Soho Rep and INTAR present
The Potluck
by César Alvarez
directed by Sarah Benson
with Signal Producing Support from Civis Foundation
in collaboration with Spirits Go Blah
June 30 - July 26
Starting at $35
Solidarity is just another kind of queerness.
In 1979, five labor organizers were murdered at a protest in the streets of Greensboro, NC, by members of the KKK and the American Nazi Party. A year later, César James Alvarez was born into the survivor community and named for two of the victims. 37 years after that, César got a commission to write a musical about the Greensboro Massacre, but it turned into a show about ghosts… and capitalism…and how to recuperate from trauma that happened to you before you were even born.
The Potluck is a new musical featuring a 12 person intergenerational cast that conjures the soft side of the revolution, and tells a story about what to do when the government is actually trying to kill you.
All performances at Peter Jay Sharp Theater at Playwrights Horizons (416 W 42nd St).
Past Events
Montclair State University Department of Theatre & Dance presents
The Elementary Spacetime Show
Alexander Kasser Theater
1 Normal Hill Ave
Montclair, NJ
April 11 2pm + 7:30pm
April 15 7:30pm
April 16 7:30pm
April 17 7:30pm
April 18 2pm
BUY TIX
April 26 at 7pm
In Concert with The MSU Cast at The David Rubinstein Atrium at Lincoln Center
Info Here
produced in collaboration with Spirits Go Blah and Lincoln Center
Image by Emily Orling
The Elementary Spacetime Show tells the story of a teenager who, after a suicide attempt, finds herself in a cosmic vaudevillian game show that she has to win in order to die. The Elementary Spacetime Show is a musical about why to exist when you no longer want to.
“The Elementary Spacetime Show, (is) a new work that, given a wide enough audience, will become Rent for the social-media generation.”
Featuring:
Leilani Ford as ALAMEDA
Casper Parvin as FRANKIE
Princess Gant as DIAMANA
Jack Gemmell as RHUBARB
Jason Pritchett as NURSE KATHY
Elena Domenico as EUNICE X9
Tenda Kavuma as MOSQUITO
Robert Myers as MOMDAD
Andrea Aviles as RAZMUSH
CJ Fassl as BEAST
Amelia Diaz as ALAMEDA 2
Players
Claire Reeps, Lussi Pearl, Queyonte Carolina, Annabelle Corigliano (off-stage singer), Stella Hunter, Samara Decastro, Claire Smith, Mia Grizzutti, Lexi Tabor, Alexis Hamlin, Pamela Chayabutra Ryan Donnelly
Understudies/Swings
Claire Reeps, Lussi Pearl, Queyonte Carolina, Stella Hunter, Samara Decastro, Claire Smith, Mia Grizzutti, Lexi Tabor, Alexis Hamlin, Makiela Mauney-Brooks, Halle Cantu, Manu De Lima
Music and Lyrics by César Alvarez
Book by César Alvarez and Emily Orling
Directed by Dante Green
Set and Costume Design: Emily Orling
Choreography by Spencer Weidie
Lighting Design: Nick Kolin
Co-Music Directors: Piper Hill and César Alvarez
Orchestrations by Alaina Ferris and César Alvarez
Additional Percussion Orchestrations by Eric Farber
Mental Health Consultant: Donna Scro Samori
Dramaturg: Zachary A. Dorsey
Hair and Makeup: Earon Nealey
Fight Director: Rick Sordelet
Intimacy Coordinator: Renee Redding-Jones
Associate Scenic: Randy Wong-Westbrooke
Associate Costume Designer: Ashley Rose Horton
Costume Shop Supervisor: Sarah Moench
Asst. Shop Supervisor: Betsy Rugg-Hinds
Props Supervisor: Allison Merrick
Technical Director: Ben Merrick
Props Head: Lila Knowles
