Brooklyn Academy of Music (BAM) announces expanded 2013 BAMfamily programming New family and educational programming features internationally renowned children’s theater and dance companies, family music festival, international film screenings, and inaugural launch party Target is the presenting sponsor of BAMfamily and community programs Brooklyn, NY/November 27, 2012—Beginning in 2013, BAM expands its programming to include a full slate of family engagements and events. Building on the success of longstanding programs including the BAMkids Film Festival, DanceAfrica events, spoken-word Poetry shows, and numerous school presentations and performances, BAMfamily programming grows to include five international theater, dance, and storytelling productions; a family concert in partnership with KindieFest; a school-break program featuring Pilobolus; and a new teen film festival. BAM Fisher, the performing arts organization’s newest venue conceived with education and family programs in mind, serves as the location for many of the new programs. BAM Vice President of Education & Humanities Stephanie Hughley adds, “We are so excited to welcome families to BAM this spring. With the BAM Fisher operating as the locus for world-class family workshops and theatrical engagements for all ages, we are strengthening our commitment to families by presenting the innovative and participatory performances that are unique to BAM.” To celebrate its exciting new offerings, BAM hosts BAMfamily Launch Party on January 19; a storybook-themed party sponsored by Target with performances by the hilarious sketch comedy group Story Pirates, a presentation of Blown Away by Poetry by the creative minds behind Urban Stages, family workshops, and other fun activities. The event is free and open to all ages.

Subsequent 2013 programming includes  Canadian company Théâtre Tout à Trac with an ingenious theatrical presentation of Alice in Wonderland (Jan 26 & 27).  The 15th annual BAMkids Film Festival (Feb 2 & 3) with over 75 international feature length films and shorts and related events for young audiences.  Storyteller Charlotte Blake Alston shares African and African-American culture in Charlotte Blake Alston: Stories and Songs in the Oral Tradition (Mar 3).  The annual poetry and spoken word showcase Poetry 2013: Game Changers (Mar 15 &16) returns with an impressive lineup of talent.  Kindur (Mar 23) creates an immersive interactive adventure with a theatrical experience presented by Italian theater company Compagnia TPO.  During the school hiatus, BAM offers a School-Break Program: Pilobolus for Kids (Mar 25—28).  BAM launches Big Screen Bash (Apr 20 & 21), a new international film festival for teens that also features the creative vision of young New York filmmakers.  A partnership with KindieFest (Apr 28) features a concert with some of the best family music bands.  With In the Garden (May 3—5), Teatro Paraíso Antzerkia, Spain, and Théâtre de la Guimbarde, Belgium, mix video, drawing, shadow play, and theater to guide young audiences through a mesmerizing daydream.  The Canadian physical theater company DynamO Théâtre presents a remarkable work of acrobatic choreography with Mur-Mur (The Wall) (May 18).  DanceAfrica, now its 36th year, (May 19 & 24—27) offers workshops with visiting company Umkhathi Theatre Works from Zimbabwe. Through school-time performances of BAM’s dynamic stage productions, after-school programs, and school-break workshops, BAM’s existing education programs reach more than 28,000 New York City students, teachers, and families annually. New programming aims to increase points of entry for young people and community families and further extend BAM’s international programming to audiences of all ages.

2013 BAMfamily Programming: BAMfamily Launch Party: Down the Rabbit Hole Sponsored by Target Jan 19, 12—4pm All ages BAM Fisher (Fishman Space) 321 Ashland Place Free To launch the new family and educational programming at BAM Fisher, BAM hosts a celebration that includes storytelling, poetry and puppetry performances and workshops, participant face painting, and many other activities. Children are invited to come dressed as their favorite storybook character. Complete schedule will be announced in December.

