Public Forum returns to The Public this season withPUBLIC FORUM: NOTES. Go behind the curtain with acclaimed artistEthan Lipton as he shares the creative journey of crafting songs for THE SEAT OF OUR PANTS, a new musical inspired by Thornton Wilder’s The Skin of Our Teeth.
In this intimate music event, follow the evolution of Lipton’s a cappella compositions as they transform through dynamic collaboration with THE SEAT OF OUR PANTS’ orchestrator, arranger, and co-music supervisorDaniel Kluger, from raw ideas to fully realized musical numbers.
Featuring original songs, with Kluger on piano and in-depth conversation led by The Public’s Associate Artistic DirectorAlexa Smith andThornton Wilder Literary Executor and former Public Forum Director Jeremy McCarter, discover how words become melodies—and melodies become theater.
Join us for a rare glimpse into the artistry and alchemy behind a new musical in the making.
Tickets must be picked up at the Taub Box Office at least 15 minutes prior to start time or they may be released to standby.
Daniel Kluger is a composer, music producer, orchestrator and sound designer. Known for his Tony, Grammy and Olivier nominated bluegrass orchestrations of the Broadway revival of OKLAHOMA!, Kluger’s musical work spans a range from electronic dance music, to neoclassical chamber composition, jazz and atmospheric synth soundscapes. He has created original scores for dozens of award-winning theater projects, films and podcasts. danielkluger.com
Ethan Lipton
Ethan Lipton
Off-Broadway:We Are Your Robots, Tumacho, The Outer Space, Red-Handed Otter, No Place to Go, Luther, 100 Aspects of the Moon. Awards and fellowships: the Kleban Prize, Creative Capital, Guggenheim, NYFA, Obie, MacDowell, Playwrights Realm, Ryder Farm. Clubbed Thumb associate and alumni of The Public’s inaugural Emerging Writers Group. Plays published by Concord. Quartet Ethan Lipton & His Orchestra has released five albums and toured the US and UK. www.ethanlipton.com
Jeremy McCarter
Jeremy McCarter
Jeremy McCarter is an associate artist at the Public, having previously created and directed the Public Forum series of performances and conversations. He is the literary executor of the novelist and playwright Thornton Wilder and the founder and executive producer of Make-Believe Association, for which he adapted and directed an audio version of Hamlet that had its world premiere at this year’s Tribeca Festival. He is the author of Young Radicals and the co-author of Viewfinder with Jon M. Chu and Hamilton: The Revolution with Lin-Manuel Miranda. He has written about books, plays, etc. for New York magazine, The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, and other publications.
Alexa Smith
Alexa Smith
Alexa Smith is Associate Artistic Director and Director of Cultural transformation at The Public Theater. She also serves as the EDI director for Alicia Keys’ HELL’S KITCHEN. Her culture work can be found on and off Broadway including productions of GINGER TWINSIES, TEETH, THE WHITE CHIP, and THE JONATHON LARSON PROJECT, among others.
She is the founder of the Duncan Williams Voice Program for Black and Latinx artists and received the Sphinx Venture Fund Award for this project. In 2023, she was named one of Musical America’s Top 30 Professionals. She is the host of WQXR’s “Young Artist Showcase” and is a Met Radio correspondent and guest on The Metropolitan Opera’s Quiz Show.
She previously served as Associate Vice President for Strategic Innovation and Special Initiatives at Manhattan School of Music. She oversaw the creation of and led MSM’s Cultural Inclusion Initiative which fosters diversity, equity, and inclusive practices throughout the school. She also served as Interim Dean of Performance and Production overseeing all elements of all performances and stage productions.
She holds degrees in voice from Roosevelt University and Manhattan School of Music and an MBA from Boston University.
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