Stage Manager: Ansel Brasel
Assistant Stage Managers:
Isabella Ferrara, Grey Ingledue, Brian Rauchbach, Ivonne Abrosio Vargas
Music Intern: Sean Johnson
Orchestra Manager: Arianna Nguyen-Haberneski
Sound Design: Lily Weigand
Sound Mixer: Peter Papangelopoulos
Assistant Sound: Tyler Weinmann
Assistant Choreographer: Manu De Lima
Production Music Team
Alexander Tom Music Coordinator
Carol Lombardi Assistant Music Coordinator
Alaina Ferris Orchestrator, Score Supervisor
Piper Hill Copyist
Arianna Nguyen-Haberneski Orchestra Manager
Sean Johnson Music Direction Intern
Orchestra:
Piper Hill | Conductor/Piano/Nord
Sean Johnson | Prophet
Eamon Goodman | Bass Clarinet/Flute/Guitars
Taylor Lee | Saxophones/Clarinet
Aidan Andreoli | Trombone
Aurora Mendez | Violin
Paul Lee | Cello
JP Bernabe | Upright Bass/Moog
Meghan Doyle | Percussion
Sierra Wade Assistant Head Electrician
Gary Magino Programmer / Board Op
Patrick Drzymala Deck LX / Associate Sound Design
Levi Morici Deck Supervisor
Ari Servo Follow Spot 1
Lila Knowles Props Head
Meg Saunders Assistant Props
Kyle Talbert Props Crew
Oldayr Ruiz Stage Carpenter
Charlotte Dery, Azazel Sen, Ethan Marrero-Motenegro Fly Crew
Alex Costa, Amelia Savarese, Tessa O’Keefe, Melody Small Run Crew
Jordan Conklin-Yousef Hair And Makeup Supervisor
Cid Miller Associate Designer/ HMU Run
Lilly Grady Assistant Designer/ HMU Run
Ben Renfrow Wardrobe Head
Maxwell Vann Costume Construction /Wardrobe Head
Bren Lamb, Jaime Lyback, Abigail Matinzi, Makena Mitchell, John Kearny, Allison Hancox, Violet Merrigan, Tommy Schoonhen, Abby Matinzi, Jaime Lyback Dressers
Peter Papangelopoulos Audio 1
Maura Mays, Anastasia Martinez, Caroline Bruno, Ian kean Audio 2
Production Staff
Kathleen Kelley | Chair of Theatre and Dance
Ryan Kasprzak | Head of Musical Theatre
Peter J. Davis | Production Manager
Cyndi Kumor | Production Business Associate
Jordan Conklin-Yousef | Assistant Production Manager
Amanda Phillips | Marketing and Outreach Coordinator
Hetanshi C. Shah, Tarun Thakur | Graduate Assistants
Lisa Grimes | Social Media and Promotions
Rick Sordelet | Fight Director
Mysti Stay | Head of Design, Technology, and Management, Stage Management Coordinator
Kaitlin Stilwell | Dramaturgy Mentor
Renee Redding-Jones | Intimacy Direction
Randy Mugleston | Deputy Chair, Technical Theatre CoordinatorErhard Rom | Head of Scenic Design, Professor
Ben Merrick | Technical Director
Soren Kodak | Scene Shop Supervisor
Theodore Hoelter | Carpenter
Hannah Polaski | Scene Shop Technician
Elizabeth Olson | Scenic Charge
Alison Merrick | Props Supervisor
Jessica Jahn | Assistant Teaching Professor, Costumes Coordinator
Sarah Moench | Costume Shop Supervisor
Betsy Rugg-Hinds| Assistant Costume Shop Supervisor, Draper
Amanda Caswell | Draper, First Hand
Amara Copeland | Stitcher, First Hand
Julie Thiry-Couvillion | Wardrobe Supervisor
Nick Kolin | Assistant Teaching Professor, Lighting Coordinator
Osman Morales | Lighting Supervisor
Zachary Briewell | Lighting Technician
Sheldon Steiger | Assistant Teaching Professor, Sound Coordinator
Emma Wilk Solomon | Sound and Projections Supervisor
Content Warning: The Elementary Spacetime Show contains explicit language and graphic discussions of suicide, suicidality and mental health. The show is not recommended for audiences under the age of 16.
