Open Call: Nile Harris

Two performers in Nile Harris's "minor b" stand on a dark stage. They are dramatically lit by a bright light with the rest of the space around them in darkness. One performer, a Black man in a tank top sits with one arm propped on his knee. The other, an older white man in a button down shirt unbuttoned to reveal his bare chest, stands behind him with hands in pockets. — Nile Harris, *minor b*, 2024, performed as part of *Open Call* at The Shed, August 9 – 10, 2024. Photo: Ahad Subzwari.

Performing in "minor b", Nile Harris peeks out from behind a tall screen on stage. Nile is a Black man. He wears a black, short sleeved collared shirt, and half of his body is visible and half obscured by the screen. On the screen is a drawing of an older man's face. The photo shows the man's left eye, ear, and a shock of white hair. — Nile Harris, *minor b*, 2024, performed as part of *Open Call* at The Shed, August 9 – 10, 2024. Photo: Ahad Subzwari.

About this commission

minor b is a workshop production of a performance for four bodies that inquires about a minor black behavior that refuses capitalization and respectability. Nile Harris and his ensemble use the biography of jazz cornetist Buddy Bolden, who was making music at the turn of the 20th century and spent the majority of his life in a mental asylum, as a theoretical launching point to stage a series of discreet events rejecting and subverting what audiences expect to find in a black box theater. For Harris, the black box theater serves as a metaphor for containment. Playing with theatrical traditions which have sought an imposed neutrality, the work is, in part, a response to institutional constraints that resonate with the asylum where Bolden was confined.

Creative Team

Photo: Victor Jeffreys II.

Nile Harris

Nile Harris (he/him) is a performer and director of live works of art. He has done a few things and hopes to do a few more, God willing.

Cast

Get to Know the Artist

5 months ago

I Am Nile Harris

4 months ago

In The Studio with Nile Harris

4 months ago

In The Studio with Nile Harris

Acknowledgments

minor b is commissioned by The Shed and presented in association with Ping Chong and Company. Development was made possible by Center for Performance Research, The Church in Sag Harbor, and 99 Canal.

Alex Poots, Artistic Director
Darren Biggart, Director of Civic Programs
Dejá Belardo, Assistant Curator, Civic Programs and Visual Arts
Daisy Peele, Open Call Producer (Associate Producer at The Shed)
Christal Ferreira, Program Manager, Civic Programs and Visual Arts
Ben Young, Production Manager

Special thanks to Public Assembly (Tamara McCaw, Maggie MacTiernan, and Annabel Thompson) and to former program team colleagues who facilitated the call for proposals and selection process for the third edition: Solana Chehtman, Sarah Khalid Dhobhany, Alessandra Gómez, and Andria Hickey.

Stephen Arnold, Open Call Production Manager
Michael Ruiz-del-Vizo, Scenic Coordinator
DJ Potts, Sound Coordinator
Vittoria Orlando, Lighting Coordinator
Hao Bai, Video/Projection Coordinator
Cynthia Caridad, Stage Coordinator
Caren Celine Morris, Stage Coordinator
Ariana Michel, Stage Coordinator
A. Sef, Accessibility Consultant

Location and dates

This event takes place in The Griffin Theater.

August 9 and 10
7:30 pm

The Shed’s Griffin Theater is located at 545 West 30th Street, between 10th and 11th Avenues. View The Shed on a map.

For information about accessibility and arriving at The Shed, visit our Accessibility page.

Details

Running time: 80 minutes
This production includes strong language and explores sensitive topics including race, religion, and sexuality.
The production includes haze, flashing lights, and the usage of herbal cigarettes.

Accessibility

Seating

The Shed’s Griffin Theater has accessible seating. Please contact us in advance to discuss your needs and available options by emailing accessibility@theshed.org or calling (646) 455-3949.

Assistive Listening

Visitors may check out assistive listening devices at the entrance to the theater. A driver’s license will be held to check out the device.

Audio Description

Audio description will be available at the Friday, August 9 performance. Audio description is delivered via the free Listen Everywhere app on your personal device with your personal earphones or headphones. To use the app, you must download the app and connect to The Shed’s free Wi-Fi network, TheShedFreeWiFi. To find instructions on how to download and use the app, visit the Accessibility page.

Purchasing Tickets

The Shed’s online ticketing system includes the option to submit accommodation requests beyond the access points detailed here.

Contact Us

For questions or other requests, visit the Accessibility page, email accessibility@theshed.org, or call (646) 455-3494.

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ONGOING

New art for New York

The Sponsor of Open Call is

Support for Open Call is generously provided by

Additional support for Open Call is provided by The Wescustogo Foundation and Jody and John Arnhold | Arnhold Foundation.

The creation of new work at The Shed is generously supported by the Lizzie and Jonathan Tisch Commissioning Fund and the Shed Commissioners. Major support for live productions at The Shed is provided by the Charina Endowment Fund, with additional support from the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature.

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