Story Pirates The incredibly talented actors, comedians, and educators of Story Pirates take the words and ideas of young kids and turn them into hilarious sketch comedy musicals, performed with puppets, songs, and outrageous characters. Stories run the gamut, from kung fu ninja babies fighting crime to flying cats and tickle monsters who rule the world. Blown Away By Poetry The creative minds from the off-Broadway company Urban Stages share a whimsical musical that features a sniffly heroine, Wendy Windstorm, who sneezes the poems out of Poetsville. She embarks on a journey to recover the town's lost verses and along the way learns abut rhyme, alliteration, and description from a series of helpful puppet poets. The show culminates with an invitation to young audience members to write and perform their own original poems for the cheering residents of Poetsville. Alice in Wonderland A production of Théâtre Tout à Trac Adapted from Lewis Carroll’s classic Written and Directed by Hugo Bélanger English translation by Maureen Labonté Jan 26 at 11am and 3pm Jan 27 at 2pm Ages 5 and up BAM Fisher (Fishman Space) 321 Ashland Place Tickets: $12 Winner of the Acadie-RIDEAU award in 2008, this adaptation incorporates puppets, masks, music and wordplay to peek into the madcap world of Lewis Carroll’s novel. The performance is an homage to reading, a tribute to the imagination, and features an ingenious set in which each book on the shelf becomes a door to the next adventure. Théâtre Tout à Trac (pronounced tootatrak) founded in 1998 by artistic and stage director Hugo Bélanger, explores mask work, storytelling, and puppetry through a style of theater in which imagination is at the core of the creative process. Alice in Wonderland, the company’s first production for young audiences, has been presented over 300 times since 2008 in both English and French, in Canada, the United States and Kingdom of Bahrain. BAMkids Film Festival Presented in association with the International Children’s Media Center Curated by Nicole Dreiske Feb 2 and 3 Ages 2 to10 BAM Rose Cinemas and BAMcafé (30 Lafayette Ave) Tickets: $12 (adults); $9 (children under 13 and seniors); $7 (BAM Cinema Club members) per screening

Curated especially for young children and now in its 15th year, this two-day festival features the best in films for younger audiences in conjunction with live music, facepainting, and movie-making activities. From innovative animation to engaging live-action, this year’s lineup will feature over 75 international feature length and short films from over 20 countries. Live performances will feature Brooklyn indie kid’s rock favorites The Deedle Deedle Dees (Feb 2) and The Suzi Shelton Band (Feb 3). The complete lineup, including guest speakers, will be announced in December. Charlotte Blake Alston: Stories and Songs in the Oral Tradition Mar 3 at 12 and 3pm Ages 4 and up BAM Fisher (Fishman Space) 321 Ashland Place Tickets: $12 Internationally renowned master storyteller Charlotte Blake Alston performs selections from her wide repertoire of stories and songs from the African and African-American oral traditions. Alston will share stories that transmit the beliefs, mythology, cultural identity, history, and community values that have circulated the African continent and were then brought to America. She breathes life into these traditional and contemporary stories, enhancing her anecdotes with traditional instruments such as the djembe, mbira, shekere, or the 21-stringed kora. She has been a featured narrator for several orchestras including the Philadelphia Orchestra, the Orchestra of St. Luke's, St. Louis Symphony, and the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra. She represented Carnegie Hall in 2003 as a host for a series of concerts in Miyazaki, Japan. Her narrative voice can be heard on documentaries including Plenty of Good Women Dancers, The Peddie School, and Crosstown. In 2009 she was the recipient of the Zora Neale Hurston Award, the highest award bestowed by the National Association of Black Storytellers. Poetry 2013: Game Changers Directed by Monica Williams Mar 15 & 16 at 7:30pm Ages 13 and up BAM Harvey Theater (651 Fulton Street) Tickets: $15, 20 The annual showcase returns to BAM for two evenings of dynamic interdisciplinary performance incorporating spoken-word, music and dance. Previous sold-out performances have featured a diverse group of stellar nationally recognized talent, including Will Power, Baba Israel, Lemon Andersen, jessica Care moore, past National Poetry Slam team winners, and DJ Reborn. The lineup of artists for the 2013 event will be announced in February. Kindur Compagnia TPO Artistic Direction by Francesco by Gandi and Davide Venturini A co-production with Teatro Metastasio Stabile della Toscana Mar 23 at 11am and 3pm Ages 4 and up BAM Fisher (Fishman Space)

