PS21 : Center for Contemporary Performance

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PS21 : Center for Contemporary Performance

Just five acres have been developed; the rest are meadows and woodlands. The PS21 property is also host to the Chatham Farm Animal Rescue.

PS21 is a center for contemporary performance in the heart of the Hudson Valley, presenting adventurous productions by leading and emerging American and international artists in music, dance, theater, contemporary circus, and beyond. “𝗔 𝗯𝗲𝗮𝘂𝘁𝗶𝗳𝘂𝗹, 𝗿𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗳𝗶𝗴𝘂𝗿𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝗶𝗻𝗱𝗼𝗼𝗿-𝗼𝘂𝘁𝗱𝗼𝗼𝗿 𝘀𝗽𝗮𝗰𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗮𝗽𝗽𝗲𝗮𝗿𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗱 𝗹𝗶𝗸𝗲 𝗮𝗻 𝗲𝘅𝗼𝘁𝗶𝗰 𝗯𝗶𝗿𝗱 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗺𝗶𝗱𝘀𝘁 𝗼𝗳 𝗮 𝟭𝟬𝟬-𝗮𝗰𝗿𝗲 𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺𝗲𝗿 𝗮𝗽𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝗼𝗿𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗱 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝘁𝗶𝗻𝘆 𝗛𝘂𝗱𝘀𝗼𝗻

𝗩𝗮𝗹𝗹𝗲𝘆 𝘁𝗼𝘄𝗻. 𝗜𝘁’𝘀 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗳𝗶𝗿𝘀𝘁 𝗽𝗹𝗮𝗰𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝘄𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱 𝗲𝘅𝗽𝗲𝗰𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗼𝘂𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗰𝘂𝘁𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴-𝗲𝗱𝗴𝗲 𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲, 𝘆𝗲𝘁 𝗣𝗦𝟮𝟭 𝗼𝗳𝗳𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘁𝗹𝗲 𝗲𝗹𝘀𝗲.” — 𝗝𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗲 𝗚𝗿𝗲𝗲𝗻, 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗡𝗲𝘄 𝗬𝗼𝗿𝗸 𝗧𝗶𝗺𝗲𝘀, 𝗝𝘂𝗻𝗲, 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟭. PS21: Performance Spaces for the 21st Century, is committed to presenting innovative performances by leading and emerging artists in our state-of- the-art black-box and open-air pavilion theaters; fostering creativity through residencies and collaborations between performers working across disciplines and genres; serving our local community via free and low-cost workshops, performances, and engaging programming; preserving our more than 100 acres of open spaces, meadows, woodlands, and orchards as an important resource for artists and the community; and extending opportunities for arts engagement to all, regardless of age, economic status, and cultural background. Our commitments are incorporated in the design of our new theater and the surrounding grounds: open, inviting, and optimized for the public's enjoyment and to encourage citizen expression and participation. PS21’s new facility, completed in 2018, is a 350-seat open-air proscenium stage protected by a pavilion roof, which converts in cooler months to a geothermally-heated and air conditioned black box theatre seating 99. Our new facility sits above a nineteenth-century apple orchard at the apex of over 100 acres of beautiful Hudson Valley land, at the foothills of the Berkshires. Nearby are the Dance Barn, a rehearsal and performance venue, and two artists’ residences accommodating sixteen visitors.

06/01/2026

Opening night is nearly here. Our 2026 summer season, marked by an astounding 10+ world premieres, kicks off this Friday with the Next Festival – a premium group of the hottest rising stars in the classical scene.

At the center of a program teeming with brilliant new works written by immigrant women from all across the globe, Next Festival debuts “The Book of Signatures” – a double concerto from Grammy-nominated cellist/composer Andrea Casarrubios profoundly reflecting on what it means to make a physical mark by hand in the high-speed and saturated digital world we occupy.

Brought to life by soloists Dr. Tommy Mesa (cello), a 2025 Avery Fisher Career Grant recipient, and Garret Arney (percussion), co-founder of the acclaimed percussion group arx duo, this night is a finger on the pulse of contemporary performance. Don’t miss this – last year sold out.

Tickets >>> https://ps21chatham.org/event/next-fest/

05/31/2026

Wake up with the birds to help us send Groundtone off for the year.

Phil Kline premiered the initial “Force of Nature” during The Dark, and here – at dawn on the solstice, the final day of Groundtone weekend – he returns for the June installment.

“Force of Nature (June)” is a sunrise transfiguration of PS21’s landscape that captures the young voices of our community and brings them to life through portable devices, cassette players, boomboxes, cell phone apps, and bluetooth speakers carried by the audience.

Afterward, Phil joins PS21 and Annea Lockwood for the inaugural celebration of Make Music Day in Chatham, bringing the opportunity to participate into the streets and businesses in town.

Join us >>> https://ps21chatham.org/event/phil-kline-force-of-nature-june/

05/30/2026

As the sun sets on the third night of Groundtone, we welcome Order of the Illusive to our Pavilion Theater to live score the alfresco screening of The Adventures of Prince Achmed. This year is the 100 year anniversary of Lotte Reiniger’s work, the first feature length animated film on record, and Order of the Illusive are celebrating in true PS21 fashion.

