Directed by NWSA theater faculty member Stuart Meltzer, Artistic Director of Zoetic Stage, New World School of the Arts wraps-up the theater season with Hamletmachine, by Heiner Muller, a German dramatist, poet and theatre director whose writings became recognized throughout Europe despite him being a resident in Soviet controlled East Germany after WWII and throughout the rest of the 20th Century. “As the director for our production, what speaks to me most clearly from the text is the historic oppressive and opportunistic nature of Russia and Soviet Russia. I also fell in love with Muller’s examination of man’s relationship with death throughout war, genocides, suicides and capital punishment,” explained Meltzer.
 

Hamletmachine opens on Thursday, May 9, 7:00 PM. Performances on May 10 and 11 at 7:00 PM, with a Sunday, May 12 matinee at 2:00 PM. Louise O. Gerrits Theater. 25 NE 2nd Street, 8th floor, Miami. General admission is $12; Students and seniors $5. Tickets available at http://nwsa.mdc.edu/ For more information please call 305-237-3541.

Rising Stars, a professionally staged, energy packed, one-of-a-kind showcase, presented the extraordinary talent of high school and college students from New World School of the Arts (NWSA), Florida’s premier arts institution. Comprised of a cutting-edge visual arts exhibition and an evening of performing arts excerpts, Rising Stars has become the signature event of the school and a highly anticipated evening of the arts for the South Florida community.

With a color palette transformation, The Rising Stars Exhibition offered guests an unprecedented experience as the gallery was converted into an urban-chic black and white space. Angular white shelving symmetrically placed along the full stretch of the black walls allowed the audience to immediately appreciate the bold vibrant colors of the more than two dozen artworks, allowing them to fully explore the intricacies of each piece. From photography to video, and from painting to sculptural work, to installations, the exhibition offered a wide range of artistic expression, all focused on the central theme: Objects. Bag, a colossal metallic scarlet duffle, with seamlessly suspended handles, by Ashley Mendoza, seduced the viewer to uncover the treasures it might grip within its black confines, while Alian Martinez Rives’ Waking Dream, intentionally placed in a secluded room off the gallery, allowed the audience to imagine the world of the artist in the unconscious sleep state. The miniscule architectural details of Aryal Novak’s Landscape in the Dark 1&2 encouraged the viewer to inspect the oil-painted panel in search of elements hidden within, while at the opposite side of the gallery, a much larger architectural piece – Out There – by Carl Mathis, became one of the favorite photo backdrops of the evening. The illustration series, Personal Encounters, lured the viewer with its monochromatic illustrations of personal care objects, as artist Amanda Linares skillfully created the tetra pack drypoint work. Amanda, a 2020 BFA student, also designed this year’s Rising Stars promotional collateral, which loosely weaved a tapestry of nature icons with Salvador Dali-influenced illustrations to depict each of the four New World School of the Arts divisions: dance, music, theater and visual arts.

Directed by NWSA theater faculty member Jennifer Rodriguez, New World School of the Arts continues the Spring theater season with The Rover, by Aphra Behn. With 31 NWSA college acting students starring in the play, director Rodriguez highlights the importance of bringing this production to the stage at this moment in time, “In our time of political correctness, post-sexual revolution, and current “Me Too” movement, this play opens a witty conversation on how men and women differ and are alike in desires and wants. Both the men and women fully express themselves. What to us, listening to the language of the play, might sound misogynistic and feminist, to Aphra Behn is honest and natural. It is eternally revolutionary to challenge the social norms of marriage and the dynamics and rights between men and women.”  

The Rover: Opens on Thursday, April 4, 7:00 PM. Performances on April 5 & 6 are at 7:00 PM, with a Sunday, April 7 matinee at 2:00 PM. Louise O. Gerrits Theater. 25 NE 2nd Street, 8th floor, Miami. General admission is $12; Students and seniors $5. Tickets available at http://nwsa.mdc.edu/ For more information please call 305-237-3541.

ETCETERA, New World School of the Arts’ 2019 BFA final visual arts showcase is a group exhibition highlighting a variety of works from 24 visual artists of divergent disciplines, professionally curated by NWSA dean of the visual arts program, Maggy Cuesta and gallerist Fredric Snitzer. A culmination of four years of intensive study, ETCETERA reflects the hard work and dedication of a bold and dynamic group of emerging artists from whose objective for this exhibition is to explore and exploit hybridity in various ways.

This year’s BFA exhibition will be presented in five separate galleries housed by Mana Contemporary, a break from previous years’ one-gallery show. Situated in the heart of downtown Miami, the adjacent exhibition spaces will highlight the work of different graduating students encouraging the viewer to stroll from gallery to gallery in order to see the complete exhibition. “It’s a more unique experience,” said NWSA dean Cuesta. “This fragmented setting affords each student more exhibition space, which to them translates into a larger canvas for their body of work.” Live music will welcome guests to the series of galleries along with delectable Hors d'oeuvres and wine.

Opening Reception: Friday, April 12; 7 PM - 10 PM.
Second Opening: Mana Contemporary Third Saturday: Saturday April 20, 6 PM – 10 PM.
Mana Contemporary - 32 SE 1 Street, Downtown, Miami, FL 33132.
Both Opening Receptions are free and open to the public.
Exhibition on view: April 13, 12 PM – 5 PM; April 17 – April 19, 12 PM – 5 PM

New World School of the Arts, South Florida’s premier arts conservatory located in downtown Miami, presents its annual signature showcase Rising Stars, a professionally staged, energy packed, one-of-a-kind performance. Presented by the extraordinary students of the NWSA high school and college programs, the showcase begins at the New World Gallery with a juried visual arts show featuring impressive student artworks. The exhibition, as diverse as the school population, includes painting, drawing, design, sculpture, digital media and installations. The evening continues just a few blocks away at the historic Olympia Theater with a pre-performance VIP Reception to welcome guests to this artistic landmark. Following the reception, the performance showcases dance, music, and theater excerpts from works performed during the school year.

The New World School of the Arts college music theater students take to the stage this month with the Broadway musical Big Fish, under the direction of NWSA faculty member James Randolph, highlighting the artistic talent of the Juniors and Seniors in the BFA program. "This is a great opportunity for the theater BFA students to stay current with what's happening in theater and to discover this piece. It has beautiful contemporary music that reflects southern culture written by one of the better composers working today: Andrew Lippa," said Randolph.
 
Opening Night for Big Fish is on Friday, February 15; 7:30 PM at Louise O. Gerrits Theater. 25 NE 2nd Street, 8th Floor. Follow-up shows are on February 16, 22 and 23 at 7:30 PM and Sundays, February 17 and 24 at 2:00 PM. Tickets are $15 for general admission and $10 for students and seniors. Information at 305-237-3541. Tickets may be purchased online sat http://nwsa.mdc.edu.