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Friday, September 28, 2018, 8pm Saturday, September 29, 2018, 2pm and 8pm Sunday, September 30, 2018, 3pm Zellerbach Hall Mark Morris Dance Group Pepperland
Mica Bernas Sam Black Karlie Budge* Durell R. Comedy Brandon Cournay* Domingo Estrada, Jr. Lesley Garrison Lauren Grant Sarah Haarmann Deepa Liegel* Aaron Loux Laurel Lynch Dallas McMurray Minga Prather* Brandon Randolph Nicole Sabella Christina Sahaida* Billy Smith Noah Vinson *apprentice
MMDG Music Ensemble Clinton Curtis Colin Fowler Jacob Garchik Ethan Iverson Sam Newsome Rob Schwimmer Vincent Sperrazza
Artistic Director Mark Morris
Executive Director Nancy Umanoff
Major support for the Mark Morris Dance Group is provided by American Express, Anonymous, Beyer Blinder Belle Architects & Planners, LLP, Frederick and Morley Bland, Booth Ferris Foundation, Allan S. and Rhea K. Bufferd, Suzy Kellems Dominik, Doris Duke Charitable Foundation, Judith R. and Alan H. Fishman, Shelby and Frederick Gans, Isaac Mizrahi and Arnold Germer, Howard Gilman Foundation, Hearst Foundations, Sandy Hill, Elizabeth Amy Liebman, e Pierre and Tana Matisse Foundation, Suzanne Berman and Timothy J. McClimon, McDermott, Will & Emery, e Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, Meyer Sound/Helen and John Meyer, Ellen and Arnold Offner, Sarabeth Berman and Evan Osnos, PARC Foundation, Poss Family Foundation, Diane E. Solway and David Resnicow, Resnicow + Associates, Margaret Conklin and David Sabel, e Fan Fox and Leslie R. Samuels Foundation, Iris Cohen and Mark Selinger, e SHS Foundation, e Shubert Foundation, Jane and R.L. Stine, e White Cedar Fund, and Friends of MMDG.
These performances are made possible, in part, by Patron Sponsors Helen and John Meyer, and Brian James and S. Shariq Yosufzai. Additional support made possible, in part, by Corporate Sponsor U.S. Bank. Cal Performances’ 2018 –19 season is sponsored by Wells Fargo.
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Pepperland Music: Original songs by e Beatles, arr. by Ethan Iverson* Original compositions by Ethan Iverson †
Mark Morris, choreography Johan Henckens, set design Elizabeth Kurtzman, costume design Nick Kolin, lighting design Aaron Loux, assistant to Mr. Morris
Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band* Magna Carta † With a Little Help from My Friends* Adagio † When I’m Sixty-Four* Allegro † Within You Without You* Scherzo † Wilbur Scoville † Penny Lane* A Day in the Life* Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band*
Clinton Curtis, vocals ; Sam Newsome, soprano saxophone ; Jacob Garchik, trombone ; Rob Schwimmer; theremin ; Ethan Iverson, piano ; Colin Fowler, harpsichord/organ ; Vincent Sperrazza, percussion Mica Bernas, Sam Black, Durell R. Comedy, Brandon Cournay, Domingo Estrada, Jr., Lesley Garrison, Lauren Grant, Sarah Haarmann, Laurel Lynch, Dallas McMurray, Brandon Randolph, Nicole Sabella, Christina Sahaida, Billy Smith, Noah Vinson
Original music by e Beatles. All Rights Reserved. Used by permission from Sony Music Publishing.
Pepperland is a Mark Morris Dance Group production in association with Cal Performances, UC Berkeley, California; UCSB Arts & Lectures, Santa Barbara, California; American Dance Festival, Durham, North Carolina; BAM, Brooklyn, New York; Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity with the Sony Centre, Toronto, Canada; Celebrity Series of Boston, Massachusetts; e City of Liverpool, England, UK; Dance Consortium UK; Hopkins Center for the Arts, Dartmouth College, Hanover, New Hampshire; International Festival of Arts & Ideas, New Haven, Connecticut; e John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, Washington, DC; Krannert Center for the Performing Arts, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign; La Jolla Music Society, La Jolla, California; Meyer Sound, Berkeley, California; Seattle eatre Group, Seattle, Washington; Segerstrom Center for the Arts, Costa Mesa, California; and White Bird, Portland, Oregon. Pepperland is supported, in part, by Friends of MMDG, the Howard Gilman Foundation, PARC Foundation, and New Music USA. Music commissioned by the Charles and Joan Gross Family Foundation. e premiere engagement was supported by funding from the Mid-Atlantic Arts Foundation through USArtists International in partnership with the National Endowment for the Arts, the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, and the Howard Gilman Foundation.
is evening’s program will be performed without an intermission and will last approximately 60 minutes.