The Elementary Spacetime Show
in Concert
Costume Rendering by Emily Orling
The Elementary Spacetime Show tells the story of a teenager who, after a suicide attempt, finds herself in a cosmic vaudevillian game show that she has to win in order to die. The Elementary Spacetime Show is a musical about why to exist when you no longer want to.
Montclair State University Department of Theatre & Dance
December 12th and 13th, 2025 at 7:30pm
L. Howard Fox Studio Theatre - Map
TIX for Friday the 12th
TIX for Saturday the 13th
Music and Lyrics by César Alvarez
Book by César Alvarez and Emily Orling
Directed by Dante Green
Featuring: Andrea Aviles, Queyonte Carolina, Pamela Chayabutra, Annabelle Corigliano, Samara Decastro, Amelia Diaz, Elena Domenico, Ryan Donnelly, Leilani Ford, Princess Gant, Jack Gemmel, Mia Grizzuti, Stella Hunter, Tenda Kavuma, Jaxson Louhisdon, Marigold Melcher, Robert Myers, Kevin Olivera, Casper Parvin, Lussi Pearl, Jason Pritchett, Claire Reeps, Claire Smith, and Lexi Tabor
The Band: JP Bernabe, Nick Derderian, Meghan Doyle, and Piper Hill
Music Directed by Piper Hill and César Alvarez
Orchestrations by Alaina Ferris and César Alvarez
Mental Health Consultant: Donna Scro Samori
Dramaturg: Zachary A. Dorsey
Stage Manager: Ansel Brasel
Assistant Stage Managers: Isabella Ferrara, Grey Ingledue, Brian Rauchbach, Ivonne Abrosio Vargas
Music Intern: Sean Johnson
Orchestra Manager: Arianna Nguyen-Haberneski
Sound Design: Lily Weigand
Sound Mixer: Peter Papangelopoulos
Assistant Sound: Tyler Weinmann
Content Warning: The Elementary Spacetime Show contains explicit language and graphic discussions of suicide, suicidality and mental health. The show is not recommended for audiences under the age of 16.
How To Bear the Unbearable Body
the artwork of Emily Orling
October 10 - November 1, 2025
at A.P.E Gallery in Northampton, MA
With performances created in collaboration with César Alvarez
and additional performances by Fletcher Boote and Katrina Goldsaito
Opening Reception on October 10, 5-8pm
Egg Broke: an Invocation at 6pm
A collaborative performance by Emily Orling and César Alvarez
Painting Mary | October 17, 7pm
A public reading of a new musical by César Alvarez
Tickets and more info
Don’t Cry Emily | October 24, 7pm
A collaborative performance by Emily Orling, Katrina Goldsaito, and César Alvarez
Tickets and more info
Untying Knots: a Sacred Conversation | November 1, 7pm
A collaborative performance by Emily Orling, Fletcher Boote, and César Alvarez
Tickets and more info
All performances are suggested donation $15. Pay what you can.
Venue: A.P.E. Gallery, 126 Main St, Northampton, MA 01060
Gallery Hours: Wednesday - Sunday 12 - 5, Friday 12 - 8, closed Monday & Tuesday
produced by Spirits Go Blah
Ars Nova presents
THE STARS NOVA SONGBOOK SESSION
MAY 19, 2025
I’ll be performing three songs alongside these brilliant artists including my old friend and collaborator Steph Hsu who will sing “Ironclad” with me.
THE STARS NOVA SONGBOOK SESSION is in celebration of the legacy of Founding Artistic Director, Jason Eagan as we highlight his final year as the Artistic Director of Ars Nova AND kick off our BIG DREAMS BIG SWINGS campaign.
