Bard’s beloved Spiegeltent returns for SummerScape 2011
The opening of the 2011 Bard SummerScape festival on July 7 signals the return of the authentic, one-of-a-kind Belgian Spiegeltent, the luxurious “tent of mirrors” that has proved a sensation since 2006, when its introduction to Bard marked the first time one of these fabled old-world structures appeared in America. The New York Times pronounced it “agreeably funky,” while the Village Voice praised its “wooden floors, mirrored walls, stained-glass panels, and red velvet ceiling.” Conveniently situated near the Frank Gehry-designed Fisher Center, the Spiegeltent affords a sumptuous and magical environment to enjoy cutting-edge cabaret and musical performances – almost all of which sold out last year – plus family fare, late-night dancing, and tasty refreshments, throughout the seven-week festival (July 7–August 21).
Originally from Europe, where such tents and the special entertainment they host have been a tradition for the past century, the Spiegeltent is a marvel of engineering, comprising 3,000 detachable parts, with a spellbinding interior of carved wood surfaces, parquet floor, beveled mirrors, stained-glass windows, and splendid velvet canopies. On weekend afternoons and evenings, the theater-in-the-round – encircled by audience members seated at booths and tables – is the stage for a variety of performers, from cabaret acts and musicians to dancers and jugglers. Before and after performances, the Spiegeltent provides the ideal setting to enjoy light fare, meals, and drinks chosen from the best offerings of the Hudson Valley’s rich array of farms, orchards, dairies, wineries, and breweries.
Friday and Saturday nights are for adults only, with Evening Cabaret performances featuring colorful entertainment with a hip, downtown edge. Returning this year is the seductive slapstick of the Wau Wau Sisters and the ever-popular Bindlestiff Family Cirkus, while new acts include Emmy Award-winning comedian Judy Gold and critically acclaimed jazz singer Lea DeLaria. The majority of Evening Cabaret shows sold out in previous summers, so early booking is advised!
Friday and Saturday nights continue with the SpiegelClub, which offers a late-night bar and dance floor with New York City and local Hudson Valley DJs spinning a variety of tunes on a state-of-the-art sound and lighting system. It’s an exhilarating summer setting where audiences and artists gather under the disco ball to enjoy dance music from pop to hip-hop, funk, and jazz, as well as the occasional theme night (Latin, swing, ’80s, and more). Drinks and snacks are available throughout the evening.
The Spiegeltent’s Thursday Night Live offers an eclectic range of live music from klezmer to céilí, bhangra, mambo, and more. Featured acts include Red Baraat’s blend of Punjabi hip-hop and brass funk; a wildly imaginative take on Jewish folk music from Isle of Klezbos; and an introduction to the West African balafon by the preeminent player of his generation, Balla Kouyaté.
Bard’s weekend Afternoon Family Fare offers entertainment of every stripe, by singers, dancers, puppeteers, magicians, and more – including Swingin’ Jazz for Kids from the versatile Lea DeLaria, and the Bindlestiff Family Cirkus, whose presentations, like last year, include a showcase of performers under the age of 21.
Before and after each performance, patrons can enjoy Dining at the Spiegeltent – indoors or outside in the beautiful gardens – with casual summer fare served at lunchtime on Saturdays and Sundays and dinnertime on Thursdays through Sundays.
Program details for all Spiegeltent offerings follow below.
Evening Cabaret
Fridays and Saturdays at 8:30pm, July 8–August 20
Tickets: $25 (over 21s only)
Joey Arias (July 8)
New York City-based performance artist, cabaret singer, and drag artist Joey Arias “channeled Billie Holiday with eerie precision at defunct places like Bar d’O before hitting it big” (New York Times). Having recorded several albums, hung out with Andy Warhol, toured with Madonna, and sung with David Bowie, the performance-art virtuoso knows how to enthrall an audience; as Edge New York put it, “Before Gaga, there was Joey.”
