When Sarah Jessica Parker says she plans to help inject a modern, fresh feeling into the New York City Ballet by marrying the worlds of fashion and ballet, it’s a wild idea that immediately makes sense. Not just because the ballet is full of spectacle and theater, but because, face it: This is Sarah Jessica Parker, fashion icon and accomplished actress.
“I wanted to think about that next generation, how we were going to reach out to new audience members,” says Parker, who started working with the ballet in 1995, when she chaired the annual Dance With the Dancers event.
Trained in ballet herself, Parker has had a lifelong admiration for dance. But anyone familiar with her public persona knows that she’s also well-versed with the fashion world — which moved its Fashion Week tents into the NYBC’s Lincoln Center back yard in 2010, right around the time when Parker joined the ballet’s board of directors.
More recently, she brought in fashion world A-listers like Valentino as well as new, young designers to create costumes for ballets in the hopes of sparking interest in that next generation.
Additionally, last November, Parker conceived and produced a documentary for AOL on Originals, “City.ballet,” a 10-part Web series that goes where cameras have never before been allowed — behind the scenes at the NYCB. “It’s about understanding a dancer’s life, and helping people who thought it was this rarefied art form understand that it’s athletic, coupled with extraordinary artistry,” she says.
Parker also gives her time to other charities, but it’s the NYCB that has captured much of her heart and attention. “Any time you can integrate arts into someone’s lives, they feel better for it,” she says. “It’s important to us as people, as Americans, to allow ourselves to appreciate the art form. We know that to be true.”
Tonight, April 24, 2014, ArtsConnection will celebrate its 35th anniversary at a fundraising gala honoring Time Warner Inc. and internationally-renowned visual artist Vik Muniz. Lisa Garcia Quiroz, Time Warner’s Senior VP of Corporate Responsibility and Chief Diversity Officer, will accept the award on behalf of the company. The event, which will be attended by leaders from the arts, business, media, and philanthropy worlds, as well as draw celebrities from both NYC and Hollywood, will raise support for ArtsConnection’s arts education initiatives for New York City public school students. Emily and Harold Ford, Jr., Linda & Mort Janklow, Lisa and Richard Plepler, Tracey & Robert Pruzan, and Paula and Fareed Zakaria will serve as event co-chairs. Award-winning CNN anchor Don Lemon will host the evening at 583 Park Avenue. He will be joined by Sarah Jessica Parker and Jeffrey Wright who will make a special presentations. The event will be styled by acclaimed designer and ArtsConnection Board Member David Monn.
ArtsConnection’s 35th Anniversary Gala will bring together New York’s most influential artists, celebrities, media and industry luminaries for an unforgettable evening of cocktails, dinner and live auction. Past honorees include Mark Wahlberg, Russell Simmons, Richard Kirshenbaum, Cyndi Lauper, John Kanas, Joel Klein, George Condo, and companies such as Washington Mutual and Popular Community Bank.
Funds from the evening will go to support ArtsConnection programs such as DELLTA (Developing English Language Learning Through the Arts) and our sequential musical theater program with P94M, a NYC Public School for children on the autism spectrum. ArtsConnection’s 35 years of successful collaboration with New York City Public Schools has resulted in improved student achievement in academic, social and emotional development. English Language Learners participating in our DELLTA program have demonstrated “significant progress” in English language acquisition, motivation and self-confidence.
As a result of our sequential musical theater program at P94M, a group of New York City Public Schools for children on the autism spectrum, the school has witnessed incredible developmental breakthroughs in their students, including increased independence and focus, and – in some cases -speech in previously non-verbal students. The kids in this program create and perform their own musical every year and it is amazing to see how they are totally involved and “perform” when often their communication is minimal. This is a significant and breakthrough program which is receiving a great deal of attention. ArtsConnection motivates 50,000 students each year, whether in-school or out-of-school, on stage, or as audience members, to learn and develop creativity, curiosity, self-confidence and task commitment, qualities they need to become successful students and empowered individuals.
Sarah Jessica Parker has a new role: radio host.
On April 15 and 16, Ms. Parker will be at the helm of WNYC’s “The Leonard Lopate Show” while its namesake host is on vacation. “It’s thrilling and terrifying to sit in Leonard’s chair for a little while,” she said in an email.
Her guests are heavyweights on the city’s art and cultural scene.
Glenn Lowry, director of the Museum of Modern Art, is scheduled for the April 16 program, which will also feature New York City Ballet principal dancers Ashley Bouder and Sara Mearns. Parker, who is well-known as a balletomane, also reached out to Gelsey Kirkland, who was first a principal at City Ballet in 1972, then switched to American Ballet Theatre in 1974. After a long career, she opened her own ballet school in TriBeCa with her husband. Novelist Anthony Marra will join to talk about his book “A Constellation of Vital Phenomena.”