Opposite: Dallas McMurray, Sarah Haarmann, and Sam Black in Mark Morris’ Pepperland . Photo by Mat Hayward. 16 september insert 2 MMDG.qxp_Layout 1 9/13/18 11:30 AM Page 4 september insert 2 MMDG.qxp_Layout 1 9/13/18 11:30 AM Page 5
ABOUT THE ARTISTS
Mark Morris was born on the Benjamin Franklin Laureate Prize for August 29, 1956, in Seattle, Creativity, the International Society for the Washington, where he Performing Arts’ Distinguished Artist Award, studied with Verla Flowers the Cal Performances Award of Distinction in and Perry Brunson. In the the Performing Arts, the Orches tra of St. Luke’s n a h e
e early years of his career, he Gi of Music Award, and the 2016 Doris h S
f l u performed with the com - Duke Artist Award. In 2015 Mark Morris was w o e B panies of Lar Lubo vitch, inducted into the Mr. and Mrs. Cornelius Hannah Kahn, Laura Dean, Eliot Feld, and the Van derbilt Whitney Hall of Fame at the Koleda Balkan Dance Ensemble. He formed National Museum of Dance in Saratoga the Mark Morris Dance Group (MMDG) in Springs, New York. Morris opened the Mark 1980, and has since created over 150 works Morris Dance Center in Brooklyn, New York, for the company. From 1988 to 1991, he was in 2001 to provide a home for his company, Director of Dance at Brussels’ éâtre Royal rehearsal space for the dance community, de la Monnaie, the national opera house of outreach programs for children and seniors, Belgium. In 1990 he founded the White Oak and a school offering dance classes to students Dance Project with Mikhail Baryshnikov. Much of all ages and abilities. in demand as a ballet choreographer, Morris has created 22 ballets since 1986 and his work e Mark Morris Dance Group was formed in has been performed by companies worldwide, 1980 and gave its first performance that year in including San Francisco Ballet, American Ballet New York City. e company’s touring schedule eatre, Ballet du Grand éâtre de Genève, steadily expanded to include cities in the United and the Royal New Zealand Ballet. Noted for States and around the world, and in 1986 it his musicality, Morris has been described made its first national television program for as “undeviating in his devotion to music” the PBS series Dance in America . MMDG was (e New Yorker) . He began conducting invited to become the national dance company performances for MMDG in 2006 and has of Belgium in 1988, and spent three years in since conducted at Tanglewood Music Center, residence at the éâtre Royal de la Monnaie Lincoln Center, and BAM (Brooklyn Academy in Brussels. e Dance Group returned to the of Music). He served as the music director for United States in 1991 as one of the world’s lead - the 2013 Ojai Music Festival. He also works ing dance companies. Based in Brooklyn, New extensively in opera, directing and choreo - York, MMDG maintains strong ties to presen - graphing productions for the Metropolitan ters in several cities around the world, most no - Opera, New York City Opera, English National tably to its West Coast home, Cal Performances, Opera, and e Royal Opera, Covent Garden, and its Midwest home, the Krannert Center among others. Morris was named a Fellow of for the Performing Arts at the University of the MacArthur Foundation in 1991 and has Illinois at Urbana –Champaign. MMDG also received 11 honorary doctorates to date. He appears regularly in New York, Boston, Seattle, has taught at the University of Washington, and Fair fax. In New York, the company has Princeton University, and Tangle wood Music performed at New York City Center’s Fall for Center. Morris is a member of the American Dance Festival, regularly performs at Lincoln Academy of Arts and Sciences and the Center for the Performing Arts’ Mostly Mozart Ameri can Philosophical Society, and has served and White Light Festivals, and collaborates as an advisory board member for the Rolex yearly with BAM on performances and master Mentor and Protégé Arts Initiative. He has classes. From the company’s many London received the Samuel H. Scripps/American Dance seasons, it has received two Laurence Olivier Festival Award for Lifetime Achievement, Awards and a Critics’ Circle Dance Award the Leonard Bernstein Lifetime Achievement for Best Foreign Dance Company. Reflecting Award for the Elevation of Music in Society, Morris’ commitment to live music, the Dance
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ABOUT THE ARTISTS n a h e e h S
f l u w o e B Mark Morris and Ethan Iverson at a rehearsal for Pepperland
Group has featured live musicians in every Cal Performances and MMDG’s relationship performance since the formation of the MMDG over the last 30 years has played a major part Music Ensemble in 1996. MMDG regularly in making productions like Pepperland possi - collaborates with renowned musicians including ble for the Dance Group and fulfilling Cal Per - cellist Yo-Yo Ma, pianist Emanuel Ax, mezzo- formances’ commitment to bring important soprano Stephanie Blythe, and jazz trio e Bad dance works on a grand scale to Zeller bach Plus, as well as leading orchestras and opera Hall. MMDG first performed two mixed companies including the Metropolitan Opera, repertory programs at Zellerbach Hall in 1987. English National Opera, and the London Since then, Cal Performances has presented e Sym phony Orchestra. MMDG frequently works Hard Nut on several occasions, as well as 57 with distinguished artists and designers includ - additional works by Mark Morris, including 13 ing painters Robert Bordo and the late Howard world premieres, the most recent in 2016 with Hodgkin, set designers Adrianne Lobel and Layla and Majnun . Pepperland marks the 11th Allen Moyer, costume designers Martin Pakle - Cal Performances co-commission of a Mark dinaz and Isaac Mizrahi, and many others. Morris work. MMDG’s film and television projects include Dido and Aeneas, e Hard Nut , Falling Down e MMDG Music Ensemble , formed in 1996, Stairs , two documentaries for the UK’s South is integral to the Mark Morris Dance Group. Bank Show , and PBS’ Live from Lincoln Center. “With the dancers come the musicians…and In 2015 Morris’ signature work, L’Allegro, il Pen - what a difference it makes” ( Classical Voice seroso ed il Moderato, had its national television of North Carolina ). e Ensemble’s repertory premiere on PBS’ Great Performances . While on ranges from 17th- and 18th-century works by tour the Dance Group partners with local cul - John Wilson and Henry Purcell to more recent tural institutions and community organizations scores by Ethan Iverson, Lou Harrison, and to present arts and humanities-based activities Henry Cowell. e musicians also participate for people of all ages and abilities. in the Dance Group’s educational and commu -
Opposite: Brian Lawson, Dallas McMurray, and Billy Smith in Mark Morris’ Pepperland . Photo by Gareth Jones. 18 september insert 2 MMDG.qxp_Layout 1 9/13/18 11:30 AM Page 8
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nity programming at home and on tour. e Limón Institute and has been on the faculty for Music Ensemble is led by Colin Fowler, who BIMA at Brandeis University since 2011. She began to collaborate with MMDG in 2005, joined the Mark Morris Dance Group as an during the creation of Mozart Dances . apprentice in January 2017 and became a full- time company member in August 2017. Mica Bernas , originally from Manila, Philippines, Sam Black is originally received her training at from Berkeley, where he the Cultural Center of the began studying tap at the Philippines Dance School. age of nine with Katie She later joined Ballet Phil - Malts berger. He received his ippines as member of the BFA in dance from SUNY corps de ballet , performing Purchase, and currently as a soloist from 2001 –06. Since moving to New teaches MMDG master York in 2006, Bernas has worked with Marta classes and Dance for PD®. He first appeared Renzi Dance, Armitage Gone Dance, Gallim with MMDG in 2005 and became a company Dance, Barkin/Selissen Project, and Carolyn member in 2007. Dorfman Dance (2007 –13). She was a guest artist with the Limón Dance Company, Karlie Budge grew up in Knoxville, Tennessee, performing at the 2013 Bienal Internacional dancing with the Tennessee Children’s Dance de Danza de Cali in Bogotá, Colombia; Ensemble (TCDE). She graduated magna cum Lincoln Center’s David H. Koch eater; and laude in 2016 with a BA in dance and BS in at e Joyce eater for the company’s 70th statistics from Case Western Reserve University Anniver sary in 2015. Bernas also teaches at the and danced with the Graham 2 dance company.
