Long Awaited New York Public Library 'Focus Center Stage' Exhibit Opens Today Featuring the Work of Lynn Nottage, Stephen Sondheim, Lin-Manuel Miranda, and More
The Focus Center Stage: 50 Years of Theatre on Film and Tape Archive exhibit at the New York Public Library for the Performing Arts opens today.
The New York Public Library system is constantly driving to enhance the culture, education, and excitement of the city. This newest exhibit promises to do just that. Today, the Focus Center Stage: 50 Years of Theatre on Film and Tape Archive exhibit is opening at the New York Public Library for the Performing Arts.
At this Columbus Circle area library's exhibit, will explore exactly what its subtitle so eloquently describes, will feature excerpts of filmed productions through the years. It will highlight the work of legends such as Stephen Sondheim, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Lynn Nottage, Paula Vogel, Jeanine Tesori, Tennessee Williams, Martin McDonagh, Cole Porter, Meredith Willson, Lorraine Hansberry, and many more.
This exhibit has been long-awaited. It was originally supposed to open back in 2020, but, due to Covid-19, was pushed back to the current moment. The director and curator of Theatre on Film and Tape, Patrick Hoffman, discussed the immense amount of care and crafting that went in to making this fascinating exhibit.
"With literally thousands of productions from which to select, it was a truly daunting task to curate this exhibition...First and foremost, we wanted to feature and demonstrate the depth and breadth of our TOFT Archive and its phenomenal collection of video recordings of Broadway, Off-Broadway, and regional theatre productions.
"None of these recordings would have been possible without the incredible support of the theatre community as a whole, the Coalition of Broadway Unions and Guilds, producers, playwrights, directors, choreographers, designers, actors, orchestra musicians, company managers, production stage managers, and stagehands, as well as the TOFT staff and talented video crews whose work makes TOFT's mission possible. Fifty years of hard work has happened behind-the-scenes to make all of this happen, and I am proud to finally raise the curtain on Focus Center Stage at the Library for the Performing Arts."
This Focus Center Stage exhibit runs from today, July 14th, until February 25th, 2023. More information on it can be found here. We can't wait to check it out!