Broadway insiders are among Parker’s guests on April 15. Playwright Terrence McNally will discuss his new play “Mothers and Sons,” along with actors Tyne Daly and Bobby Steggert. “Beautiful: The Carole King Musical” will be represented by its star Jessie Mueller and Doug McGrath, who wrote the book of the musical. Visual artist Alex Katz and journalist Dexter Filkins of the New Yorker also headline the guest list.
As a longtime listener of WNYC, Parker said she jumped at the chance to be a first-time host: “Everyone in my life knows about my devotion to the station.”
“The Leonard Lopate Show” airs weekdays from noon to 2 p.m. on 93.9 FM and AM 820, as well as www.wnyc.org.
AOL is bringing back four web series for its 2014 originals slate, including Nicole Richie’s “#CandidlyNicole” and “city.ballet.” from exec producer Sarah Jessica Parker.
The company said it renewed ad deals for three of the returning shows with their first-season sponsors: Citi for “city.ballet,” a look at the life of New York City Ballet dancers, and Verizon for tech-themed shows “Hardwired” and “The Future Starts Here.” AOL is still seeking an advertiser for its most popular show, “#CandidlyNicole,” a short-form series reality based on Richie’s Twitter musings. VH1 is picking up a long-form version of “#CandidlyNicole”; on AOL, season two will feature original content separate from the VH1 series.
For now, AOL has declined to renew 11 series from its first run at original programming. But the company still could bring some of those back depending on advertiser interest.
AOL faces heightened competition from other ad-supported digital video platforms, including Hulu, Microsoft — whose Xbox Entertainment Studios has lined up shows from Michael Cera, Seth Green, Sarah Silverman and others to debut this summer — and Yahoo, which is “close to ordering” four TV-length comedies, the Wall Street Journal reported.
According to AOL, the first seasons of the four series combined received more than 75 million views. The Internet media company will pitch advertisers on its programming slate at its Digital Content NewFronts event April 29 in Brooklyn.
Last week AOL announced two new originals for 2014: “Connected,” its first TV-length video series, an adaptation of an Israeli reality show that will be set in New York City; and “Park Bench” with Steve Buscemi’s unscripted conversations with friends and New Yorkers.
“We have seen a strong response from top brands looking to reach consumers they may be missing on TV and wishing to align with quality content that makes sense for their brand(s), making immediate decisions to renew against second seasons of three of our top programs before we could open them up for sale,” Charles Gabriel, AOL’s SVP of global video sales, said in announcing the renewals.
Variety’s Power of Women luncheon will make its New York City debut by honoring Claire Danes, Nancy Dubuc, Idina Menzel, Iman, Sarah Jessica Parker and Susan Sarandon on April 25 at Cipriani Midtown.
In partnership with A&E’s new television network, FYI, Variety is thrilled to bestow this group of the entertainment industry’s most philanthropic women with Variety’s Inspiration Impact Honorees.
The women are being recognized for their humanitarian efforts with their chosen causes. Oscar winner Sarandon works with Hope North, which works to educate and heal the youth of Uganda’s civil war. Golden Globe and Emmy winners Parker and Danes work with New York City Ballet and Afghan Hands, respectively. In 2010, Tony winner Menzel co-created A Broader Way, an arts centered program for urban girls. International super model Iman works with Dr. Hawa Abdi Foundation, which provides support and relief for women and children in Somalia, while A+E Networks president and CEO Nancy Dubuc works with veterans group Project Rubicon / The Mission Continues.
The exclusive event will host 300 entertainment and media insiders and includes VIP pre- and post-ceremony cocktail receptions with an interactive philanthropy bazaar that allows guests to engage with the featured charities and participating brand sponsors.
“We’re thrilled to continue building on the legacy of Variety’s Power of Women by bringing the event to New York,” Variety publisher Michelle Sobrino-Stearns said in a statement. “The debut of Variety’s Power of Women in New York is a testament to the impact of the annual event held in Los Angeles and, with celebrations now on both coasts, we have the distinct privilege to continue honoring these incredible women who have influenced our industry and communities, and who are harnessing the power of giving back to inspire others to do the same.”
Jana Bennett, president of FYI and LMN, added, “It’s an honor for FYI to join Variety in celebrating these inspirational women in entertainment and their incredible accomplishments. The Power of Women event helps to inspire us all about the importance of using our powerful platforms to not only entertain, but to give back to the community.”
This year’s event is presented by FYI network and sponsored by American Airlines, Crystal Light, Movado, and NYDJ.
NYDJ will recognize one woman who has given back to her community as the winner of the brand’s first-ever Woman of Originality award. Submissions can be made through the company’s Facebook page until April 4. The winner of the contest will receive a free trip to New York City to attend the event and be presented the award by supermodel and photographer Helena Christensen.
And Just Like That... (2021-)