It was Fifty Years Ago Today Notes on the Score by Ethan Iverson
Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band. When I’m Sixty Four. In between 6 and 4 e original album ended with an unprece - is 5. All three (counts to the bar) are heard dented effect, a very long chord. Fiy years beneath the music-hall scuffle. later, perhaps a similar chord is good place to begin… Allegro. A single oand line of trombone from “Sgt. Pepper” germinates into a full- Magna Carta. A formal invocation of fledged sonata form. personalities from the LP cover. Within You Without You. George Harrison’s With a Little Help From my Friends. When sincere study of Indian music aligns easily Ringo sang it, he was on top of the world. with another Harrison interested in bringing Our version is more vulnerable. the East to the West: the great composer Lou Harrison, one of Mark Morris’ most Adagio. In the age of Tinder, a Lonely Heart significant collaborators. e hippie-era advertisement might seem hopelessly quaint. sentiment of the lyric remains startlingly But everyone has always needed to find fresh and relevant today. a match.
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Budge has performed and performed with the works by Mark Morris, Metro politan Opera, Troy Pascal Rioult, Larry Keig - Powell, and Kyle Abraham, win, Martha Graham, Ted among others. Comedy Shawn, Bertram Ross, Vir - was a mem ber of the ginie Mecene, Adam Bar - Limón Dance Company ruch, Michael Mao, and from 2009 –15, performing Randy Duncan. She has principal and soloist roles. pre sented her choreography throughout New He has also appeared as a soloist dancer in York City in Playscape 2016, SoloDuo Festival, Baltimore Opera Com pany’s Aida and worked NEXT@Graham, NYC10, and four Martha with Washington National Opera from 2013 –14 Graham School showings. Budge received the as a principal dancer and dance captain. He was Pearl Lang Award for Excellence in Cho re - a former fellowship student at the Ailey School ography in 2017. She joined MMDG as an and a 2014 adjunct faculty member at George apprentice in September 2018. Mason University’s School of Dance. Comedy joined MMDG as an apprentice in 2015 and be - Durell R. Comedy , a native of Prince Georges came a company member in 2016. County, Maryland, began dancing at the age of six with Spirit Wings Dance Company. He Brandon Cournay is originally from Walled graduated from the Visual & Performing Arts Lake, Michigan, and received his BFA from the program of Suitland High School in 2004 and Juilliard School. As a freelance artist, Cournay magna cum laude from George Mason performed in the Radio City Christ mas Spec - University, receiving his BFA in dance per - tacular , and with the Mark Morris Dance formance in 2008. Since then, he has worked Group, Metropolitan Opera Ballet, New York
Scherzo. Glenn Gould said he preferred Penny Lane. Not on Sgt. Pepper, but Petula Clark to the Beatles. Apparently nonetheless originally planned to be, and Gould, Clark, and a chord progression from of course especially relevant to the city of “Sgt. Pepper” all seem to have inspired this Liverpool. mod number. A Day In the Life. eremin nocturne, vocal Wilbur Scoville. e first thing we hear on descant, apotheosis. the LP is a guitar blues lick, here transformed into a real blues for the horns to blow Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band. on. Wilbur Scoville invented the scale to Another unprecedented effect on original LP measure heat in hot sauce: e original was a reprise of the first theme, which is part Sergeant Pepper? of why it is called the first “concept album.” Our later vantage point enables us to project Cadenza. Aer seeing Bach’s Brandenburg into the next decade, the 1970s, and conjure 2 on the telly, Paul McCartney came into up a disco ball. ank you, Beatles! ank the studio and told George Martin to add you, Sgt. Pepper ! piccolo trumpet to “Penny Lane.” Indeed, detailed references to European classical music are one reason so many Beatles songs still stump the average cover band.