Judy Gold (July 9)
The Emmy Award-winning comedian takes a night off from her long-running Off Broadway show – 25 Questions for a Jewish Mother – to entertain SummerScape’s audience with her hilarious, hard-hitting monologue about life with, and as, a Jewish mother. Described by the New York Times as “fiercely funny, honest, and moving,” 25 Questions has won the GLAAD Media Award and a Drama Desk nomination, while a book based on the one-woman show was nominated for a prestigious Quill Award. Gold’s numerous television appearances include The View and the Tonight Show with Jay Leno, and she won two Emmy Awards for writing and producing the Rosie O’Donnell Show.
Weimar New York (July 15 and 16)
For a second year, Justin Bond – Tony-nominee and “best cabaret artist of his generation” (New Yorker) – returns to the Spiegeltent with the alt-cabaret extravaganza that Time Out dubbed “subversive, sexed-up, and slashingly political.” Hosted by Dutch cabaret star Sven Ratzke and presented by downtown impresario and self-proclaimed “social change activist” Earl Dax, the show features a live band, dirty dancing from the notorious Pixie Harlots, and performers culled from the worlds of contemporary music, burlesque, performance art, and traditional Kabarett. (May feature nudity.)
Wau Wau Sisters (July 22 and 23)
The Spiegeltent nearly split its seams last summer when the bawdy, trapeze-twisting, guitar-strumming Wau Wau Sisters returned with their “irreverent, sacrilegious, foul-mouthed, and uninhibited” (New York Times) vaudeville act. As the Village Voice explains, “The duo’s command over the large crowd is no surprise. They are, after all, two scantily clad young ladies crooning dirty songs. They are also, however, highly skilled circus performers and aerialists who unleash their lewd material with great cheer and singular archness.” With TV credits including the Isaac Mizrahi Show with Rosie Perez, the Sharon Osbourne Show, and Jimmy Kimmel Live!, plus awards like Edinburgh Fringe Report’s Best Cabaret, the Wau Wau Sisters return this year for two nights. Early booking is recommended! (May feature nudity.)
Finnish Tango Orchestra (July 29)
Finnish tango epitomizes longing and passion. Tango-Orkesteri Untos, a six-piece tango orchestra led by pianist-arranger Timo Alakotila, salutes the classic Finnish tango repertoire with fresh, powerful renditions of works by Unto Mononen and Toivo Kärki, the most prominent composers of the genre. Performing mainly abroad – including at the City of London Festival and sold-out concerts in Vienna and Germany – the band draws on a wealth of influences, ranging from jazz to theater music and tango nuevo. (Music only – for dancing, see Tango Night on August 6.)
Two Man Gentlemen Band (July 30)
The Two Man Gentlemen Band sound is a high-energy blend of vintage and modern, incorporating elements of hot jazz, R&B, Tin Pan Alley, and western swing. Just a few years ago, the Gentlemen were buskers in New York City’s parks and subway stations. Now they traverse the country, playing hundreds of shows per year. Their “keen vocal harmonies” (New Yorker) recall ’20s and ’30s groups like the Mills Brothers, and their pithy, irreverent original tunes are full of lyrics “so off the beaten path as to be virtually cliché free” (Bluegrass Journal).
Lea DeLaria (August 5)
“Talking like a coffee grinder, and sounding like a cross between Ella Fitzgerald and a Broadway diva” (Guardian, UK), jazz singer, actor, writer, and stand-up comedian DeLaria is “every inch a star” (New York Times). Her debut album, Play It Cool, was named “Jazz Album of the Year” by the Times of London, while her second, Double Standards, leapt onto the Billboard Jazz Chart at number six; as Time Out New York marvels, “The gal can certainly swing.” Her television credits include Friends and Will and Grace, and her award-winning stand-up comedy has been seen on HBO, Showtime, and Comedy Central.
Tango Night: Noche Porteña – The Sensuous Music and Dance of Buenos Aires
(August 6)
For one night only, patrons can learn how the tango is danced in Buenos Aires, birthplace of the most sensual of dances. The Spiegeltent hosts an “Introduction to Argentine Tango” class at 8:30pm, courtesy of Ilene Marder, founder of Woodstock Tango (no partner or experience necessary). This is followed at 9:15pm by live music from two of Argentina’s leading tango “orquestas” – Los Chantas for classic tango and tango nuevo from Dock Sud – complemented by music from the golden age of tango, again with Marder, also known as DJ “La Rubia del Norte.” Dance demonstrations will be provided by Junior Cervila – the “Gene Kelly of Latin dance,” whose credits include the Academy Award-nominated motion picture Tango – with his long-term partner Natalia Royo. After hours, DJ “La Rubia del Norte” will host a special edition of the SpiegelClub, offering Latin, nuevo tango lounge, and club tracks from 11:30pm until 1am.
