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Watch Night

Nov 3—18, 2023

Co-Conceived, Directed, and Choreographed by Bill T. Jones
Co-Conceived and Libretto by Marc Bamuthi Joseph
Composed by Tamar-kali

Run time: 120 minutes

“Mesmerizing, sensational, and timely! The cast, to a person, sounds fantastic. The cumulative effect of all this stagecraft is a powerful one.”

Culture Sauce

Not long ago. And not far from now. In the aftermath of unspeakable tragedy, an opportunistic reporter visits a sacred space defiled by American violence, in search of a story ready made for Hollywood—only to find that history repeats itself too soon, and too close to home.

A PAC NYC World Premiere from the acclaimed artistic team of Tony Award®-winning choreographer / dancer / director / writer Bill T. Jones (Fela!, Spring Awakening), poet Marc Bamuthi Joseph (We Shall Not Be Moved), composer Tamar-kali (Mudbound) and dramaturg Lauren Whitehead (Between the World and Me: Onstage at the Apollo). Watch Night fuses melodies rooted in spirituals, percussive breath and fiery opera with the urgency of slam poetry and Bill T. Jones’ dynamic staging to create an exploration of justice and forgiveness in the face of deadly rage.

A PAC NYC Commission.

A PAC NYC Production.

Additional production support for Watch Night is provided by the William Talbott Hillman Foundation.

Photo: Matt Murphy.

Production Credits

Bill T. Jones – Co-Conceiver, Director, and Choreographer
Marc Bamuthi Joseph – Co-Conceiver and Librettist
Tamar-kali – Composer

Ken Alston Jr. - Super/Natural
Amanda Bailey - Echo Chamber; Shayla/Ms. Laura u/s
Royer Bockus – Echo Chamber; Ms. Summers u/s
DeJa-Simone Crumpton - Echo Chamber u/s
Kevin Csolak – The Wolf
Ṣọla Fadiran – Winters
Danyel Fulton – Shayla
Brian Golub – Rabine
Chelsea Nicole Green - Echo Chamber
Raquel Jennings – Super/Natural u/s
Damon McToy - Josh/Saul u/s
Brandon Michael Nase - Josh
Josette Elaine Newsam - Ms. Laura
Ariel Neydavoud - Echo Chamber; Rabine u/s
Onyie Nwachukwu - Super/Natural
Jill Paice – Ms. Summers
Oneika Phillips - Echo Chamber
Devin L. Roberts - Echo Chamber
Arri Lawton Simon – Saul
Jonathan McClinton Smith - Echo Chamber
Cooper Stanton - Echo Chamber u/s; Wolf u/s
Miguel Ángel Vásquez - Echo Chamber; Winters u/s

Chelsea Starbuck Smith – Violin 1
Justus Ross – Violin 2
Will Curry – Viola
Terrence Thornhill – Cello
Corey Schutzer – Bass
Mira Magrill – Flute
Hsuan-Fong Chen – Oboe
Yu-Ting Cheng – Clarinet

Adam Rigg – Scenic Designer
Kara Harmon – Costume Designer
Robert Wierzel- Lighting Designer
Mikaal Sulaiman – Sound Designer
Lucy Mackinnon – Projections Designer
Anika Seitu – Hair, Wigs and Makeup Designer
Lauren Whitehead – Dramaturg
Adam Rothenberg – Music Director
Tamar-kali – Orchestrator
David Lai – Music Coordinator
Jason Paul Tate – Fight Director
Destiny Lilly, CSA, The Telsey Office – Casting Director
Sarah Elizabeth Ford – Production Stage Manager

Jermaine Rowe – Associate Director
Patrick B. Phillips – Associate Music Director
Dana Haynes – Programmer
Bobbie Lee Crow III – Music Copyist
Hunter Hanson – Music Assistant
Susannah Karron – Music Coordinator Associate
Esti Bernstein – Stage Manager
Lauren Taylor Winston – Stage Manager
Jeremiah Abiah – Vocal Coach
Tavia Jefferson – Cultural Coordinator
Kendell Pinkney – Rabbinical Consultant
Christopher DeVita – Associate Scenic Designer
Andrew Diaz – Props Supervisor
Amy Sutton – Associate Costume Designer
Eric Norbury – Associate Lighting Designer
DJ Potts – Associate Sound Designer
Jacquline Reed – Associate Projection Designer
Qixin Zhang – Assistant Projection Designer
Domonique Aviles, The Telsey Office – Casting Assistant
Aliyah Curry, Christina Johns – Production Assistants

Post-show Discussions: Nov 9 and Nov 12

Nov 9
Watch Night’s creative team Bill T. Jones, Marc Bamuthi Joseph, Tamar-kali, and Lauren Whitehead discuss the inspiration, themes, and creative process behind this multi-disciplinary World Premiere. Moderated by Watch Night‘s Rabbinical Consultant, Kendell Pinkney.

