Big Season For Arts Events On Little Island

Summary

All of It Podcast Summary: "Big Season For Arts Events On Little Island"

Host: Alison Stewart
Guest: Zach Winoker, Producing Artistic Director of Little Island
Release Date: May 21, 2025
Episode Title: Big Season For Arts Events On Little Island

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Introduction to Little Island’s 2025 Season

In this engaging episode of All of It, host Alison Stewart welcomes Zach Winoker, the Producing Artistic Director of Little Island, to discuss the upcoming 2025 season at the iconic New York City venue. Little Island, a unique amphitheater perched above the Hudson River, is set to unveil a diverse and ambitious lineup of performances that promise to captivate the city's vibrant cultural scene.

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Reflecting on Last Season’s Success

Zach Winoker opens the conversation by reflecting on the previous season's programming. Last summer, Little Island hosted nine world premieres, setting a high standard for future events. Zach highlights the importance of creating memorable moments that resonate uniquely with New York City's dynamic audience.

“We’re trying to make moments out of all of these shows that really register like big events that only happen once.”
— Zach Winoker [01:19]

He also mentions enhancements made to the venue’s amenities, including the introduction of a liquor license and new snack offerings, aimed at elevating the overall visitor experience.

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The Unique Charm of Little Island’s Venue

Alison Stewart probes into what makes Little Island’s performance space stand out. Zach enthusiastically describes the amphitheater’s distinctive features:

“It is really a kind of Greek style amphitheater. It’s a thrust stage. The audience is on three sides... surrounded by nature and there are no walls.”
— Zach Winoker [02:25]

Seating approximately 750 people with an intimate setup—where the first row sits directly on the stage—the venue offers unparalleled proximity to performances. The absence of physical barriers allows attendees to immerse themselves in the natural beauty of the Hudson River sunsets, making each event uniquely "New Yorky."

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Crafting the 2025 Artistic Vision

When asked about the conception of the 2025 season, Zach emphasizes collaboration and artistic freedom. Inspired by the success of last year's production, The Marriage of Figaro, Zach sought to bring back the talented team to spearhead new, innovative projects.

“We started by thinking about the team that actually gave us the last show of the season... and following their lead to bring it to beautiful fruition.”
— Zach Winoker [03:22]

This approach ensures that each production is a reflection of the artists’ visions, resulting in a season that is both diverse and deeply rooted in creative expression.

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Season Highlights: Diverse and Innovative Programming

1. A Beggar’s Opera for a Grifter’s City

One of the season’s marquee events is A Beggar’s Opera for a Grifter’s City, which reimagines the classic Beggar’s Opera within the context of 1855 New York’s meatpacking district.

“It’s basically to reconfigure and rethink the Beggar’s Opera, the original anti-hero entertainment for 1855 New York meatpacking district.”
— Zach Winoker [04:27]

The production features new music by Dan Schlossberg, a libretto by Kate Tarker, and a stellar cast including Damon Dono, Lauren Patton, and Ann Harada. This modern twist pays homage to the original while infusing it with contemporary relevance.

2. Colonus: A Gospel Adaptation of Oedipus

Another standout production is Colonus, a gospel-infused retelling of the Oedipus myth. Zach explains the creative inspiration behind this piece:

“It transposes the story of Oedipus in a gospel sermon.”
— Zach Winoker [05:42]

Featuring bass baritone Devon Tynes in the role of Oedipus, Colonus merges classical storytelling with soulful musical elements, offering a fresh perspective on a timeless narrative.

3. The Tune Up by Susan Laurie Parks

In late July and early August, audiences can experience The Tune Up, a collaborative work by the renowned artist Susan Laurie Parks. This performance combines new plays and monologues with lively funk music, creating a dynamic and thought-provoking evening.

“It’s a series of new plays and monologues stitched together by funk music. It’s a fun night. It really speaks to the moment we’re living in.”
— Zach Winoker [06:43]

Parks’ signature depth and creativity promise to deliver an evening that is both entertaining and introspective.

4. Seven Scenes: Dance Performances by Bobby Jean Smith and Ora Schreiber

The season also features Seven Scenes, a groundbreaking dance performance by acclaimed choreographers Bobby Jean Smith and Ora Schreiber from Israel’s Batsheva Dance Company.

“This cast is just the most extraordinarily virtuosic group of dancers. It’s a once in a generation moment for all of these people to be together.”
— Zach Winoker [07:29]

With original music by Pulitzer Prize winner Caroline Shaw and Danny Lee Parpin, Seven Scenes promises to be a mesmerizing display of contemporary dance and musical synergy.