Checkpoint KBK (August 12)
Checkpoint KBK brings together the talents of avant-garde klezmer clarinetist David Krakauer, Czech violinist and vocalist Iva Bittová, and Bosnian-born composer and accordionist Merima Kljuco. Through improvisation and original composition, their respective cultural heritages – Jewish, Rom, and Bosnian – combine to create a provocative statement about a shared central European identity. Each brings to the mix a unique wealth of experience. Krakauer’s collaborations have ranged from touring with the multiple-Grammy Award-winning Emerson Quartet and recording with the Kronos Quartet to touring with funk legend Fred Wesley; Bittová “is an extraordinary artist [with] the soul of a gypsy, the voice of a troubadour, and the mind of a genius” (NPR’s All Things Considered); and Kljuco’s best-selling album Zumra was voted fourth-best world music release of 2010 by the UK’s Sunday Times.
Bindlestiff Family Cirkus (August 13)
Hudson’s favorite first family of circus, the Bindlestiffs are back with their frisky sword-swallowing, pie-throwing, plate-twirling neovaudeville fun, offering an evening of cheeky takes on circus tradition, spiced with a dollop of burlesque and topped with a twist of unique Cirkus sensibility that is not for the faint of heart! Their high-profile appearances include HBO’s Real Sex, Late Night With David Letterman, The Today Show, and England’s Glastonbury Festival; as the New York Times put it, their act is “fantastic. There are certain things that make New York City so incredibly special. And this is one of them.” The Bindlestiffs sell out the Spiegeltent every year, so early booking is advised.
Starlight Swing Night (August 19)
Festivalgoers are invited to swing the Spiegel with Chester and Linda Freeman of Got2Lindy. The couple hosts Swing Shift Radio Show on the Hudson Valley radio station WHVW and has taught in Europe, on Martha’s Vineyard, on cruises, and at Saratoga’s famous Dance Flurry Festival, but their home base is the Hudson Valley where they teach, run workshops, and more. Chester Freeman is also assistant director of the Big Apple Lindy Hoppers performance troupe and winner of a silver medal at the Canadian Lindy Hop Championships.
Happy Ending Music and Reading Series (August 20)
Chosen by New York magazine, the Village Voice, and New York Press as the best reading series in NYC, and credited by the New York Times Magazine with helping to “keep downtown NY alive,” the Happy Ending Series features compelling storytellers, writers, musicians, raconteurs, and personalities. Each reader is required to take one public risk, while the musicians, who each perform two short sets with original, lyric-driven music, are also required to play one cover song, and to try to persuade the audience to sing along. The series is founded, curated, hosted, and produced by Amanda Stern, whose work has appeared in the New York Times and whose debut novel The Long Haul is “a sharp, dark coming-of-age story” (Publishers Weekly); the Village Voice has declared it “a perennially killer event.”
Thursday Night Live
Thursdays at 8:30pm, July 14–August 18
Tickets: $15
Irish Night (July 14)
The best of the Irish Catskills’ craic and céilí comes to Bard for Irish Night. There has been a strong Irish presence in the region now known as the “Irish Alps” since the 1890s, and the traditional Gaelic céilí – set dancing to the accompaniment of the fiddle, flute, tin whistle, accordion, and bodhrán – is now a time-honored local custom. As the Daily News reported after a recent Catskills céilí, “with phenomenal, top-rated professional musicians playing for hundreds of eager dancers, the energy level hits warp-speed within minutes and stays there the rest of the night.”