511 W 54th Street, New York, NY 10019
tix here
All non-premium tix are general admission.
On November 3, 1979 five communist labor organizers were murdered in broad daylight in the streets of Greensboro, NC by a group of KKK and Nazis. All five of the victims had committed their lives to fighting the rule of the capitalist class. The murders had been planned and supported by paid informants of the Greensboro Police and agencies within the U.S. government. One year later in Greensboro, César James Alvarez was born into the survivor community and named after two of the victims, César Cauce and James Waller. 36 years after that an entertainment company paid César to write a musical about the Greensboro Massacre, but it turned into a musical about ghosts and queerness and feelings and how to recuperate from trauma that happened to you before you were even born, and also capitalism.
April 19, 2025 at 7:30pm
FREE Concert at the at the David Rubenstein Atrium
1887 Broadway, New York, NY 10023
RSVP HERE
Join us for this concert version of The Potluck with a cast of New York-based performers, along with a visual accompaniment by the artist and designer Emily Orling.
Featuring
Anthony Alfaro
Ben Anthony Anderson
b
El Beh
Ari Brand
Jacob Brandt
Esteban Andres Cruz
Sammy Figueroa
Rubén Flores
Eamon Goodman
Dionne McClain-Freeney
Barbara Walsh
César Alvarez: Book, Music, Lyrics and Music Director
Emily Orling: Visuals, Production Designer and Spiritual Advisor
Sarah Benson: Director
Noelle Viñas and Goblin Brain Productions: Line Producer
Piper Hill: Projection and Captions Designer
Dante Green: Associate Director
Dionne McClain Freeney: Associate Music Director
Madeline Benson: Arranger and Orchestrator
Eamon Goodman: Audio Supervisor
Jordan Weiner: Stage Manager
Trevor Williams: Stage Manager
Amanda Spooner: Production Coordinator
Taylor Williams: Casting
at Dartmouth:
Raegan Padula: Audio Engineer
Lucia Hartray: Assistant Stage Manager
April 5 at 7pm and April 6 at 1pm
FREE Concert at the Warehouse at Dartmouth College
4 Currier Pl
RSVP HERE
Produced with Support from The Leslie Center for the Humanities, Dartmouth Department of Music, The Dean of Faculty at Dartmouth College, Soho Rep and Lincoln Center. The Potluck was originally commissioned by Barbara Whitman and Beth Williams at Grove Entertainment.
development history and audio samples here
egg
November 9 + 10, 2024
at Dartmouth College
November 23, 2024
at Lincoln Center
by César Alvarez and Emily Orling
Saturday 11/9/24 @ 7pm
Sunday 11/10/24 @ 1pm
egg @ The DEV Studio at Dartmouth College
002 North Fairbanks Building
Link to Map
Hanover, NH
FREE | Seating is limited RSVP HERE
Saurday 11/23/24
egg @ David Rubinstein Atrium
at Lincoln Center
7:30pm | FREE
INFO HERE
egg is a theatrical staging of César’s album alongside live ceramics by Emily Orling. This performative salad of sound, poetics, anecdotes, and real-time collaboration calls up unthinkable thoughts about creative kinship, small-town futurism, trans-middle age, mediocre parenting, and the ancient unreliable religion of art-making.
César Alvarez - Saxophone + Guitar + Synthesizer
Emily Orling - Live Ceramics
Brian Shankar Adler - Percussion
Eli Hecht - Bass + Moog
Katie McCabe - Violin
Justin Rodig - Accordion + Guitar
Bethany Younge - Synthesizers
Raith Brown: Geomancy and Interdimensional Maintenance Supervisor
Production Design by Emily Orling
Projection Design by Piper Hill
Line Produced by Noelle Viñas and Goblin Brain Productions
TRUTH //:
AN INTERDISCIPLINARY REVUE
co-conceived by
Noax and George Strus
Monday 10/21/24 @ Littlefield
Brooklyn, NY
featuring Alaïa, Amanda Tori Meating, Anania Williams, Ari Notartomaso, César Alvarez, Garrett Allen, Justin David Sullivan, Jade Jones aka Litty Official, JMV, Nico Carney, Nora Schell, & ONE (Esco Jouléy)
part of the 2024 Breaking the Binary Theatre Festival
Album Release Shows!
