Deep Blue Sea

Following this spring’s sold-out run of AFTERWARDSNESS, renowned director, choreographer, and dancer Bill T. Jones returns to Park Avenue Armory to present and perform in the world premiere of his massive new work, Deep Blue Sea, which revolves around the interplay of single and group identities. Jones, Janet Wong, and the Bill T. Jones/Arnie Zane Company conceived this highly personal work in pursuit of the elusive “we” during these fractious times through a cast of 100 dancers/community members, and a deconstructed text from Martin Luther King Jr.’s “I Have a Dream” and Herman Melville’s Moby Dick.

Conceived for the Wade Thompson Drill Hall, Deep Blue Sea magnifies the vast space through a visual environment by Elizabeth Diller of the architectural firm Diller Scofidio + Renfro in collaboration with Tony Award-nominated projection designer Peter Nigrini (Beetlejuice, Fela!), Robert Wierzel, and Liz Prince. An original vocal score by composer Nick Hallett and electronic soundscape by Hprizm aka High Priest, Rena Anakwe, and Holland Andrews echoes the words of King and Melville. In addition to choreographing and directing, for the first time in over 15 years, Jones himself performs.

Artist talk with Bill T. Jones and Elizabeth Diller
September 30, 2021 6:00pm
Park Avenue Armory
Tickets: $15 (plus fees)

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Commissioned by Park Avenue Armory, Manchester International Festival
In Association with Holland Festival
Produced and Developed by Park Avenue Armory in Collaboration with New York Live Arts

Bill T. Jones, Creator & Director
Janet Wong, Associate Director
Choreography by Bill T. Jones, Janet Wong, and the Bill T. Jones/Arnie Zane Company
Visual Environment Elizabeth Diller (DS + R) and Peter Nigrini
Robert Wierzel, Lighting Design
Nick Hallett, Composer and Music Director
Hprizm, Rena Anakwe, and Holland Andrews, Electronic Score
Mark Grey, Sound Design
Liz Prince, Costume Design
Mark Hairston, Dramaturg

#PAADEEPBLUESEA

Deep Blue Sea is supported in part by public funds from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the city council. The production is also supported in part by public funds from the National Endowment for the Arts.