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eatre Ballet, the Chase Festival, where he performed Sky light , a classic Brock Ex perience, Schoen work by choreographer Laura Dean. He Move ment Company, Dance debuted with MMDG in 2007 and became a Hegin botham, and Morph - company member in 2009. Estrada would like o ses. Television/film/ indus - to thank God, his family, and all who support trial credits include Great his passion. Per for mances and Ses ame Street (PBS), Musi cal Chairs Colin Fowler (music director, (HBO), Puma, and Target. He has been the harpsichord/organ ) be gan associate choreographer for My Fair Lady his musical study at the (Bay Street), e Wildness (Off-Broadway), age of five in Kansas City Corio la nus (Off-Broadway), and I Am Anne and went on to study at the Hutch inson/I Am Harvey Milk . Aer dancing prestigious Interlochen Arts with the company for seven years, Cournay Academy. He continued his became associate artistic director of KEIGWIN education at the Juilliard + COMPANY. He joined the Dance Group as School, where he received his bachelor’s degree an apprentice in 2018. in music in 2003 and his master’s degree in 2005. While at Juilliard, he studied piano with Clinton Curtis (baritone ) Abbey Simon, organ with Gerre Hancock and is a multi-genre singer, Paul Jacobs, harpsichord with Lionel Party, musician, and songwriter and conducting with James dePriest and Judith originally from Key West, Clur man. A versatile musicia n and conductor, Flor ida. As a choral singer Fowler works in many areas of the music scene he has worked with many in New York City. He is a veteran of numerous of the world’s finest con duc - Broadway shows, most recently performing tors and orchestras, most in the Tony Award winning musical Jersey Boys. recently including engagements with the New A seasoned church musician, Fowler is cur - York Philharmonic, Berlin Phil harmonic, and rently the organist at Marble Collegiate Church San Fran cisco Symphony. March 2016 marked on Fih Avenue and he also leads services and his operatic debut in Curlew River for the Mark concerts at Park Avenue Synagogue, where he Morris Dance Group. As a popular songwriter has served as music director since 2012. As a and frontman for the Clinton Curtis Band classical soloist and collaborative artist, he has he has toured internationally as a cultural performed and recorded with many world- ambassador with the US Department of State. renowned musicians and ensembles , including Curtis has released five original studio albums, Deborah Voigt and the Los Angeles Philhar - which are available at music.clintoncurtis.com. monic. He began to collaborate with the Mark Morris Dance Group in 2005 and has since Domingo Estrada, Jr., a performed over 40 pieces with the company on native of Victoria, Texas, almost every keyboard instrument possible, studied martial arts and including the harmonium and toy piano, and earned his black belt in has conducted performances of Mozart Dances , 1994. He danced ballet Acis and Galatea, and e Hard Nut. Hailed by folklorico through his the New York Times as “invaluable” and “central church for 11 years. Estrada to Morris’ music,” he was appointed music earned his BFA in ballet and director in 2013. modern dance from Texas Christian University and had the honor of working with the late Jacob Garchik (trombone ) is a multi-instru - Fernando Bujones. During his undergraduate mentalist and composer. Since moving to studies, he attended the American Dance New York in 1994 he has been a vital part of
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ABOUT THE ARTISTS
the downtown and Brook - Lauren Grant, honored lyn scene, playing trom - with a New York Dance bone with the Lee Konitz and Performance (“Bessie”) Nonet, Ohad Talmor/ Award for her career Steve Swallow Sex tet, Mary with the Mark Morris Halvorson Octet, and the Dance Group, has danced John Hol lenbeck Large with MMDG since 1996, Ensemble. He has released appearing in over 60 of four albums as a leader, including e Heavens: Morris’ works. In addition to staging Morris’ e Atheist Gospel Trombone Album . Garchik repertory on his company and at universities, also co-leads Brook lyn’s premier Mexican brass Grant teaches ballet and modern technique for band, Banda de los Muertos. Since 2006 he numerous professional dance companies and has contributed dozens of arrangements and schools around the world and is an adjunct transcriptions of music from all over the world faculty member at Montclair State University. for Kronos Quartet. His arrangements were fea - Her writing has been published in the jour - tured on Floodplain, Rainbow , and A ousand nal Dance Education in Practice , Ballet Review , oughts . Garchik composed the score for Dance Magazine , and InfiniteBody . She also Kronos for the documentaries e Campaign serves as a panelist for the New York State and Green Fog, directed by Guy Maddin. He Council on the Arts. Grant earned her MFA has created arrangements for vocalists Anne in dance from Montclair State University Sofie von Otter, Angelique Kidjo, Laurie (where she was a member of the Alpha Epsilon Anderson, Rhian non Giddens, kd lang, Natalie Lambda Honor Society) and her BFA from Merchant, Tanya Tagaq, and Alim Qasimov. As New York University’s Tisch School of the a trombonist Garchik has worked with many Arts. She is a recipient of the prestigious luminaries of the avant garde, including Henry American Association of University Women readgill, Laurie Anderson, Anthony Braxton, Career Development Grant, the Sono Osato Anthony Coleman, Joe Maneri, Frank London, Scholarship for Graduate Studies, and the James Tenney, Terry Reilly, and George Lewis. Caroline Newhouse Grant—all in support He has also played in ensembles led by of her scholarly pursuits. Originally from emerging artists Mary Halvorson, Darcy James High land Park, Illinois, Grant lives in Brooklyn, Argue, Dan Weiss, Miguel Zenon, and Steve New York, with her husband, David Leventhal Lehman, and has been named a “Rising Star” (former MMDG dancer and current Dance in the Downbeat Jazz Critic’s Poll. for PD® Program Director), and their son, born in 2012. Lesley Garrison grew up in Swansea, Illinois, and Sarah Haarmann grew up received her early dance in Macungie, Pennsylvania, training at the Center of and received training at the Creative Arts in St. Louis, Lehigh Valley Charter High Missouri, and Interlochen School for the Performing Arts Academy in Inter - Arts under the direction lochen, Michigan. She stud - of Kimberly Maniscalco. ied at the Rotterdamse Dansacademie in the She graduated magna cum Netherlands and holds a BFA from Purchase laude with a BFA in dance from Marymount College. Garrison first performed with MMDG Manhattan College in 2012. Haarmann has had in 2007 and became a company member in the pleasure of performing with Pam Tanowitz 2011. She teaches at e School at the Mark Dance, Jessica Lang Dance, Dylan Crossman Morris Dance Center and for MMDG’s Dance Dans(ce), Pat Catterson, Denisa Musilova, for PD® program. and Bill Young. She joined MMDG as an