Saturday 5/25/24
at Joe’s Pub BUY TIX
9:30 pm
Saturday 5/11/24
Norwich, VT
7pm at 873 Bragg hill rd.
Performing with my brave band:
Bethany Younge, Katie McCabe, Eli Hecht, Tristan O’Shea, Justin Rodig
VT special guests El Beh
NYC Special Guests El Beh, Dante Green, and Anthony Alfaro
Saturday 4/27/24
Brattleboro, VT
at Buoyant Heart Collective
also Featuring Content Clown and OHYOUARE
Performing with my brave band:
Bethany Younge, Katie McCabe, Eli Hecht, Tristan O’Shea, Justin Rodig
Saturday 2/17/24
at Fox Market and Bar
also Featuring Content Clown and OHYOUARE
Performing with my brave band:
Bethany Younge, Katie McCabe, Eli Hecht, Tristan O’Shea, Justin Rodig
3070 US-2, East Montpelier, VT
doors at 6:30
$10 Suggested (no one turned away)
SINGLE RELEASE PARTY
Saturday 11/18/23
I’m releasing the first single off my forthcoming solo album :)
BLM House - 53 Park St
South Royalton, VT
Doors at 6:30
Solo Set at 7
DJ CHELE at 8
BYO
July 27-30, 2023
NOISE
book, music and lyrics by César Alvarez
directed by Sarah Benson
Society is broken. Let's fix it with music, like right now...in this musical.
a HOP Production at Northern Stage
in White River Junction, VT
Tickets on sale May 16 HERE
Soho Rep Spring Fete
May 1, 2023 - 6pm
Honoring Branden Jacobs Jenkins
Directed by Raja Feather Kelly
I’ll be performing the song I wrote for An Octoroon with cast members of the Original 2 productions.
tix - HERE
Playwrights Horizons Gala
March 13, 2023
Ziegfeld Ballroom
141 W 54th St, New York, NY
I’ll be talking about SONDHEIM and performing a song from my musical The Potluck with collaborators Barbara Walsh and El Beh
FUTURITY
in performance….
March 10, 11 and 12, 2023
at College of The Atlantic
Bar Harbor, ME - more info here
March 9, 10 and 11, 2023
at Trinity College
Hartford, CT - more info here
Egg
November 13 + 18, 2022
Egg is a performance of songs and live ceramics by César Alvarez and Emily Orling that calls up unthinkable thoughts about creative kinship, small town futurism, trans middle age, mediocre parenting, and the ancient unreliable religion of art making.
Sunday 11/13/22 at 1pm
The Hopkins Center for the Arts (HOP Garage 131)
HOP Open House Art Walk
Hanover NH
FREE
Friday 11/18/22 at 7:30pm
JACK NY
Radical Acts Performance Festival
20 Putnam Ave, Brooklyn, NY
TIX HERE ($15)
August 18, 2022
Solo Set at Star Mountain
6:30 Doors
7:00 Brooke Wilkinson
7:30 César Alvarez
8:30 After party
Suggested Donation $5-10
139 Star Mountain Rd
Sharon, VT 05065
The Potluck
at New York Stage and Film
July 29-31, 2022 @ Marist College
Solo Set
@ Untitled Makerspace
May 23, 2022
www.makersensemble.org
Brooklyn, NY
Solo Set @ Selby Gardens
Wednesday, March 23, 2022 at 6pm
at Marie Selby Botanical Gardens
Sarasota FL