Klezmer Night (July 21)
Dubbed “not your bubbe’s klezmer,” Isle of Klezbos is a soulful, fun-loving powerhouse sextet that “tests the elasticity of the genre by mixing the traditional Jewish…with merengue, swing jazz, and other diverse musical elements” (New Yorker). Playing wildly imaginative Jewish folk music infused with a kaleidoscope of other styles – Cajun, funk, punk, Latin jazz, and more – Isle of Klezbos has toured North America and Europe from Brooklyn’s BAMcafé to Vienna’s KlezMORE as well as playing studio sessions for The L Word. The sextet’s award-winning recordings have topped world music charts at home and abroad, while its exuberance led the Village Voice to proclaim: “These women will make you shake your tushies!”
African Night (July 28)
African Night offers an evening of joyful, infectious dance music from Balla Kouyaté, today’s preeminent exponent of the balafon, the West African precursor of the marimba and xylophone. Malinese-born Kouyaté, like countless generations of his family before him, inherited the djeli role: that of a West African historian, poet, praise singer, and wandering musician. A repository of oral tradition, something like the bards of medieval Gaelic and British society, the djeli is of supreme cultural importance. Kouyaté’s superior musicianship has been featured on more than 45 albums, including Yo-Yo Ma’s Grammy Award-winning Sounds of Joy and Peace. He has appeared at such venues as Carnegie Hall and the Kennedy Center and has performed at the prestigious OIA conference that brought together 27 African presidents. He was recently honored with the 2010 Massachusetts Cultural Councils Fellowship in the Traditional Arts.
Bhangra Night (August 4)
Red Baraat joyfully blends Punjabi hip-hop and sousaphone-driven brass funk into an intoxicating rhythm-based sound that’s “fun as hell” (Chicago Reader). Exuberantly led by first-generation Punjabi-American percussionist Sunny Jain, the Brooklyn-based bhangra band was listed in the Village Voice’s “Best Local Music” of 2010 and named “one of the New York music scene’s best-kept secrets” by National Geographic. The band’s recent track “Chaal Baby” made the Boston Globe’s top-ten world music list for 2010.
Latin Night (August 11)
With their unique mélange of Afro-Cuban, salsa, mambo, and Brazilian beats, Carlos Valdez and his percussion-based ensemble, Nova Kikongo, bring in the Latin funk at its most danceable. Valdez’s recording credits include Ann Pollack and Magica’s recent album Worlds Collide, and his music was heard in the Broadway production of Bring in da Noise, Bring in da Funk, whose “rhythms will continue to pulse in your bloodstream long after the show is over” (New York Times).
Gypsy Night (August 18)
Tackling everything from wild Serbian and Transylvanian gypsy anthems to French hot jazz and flamenco, the fiery Fishtank Ensemble is the leader in high-energy, cross-pollinated gypsy music, and “one of the most thrilling young acts on the planet” (LA Weekly). Formed in 2005 and playing everywhere from the hippest LA clubs to festivals, cultural centers, museums, parades, and even on the street, the band features two explosive violins, slap bass, musical saw, guitar (both flamenco and gypsy jazz), trombone, accordion, and banjolele, plus vocals ranging from jazz and gypsy to opera. As the New Times SLO reports, “You’ll feel like you landed in a Gypsy camp, gathered around a crackling fire while otherworldly musicians pied piper you into signing away your soul. And you’ll do it willingly because this is music to roast in hell for!”
Afternoon Family Fare
Saturdays and Sundays at 3:30pm, July 16–August 14
Tickets: $15 (children aged three and up: $5)
Bindlestiff Family Cirkus (July 16 and 17, August 13 and 14)
As in previous years, the Bindlestiffs offer not only sophisticated adult entertainment but family-friendly fun, bringing together elements of circus, sideshow, vaudeville, and cabaret to provide a stage for some of the most talented performing artists in the world. Jugglers, clowns, acrobats, and trapeze artists share the stage with musicians, magicians, dancers, daredevils, and more. As New York Cool reports, “Simply nothing, but nothing, will deter them in their quest to bring the circus arts to new levels of skill and ever-expanding audiences.”
Doktor Kaboom! (July 23 and 24)
The creation of actor-comedian David Epley, Doktor Kaboom! performs original interactive science-comedy shows for audiences of all ages. Creatively blending theater arts with the wonders of scientific exploration, this one-man variety show keeps crowds riveted and rolling with laughter on a sidesplitting journey of spectacular (and often successful!) science experiments designed to involve, excite, educate, and entertain. Doktor Kaboom!’s recent tour stops have included the Kennedy Center in Washington, DC, and his DVD Try This At Home has proved a hit with young fans.