321 Ashland Place Tickets: $12 Three dancers take the role of “kindur” (or “sheep” in Icelandic) to guide audiences on an immersive adventure. A fairy-tale landscape of glaciers, volcanoes, and flower-filled meadows is brought to vibrant life through touch. In this interactive theater experience, children are invited on stage to join the flock of sheep and trigger the sounds, images, music, and colors that make up this enchanting world. Under the direction of Francesco Gandi and Davide Venturini, Italy's Compagnia TPO (Teatro di Piazza o d'Occasione) is the world's foremost pioneer in interactive performance media for all ages. Creating works for the proscenium and alternative spaces, Compagnia TPO melds astonishing digital imagery with multidisciplinary performance techniques including music, dance, sculpture, lighting, and sound. School-Break Program: Pilobolus for Kids Mar 25—28 Ages 8 to 11 BAM Fisher (Fishman Space and Hillman Studio) 321 Ashland Place Price: $300, Scholarships available In this four-day shadow play workshop, children work collaboratively and assume the position of being in a production company in which everyone plays an indispensable role. Led by the internationally renowned dance company Pilobolus, participants invent new worlds, design props, explore a multitude of creatures large and small, and learn to tell stories through movement. The workshop culminates in an informal, celebratory performance of their collective creation. Previous dance experience is not necessary; more information and applications available at BAM.org/Education. Big Screen Bash Presented in association with the International Children’s Media Center Curated by Nicole Dreiske Apr 20 & 21 Ages 13 to 18 BAM Rose Cinemas, 30 Lafayette Ave Tickets: $12 (adults); $9 (19 and under and seniors); $7 (BAM Cinema Club Members) per screening BAM’s Big Screen Bash celebrates the creative vision and achievements of young New York filmmakers (ages 13—18) while showcasing the works of celebrated professional filmmakers whose cinematic messages resonate with youth worldwide. A unique twoday event gives teens an opportunity to have their films screened at BAM Rose Cinemas in a competition judged by a panel of award-winning film artists. The event also features programs of professionally produced short and feature films focused on teens in competition for the Best of Fest prize awarded by the teen audiences. The festival features workshops, Q&A with directors, and live musical performances. KindieFest Concert April 28, 12—4pm

Ages 12 and under BAM Fisher (Fishman Space) 321 Ashland Place Tickets: $12 BAM partners with KindieFest, the conference and festival for musicians performing for families, to present an afternoon marathon of some of the best bands in the family music world. The complete line-up will be announced spring 2013. In the Garden A co-production of Teatro Paraíso Antzerkia and Théâtre de la Guimbarde May 3—5 at 10:30am & 1pm Ages 1 to 4 BAM Fisher (Fishman Space) 321 Ashland Place Tickets: $12 In a mesmerizing daydream, a man and woman travel through a garden and discover a piece of cloth amid the trees. The cloth becomes a blank canvas for vivid imagery and shadow play, in which theater mixes with video, silhouette, and drawing to create a captivating visual feast. Teatro Paraíso has been creating innovative theater and arts education programming for over 35 years. Their commitment to improving theatrical formats and methods and finding new audiences is rooted in their fascination with the exchange that occurs between the actor and young audiences. In 2006 In the Garden won the FETEN award for Best Show for young audiences and in August 2012 Teatro Paraíso garnered the national prize from the Spanish Ministry of Culture in performing arts for theater for young audiences.

