Each season
The Kaye Playhouse hosts over 200 performances in the fields of
dance, music, theatre, film and children’s programs. Bringing
an eclectic mix of performing arts events to over 100,000 theatergoers
annually, it has become the "East Side center for all the performing
arts."
Dedicated in
1942 by President Franklin Delano Roosevelt, The Kaye Playhouse
at Hunter College began its notable history as The Playhouse at
Hunter College. At that time, concerts were presented under the
auspices of the Hunter College Concert Bureau and many of the world’s
most famous artists made their New York debuts at The Playhouse.
Marian Anderson, Jussi Bjoerling, Renata Tebaldi, Andres Segovia,
Merce Cunningham, Martha Graham and many other legendary artists
appeared at The Playhouse until the Concert Bureau closed its doors
in 1975.
In 1993, the
Playhouse was renovated and reopened as The Sylvia and Danny Kaye
Playhouse at Hunter College. Since its rededication, The Kaye has
presented over 1,800 performances of some of the world’s most
renowned, provocative and unique artists and performance companies.
In the past decade, celebrated artists Martina Arroyo, Regina Resnik,
Marcel Marceau, Ruby Dee, Phillip Glass, Audra MacDonald, Max Roach,
James Levine, Mario Vargas Llosa, Brian Bedford, Rosemary Harris
and Harold Bloom, as well as a varied international roster of performing
arts companies, have performed on the stage of The Kaye Playhouse.
The
Kaye has entered the 21st century as one of New York City’s leading
performing arts institutions and continues to honor its exceptional
artistic heritage in hosting internationally-acclaimed artists and
music, dance and theatre companies for New York audiences, as well
as serving as the centerpiece for the performing arts at Hunter College.