Bindlestiff Family Cirkus Productions presents Cavalcade of Youth (July 30 and 31)
The Bindlestiff Family Cirkus presents a special showcase of young variety performers, ranging from debuting amateurs to world-class professionals. Juvenile jugglers, diminutive dancers, adolescent acrobats, and a host of other moppets and mummers present a full show of fresh-faced vaudeville – and all performers are under the age of 21.
Swingin’ Jazz for Kids (August 6 and 7)
With her band, charismatic vocalist Lea DeLaria – “blessed with one of the most beautiful voices around” (Q magazine) – presents an entertaining, interactive introduction to jazz for families. Her debut album, Play It Cool, was named “Jazz Album of the Year” by the Times of London, while her second, Double Standards, leapt onto the Billboard Jazz Chart at number six; as Time Out New York marveled, “The gal can certainly swing.”
SpiegelClub
Fridays and Saturdays from 10pm to 1am, July 8–August 20
$5 admission at the door, waived for SummerScape ticket-holders (over 21s only)
SpiegelClub offers a late-night bar and dance floor with New York City and local Hudson Valley DJs spinning tunes on a state-of-the-art sound and lighting system. It’s an exhilarating summer setting where audiences and artists gather under the disco ball to enjoy a range of dance music from pop to hip-hop, funk, and jazz, as well as the occasional theme night (Latin, swing, 80s, and more). Drinks and snacks are available throughout the evening. DJ updates are soon to follow!
Dining at the Spiegeltent
Dining at the Spiegeltent is a matter of casual summer fare, à la carte – burgers from the grill, fresh salads, gourmet ice cream, microbrewed beer, local wine, and more, sourced locally whenever possible. Patrons can dine indoors or alfresco in the lovely garden, with drinks and snacks available throughout the evening. Lunch is served on Saturdays and Sundays from 1pm to 3pm, from July 9 to August 21; dinner is on Thursdays through Sundays from 5:30pm to 8pm, from July 7 to August 21. (The Spiegeltent will be closed for dining on July 9 for the SummerScape Gala Benefit, and on August 12. Dinner will not be available on July 17.) Dinner reservations may be made through the box office at 845-758-7900.
SummerScape Opening Night
Admission is free for all at SummerScape’s opening-night dance party in the Spiegeltent on July 7 at 8:30pm. Patrons are invited to celebrate the start of the season with live music and dancing under the tent or under the stars, in the lovely SpiegelGarden. Food and drink will be available for purchase.
Chronological listing of events in the Spiegeltent, Bard SummerScape 2011
Thursday, July 7
5:30–8pm: Dinner
8:30pm: SummerScape Opening-Night Free Dance Party
Friday, July 8
5:30–8pm: Dinner
8:30pm: Joey Arias ($25; over 21s only)
10pm–1am: SpiegelClub ($5; over 21s only)
Saturday, July 9
The Spiegeltent will be closed for the SummerScape Gala Benefit.
Sunday, July 10
1–3pm: Lunch
5:30–8pm: Dinner
Thursday, July 14
5:30–8pm: Dinner
8:30pm: Irish Night ($15)
Friday, July 15
5:30–8pm: Dinner
8:30pm: Weimar New York ($25; over 21s only)
10pm–1am: SpiegelClub ($5; over 21s only)
Saturday, July 16
1–3pm: Lunch
3:30pm: Bindlestiff Family Cirkus ($15; children aged three and up: $5)
5:30–8pm: Dinner
8:30pm: Weimar New York ($25; over 21s only)
10pm–1am: SpiegelClub ($5; over 21s only)
Sunday, July 17
1–3pm: Lunch
3:30pm: Bindlestiff Family Cirkus ($15; children aged three and up: $5)
Dinner will not be available.
