“…a time to celebrate resilience, pride and the endless potential of our youth.”
Young, Gifted and Black
Bryant Park Picnic Performance
FREE, FIRST COME, FIRST SERVED ENTRY | September 1, 7 PM
FEATURING PERFORMANCES BY TONY AWARD NOMINEE CRYSTAL LUCAS-PERRY,
EDWARD W. HARDY, EMERY MASON, KADEN KENNEDY, MELISSA MOSLEY & ROEN JONES
WATCH THE LIVESTREAM
About the performance
The Bryant Park Picnic Performances season of free, live performances, presented by Bank of America, continues on Friday, September 1 with Young, Gifted and Black, a special program from the The Classical Theatre of Harlem inspired by the inimitable icons Lorraine Hansberry and Nina Simone. The performance features Tony-nominated actress Crystal Lucas-Perry, who says, “It’s an immense honor and genuine thrill to headline this year’s Young, Gifted and Black concert at Bryant Park, an event championed by The Classical Theatre of Harlem. As an artist dedicated to uplifting our community through creative expression, I find immense inspiration in the youthful talent, artistic passion, and collective dedication that our emerging artists embody. I eagerly look forward to contributing to a night devoted to celebrating our community’s creative excellence while also offering my wholehearted support to the remarkable work carried out by The Classical Theatre of Harlem.”
Attendees to Bryant Park Picnic Performances may bring their own food or purchase from on-site food and beverage vendors near the Lawn. At all performances, attendees can discover new dishes and celebrate classics from the five boroughs with a rotating line-up of local artisanal vendors curated by Hester Street Fair. Stout NYC offers giant pretzels, gourmet popcorn and other light bites as well as a selection of beer, wine, and non-alcoholic beverages for purchase.
Setlist
Crystal Lucas-Perry:
Greatest Love of All as popularized by Whitney Houston,
and the stirring poem “Mother to Son” by Langston Hughes
Edward W. Hardy
Evolution (Inspired by the Evolution of Black Music), Edward W. Hardy
Nocturne in C-sharp minor, Op. posth., Frédéric Chopin
If I Ain’t Got You, Alicia Keys
Tennessee Whiskey, Chris Stapleton
Bohemian Rhapsody, Queen
Kaden Kennedy
Accompanied by Vilija Naujokaitis
The Swan; Saint-Saens Elégie; Gabriel Fauré
Bach: Cello Suite No. 1 in G Major
Emery Mason
Nocturne; John Field
Cakewalk; Debussy
L’orage: The Storm; Burgmüller
Melissa Mosley
Concert Etude, op. 40 no.3
Toccatina; Kapustin
Etude Op. 25, no. 10; Chopin
Roen Jones
Partita no.3 by Bach
Starring Tony Award Nominee Crystal Lucas-Perry
Tony Award Nominee and Lucille Lortel Award-Winning Actress Crystal Lucas-Perry made her Broadway debut last fall starring as John Adams in the revolutionary musical revival production, 1776. Within the same Broadway season, she originated the role of Passenger 5 in the critically acclaimed production Aint No Mo’, garnering her first Tony Award Nomination for Outstanding Featured Actress in a Play. Adding to her accolades, her portrayal earned her the prestigious Dorian Award for Outstanding Featured Actress.
Among her significant Off-Broadway contributions are Ain’t No Mo’ (Lucille Lortel Award), A Bright Room Called Day (Antonyo Award nomination), Bull in a China Shop (LCT), Little Children Dream of God (Roundabout), and more. She continues to engage audiences on regional stages, embodying roles such as John Adams in 1776 (A.R.T.), Petruchio in The Taming of the Shrew (Chicago Shakespeare), and Tanya in A Sign of the Times (DTC, Goodspeed), amongst others. Her on-screen appearances include L&O: SVU, The Last O.G., And Just Like That…, as well as cinematic performances in Goodnight Mommy (Amazon), Mimesis Nosferatu, Frank and Azalee Austin (Craft Acting Award) and Never Can Say Goodbye.
An artist of multifaceted talents, Ms. Lucas-Perry boasts a spectrum of abilities including acting, writing, composing, directing, and producing. Holding an MFA from New York University’s Tisch Graduate Acting Program and a BFA from Western Michigan University’s Department of Theatre, she stands as a testament to the transformative power of the performing arts.
Instagram @CrystalLucasPerry |
