THE MAYOR'S OFFICE OF MEDIA AND ENTERTAINMENT

NOVEMBER 2021 NEWSLETTER

     
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Reopening Celebration at the Legendary Recording Studio Power Station at BerkleeNYC

Left: Lawrence Simpson, Provost, Berklee; Anne del Castillo, Commissioner, MOME; Stephen Webber; Executive Director, Power Station at BerkleeNYC; Peter Muller, Partner; Erica Muhl, President, Berklee
Right: Nona Hendryx and Cyndi Lauper

Power Station at BerkleeNYC officially reopened on the evening of Wednesday, October 27 with a celebration of music, art, and reflection on the historic recording facility. The event showcased a $15 million renovation to the space on West 53rd street, funded in part by a grant from MOME and the NYC Economic Development Corporation. The recording studios – where iconic albums were recorded with Bruce Springsteen, Paul Simon, Tony Bennett, Lady Gaga, David Bowie, Madonna, Herbie Hancock, Esperanza Spalding, Bob Dylan, the cast of Hamilton and more – has been transformed into a state-of-the-art recording and video production facility for the city's music, theater, television, and film industries. The building also now serves as a campus for Berklee to provide music and performing arts education just blocks from Broadway.

The evening featured performances by BerkleeNYC Master's program students and the Bronx Renaissance Youth Center Band, and appearances by former Power Station recording artists including Nona Hendryx and Cyndi Lauper. Lauper discussed her memories of recording in the studios, saying, "To sing in the Power Station, to play in the Power Station was so huge. The kids--the youth--they need a place like this...you've given them a future." To see more about the event, please check out this feature segment that ran on PIX-11.

NYC Life, the Flagship Channel of the City's Broadcast Network, Premiered Two New Shows: Date While You Wait and NYC Women's Fund Showcase

Date While You Wait, the award-winning 13-episode series produced by David Harris Katz Entertainment, Inc., had its NY broadcast television premiere on Wednesday, October 13 at 8pm, with new episodes airing weekly. Date While You Wait is a love letter to New York City, shot during the pandemic. It. follows Thomas C Knox, born and raised in Brooklyn, as he invites strangers to sit down for a chat or a game against the backdrop of the NYC subway system. Thomas also ventures outside the subway and visits some of the city's iconic landmarks, including McSorley's Old Ale House and Ferrara Bakery & Café. Knox's mission is not the romantic notion of a date, but instead to create human connections through simple conversation.

NYC Women's Fund Showcase debuted on Friday, October 15 at 8pm, with new episodes airing weekly, followed by encore presentations during the month of November. A mix of documentary and comedy shorts, feature and series length work, this inaugural four-part showcase chronicles the mosaic of artist, immigrant, and LGBTQ+ life in New York City created by past recipients of the NYC Women's Fund for Media, Music and Theatre. The fund, established by MOME in 2019 to advance equal representation for films made by, for, or about those who identify as women, is administered by New York Foundation for the Arts (NYFA). The projects featured in this showcase reflect the voices and perspectives of eight 2019 NYC Women's Fund recipients.

Check NYC Life Channel local listings for info on future air dates. Please see the Variety article which covers the series.

October 26, 2021 Declared "Drama Book Shop Day" by Mayor Bill de Blasio with Lin-Manuel Miranda

Anne del Castillo, Commissioner, MOME; Lin-Manuel Miranda; Bill de Blasio, Mayor

Mayor Bill de Blasio and the City of New York officially declared Tuesday, October 26 "Drama Book Shop Day" in recognition of the independent bookstore's longtime role as a mainstay of NYC's theater scene and a community space for art students, fans, theatre professionals and artists. Working with the city, Lin-Manuel Miranda and his partners were able to purchase the struggling bookstore and reopen it in a new location this June. The event signaled the return of arts and culture in NYC and celebrated small businesses in the entertainment space, including small theatre and independent bookstores. It also served as an opportunity to remind New Yorkers that the city's entertainment industry contributes $150 billion in economic activity and provides more than 500,000 jobs.

While presenting the proclamation to Miranda, Mayor de Blasio said "If you love the theater, if you love books, if you love New York City, come to the Drama Book Shop and experience the greatness of this place. Come and see what it's all about."

For more information about the event, please see this Broadway World article.

Tin Pan Alley Day Event Celebrated the Official New York City Landmark Designation

From right to left: James Mettham (Executive Director, Flatiron 23rd Street Partnership); George Calderaro (Project Head, Tin Pan Alley Landmark Initiative); Anne del Castillo, Commissioner, MOME; Marilyn Maye (jazz singer, cabaret singer and musical theatre actress); Erik Bottcher (NYC Council Member elect, District 3); Tin Pan Alley Day Event volunteer; Klea Blackhurst (actress and MC)

Saturday, October 23rd was Tin Pan Alley Day in New York City - a day celebrating the official New York City landmark designation of the Tin Pan Alley buildings at 47-55 West 28th Street. The day publicly launched the Tin Pan Alley American Popular Music Project and, in collaboration with the Flatiron 23rd Street Partnership, included a free, outdoor public concert at the Flatiron North Plaza on 23rd Street and Broadway. The event featured more than two dozen leading performers of Tin Pan Alley music and the Great American Songbook. Media and Entertainment Commissioner Anne del Castillo gave remarks about the historical significance of the neighborhood in NYC's musical scene.

For more information about the event, please see this article from Broadway World.

