Scoop: Next Lincoln Center chief is artistic director of Joe’s Pub
NewsWe hear that Shanta Thake is to succeed Jane Moss as artistic director of Lincoln Center.
One source tells us the appointment will be announced today. UPDATE: 10 hours behind Slipped Disc, the NY Times has just confirmed the appointment.
Ms Thake, 41, is Associate Artistic Director/ Director of Artistic Programs at The Public Theater, overseeing Public Works, Mobile Unit, Under the Radar, Joe’s Pub, The Shakespeare Initiative and Public Forum. Previously, she spent 10 years as the Director of Joe’s Pub.
She’s from Brooklyn.
From the NY Times story: Thake — who at the Public spent a decade managing Joe’s Pub, a cabaret-style venue, and more recently began overseeing Under the Radar, Public Works and other programs there — said she was eager to bring more popular and world music to Lincoln Center.
“The goal is expansive reach,” Thake, 41, said in an interview. “What’s missing? What have we left out? What stories aren’t we telling that feel like they’re demanding to be told in this moment?”
She’s done exciting things in the theatre. Is it known whether she has experience working with orchestras, opera, chamber music, ballet?
the whole point is those things are on the way out. They’re the stories we’ve been telling while we weren’t telling the stories we weren’t telling.
As the Times points out her predecessor Jane Moss came from the theater world and she did a great job, particularly with Mostly Mozart.
It is a new day for LCPA. The question of ShantaThake’s experience with orchestras, opera, chamber music or ballet is moot. Her purview only directly involves LCPA’s own programming, not that of its constituents. Henry Timms believes that LCPA has for too long competed with its constituents in presenting programming that dovetails with theirs (not realizing, apparently, that LCPA’s programming was initiated to activate the halls and public spaces at times when they would otherwise be dark).
It is unlikely that any of LCPA’s signature series and festivals will be coming back, with the possible exceptions of Lincoln Center Out of Doors and perhaps Midsummer Night Swing. The current leadership has no interest in Great Performers, the Mostly Mozart Festival or the White Light Festival, as they believe that anything “highbrow” or “fine arts”-related is inherently exclusionary and does not reflect the diversity of New York City’s populations. They are not wrong in their view that representation matters, but they are taking an extremist view of representation: the notion that audiences can have no possible interest in a performance by artists who do not share their heritage.
Addressing the white supremacy that built Lincoln Center under Robert Moses where San Juan Hill once stood is critical.
The truth must be voiced in the age of equality and diversity if this woman is truly self aware of what she is about to inherit given her roots. Accurate historical productions in dance and opera would be a great start.
For educational purposes see the following excellent documentary by New York Public Media
https://youtu.be/xRpLGifRHnI
According to a NYT article dated 8/3/21 by Javier Hernandez, Lincoln Center wants to broaden its appeal to include hip hop. Good. Maybe Megan Thee Stallion can sell out the Met with a concert featuring WAP.
If Megan Thee Stallion spells her preposterous name because of the way she pronounces it, maybe we should aks her to perform.
[If Megan Thee Stallion spells her preposterous name because of the way she pronounces it]
The basis of any civilized orthography.