Nov 12
Director and choreographer, Bill T. Jones, discusses the issues of faith and forgiveness at the heart of Watch Night with faith leaders invited by PAC NYC’s anchor alliance partner, the Interfaith Center of New York.

Content Advisory

Contains depictions and references to anti-Black racism, antisemitism, violence, and mature language.

Production Advisory

Contains theatrical haze.

Creatives:

Bill T. Jones
A Black Man, Bill T Jones, with Short white hair and black glasses. He wears a black t shirt and a black button down t shirt that isn't buttoned. He stares straight ahead with a neutral expression
Bill T. Jones Co-Conceiver / Director / Choreographer
Marc Bamuthi Joseph
A bald Black Man with a full Black beard and mustache that is slightly graying. He wears a dark teal velvet suit coat, a purple button down shirt, and a floral patterned tie. He stares straight ahead with a neutral expression
Marc Bamuthi Joseph Co-Conceiver / Librettist
Tamar-kali
A Black woman with black braids tied off to one side. She has a piercing on her bottom lip and is staring straight ahead with a neutral expression. She wears a black off the shoulder t shirt
Tamar-kali Composer
Lauren Whitehead
A Black woman with locks stands in front of greenery. She wears a black t shirt and has a slight smile on her face
Lauren Whitehead Dramaturg

Cast:

Ken Alston Jr.
Ken Alston Jr. Super / Natural
Amanda Bailey
Amanda Bailey Echo Chamber; Shayla / Ms. Laura u/s
Royer Bockus
Royer Bockus Echo Chamber / Summers u/s
DeJa-Simone Crumpton
DeJa-Simone Crumpton Echo Chamber u/s
Kevin Csolak
Kevin Csolak The Wolf
Ṣọla Fadiran
Ṣọla Fadiran Winters
Danyel Fulton
Danyel Fulton Shayla
Brian Golub
Brian Golub Rabine
Chelsea Nicole Green
Chelsea Nicole Green Echo Chamber
Raquel Jennings
Raquel Jennings Super / Natural u/s
Damon McToy
Damon McToy Josh / Saul u/s
Brandon Michael Nase
Brandon Michael Nase Josh
Josette Elaine Newsam
Josette Elaine Newsam Ms. Laura
Ariel Neydavoud
Ariel Neydavoud Echo Chamber; Rabine u/s
Onyie Nwachukwu
Onyie Nwachukwu Super / Natural
Jill Paice
Jill Paice Ms. Summers
Oneika Phillips
Oneika Phillips Echo Chamber
Devin L. Roberts
Devin L. Roberts Echo Chamber
Arri Lawton Simon
Arri Lawton Simon Saul
Jonathan McClinton Smith
Jonathan McClinton Smith Echo Chamber
Cooper Stanton
Cooper Stanton Echo Chamber u/s; Wolf u/s
Miguel Ángel Vásquez
Miguel Ángel Vásquez Echo Chamber; Winters u/s

Design and Production Team:

Adam Rigg Scenic Designer
Kara Harmon
Kara Harmon Costume Designer
Robert Wierzel
Robert Wierzel Lighting Designer
Mikaal Sulaiman
Mikaal Sulaiman Sound Designer
Lucy MacKinnon
Lucy MacKinnon Projection Designer
Anika Seitu
Anika Seitu Wigs Designer
Adam Rothenberg
Adam Rothenberg Music Director, Conductor
David Lai
David Lai Music Coordinator
Jason Paul Tate
Jason Paul Tate Fight Director
The Telsey Office
The Telsey Office Casting
Sarah Elizabeth Ford
Sarah Elizabeth Ford Production Stage Manager
Esti Bernstein
Esti Bernstein Stage Manager
Lauren Taylor Winston
Lauren Taylor Winston Stage Manager

The World of Watch Night: Inside Tech Rehearsal

Last Chance to Experience Watch Night