Wicked. A Chorus Line. Mary Poppins. Sunday in the Park with George. Kinky Boots. What do all of these have in common? Well, they are in the elite club of musicals and plays that have won both Tony and Olivier Awards and I'm about to showcase an amazing 2017 exhibition that paid homage to them all! Welcome back to Mac Claire, your curated destination for all things Music, Arts and Culture. This Thursday I'm sending you Greetings From... New York City and the "Curtain Up" Exhibition at the New York Public Library for the Performing Arts!
First off you might be thinking, where is the New York Public Library for the Performing Arts? An understandable question; New York City is pretty big after all! Well, the NYPLPA is located in Lincoln Center- a hub of arts activity in the city. Lincoln Center houses a number of iconic buildings, most notably including the Metropolitan Opera House, David Geffen Hall, and the David H Koch Theater. Nestled amongst them is the NYPLPA which is currently closed due to the COVID-19 Pandemic, which is why I thought it was the perfect time to dig into the vault of past exhibitions there.
Photo Courtesy of Lincoln Center
"Curtain Up: Celebrating the Last 40 Years of Theatre in New York and London" was a celebratory exhibition, marking 70 years of the Tony Awards in New York City and 40 years of the Olivier Awards in London. For those of you who do not know, the Tony Awards are the annual awards given to shows on Broadway for categories like Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Musical and Best Scenic Design in a Play. The Tony Awards are also broadcast on television each year. The Olivier Awards (also know as the Laurence Olivier Awards) are of the same manner, but for shows that have performed in London's West End.
Every so often a legendary show comes along and wins both a Tony and Olivier, and costumes, set models, clips, posters, and much more from these shows were on display in the NYPLPA exhibition. The collection came together through contributions from the Victoria and Albert Museum, The Society of London Theatre, and the NYPLPA. Below is a reel of photos I took on my visit to the exhibition.
When the COVID-19 Pandemic is finally behind us, I urge you all to take a trip to the New York Public Library for the Performing Arts. If you live in the city and have walked by its location in Lincoln Center on numerous occasions, make sure you stop in the next time. If you're planning an upcoming trip to NYC and have time to schedule a stop in Lincoln Center; do it!!! Not only to explore the amazing archives, but to see whatever new, creative exhibition might be on display at the time of your visit. Additionally, Lincoln Center is near Central Park, delicious restaurants, multiple museums, and shopping locations.
I sincerely hope that you enjoyed this Thursday's article. This exhibition was actually one that I just stumbled upon on a trip into the city and I was so lucky to find it. If you liked the article, please give it a heart and a share! Also, if you want to connect with Mac Claire on social media, you can find us on Instagram, Twitter, and Spotify. Or subscribe to the website to be the first to know every time a new article comes out!
I'll be back on Monday with my Mac Weekly Highlight, showcasing some of the best Music, Arts, and Culture finds from the past week. On Thursday I'll be bringing you a Special Feature: Mac Halloween Favorites! Talk to you all soon, and thank you for being a reader.
~Claire
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