Mur-Mur (The Wall) DynamO Théâtre May 18 at 11am & 3pm Ages 7 and up BAM Fisher (Fishman Space) 321 Ashland Place Tickets: $12 A remarkable work of acrobatic choreography, Mur-Mur (The Wall) reveals a world of humor, innocence, and discovery through the story of friendship among five characters: two teenage couples and a pesky and incorrigible younger brother. Using minimal language, the artists unleash their acrobatic virtuosity and drive the narrative with soaring gymnastics and an air-bound ballet. DynamO Théâtre is an internationally renowned company focused on developing, producing and performing Theatre of Acrobatic Movement. Winner of the best production award at the Teatralia Young Audience Festival in Madrid Spain in 1999, Mur-Mur (The Wall) is one of 19 productions created by the Montreal-based theater company. Since its

inception 31 years ago, the company has toured Canada and Quebec in addition to 40 American states and 15 European countries. BAM Membership grants families advanced access to tickets, discounts at Greenlight Bookstore, BAMcafé and over 30 local restaurants. To join Friends of BAM call 718.626.4194 or visit BAM.org/Join. BAMfamily Ticket Assistance Program (TAP) provides free tickets for BAM events to families enrolled in free or reduced-price meal programs in New York City schools. To learn more, or to apply to TAP visit BAM.org/#Family.

For press information on 2013 BAMfamily programming, please contact Monica Ortiz Rossi at [email protected] or 718.636.4129 x8

Credits Target is the presenting sponsor of BAMfamily and community programs. Leadership support for BAM Education Programs is provided by the Irene Diamond Fund and the Leona M. and Harry B. Helmsley Charitable Trust. Expansion of BAM's Community and Education Programs made possible by the support of The SHS Foundation. Kindur is supported funds from the New York State Council on the Arts ArtWORKS for Young People Presenting & Touring Initiative. Development of new BAM Education and Community initiatives for the BAM Fisher supported by The Achelis Foundation; Altman Foundation; Booth Ferris Foundation; Brooklyn Community Foundation; Ford Foundation; The New York Community Trust; The Rockefeller Foundation New York City Cultural Innovation Fund; The Skirball Foundation; and The Seth Sprague Educational Foundation Chase is the inaugural year sponsor of the BAM Fisher. Programming in the BAM Harvey Theater is endowed by the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation. The BAM facilities are owned by the City of New York and benefit from public funds provided through the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs with support from Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg; Cultural Affairs Commissioner Kate D. Levin; the New York City Council including Council Speaker Christine C. Quinn, Finance Committee Chair Domenic M. Recchia, Jr., Cultural Affairs Committee Chair Jimmy Van Bramer, the Brooklyn Delegation of the Council, and Councilwoman Letitia James; and Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz. General Information BAM Howard Gilman Opera House, BAM Rose Cinemas, and BAMcafé are located in the Peter Jay Sharp building at 30 Lafayette Avenue (between St Felix Street and Ashland Place) in the Fort Greene neighborhood of Brooklyn. BAM Harvey Theater is located two blocks from the main building at 651 Fulton Street (between Ashland and Rockwell Places). Both locations house Greenlight Bookstore at BAM kiosks. BAM Fisher, located at 321 Ashland Place, is the newest addition to the BAM campus and houses the Judith and Alan Fishman Space and Rita K. Hillman Studio. BAM Rose Cinemas is Brooklyn’s only movie house dedicated to first-run independent and foreign film and repertory programming. BAMcafé, operated by Great Performances, is open

for dining prior to BAM Howard Gilman Opera House evening performances. BAMcafé also features an eclectic mix of spoken word and live music for BAMcafé Live on Friday and Saturday nights with a special BAMcafé Live menu available starting at 6pm. Subway: 2, 3, 4, 5, Q, B to Atlantic Avenue - Barclays Center (2, 3, 4, 5 to Nevins St for Harvey Theater) D, N, R to Pacific Street; G to Fulton Street; C to Lafayette Avenue Train: Long Island Railroad to Atlantic Terminal - Barclays Center Bus: B25, B26, B41, B45, B52, B63, B67 all stop within three blocks of BAM Car: Commercial parking lots are located adjacent to BAM For ticket and BAMbus information, call BAM Ticket Services at 718.636.4100, or visit BAM.org. ## ## ##