Opposite: Mark Morris and Ethan Iverson in rehearsal for Pepperland . Photo by Beowulf Sheehan. september insert 2 MMDG.qxp_Layout 1 9/13/18 11:30 AM Page 24
Investing in Dance: The Support That Makes Pepperland Possible by Ryan Wenzel
It takes a long time to bring a work like Mark we do, so we support it wholeheartedly,” says Morris’ Pepperland to the stage. e steps are Matías Tarnopolsky, former executive and many: composing and arranging the music, artistic director of Cal Performances, which choreographing the movement, rehearsing has worked with Morris and his dancers for the dancers and musicians, designing the three decades. decor, lighting, and sound. Seldom men - Mike Ross, director of the Krannert Cen - tioned is the funding required to set it all ter for the Performing Arts of the University in motion. of Illinois at Urbana –Champaign, echoes Dance companies oen rely on support Tarnopolsky and adds that the Dance Group’s from foundations and individual donors to offstage outreach has also been crucial fund new works, and only aer the premiere in furthering their close-knit relationship. “In convince presenters to schedule perform - addition to annual performances, they have ances. Mark Morris Dance Group, however, brought workshops and other activities to has developed a model that is unusual in the our campus, and to the local population at dance world, whereby multiple arts institu - large,” says Ross. “Because they have become tions join together to commission a piece— part of our community, it is easy for us to oen years before it will reach their stages. support them and their work on this level.” is approach began with Mozart Dances A separate community—one with a repu - (2006), a three-way commission, and grew tation for supporting superior new work— over time with Romeo and Juliet (2008), Acis has coalesced around the commissioning and Galatea (2014), and Layla and Majnun organizations themselves, enticing others to (2016). It reaches unprecedented scale with join. Pepperland marks the Banff Centre’s Pepperland , which received advance funding first commission of a Morris work, yet there from no fewer than 17 institutions. ey are no plans for the piece to be performed on span the United States, Canada, and the its stages in Alberta, Canada; it will instead, United Kingdom; are based in towns, cities, by arrangement with the Banff Centre, play and on university campuses; and include at the Sony Centre in Toronto, more than both nonprofit and for-profit entities. 2,000 miles away. “We wanted to support “e support provided by these institu - Mark and his company, of course, but also for tions sustains us, and shows their unique audiences to know that we support work understanding of the hidden costs involved of this caliber alongside other great organi - with creating dance works of this size,” says zations,” says Janice Price, the Banff Centre’s Nancy Umanoff, executive director of Mark president. “It is incredibly rewarding to be Morris Dance Group. seen as part of the ecosystem that makes this is funding model serves the commis - happen.” sioning partners well, too, and is based And if history is any indication, that largely on Morris’ importance and the trust eco system will only continue to strengthen they have in his work. “Like all arts organi - and grow. zations, we need to be careful about how we marshal our resources. But the excellence Ryan Wenzel is a New York-based writer and that Mark represents is at the heart of what editor.
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apprentice in January 2017 and became a full- Nick Kolin (lighting design ) time company member in August 2017. has designed Whelm , Words , A Forest , Numerator , Pure Johan Henckens (set realization ) became the Dance Items , Little Britten , director of technical production of the Mark and e Trout for the Morris Dance Group in 1989, during the com - Mark Morris Dance Group pany’s three-year residency at the Koninklijke and tours with MMDG as Muntschouwburg in Brussels, Belgium. lighting supervisor. Recent dance projects include new works for Phila - Ethan Iverson (composer, danco!, Art of Fugue with Syren Modern Dance, arranger, piano ) was a many collaborations with the Joffrey Ballet founding member of e School, and lighting supervisor for Daniil Sim - Bad Plus, a game-changing kin’s Intensio , Wendy Whelan’s Restless Creature , collective with Reid Ander - the Apollo eatre’s Get on the Good Foot , son and David King. e Dance Heginbotham, Lincoln Center Festival, New York Times called TBP and New York City Center’s Fall for Dance “…Better than anyone at Festival. Other projects include productions melding the sensibilities of post-’60s jazz and with the Cincinnati Ballet, Gotham Cham ber indie rock.” During his 17-year tenure TBP Opera, Asolo Repertory eater, Castillo ea- performed in venues as diverse as the Village ter, and Signature eatre. Kolin is an adjunct Vanguard, Carnegie Hall, and Bonnaroo; faculty member at Hunter College, where he collaborated with Joshua Redman, Bill Frisell, is the resident lighting designer for the MFA and the Mark Morris Dance Group; and created playwriting program. He holds an MFA from a faithful arrangement of Stravinsky’s e Rite of New York University Tisch School of the Arts. Spring and a radical reinvention of Ornette Coleman’ s Science Fiction . Iverson also has been Elizabeth Kurtzman (cos - in the critically acclaimed Billy Hart quartet for tume design ) began her ca - well over a decade and occasionally performs reer in the fashion industry with elder statesmen like Albert “Tootie” Heath aer attending the Parsons or Ron Carter. For almost 15 years Iverson’s Do School of Design. She has the Math blog has been a repository of musician - designed textiles and acces - to-musician interviews and analysis, surely sories for numerous New one reason Time Out New York selected Iverson York design houses. Kurtz - as one of 25 essential New York jazz icons: man has also added costume design and book “Perhaps NYC’s most thoughtful and pas - illustration to her list of vocations, designing sionate student of jazz tradition—the most numerous pieces for the Mark Morris Dance admirable sort of artist-scholar.” More recently Group, including Dancing Honey moon , Sang- Iverson has been writing about jazz for the New Froid , e Argument , Greek to Me , Four Saints Yorker . In 2017 Iverson co-curat ed a major in ree Acts , Empire Garden , Visitation , e centennial celebration of elonious Monk Muir , Crosswalk , Petrichor , and Pure Dance at Duke University and in 2018 he will be Items. She also designed L’Isola Disabitata premiering an original piano concerto with the for the Gotham Opera Company, under Mark American Composers Orchestra and releasing Morris’ direction. Kurtzman is currently active a duo album with Mark Turner on ECM. Many in providing art and music programs for years ago Iverson was the Mark Morris Dance children with autism in New York City, where Group’s musical director; he is thrilled to be she lives and works. back in the pit for MMDG again!
