Martha Redbone, Aaron Whitby New York City: New York Theatre Workshop

New York Theatre Workshop; James C. Nicola (c) New York Theatre Workshop

Martha Redbone and Aaron Whitby (c) Molly Magnuson

New York City

New York Theatre Workshop
Artistic Director: James C. Nicola
Playwright: Martha Redbone and Aaron Whitby
Play title: Stars

Founded in 1979, New York Theatre Workshop (NYTW) is dedicated to ensuring the robust and compelling presence of the artist in society. This mission is manifested in two distinct focuses of activity: first, through producing an annual season of productions in their 199-seat theater in Manhattan’s East Village and second, by inviting theater-makers at all stages of their careers to participate in activities that allow them to gain support for both themselves and their projects. As both a laboratory for theatrical exploration and a producer of plays that expand the boundaries of theatrical form and address critical issues, NYTW has been able to support projects that are aesthetically, thematically, and methodologically diverse. NYTW’s productions have received a Pulitzer Prize, seventeen Tony Awards, and assorted Obie, Drama Desk and Lucille Lortel awards. Over the course of four decades, NYTW has evolved to become a significant force in New York City’s vibrant cultural landscape and is recognized as one of the leading producing theaters of original work in the United States.

Play Synopsis: A song, Stars, takes inspiration from the increasing digitalization of our everyday lives and the rise of social media, meaning that everyone is now on public display like celebrities. The “paparazzi” watch our every move and many people are unaware of how far and widespread our personal lives travel on the internet.

About the author

Martha Redbone is a vital voice in American roots music who is expanding her artistry into the theater world. A multi award-winning musician, the charismatic songstress is celebrated for her mix of music embodying the folk and country sounds of her childhood in Kentucky and the eclectic grit of her teenage years in pre-gentrified Brooklyn. With her gospel-singing father’s voice and the spirit of her Cherokee/Choctaw mother’s culture, Redbone’s work broadens the boundaries of Americana music. From humble beginnings alongside longtime collaborator Aaron Whitby with residencies at the Living Room, Joe’s Pub, and nationally at powwows across the country in support of her debut album, Home of the Brave, Redbone, a 2015/16 Fellow of the Native Arts and Cultures Foundation, has built a passionate fan base. Her album Skintalk is part of the contemporary Native American music collection at the Smithsonian National Museum of the American Indian. True to her eclectic style, her latest CD, The Garden of Love: Songs of William Blake, combines Redbone’s voice, Blake’s words, and a cornucopia of roots music styles. Redbone is currently developing Bone Hill, a musical theater piece commissioned by Joe’s Pub/The Public Theatre’s New York Voices program and based on the stories of her Appalachian mining family’s heritage and history.

Aaron Whitby is a London-born producer, composer/songwriter and pianist, and an in-demand musician in the London jazz and world music scenes. He is best known for the multiple award-winning albums he has co-written, produced, and directed with longtime collaborator Martha Redbone. Whitby stepped into the independent music world with the release of Home of the Brave with Redbone, which garnered multiple awards and was the debut album on the team’s own imprint Blackfeet Productions. Whitby engineered Natalie Cole’s Grammy winning single “Living for Love.” He has also recorded and/or engineered with artists such as funk musician George Clinton, trumpeter Randy Brecker, vocalist Lisa Fischer, and many others. Bone Hill, also with Redbone, is Whitby’s first commission in musical theater. In addition, Whitby is currently working on his own CD release Cousin from Another Planet: a jazz/funk exploration featuring Charles Burnham, Keith Loftis, Fred Cash, Gary Fritz and Rodney Holmes. A dedicated music educator specializing in group work, Whitby has taught music to all ages, including classes for children with special needs. He has worked as a teaching artist-in-residence in New York City elementary schools since 2006.

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