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Commitment to Accessibility: Affordable Ticket Pricing

A notable aspect of Little Island’s 2025 season is its commitment to accessibility through affordable ticket pricing. Zach underscores the importance of making high-quality art available to all:

“We are keeping this $25 ticket for the season and it means that everyone is able to experience this inside of a majestic setting.”
— Zach Winoker [08:28]

By maintaining ticket prices at $25 or less, Little Island ensures that a wide audience can enjoy its diverse range of performances without financial barriers.

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Season Finale: Gallus

Concluding the season is Gallus, a wild play by downtown theater icon Charles Ludlum, featuring Anthony Roth Costanzo reprising his role in a transformative portrayal of Maria Magdalena Gallas. Zach highlights the uniqueness of this production:

“It is something that I don’t think has been seen in a while and probably won’t be seen in a while.”
— Zach Winoker [09:08]

Gallus promises to be a fitting and unforgettable end to the season, showcasing innovative theater and exceptional performances.

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Conclusion

Alison Stewart and Zach Winoker wrap up the discussion by expressing excitement for the forthcoming season. Little Island’s 2025 lineup is set to offer a rich tapestry of cultural experiences, blending tradition with innovation in one of New York City’s most picturesque venues.

“Have a great summer.”
— Zach Winoker [09:40]

Listeners are encouraged to mark their calendars for May 29th, the kickoff of a season filled with groundbreaking performances and transformative artistic expressions at Little Island.

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For more information on the 2025 season and to purchase tickets, visit Little Island’s official website.

Transcript

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[Alison Stewart]

You're listening to all of it on WNYC. I'm Alison Stewart. Next Thursday, May 29th, marks the kickoff of the 2025 season of performances at Little Island. The unique amphitheater right on the water is hosting all kinds of exciting programming, from an opera to a ballroom extravaganza, a special show from Susan Laurie Parks, and even a takeover from our friends at Radiolab. And Ticket prices are 25 bucks or less. All of this is overseen and curated by Zach Zach Winoker, the producing artistic director of Little Island. Zach joins me now to discuss this summer. Hi, Zach.

[Zach Winoker]

Hi. Thanks for having me.

[Alison Stewart]

Last year was your first full season of programming at Little Island. What did you learn from that experience that's been really helpful for planning this season?

[Zach Winoker]

Oh, that's such a great question. I mean, we did an extremely ambitious program of nine world premieres last summer in this glorious outdoor amphitheater. And I think some of the takeaways for me were, were about the breadth of programming and the wonderful kind of crazy audience that you get because this park is so beautiful and such an unusual green spot in New York. And you get this glorious sunset. And so it really feels like a New Yorky evening that could only happen in this city. And we're trying to make moments out of all of these shows that really register like big events that only happen once. And I think that that, to me is the real thrill of it. Um, and we've also kind of upped the game in terms of what else we're offering in terms of, you know, cocktails. We have a liquor license on the island, which I always think is amazing, as well as really delicious new snacks.

[Alison Stewart]

For people who've not been to Little island, they've just seen, they call it the Stilettos in the water. Tell us what's unique about the performance space.

[Zach Winoker]

Well, the performance space is unusual for a couple of reasons. For one thing, it is really a kind of Greek style amphitheater. It's a thrust stage. The audience is on three sides, and while it fits seven hundred and fifty people, it's only nine rows and the first row is literally sitting on the stage. So not only do you get this extraordinarily high level performance in this incredible, intimate venue, but you're also surrounded by nature and there are no walls. I think the only theater in New York that can say that. No barrier to access whatsoever, and the most glorious sunset you could ever see floating in the Hudson River. And every night at the end of the show, you know, you're just with this group of New Yorkers underneath the stars.

[Alison Stewart]

All right, let's think about the 2025 season. How did you conceive of the season as a whole?

[Zach Winoker]

Well, you know, it's always. We do a lot of new work, and I really think it's important to put artists in charge. And so we started, you know, by thinking about the team that actually gave us the last show of the season, which was this berserk version of the Marriage of Figaro, where the Herculean countertenor Anthony Roth Costanza performed every single role. And when we started rehearsals on that, I said, let's bring this team back to do something else remarkable, which is kicking off our season. And from there, it's a matter of really just having conversations with artists that we respect immensely and saying, what do you most want to do right now? And then following their lead to bring it to beautiful fruition.

