Dartmouth on Location: New York Theatre Workshop
An Evening of Music and Insight in the Heart of NYC
About the Performance
Join us for an exclusive Dartmouth-only performance of Saturday Church, featuring music and lyrics by Grammy Award nominee and pop icon Sia, at the New York Theatre Workshop.
Directed by NYTW Usual Suspect and Tony Award nominee Whitney White (Jaja’s African Hair Braiding), Saturday Church features a book and additional lyrics by Emmy Award nominee Damon Cardasis (She Came to Me) & Pulitzer Prize winner and Tony Award nominee James Ijames (Fat Ham), with music and lyrics from Grammy Award nominee and pop icon Sia (“Chandelier,” This Is Acting, 1000 Forms of Fear) and additional music by Grammy Award winner Honey Dijon (Black Girl Magic).
Saturday Church will feature music supervision, orchestrations and arrangements by Special Tony Award Recipient Jason Michael Webb (MJ The Musical) and Grammy Award winner Luke Solomon (Beyonce’s Renaissance) and choreography by Obie Award winner Darrell Grand Moultrie (Fat Ham). It is conceived for the stage and based on the Spring Pictures film of the same name, written and directed by Cardasis.
Saturday Church tells the story of Ulysses—New York City kid, devoted son and the fiercest tenor at his aunt’s church. A chance encounter on the subway introduces him to the world of Saturday Church, a sanctuary for LGBTQ+ youth. Caught between two worlds, Ulysses wrestles with family and faith as he strives to find the place where he can love and be loved—in all his fabulousness. This new musical captures the joy of embodied liberation and the profound power of faith, with a score that soars from the transcendence of gospel to the exhilarating vibrations of house music and pop. Saturday Church boldly asks, “is faith only for the Holy?” and, more importantly, “are there any queens in the house?!!!!”
Before the show, gather with fellow Dartmouth alumni at Phebe’s Tavern & Grill for a special pre-show reception and faculty-led talk by Assistant Professor of Music, César Alvarez. The pre-show reception will feature an open bar with beer and wine, accompanied by bar-style comfort bites for your enjoyment.
Meet our Faculty Speaker
César Alvarez is a composer, lyricist, playwright, and performance maker. They create big experimental gatherings disguised as musicals, in the key of inter-dimensionality, socio-political transformation, kinship and coexistence. With a background as a jazz saxophonist, bandleader and sound artist, César's work inhabits a space between the worlds of theater, music, performance art and social practice. César was a 2018-20 Princeton Arts Fellow, a recipient of The Jonathan Larson Award in 2016, The Kleban Prize and a Guggenheim Fellowship in 2022. César is an assistant professor or Music at Dartmouth College.
Program Details
4:30 – 6:30 p.m.: Welcome and registration at Phebe’s Tavern and Grill with talk by Assistant Professor César Alvarez
7:00 – 10:00 p.m.: Performance of Saturday Church at the NYTW
Pricing
- Ticket Tier 1 + Reception: $150
- Ticket Tier 2 + Reception: $124
- Ticket Tier 3 + Reception: $114
- Ticket Tier 4 + Reception: $84
- Reception Only: $25
Location
Talk and reception
Phebe’s Tavern and Grill
359 Bowery
New York, NY 10003
Performance of Saturday Church
New York Theatre Workshop
79 East 4th Street (between Bowery & 2nd Avenue)
New York, NY 10003
Cancellation Policy: The deadline for cancellation with a full refund is September 19, 2025. After this date, there will be no refunds, but substitutions will be accepted. Please contact the Alumni Lifelong Learning office or call (603) 646-9159 for any changes to your registration.
Questions? Please contact us at 603-646-9159 or alumni.lifelong.learning@dartmouth.edu.