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Deepa Liegel grew up in Dallas McMurray , from El Seat tle, Washington, danc - Cerrito, California, began ing and performing with dancing at age four, study - Cornish Preparatory Dance, ing jazz, tap, and acrobatics Leela Kathak Dance, and with Katie Maltsberger and Seattle eatre Group. She ballet with Yukiko Saka - graduated in 2017 with a kura. He received a BFA in BFA in dance performance dance from the California and a minor in arts management from Institute of the Arts. McMurray performed with Southern Methodist Uni versity. Now based in the Limón Dance Company as well as in works New York City, Liegel is a freelance dancer and by Jiří Kylián, Alonzo King, Robert Moses, and model. She has apprenticed with the Limón Colin Connor. He performed with MMDG as Dance Company and performed with Barkha an apprentice in 2006 and became a company Dance Company, Broad way Bares, Catherine member in 2007. Cabeen/Hyphen, and others. She joined MMDG as an apprentice in September 2018. Sam Newsome (soprano saxophone ) works primarily Aaron Loux grew up in in the medium of solo Seattle, Washington, and saxophone, an approach began dancing at the through which he gained Crea tive Dance Center as worldwide critical acclaim a member of Kaleidoscope, with the release of his 2009 a youth modern dance recording, Blue Soliloquy: company. He began his Solo Works for So prano Saxophone , which re - classical training at the ceived a five-star review in Downbeat magazine. Cornish College Preparatory Dance Program Newsome sees himself more along the lines of and received his BFA from the Juilliard School a visual artist who paints with notes and sounds in 2009. Loux danced at the Metropolitan rather than shapes and colors. “My music”, he Opera and with Arc Dance Company before says, “is a type of improvisatory art music in joining MMDG in 2010. which jazz functions more as a resource than a musical genre to be interpreted with stylistic specificity.” Even though Newsome’s approach Laurel Lynch began her is unorthodox, it has proven to be very fruitful— dance training at Petaluma musically and critically. His creative efforts School of Ballet. She moved have earned him such recognition as receiving to New York to attend the the 2016 NYFA Artist’s Fellowship for the Juilliard School, where Music/Sound category; being selected as a she performed works by nominee for So pra no Saxophonist of the Year Robert Battle, Margie Gillis, by the 2016 Jazz Journalist Association (JJA); José Limón, and Ohad and placing fourth in the soprano saxophone Naharin. Aer graduation Lynch danced for category in the 64th Annual Downbeat Jazz Dušan Tý nek Dance eatre, Sue Bernhard Critics Poll. Danceworks, and Pat Catterson. Lynch joined MMDG as an apprentice in 2006 and became Minga Prather , a native of Dallas, Texas, a company member in 2007. anks to Gene received her training from the Booker T. and Becky. Washington High School for the Performing and Visual Arts, and later graduated with honors in dance from the Ailey/Fordham BFA
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program. Prather has had Christina Sahaida grew up the pleasure of performing in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania with Hubbard Street Dance and began her early dance Chi cago, Al vin Ailey training at the Pittsburgh American Dance eater, Ballet eatre School. In and Nimbus Dance Works 2012 she graduated with in works by Alvin Ailey, honors from Butler Uni - William Forsythe, Ale jandro versity, receiving a BFA Cerrudo, Ohad Naharin, Crystal Pite, and in dance performance. She has worked with Twyla arp. She received an award from the Ballet Quad Cities, Texture Contemporary National YoungArts Foundation for modern Ballet, and most recently the Big Muddy Dance dance in 2014. Prather joined MMDG as an Company in St. Louis, Missouri. Sahaida joined apprentice in September. the Mark Morris Dance Group as an apprentice in July 2017. Brandon Randolph began his training with the School Rob Schwimmer (there - of Carolina Ballet eater min ) is a composer-pianist/ in Greenville, South Caro - keyboardist, there minist, lina, under the direction of and Haken Continuumist. Hernan Justo. At age 14, he He has worked with Simon was accepted into the South & Garfunkel, Wayne Shor - Carolina Governor’s School ter, Antônio Carlos Jobim, for the Arts and Humanities, where he studied Bobby McFerrin, Willie with Stanislav Issaev and Bobby Barnett. Nel son, Paul Simon, Gotye, the Boston Pops, Randolph received his BFA in dance from Chaka Khan, Laurie Anderson, Arif Mardin, Purchase College in 2012. ere he had the op - Stevie Wonder, Adam Guettel, Paul Bley, portunity to perform with Dance Heginbotham T-Bone Walker, Sam Rivers, Christian Marclay, as well as repertory by Stephen Petronio, Lar Matthew Barney, Ang Lee, Maria Schneider, Lubovitch, Paul Taylor, and George Balanchine. e Klezmatics, Bernie Worrell, Annette Randolph began working with MMDG in 2013 Peacock, Gwyneth Paltrow, Mabou Mines, and became a company member in 2014. Geoffrey Holder, John Cale, Steve Buscemi, Iva Bittova, eo Bleckmann, John Stubblefield, Nicole Sabella is originally the Roches, Jack Quartet, Teo Macero, Hal from Clearwater, Florida, Willner, Vernon Reid, the Everly Brothers, Kurt where she studied at the Vonnegut, Odetta, Joseph