[Alison Stewart]

My guest is Zach Winoker, producing artistic director of Little Island. We're talking about the summer slate of artistic programming at the venue. It kicks off next Thursday, May 29th. Let's talk about that counterfeit opera, A Beggar's Opera for a Grifter's City. Tell us more about this.

[Zach Winoker]

Yeah, so this is a. This is a kind of crazy idea that goes back to the Beggar's Opera, which was a kind of satirical ballad, like a hugely popular show in 1728 in London. And it became later on the basis of Bertolt Brecht and Kurt Weill's Threepenny Opera, which landed obviously with a big smash in Germany. And now our idea is basically to reconfigure and rethink the Beggars Opera, the original anti Hero Entertainment for 1855 New York meat packing district. The place, the neighborhood that little island is in. And so the team that gave us last year's Figaro, the amazing director Dustin Wills, new music by Dan Schlossberg, and a new libretto by the wonderful playwright Kate Tarker, really kind of tells that story that's really hit the NER for over 300 years and lands it for the first time in New York City with new music, a glorious crazy set, and an incredible cast, including Damon Dono, Lauren Patton and Ann Harada.

[Alison Stewart]

All right, we have the gospel of. How do you pronounce this columnist column?

[Zach Winoker]

Colonus. Yeah. That's also an extraordinary piece that was a major Smash in the 80s by Bob Telson and Lee Brewer. And it's basically, you know, we've always wanted to do something that takes a Greek story on because we are an amphitheater, after all. And so we thought the best way to do it was to kind of make the first new production in New York of this ecstatic gospel piece that basically transposes the story of Oedipus in a gospel sermon. And this is another opportunity where we've brought someone back from last season to star in it. The glorious bass baritone Devon Tynes. And he will be Oedipus in this gospel version of the Oedipus story.

[Alison Stewart]

In late July and early August, you're featuring special performances from friend of our show, Susan Laurie Parks. What does she have planned for something called the Tune Up?

[Zach Winoker]

So Susan Laurie Parks, you know, is obviously one of the great, great artists of our time. And she's put together something that I think is really extraordinary. It's a bunch of new plays as well, music that she has written with her band SLP and the Joyful Noise. And so it's basically like a series of new plays and monologues stitched together by funk music. It's a fun night. It's really deep, as Susan Larae always is, and it really speaks to the moment we're living in.

[Alison Stewart]

And in late August, brand new works of dance from two famed choreographers tell us what people can expect from the show. Seven scenes.

[Zach Winoker]

Yeah, so seven scenes I'm very excited about. The choreographer Bobby Jean Smith and Ora Schreiber, two superstars with the Batsheva Dance Company from Tel Aviv, are making a new piece. They last year, you know, were making an evening length at the Paris Opera. It's an unusual opportunity for us to see an evening length piece from these two exciting choreographers with new music by Pulitzer Prize winner Caroline Shaw and Danny Lee Parpin, who will be performing live. And the thing that I'm most excited about for this show is that she's really brought together the avengers of dance. I mean, this cast is just the most extraordinarily virtuosic group of dancers. It's like a once in a generation moment for all of these people to be together. So if you're a fan of dance, you cannot miss it.

[Alison Stewart]

One of the things that I noticed is that the Price is Right tell us a little bit more about keeping prices in check.

[Zach Winoker]

Well, I think it's absolutely essential to our culture that we have access to really high quality art. And this is a theater inside a public park, which is a civic space, a glorious gift to New York City. And it is a theater that has no walls and we want to make it as accessible as possible. So we are keeping this $25 ticket for the season and it means that everyone is able to experience this inside of a majestic setting. And I don't think there's anything more important.

[Alison Stewart]

Any other event you want to shout out?

[Zach Winoker]

I think I just want to shout out the closing show of our season, Gallus, which is a wild play written by downtown theater icon Charles Ludlum that brings the countertenor Anthony Roth Costanzo back to the island, this time playing Maria Magdalena Gallas, which rhymes with Callas. He's playing a version of Maria Callas in this play and it is also something that I don't think has been seen in a while and probably won't be seen in a while.

[Alison Stewart]

We were talking about the summer slate of artistic programming at the venue Little Island. It kicks off next Thursday, May 29th. Thanks to Zach Winoker, producing Artistic Director of Little Island. Have a great summer.

[Zach Winoker]

Thanks so much.

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