ellis island: the dream of america
About the program
Celebrating the historic American immigrant experience with projected images and spoken word from the Ellis Island Oral History Project, this program from GRAMMY-nominated composer Peter Boyer has become one of the most performed American orchestral works of the last decade. Local students from Arlington High School Admiral players will portray immigrants. Bring the whole family - appropriate for ages 7 to 97!
Program subject to change.
Ellis island: The Dream of America
Ellis Island: The Dream of America, Boyer’s most ambitious work to date, celebrates the historic American immigrant experience and the American dream. Innovative in its format, the work brings elements of the theatre and multimedia into the concert hall, employing actors and projected historical images from the Ellis Island archives.
The spoken texts for the work come from the Ellis Island Oral History Project, an historic collection of interviews with actual immigrants about their experiences emigrating to America. After extensive research in this archive, Boyer chose the stories of seven immigrants who came to America through Ellis Island from disparate nations between 1910-1940. He fashioned short monologues from the actual words of these immigrants, and wove them into an orchestral tapestry which frames and comments on their stories—by turns poignant, humorous, moving, and inspiring. The work concludes with a reading of the Emma Lazarus poem The New Colossus (“Give me your tired, your poor…”), providing an emotionally powerful ending to this celebration of our nation of immigrants.
Ellis Island: The Dream of America was commissioned by The Bushnell Center for the Performing Arts, in celebration of the inaugural season of its Belding Theatre. It was premiered by the Hartford Symphony Orchestra, conducted by the composer, with actors from the New York stage, directed by Martin Charnin, at the Bushnell in April 2002. The premiere was broadcast on National Public Radio’s SymphonyCast program in July 2002. Learn more here.
The spoken texts for the work come from the Ellis Island Oral History Project, an historic collection of interviews with actual immigrants about their experiences emigrating to America. After extensive research in this archive, Boyer chose the stories of seven immigrants who came to America through Ellis Island from disparate nations between 1910-1940. He fashioned short monologues from the actual words of these immigrants, and wove them into an orchestral tapestry which frames and comments on their stories—by turns poignant, humorous, moving, and inspiring. The work concludes with a reading of the Emma Lazarus poem The New Colossus (“Give me your tired, your poor…”), providing an emotionally powerful ending to this celebration of our nation of immigrants.
Ellis Island: The Dream of America was commissioned by The Bushnell Center for the Performing Arts, in celebration of the inaugural season of its Belding Theatre. It was premiered by the Hartford Symphony Orchestra, conducted by the composer, with actors from the New York stage, directed by Martin Charnin, at the Bushnell in April 2002. The premiere was broadcast on National Public Radio’s SymphonyCast program in July 2002. Learn more here.
Guest Artists
Carlene O’Connor is the Theatre Arts Teacher and Director of Admiral Players at Arlington High School in Lagrangeville, NY. She is a graduate of SUNY Potsdam, and is earning her master’s degree from Southern Oregon University. Ms. O’Connor has had a range of theatrical experiences, both onstage and off; as well as educational experiences, including teaching at an international school in Thailand and founding a middle school theatre program in Springfield, MA. Ms. O’Connor is a member of the New York State Theatre Education Association (NYSTEA).
Admiral Players is an extracurricular performance group under the direction of Ms. Carlene O’Connor at Arlington High School in Lagrangeville, NY. The Players mount annual fall and spring theatrical productions where students take on leadership roles in the cast, crew, and production team. Admiral Players also conducts fundraisers for Broadway Cares Equity Fights AIDS.
Admiral Players is an extracurricular performance group under the direction of Ms. Carlene O’Connor at Arlington High School in Lagrangeville, NY. The Players mount annual fall and spring theatrical productions where students take on leadership roles in the cast, crew, and production team. Admiral Players also conducts fundraisers for Broadway Cares Equity Fights AIDS.
make a night of it - Reserved seating
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When you purchase the "Make a Night of It" reserved seating, you choose the performance seating of your choice and receive guaranteed dinner seating at the Culinary Institute of America's Ristorante Caterina de’ Medici. Reserved seating is limited, and will sell out quickly.
$45.00 per person This special package is limited and does not include the post-concert dining experience fee. It is guaranteed reserved seating only. |
POST-performance dinner at the Culinary institute
To complement the performance, the CIA will open the Caterina de’ Medici restaurant for a special $39 post-performance dining experience. The menu will include family-style salad and antipasti, a selection of five gourmet pastas served table side, and a dessert. Reservations for this post-performance dinner are available from 5:00 p.m. to 6:15 p.m. The $39 excludes beverages, student support surcharge, and tax. To book your table, call 845-905-4533 or email ciarestaurantgroup@culinary.edu. This special dining event will sell out, so please make reservations early.