Thursday, July 21
5:30–8pm: Dinner
8:30pm: Klezmer Night ($15)
Friday, July 22
5:30–8pm: Dinner
8:30pm: Wau Wau Sisters ($25; over 21s only)
10pm–1am: SpiegelClub ($5; over 21s only)
Saturday, July 23
1–3pm: Lunch
3:30pm: Doktor Kaboom! ($15; children aged three and up: $5)
5:30–8pm: Dinner
8:30pm: Wau Wau Sisters ($25; over 21s only)
10pm–1am: SpiegelClub ($5; over 21s only)
Sunday, July 24
1–3pm: Lunch
3:30pm: Doktor Kaboom! ($15; children aged three and up: $5)
5:30–8pm: Dinner
Thursday, July 28
5:30–8pm: Dinner
8:30pm: African Night ($15)
Friday, July 29
5:30–8pm: Dinner
8:30pm: Finnish Tango Orchestra ($25; over 21s only)
10pm–1am: SpiegelClub ($5; over 21s only)
Saturday, July 30
1–3pm: Lunch
3:30pm: Bindlestiff presents Cavalcade of Youth ($15; children aged three and up: $5)
5:30–8pm: Dinner
8:30pm: Two Man Gentlemen Band ($25; over 21s only)
10pm–1am: SpiegelClub ($5; over 21s only)
Sunday, July 31
1–3pm: Lunch
3:30pm: Bindlestiff presents Cavalcade of Youth ($15; children aged three and up: $5)
5:30–8pm: Dinner
Thursday, August 4
5:30–8pm: Dinner
8:30pm: Bhangra Night ($15)
Friday, August 5
5:30–8pm: Dinner
8:30pm: Lea DeLaria ($25; over 21s only)
10pm–1am: SpiegelClub ($5; over 21s only)
Saturday, August 6
1–3pm: Lunch
3:30pm: Swingin’ Jazz for Kids ($15; children aged three and up: $5)
5:30–8pm: Dinner
8:30pm: Tango Night: Noche Porteña ($25; over 21s only)
10pm–1am: SpiegelClub ($5; over 21s only)
Sunday, August 7
1–3pm: Lunch
3:30pm: Swingin’ Jazz for Kids ($15; children aged three and up: $5)
5:30–8pm: Dinner
Thursday, August 11
5:30–8pm: Dinner
8:30pm: Latin Night ($15)
Friday, August 12
8:30pm: Checkpoint KBK ($25; over 21s only)
The Spiegeltent will be closed for dining.
10pm–1am: SpiegelClub ($5; over 21s only)
Saturday, August 13
1-3pm: Lunch
3:30pm: Bindlestiff Family Cirkus ($15; children aged three and up: $5)
5:30–8pm: Dinner
8:30pm: Bindlestiff Family Cirkus ($25; over 21s only)
10pm–1am: SpiegelClub ($5; over 21s only)
Sunday, August 14
1-3pm: Lunch
3:30pm: Bindlestiff Family Cirkus ($15; children aged three and up: $5)
5:30–8pm: Dinner
Thursday, August 18
5:30–8pm: Dinner
8:30pm: Gypsy Night ($15)
Friday, August 19
5:30–8pm: Dinner
8:30pm: Starlight Swing Night ($25; over 21s only)
10pm–1am: SpiegelClub ($5; over 21s only)
Saturday, August 20
The Spiegeltent will be closed for lunch.
5:30–8pm: Dinner
8:30pm: Happy Ending Music and Reading Series ($25; over 21s only)
10pm–1am: SpiegelClub ($5; over 21s only)
Sunday, August 21
The Spiegeltent will be closed for lunch.
5:30–8pm: Dinner
Bard SummerScape Ticket Information
The Bard SummerScape Festival is made possible through the generous support of the Advisory Boards of the Richard B. Fisher Center for the Performing Arts and the Bard Music Festival, and the Friends of the Fisher Center.
For tickets and further information on all SummerScape events, call the Fisher Center box office at 845-758-7900 or visit www.fishercenter.bard.edu.
Bard SummerScape: fishercenter.bard.edu/summerscape/2011
Bard Music Festival: fishercenter.bard.edu/bmf/2011
Tickets: [email protected]; or by phone at 845-758-7900
Updates: Bard’s “e-members” get all the news in regular updates. Click here to sign up.
All program information is subject to change.