Carol, 2013; photo by T. Charles Erickson
25 | SIGNATURE EVENTS
Production sponsored by
Graeme Malcolm,
photo by
T. Charles Erickson
Michele Tauber, Sari Weinerman, John Ahlin, and Emily Shapcott,
photo by T. Charles Erickson
“A REVERED TRADITION”
—The Star Ledger
“A CHRISTMAS CAROL
AT McCARTER HAS
ENOUGH ENERGY TO
LIGHT A HUNDRED
CHRISTMAS TREES…AS
GOOD (OR BETTER)
AS ANY HOLIDAY
OFFERING ON
BROADWAY.”
– Asbury Park Press
A Christmas Carol is available
as part of our Signature Series!
Bring your family to meet ours and celebrate
the season with McCarter’s critically-acclaimed
production of Dickens’ classic masterpiece,
A Christmas Carol. This timeless story follows
Ebenezer Scrooge on magical and transformative
journey through past, present, and future as he
discovers the true meaning of Christmas and
generosity of spirit that embodies the holiday
season. Join us for the perennial favorite the
New York Times calls “A must-see,” and make this
cherished McCarter tradition part of yours!
Include A Christmas Carol as part of your
Signature Series and guarantee great seats
at a great price.
See page 28 for Signature Series pricing.
DECEMBER 2014
SUN
MON
1
7
A Christmas
Carol
8
TUES
2
9
WED
FRI
SAT
5
A Christmas
Carol
6
A Christmas
Carol
7:30pm
7:30pm
11
A Christmas
Carol
12
A Christmas
Carol
13
A Christmas
Carol
7:30pm
7:30pm
2 &
7:30pm
17
18
A Christmas
Carol
19
A Christmas
Carol
20
A Christmas
Carol
7:30pm
7:30pm
2 &
7:30pm
3
10
1 &
5:30pm
14
A Christmas
Carol
15
16
1 &
5:30pm
THURS
4
21
A Christmas
Carol
22
23
A Christmas A Christmas
Carol
Carol
24
25
A Christmas
Carol
26
A Christmas
Carol
27
A Christmas
Carol
1 &
5:30pm
7:30pm
7:30pm
12 &
4pm
7:30pm
2 &
7:30pm
28
A Christmas
Carol
29
30
31
1 &
5:30pm
CREATE YOUR OWN SERIES | PICK ANY 3 SIGNATURE EVENTS
SIGNATURE EVENTS | 26
McCARTER SUBSCRIBERS ARE…
#awesome #intheknow#family
“We’ve seen all the plays in the
series over the last couple of years—
never miss one!”
“They’re so good, we’ve come to see
some of these plays more than once!”
“I love everything at McCarter!”
“McCarter always exceeds
my expectations!”
“I have been attending McCarter
events for several years and I
marvel at the quality of the shows…
the staff at McCarter are helpful,
pleasant people; the whole
atmosphere is charming…whoever
puts the season’s productions together
must be amazing.”
“McCarter always provides top
quality products that expand social
awareness and cultural insight.”
“The Driven to Excellence program
reopened the world of live theater
to me. I am both visually and hearing
impaired and can no longer drive.
As a result, I had stopped attending
live performances about a decade
ago. With the free listening devices
provided, a subscription in the front
orchestra to the theater series,
and the door to door included
transportation, I am able to see, hear,
and enjoy live theater again. All of
this at about a third of the price of
orchestra seats on Broadway.”
STEP 2
STEP 1
SUBSCRIPTIONS
Pick your package.
Where do you want to sit?
Please visit www.mccarter.org for specific seating
information and to view seat maps.
Note that seating charts vary for each series.
All events subject to change.
STEP 3
How much will it cost?
SEATING SECTION
THEATER
A
B
C
D
Previews — BUY 3 PLAYS, GET 2 FREE!
$200
$165
$125
$70
Regular — SAVE UP TO 20% OFF REGULAR TICKET PRICES
$295
$250
$192
$100
$100
$100
$100
Young-at-Art (Age 35 and under)
DANCE Series – 4 Events/SAVE up to 50% OFF fourth event!
