The Riverside Theatre
The Riverside Theatre was founded in 1960 on the belief that the arts can be a transforming power in peoples’ lives and is committed to serving as a catalyst for cultural connections and social change. The Riverside Theatre, located at the historic Riverside Church, produces work that promotes and deepens cultural and social awareness. Highlights from the past ten seasons have included: the Katherine Dunham Tribute in honor of her 96th birthday; the Clark Terry Tribute hosted by the late Ossie Davis, with special guests Bill Cosby, Arturo Sandoval, Dianne Reeves, Nicholas Payton and Jon Faddis; the screening of The Rise & Fall of Jim Crow, in collaboration with Thirteen WNET; and the critically acclaimed play Through the Night starring Daniel Beaty. The Theatre’s programming includes: • The New York Family Arts Festival, month-long intercultural performances, workshops, films and crafts designed for the family. • Cultural Animators Series, which presents performance art as a means to reach out into the community and address social issues and concerns. • NuDance Festival is a showcase of the next generation of emerging choreographers. • Youth Theatre Program is a program that instructs young, from ages eight to eighteen. • The African Diaspora Summer Film Series expand the traditional views and perceptions of the Black experience by showcasing films depicting the richness and diversity of the global Black experience.