Jar man, Alwin Academy of Ballet Arts and Nikolai/Murray Louis Dance Com pany, Marc the Pinellas County Center Ribot, Frank London, and Sammy Davis Jr. for the Arts at Gibbs High As a world-class thereminist, Schwimmer has School under Suzanne B. been featured on CBS Sunday Morning , and in Pomerant zeff. In 2009 she the New York Times and the Wall Street Journal . graduated from the University of the Arts in A founding member and co-director of the Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, earning her BFA New York eremin Society, Schwimmer’s in modern dance performance and the “Out- credits as theremin soloist include appearances standing Performance in Modern Dance” with the Boston Pops, the Or chestra of St. award. She was a performer with Zane Booker’s Luke’s (which included his theremin arrange - Smoke, Lilies, and Jade Arts Initiative. Sabella ment of Bernard Herrmann’s “Scene d’Amour” first performed with MMDG in 2013 and from Vertigo ), Bobby Mc Ferrin at Carnegie became a company member in 2015. Hall, Gotye’s Ondioline Orchestra, and Simon
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& Garfunkel’s world tours. In addition to Vincent Sperrazza (percus - his CD eremin Noir (with Uri Caine and sion ) is one of the most Mark Feldman,) Schwimmer played on Trey active members of the Anastasio’s CD Traveler, Matthew Barney’s Brooklyn jazz and creative epic film Cremaster 3, and A&E’s Breakfast music community. In addi - with the Arts. tion to performing in the MMDG Music Ensemble, Billy Smith grew up in Sperrazza also leads several Fredericksburg, Vir ginia, bands, writes music, and is a featured collabo - and attended George Mason rator in cellist Hank Roberts’ trio and sextet, University under a full saxophonist Matt Bauder’s Hearing ings, academic and dance talent and many other ensembles. In 2017 he released scholarship. He graduated two widely praised albums of original com po - magna cum laude in 2007 sitions: Juxtaposition (Posi-Tone Records) and and received achievement Hide Ye Idols (Loyal Label). awards in performance, choreography, and academic endeavors. While at George Mason Noah Vinson is originally he performed works by Mark Morris, Paul from Springfield, Illinois, Taylor, Lar Lubovitch, Doug Varone, Daniel and received his BA in Ezralow, Larry Keigwin, Susan Marshall, dance from Columbia and Susan Shields. Smith’s own piece, 3-Way College Chicago. He was Stop , was selected to open the 2006 American named a Dance Magazine Col lege Dance Festival Gala at Ohio State “Dancer on the Rise” in Uni versity and his original choreography for a 2009 and assisted Mark production of Bye Bye Birdie garnered much Morris in the creation of his most recent work critical praise. An actor as well, Smith’s regional for Houston Ballet, e Letter V . He began theater credits include Tulsa in Gypsy , Mistof - dancing with MMDG in 2002 and became a felees in Cats , and Dream Curly in Oklahoma! . company member in 2004. Smith danced with Parsons Dance from 2007 –10. He joined MMDG as a company member in 2010.
Opposite: Durell R. Comedy, Noah Vinson, Lauren Grant, Brian Lawson, and Mica Bernas in Mark Morris’ Pepperland . Photo by Mat Hayward. 8 september insert 2 MMDG.qxp_Layout 1 9/13/18 11:30 AM Page 30
Enriching lives, inspiring new possibilities.
At U.S. Bank, we believe art enriches and inspires our community. That’s why we support the visual and performing arts organizations that push our creativity and passion to new levels. When we test the limits of possible, we nd more ways to shine. usbank.com/communitypossible
U.S. Bank is proud to support Cal Performances.
©2018 U.S. Bank. Member FDIC. 171120c 5/18
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MARK MORRIS DANCE GROUP STAFF Education Mark Morris, artistic director Sarah Marcus, director of education Nancy Umanoff, executive director Kelsey Ley, school director Rachel Merry, education programs coordinator Production Alexandra Cook, community education Johan Henckens, director of technical programs manager production Jessica Pearson, education programs assistant Colin Fowler, music director Alexandria Ryahl, school liaison Nick Kolin, lighting supervisor Marie Saint-Cyr, education intern Rory Murphy, sound supervisor Janelle Barry, education intern Stephanie Sleeper, costume coordinator Eva Nichols, outreach director Tara Webb, wardrobe supervisor David Leventhal, Dance for PD ® program director Administration Maria Portman Kelly, Dance for PD ® programs Elizabeth Fox, chief financial officer and engagement manager Rebecca Hunt, payroll manager/benefits Amy Bauman, Dance for PD ® programs administrator assistant Jessenia Pena, controller Natasha Frater, Dance for PD ® programs Natalia Kurylak, finance manager administrator Emma Clemens, finance associate Christine Hands, Dance for PD ® intern Heleny Rodriguez, finance intern Aleksandr Kanevskiy, IT director Dance Center Operations Elise Gaugert, operations manager Jen Rossi, company manager Mark Sacks, facilities manager Geoff Chang, associate general manager Annie Woller, rental programs manager Julia Weber, assistant company manager Aria Roach, operations coordinator Alexia Maitland, operations/education fellow Stephanie Neel, archive project manager Tamika Daniels, front desk manager Sandra Aberkalns, archive project associate Dominique Terrell, front desk supervisor