$192
$175
$132
$60
MUSIC Series A & B
$242
$214
$164
$164
SIGNATURE EVENTS (CREATE YOUR OWN SERIES – PICK ANY 3)
$165-$195* $144-$165*
$126
*Zone A/B pricing will vary depending on which events are selected
3-2-1 PICK YOUR OWN
3 Theater events,
2 other events from any other series
CHOICE PASS – 4 admissions to Theater series
$245
$200
Enhance your Theater Subscription with a special package!
STEP 4
• Dinner and Theater at our own Terra Teatro
• Pride Night Thursday Pre-show Party
• Post-show Discussions (Sunday Afternoon/Wednesday Night)
• Dialogue on Drama (Sunday Afternoon)
• American Sign Language Interpreted and Audio Described Performances
• Young-at-Art (Age 35 and under)
• Dinner and Theater Package (Wednesday/Thursday Evenings) Subscribe to the Theater Series and enjoy
a three-course menu at select McCarter Theatre Preferred Restaurants before the show.
• Driven to Excellence (Wednesday/Thursday Evenings and Saturday matinee) Leave the driving to us!
Enjoy worry-free travel and relax with reliable transportation to and from the theater.
Servicing participating communities in the surrounding Mercer County area and beyond.
Order your package:
STEP 5
(Have your renewal form ready)
l ONLINE:www.mccarter.org
l BY PHONE:609-258-5050
l IN PERSON:91 University Place,
Princeton, NJ 08540
609-258-5050 | www.mccarter.org
SUBSCRIPTIONS | 28
X
BO
MATTHEWS THEATRE
SEATING CHART
THEATER
X
BO
E
G
STA
ONY
ALC
IER/B
DT
RAN
G
RA
EST
CH
OR
A
B
C
D
OX
B
RA
EST
CH
OR
GE
STA
GRAND
A
MATTHEWS THEATRE
SEATING CHART
BOX
Y
LCON
IER/BA
T
B
C
BOX
D
MUSIC SERIES ONLY
A
STRA
ORCHE
B
STAGE
C
D
GRAND
BOX
CONY
R/BAL
TIE
MATTHEWS THEATRE
SEATING CHART
DANCE
SIGNATURE SERIES
JAZZ EVENTS
BOX
STRA
ORCHE
STAGE
A
B
C
D
BERLIND THEATRE
SEATING CHART
DANCE
SIGNATURE SERIES
JAZZ EVENTS
ORCHESTRA
STAGE
A
B
C
D
29 | SEATING CHARTS
2014-15 SEASON PRIORITY ORDER FORM
SUBSCRIBE ONLINE! www.mccarter.org
91 University Place, Princeton NJ 08540
PRIORITY SUBSCRIPTION ORDER
I
Phone Numbers
Name _______________________________________________________
Home(______)________________________
Address _____________________________________________________ Bus.(______)________________________
City __________________________ State ________ Zip ____________
E-mail _______________________________
Important to communicate ticket updates and changes.
II
Please select your performance day, time, and location:
o 5 -PLAY THEATER Series
o YOUNG-AT-ART 35 or under (Proof of age required.)
o CHOICE PASS ($200 ea) / o 321 PASS ($245 ea)
o MEMBERSHIP ($35 ea) / o YOUNG-AT-ART MEMBERSHIP ($25 ea)
o MUSIC Series
o A o B
oA&B
o DANCE Series + 1 (Please include added event below)
o Swan Lake
o Ballet Hispanico
o Momix
o Noche Flamenca
Section
# of Seats Price
Total
Best Available
o Wendy Whelan
o SUBSCRIBER ADD-ON EVENTS:
o The Messiah o Cameron Carpenter
o Conrad Tao
$60
$35
$30
o SIGNATURE SELECTIONS
Choose 3 (seat locations may vary)
o A CHRISTMAS CAROL
o Bruce Hornsby
o Rosanne Cash
o Chris Botti
o The Doo Wop Project
o The Buddy Holly Story
o Swan Lake
o Ballet Hispanico
o Circus Oz
o February 21 o 2pm or o 7:30pm o February 22
o Vusi Mahlasela and Hugh Masekela
o Natalie MacMaster
o The Chieftains
o The Peking Acrobats
o Noche Flamenca
o David Sedaris
o Reduced Shakespeare
o Laurie Anderson
III
Renew Online at
Date __________ Time__________
o Wendy Whelan
o Potted Potter
o The Nile Project
o Momix
o Christian McBride
o Red Baraat
o Cécile McLorin Salvant
o Fred Hersch / Julian Lage
o Clint Holmes
o Ladies Sing the Blues
o Chita Rivera
o 7pm or o 9:30pm
o Hiromi
o Conrad Tao
o Silk Road
o Kyle Abraham
o October 21 or o October 22
o Cameron Carpenter
www.mccarter.org/renew
Sub Total =
Tax-Deductible
Contribution
$
Handling charge
$
GRAND TOTAL =
$
$
Please consider adding a
tax-deductible gift of $100.00.