AFM Local 802 Celebrates 100th Anniversary in Central Park

Adam Krauthamer, President, AFM Local 802 and Anne del Castillo, Commissioner, MOME

On Tuesday, October 12, the NYC Musician's Union, Local 802 hosted a centennial celebration at Central Park's Naumburg Bandshell. MOME Commissioner Anne del Castillo joined the event to congratulate the musicians and present a proclamation to AFM Local 802's President Adam Krauthamer. In her congratulatory remarks, the Commissioner noted: "NYC musicians are key to the city's identity as the creative capital of the world." MOME has worked with Local 802 on various projects, including ‘Music for the Soul' and ‘Music Heals' that connect musicians to work and New Yorkers to musical performances that have inspired our city during the pandemic and into recovery.

To read more about this event, please see this article from Broadway World.

First-Ever Wavy Awards Celebrated Diversity within the Music Industry

Shira Gans, Senior Executive Director of Policy and Programs, MOME; Rebecca Sansom, Founder, Wavy Awards; Lachi

With support from The Mayor's Office of Media and Entertainment, the inaugural Wavy Awards celebrated artists who have been historically underrepresented in the music industry, including women, non-binary, LGBTQ+, BIPOC and those who identify as having disabilities. The event, which took place at the Abrons Arts Center in New York City on October 23, featured ASL interpreters and live-closed captioning by SignNexus. Award categories included Artist of the Year, Record of the Year, Fan Favorite Music Video and Collab of the Year.

For more information about the event, please read this Variety article.

NYC's Office of Nightlife Presented the Elevate: Nightlife Mental Health initiative at Sound Mind's Un-Heard Mentality Benefit Concert

Jose Soegaard, Deputy Director, Office of Nightlife; Ariel Palitz, Senior Executive Director, Office of Nightlife, Francesca Mirra, Strategic Planning Associate, Office of Nightlife

On October 21, in recognition of World Mental Health Day, Office of Nightlife Senior Executive Director Ariel Palitz and her team attended the Sound Mind Un-Heard Mentality benefit concert at Brooklyn Bowl. The pioneering benefit concert was hosted by comedian Tristan Miller and featured sets from Langhorne Slim, Fantastic Negrito, and poet/artist Patrick Roche. Palitz discussed the importance of the Elevate: Nightlife Mental Health Initiative, a newly-launched program that offers the nightlife community free services and resources. The event successfully raised a total of $52,000 for the purpose of supporting suicide prevention crisis services with American Foundation for Suicide Prevention.

MOME Commissioner Anne del Castillo Received the NY State Senate 2021 Woman of Distinction Award from Senator Hoylman

Anne del Castillo, Commissioner, MOME, with son (far left) and mother (far right) and Brad Hoylman, NY State Senator (center)

On October 8, NY State Senator Brad Hoylman honored Anne del Castillo with the New York State Senate "Women of Distinction" in Stuyvesant Town - Peter Cooper Village, the residential complex where del Castillo was raised and still lives.

Senator Brad Hoylman praised the Commissioner: "Anne del Castillo represents the best of public service. Throughout her entire career she's worked to support the arts in New York City, a traditionally male-dominated field, and during the last 18 months she's really demonstrated her leadership, creativity and mettle by helping lead the entertainment industry out of some of the darkest days in its history. I'm thrilled to honor a hometown hero like Commissioner del Castillo with the New York State Senate Woman of Distinction award."

On receiving the award, Commissioner del Castillo said: "I am humbled and honored to receive the 'New York State 2021 Woman of Distinction Award' from Senator Hoylman. It is a privilege to support NYC's arts and entertainment community, especially during these unprecedented times, and join the incredibly talented female trailblazers who have come before me as leaders and changemakers in local, state and national government."

UPCOMING EVENTS SPONSORED BY MOME

5th Annual Women + Media Career Summit will be presented by the Center for Communication November 17-19. The virtual summit is designed to help students and recent graduates break into the business and be successful in their early careers through skill workshops, masterclasses, keynotes, panels and networking. You'll hear from trailblazers across the industry, and have the opportunity to network with representatives from leading media organizations including Discovery, Disney, Hearst, McKinsey & Company, NBCUniversal, Nielsen, NYC Mayor's Office of Media and Entertainment, ViacomCBS and WarnerMedia.

New York Comedy Festival returns live from November 8-14, with more than 200 comedians and 100+ shows in all five boroughs. After a hiatus in 2020, the New York Comedy Festival has returned in person, with shows at 20 different venues, including Caroline's on Broadway, Lincoln Center, The Bell House, BMCC, New York Comedy Club, Carnegie Hall, and many others. Performances include Michelle Wolf, Michael Rapaport, Nick Kroll, Marc Maron, David Cross, Bill Maher, Jon Stewart, Samantha Bee, and others.

Dominican Film Festival returns for its 10th year and runs November 9-14. The Dominican Film Festival is the only film festival dedicated to Dominican and diaspora films within the US and Canada. Films range from romantic comedy to horror, with new and revival programming. MOME is proud to support the NYC Dominican Film Festival for the fourth year in a row.

DOCNYC, New York's largest documentary film festival, returns November 10-18. In 2021, DOC NYC celebrates its 12th edition and will take place in a hybrid format (online and in-person). In past years, DOC NYC took place at the IFC Center, SVA Theater, and Cinépolis Chelsea, with hundreds of special guests in person. The 2020 festival was held virtually, but films will be available at in-person screenings and streamed on the DOCNYC website this year.

National Book Awards winners will be announced live on November 17. MOME congratulates New York City publishing houses and authors who have been named finalists for the 2021 National Book Awards in Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry, Translated Literature, and Young People's Literature categories.