Regina Carra, archive project metadata and Hunter Darnell, Mario Flores, Roxie Maisel, cataloging coordinator Tiffany McCue, Kareem Woods, front desk Kareem Woods, archive digitization assistant associates Hector Mazariegos, James O’Neill, Orlando Development Rivera, Virginia Ross, Arturo Velazquez, Michelle Amador, director of development maintenance David Gracia, manager of individual giving Ann Marie Rubin, manager of institutional Michael Mushalla (Double M Arts & Events), giving booking representation Makayla Santiago, development associate William Murray (Better Attitude, Inc.), media and general consultation services Marketing Mark Selinger (McDermott, Will & Emery), Karyn LeSuer, director of marketing legal counsel Georgia Tan, database manager O’Connor Davies, Munns & Dobbins, LLP, Julie Dietel, marketing & communications accountant associate David S. Weiss, MD (NYU Langone Medical Joleen Richards, web & social media Center), orthopaedist coordinator Marshall Hagins, PT, PhD, physical therapist Trevor Izzo, marketing assistant Jeffrey Cohen, Hilot therapist
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anks to Maxine Morris. e Mark Morris Dance Group is a member of Dance/USA and the Downtown Brooklyn Arts Sincerest thanks to all the dancers for their Alliance. dedication, commitment, and incalculable contribution to the work. PRODUCTION CREDITS Additional support provided by Amazon, Ken neth Aidekman Family Foundation, Lily Costumes built by Eric Winterling, Inc. Auchin closs Foundation, Inc., Bossak/Heilbron Charitable Foundation, Cavali Foundation, “A Day in the Life,” “Penny Lane,” “Sgt. Pepper’s Chervenak-Nunnalle Foundation, Con Edison, Lonely Hearts Club Band,” “When I’m Sixty- Joseph and Joan Cullman Foundation for the Four,” and “With a Little Help from My Friends” Arts, Inc., Dau Family Foundation, e Gladys by John Lennon and Paul McCartney Krieble Delmas Foundation, Estée Lauder Companies, ExxonMobile Corporate Matching “Within You Without You” by George Harrison Gi Program, Google Matching Gi Program, e Charles and Joan Gross Family Foun dation, Pepperland ©2017 Discalced, Inc. Guggenheim Partners Matching Gis, e Harkness Foundation for Dance, Marta Heflin Foundation, IBM Corporation Matching Gis For more information contact: Program, Jaffe Family Foundation, JPMorgan Chase & Co., Kinder Morgan Foun dation, Mark Morris Dance Group e Langworthy Foundation, Leather wood 3 Lafayette Avenue Foundation, e John D. and Catherine T. Brooklyn, NY 11217-1415 MacArthur Foundation, Materials for the Arts, (718) 624-8400 Megara Foundation, Merck Partnership for www.mmdg.org Giving, Mid Atlantic Arts Foundation, Morgan Stanley & Co., Harris A. Berman & Ruth facebook: markmorrisdancegroup Nemzoff Family Foundation, e L. E. Phillips twitter: markmorrisdance Family Foundation, e Pinkus Foun dation, instagram: markmorrisdance Jerome Robbins Foundation, Rolex, Billy Rose snapchat: markmorrisdance Foundation, Inc., Jennifer P. Goodale and Mark youtube: Mark Morris Dance Group Russell, San Antonio Area Foun dation, Schneer blogger: Mark Morris Dance Group Foundation, SingerXenos Wealth Management, Laurie M. Tisch Illumi nation Fund, Viad Corp, Sign up for inside news from the Mark Morris and Zeitz Foundation. Dance Group. Go to mmdg.org/join-email-list or text “MORRIS” to 66866. e Mark Morris Dance Group is supported, in part, by public funds from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the City Council, Mayor Bill de Blasio, Brooklyn Borough President Eric L. Adams, Council Member Helen Rosenthal, the New York City Department for the Aging, the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of Governor Andrew Cuomo and the New York State Legislature, and the National Endowment for the Arts.
Opposite: Sam Black, Lauren Grant, and Noah Vinson in Mark Morris’ Pepperland . Photo by Robbie Jack. 0 september insert 2 MMDG.qxp_Layout 1 9/13/18 11:30 AM Page 34
Thank you to our Gala Host Committee and Sponsors!
Host Committee Co-Chairs: Helen Meyer, Maris Meyerson, Sara E. Wilson Committee: Kit Leland, Sylvia Lindsey, Jennifer Lyons, Laura Perloff, Leigh Teece, Carol Jackson Upshaw
Swing Level Sponsors Sponsoring Patrons Another Planet Entertainment: Keith & Priscilla Geeslin Laura & Gregg Perloff Carol Jackson Upshaw Susan Graham Harrison & Michael A. Harrison Helen & John Meyer Contributing Patrons Maris & Ivan Meyerson Mark Attarha & Nahid Nassiri Gail & Daniel Rubinfeld Carol T. Christ Nadine Tang & Bruce Smith Hon. Marie Collins Wells Fargo Deborah Cullinan Hilary A. Fox Jazz Level Sponsors Lynne Heinrich Jan Deming & Jeff Goodby Sylvia Lindsey Ann & Shawn Fischer Hecht Susan Marinoff & Thomas Schrag Shannon Jackson & Michael Korcuska Colin & Bebe McRrae Amelia Kaymen & Eric Yopes Donald & Susanne McQuade Kit & Hayne Leland Lance & Dalia Nagel Richard & Jennifer Lyons Victoria Nakamara Carl & Carol Maes Caroline Winnett & Ernest Brown Marjorie Randolph Amy Roth & Bob Epstein Gala Gifts Leigh & David Teece George and Leslie Hume Deborah & Bob Van Nest David Hoffman & Joan Sarnat Sara E. Wilson & Gustavo Houghton S. Shariq Yosufzai & Brian James In-Kind Mt. Beautiful Wines
The Gala at the Greek raises vital funds in support of Cal Performances’ education and community programs, which build future audiences for the arts.
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