As a not-for-profit theater,
your support is critical.
Thank You.
9.50
Ask about our SUBSCRIBE-IN-5 payment plan!
or call the Subscription Office at 609-258-5050.
To pay by check, make payable to McCarter Theatre and mail with form to: McCarter Theatre Subscription Office
91 University Place • Princeton, NJ 08540
If you wish to be seated with friends, please include all order forms in the same envelope. If this order includes someone who does not live at your address,
please note the name, address, and phone number on the reverse of this form so we can send subscriber information.
Orders are processed in order of receipt. Tickets will be mailed to you before the season opens. Subscription payments are non-refundable. Programs and dates are subject to change.
SUBSCRIBE ONLINE: www.mccarter.org | OR CALL: 609-258-5050
30
2014-2015 THEATER SERIES PACKAGE DATES:
FOR A COMPLETE LISTING OF THE 2014-2015 THEATER SERIES PACKAGE DATES, PLEASE VISIT OUR WEBSITE AT
www.mccarter.org, OR CALL THE SUBSCRIPTION OFFICE AT 609-258-5050 FOR MORE INFORMATION.
2014-2015 SPECIAL THEATER PACKAGES:
PLAY 1
PLAY 2
PLAY 3
PLAY 4
PLAY 5
Opening Night
9/12/2014
10/17/2014
1/23/2015
3/13/2015
5/8/2015
Dialogue on Drama
(Sunday Matinee)
9/14/2014
10/19/2014
1/25/2015
3/15/2015
5/10/2015
Post-Show Discussion
(Wednesday Evening)
9/17/2014
10/30/2014
1/28/2015
3/26/2015
5/13/2015
Pride Night Party
(Thursday Evening, pre-show)
9/18/2014
10/23/2014
1/29/2015
3/19/2015
5/14/2015
Post-show Discussion
(Sunday Matinee)
9/21/2014
10/26/2014
2/1/2015
3/22/2015
5/17/2015
Dinner and Theater
10/1/2014
10/30/2014
2/11/2015
3/26/2015
5/27/2015
Audio Described Performance
10/1/2014
10/30/2014
2/11/2015
3/26/2015
5/27/2015
ASL Interpreted Performance
10/4/2014
11/1/2014
2/14/2015
3/28/2015
5/30/2015
Driven to Excellence Bus Package
(Weekend)
9/27/2014
10/25/2014
2/7/2015
3/21/2015
5/23/2015
Driven to Excellence Bus Package
(Weeknight)
10/1/2014
10/30/2014
2/11/2015
3/26/2015
5/27/2015
(Fridays)
Dates are subject to change.
31
SUBSCRIBE ONLINE: www.mccarter.org | OR CALL: 609-258-5050
MEMBERSHIP PROGRAM
Martha Graham Dance Company,
photo by John Deane
Not quite ready
to subscribe?
Try out our
MEMBERSHIP
program
or enhance
your subscription
with this fantastic
way to SAVE
money on tickets!
Julian Lage,
photo by Ingrid Hertfelder
HOW IT WORKS:
Memberships are $35 per person for each season and
tickets for most events are $35 each.* You pick the
show; you pick the seats. Memberships are:
• Ideal for people who like to see many shows but are
looking for flexibility and savings.
• A perfect add-on to any McCarter subscription if you’re
looking for savings on additional single tickets!
• Your gateway to receiving early access to the best seats
for McCarter events with priority ticket ordering periods
throughout the season (after Subscribers).
*Memberships are valid for one McCarter season,
which spans from September to June, and may
exclude certain events (subject to availability).
The first priority period for the 2014-15 season will
begin on July 21 for events through December.
To become a member, contact our
Ticket Office at 609-258-2787.
Memberships are not available for
purchase online.
Circus Oz,
photo by Rob Blackburn
For more information about Memberships,
visit www.mccarter.org under TICKET INFO.
TO BECOME A MEMBER, CONTACT OUR TICKET OFFICE: 609-258-2787 | NOT AVAILABLE ONLINE
30
ANNUAL FUND
Your donations support McCarter’s good
work on stage and in the community –
from in-school residencies and student
matinees to special performance
accommodations for local seniors, sight
or hearing-impaired patrons, and
individuals on the autism spectrum. We
aim to inspire the next generation of
performing arts patrons and to engage
audiences of all generations with the
excellent work that we produce
and present.
Riverside School Residency
At the local level, McCarter contributes
to the cultural vibrancy and economic
vitality of our region. Nationally,
McCarter contributes new plays to the
American repertoire and fosters the
careers of emerging performing artists.
Please consider if McCarter improves
your quality of life, then choose to give
back through a donation to the Annual
Fund. We thank you!
Please donate on-line at
www.mccarter.org/donate,
or call (609) 258-4646.
McCarter Education Class production of Wizard of Oz
29
The Philadelphia Jazz Orchestra
at McCarter’s 2013 Block Party, photo by Matt Pilsner
SPECIAL THANKS TO OUR MAJOR
CORPORATE AND FOUNDATION PARTNERS
LEADING CORPORATE SPONSORS
(as of February 2014)
MAJOR FOUNDATION SUPPORTERS
(as of February 2014)
FAMILY OF COMPANIES
McCarter Theatre Center gratefully acknowledges major foundation and government support from: The Rita Allen Foundation; The Mary Owen Borden Foundation;
The Bunbury Company; The Edward T. Cone Foundation; The Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation; Doris Duke Charitable Foundation; The Charles Evans Foundation;
The David A. Gardner ’69 Magic Project; The Dubose and Dorothy Heyward Memorial Fund; J. Seward Johnson, Sr. 1963 Charitable Trust; The Robert Wood
Johnson Jr. Charitable Trust; The Karma Foundation; The Blanche and Irving Laurie Foundation; The Curtis W. McGraw Foundation; The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation;
National Endowment for the Arts; The New Jersey State Council on the Arts; The New Jersey Cultural Trust; The Richenthal Foundation; The Shubert Foundation;
The Starr Foundation; and The Harold and Mimi Steinberg Charitable Trust.
Mid-Atlantic Arts Foundation
This program is made possible in part by funds from the New Jersey State Council on the Arts/Department of State,
a Partner Agency of the National Endowment for the Arts and by funds from the National Endowment for the Arts.
For full event descriptions, visit us online at www.mccarter.org
30
2O14-2O15
SUBSCRIBE OR
RENEW ONLINE AT
www.mccarter.org
OR CALL
609.258.5050
Cover (clockwise): Janine Jansen, photo by Harald Hoffman; Amy Kim Waschke in The White Snake,
photo by T. Charles Erickson; Conrad Tao; Momix; Portia in Fences, photo by T. Charles Erickson;
Cécile McLorin Salvant, photo by John Abbott; Chris Botti; Esau Pritchett in Fences, photo by T. Charles Erickson;
Natalie MacMaster, photo by Margaret Malandrucculo; Kristen Bush and Michael Siberry in Proof, photo by Richard Termine.
Back cover (clockwise): Sigourney Weaver in Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike, photo by T. Charles Erickson; Chita Rivera, photo by Laura Marie Duncan; Amy Kim Waschke and Jon Norman Schneider
in The White Snake, photo by T. Charles Erickson; Momix; Christian McBride; Martha Graham Dance Company, photo by John Deane; Circus Oz, photo by Rob Blackburn.
91 University Place | Princeton, NJ 08540