With Geoff Gersh on guitar, Bradford Reed on the pencilina (a custom stringed instrument of his own design), and Zach Layton on 17 string bass and effects, the outfit takes classic films and brings a whole new life to them with their radically unique instrumentation and spontaneous approach.

Join us in letting this full spectrum fantasy wash over you, we promise you haven’t heard anything like it.

Tickets >>> https://ps21chatham.org/event/order-of-the-illusive/

05/29/2026

The Messthetics and James Brandon Lewis come to Chatham hard on the heels of their February album “Deface the Currency”

This collaboration is super hot – Lewis is “one of the fiercest sounds in jazz today” and The Messthetics bring the power of Fugazi’s rhythm section with Anthony Pirog’s psychedelia-tinged guitar layered in. The artistic chemistry between the quartet is unmistakable, so much so that they squeezed studio dates into their tour schedule last summer to capture the spark.

This is peak jazz fusion on Groundtone’s Friday evening, up close in the round. Grab your tickets at the link below...
https://ps21chatham.org/event/the-messthetics-and-james-brandon-lewis/

05/28/2026

The stars align on Groundtone’s third afternoon for a free program by the powerhouse trio harpist Parker Ramsay, violinist Miranda Cuckson, and cellist Jay Campbell. Each are champions of new music with a huge array of premieres under their belts, and as a collective debuted this program’s “Luci Bizantine” (Christopher Trapani) and “Annäherung” (Georg Friedrich Haas) at the Kaufman Music Center back in February to high accolade.

This incredibly intimate performance brings you, the audience, up on stage to see and hear it all – each breath, the wordless glances between players, the sound of fingers hitting strings.

Reserve your spot, tickets are limited. >>> https://ps21chatham.org/event/parker-ramsay-harp-miranda-cuckson-violin-and-jay-campbell-cello/

05/27/2026

Clara Warnaar opens up Groundstone Weekend on June 18th with “Pulse Atlas,” a mixed percussion program featuring four hypnotic pieces that each unfold like a journey.

Clara thrives at the intersection of rock, electronic, improvised, and composed music, and is sought out as a collaborator for having this particular versatile blend of skills. Not only existing in the contemporary music scene, she served an extensive tenure as drummer in the post-rock band Infinity Shred and recorded with chamber metal band Real Loud.

A member of International Contemporary Ensemble and guest performer with renowned ensembles such as Yarn/Wire, the Bang on a Can All-Stars, and Ensemble Signal, Clara finds herself at the heart of new music-making. Her performances reflect this, consistently premiering new works by interdisciplinary artists as well as collaborations with acclaimed composers from Missy Mazzoli to Steve Reich.

Warnaar is an esteemed composer herself. Pulse Atlas features the premiere of her new work, “Hakone Suite,” for two vibraphones and electronics alongside percussionist Robby Bowen.

We can’t think of someone who captures the essence of Groundtone more – come kick it all off with us.
Join us >>> https://ps21chatham.org/event/clara-warnaar/

05/26/2026

Becca Stevens is someone who is able to do it all, and do it well. Her vocal style and songwriting transcend genres to rear an authentic product that is wholly human.

Nominated for two Grammy’s – one for the performance and arrangement of Radiohead’s “2+2=5” with Attacca Quartet and the other for her banger track “Slow Burn” featuring Jacob Collier and Snarky Puppy’s Mark Lettieri – Stevens is no stranger to fruitful collaborations. The list is actually massive… to name a few more: David Crosby, Corey Wong, Chris Thile, Brad Mehldau, Esperanza Spaulding, Sufjan Stevens.

In her most recent album, “Maple to Paper,” Stevens turned inward for her first truly solo project – a raw and deeply heartfelt reflection on grief inspired by the loss of her mother, showcasing her gorgeous voice and equally matched songwriting and instrumental talent.

We are so thrilled to have Becca come to PS21 to share the stage with Sō Percussion for Groundtone’s opening night, premiering a collection of hot-off-the-press co-written songs.

This one is sure to be special, and is only a few short weeks away.
Tickets >>> https://ps21chatham.org/event/so-percussion-with-becca-stevens/

05/23/2026

Sō Percussion‘s “telepathic powers of communication” (New York Times) are not to be missed – and you have two chances to catch them at Groundtone on June 18th and 19th.

The four-piece collective moves and breathes together like a “single, multi-malleted organism” (emusic.com). They approach virtuosic percussion works with an impressive air of ease, giving the audience a performance that gets to the heart of each piece, unhindered by the technical challenges their instruments demand.

On Groundtone’s tremendous first evening, the quartet presents a slate of contemporary greats featuring “4+9,” a work by their own Eric Cha Beach, plus the “folksy freshness and laid-back sparkle” of Bryce Dessner’s “Music for Wood and Strings.”

Grammy-nominated vocalist Becca Stevens joins the group for the performance of “Narrow Sea,” the new album by Pulitzer Prize winning Caroline Shaw, closing out with a collection of fresh songs written by Becca and Sō.

On Groundtone’s second afternoon, Sō delivers a free program of the monumental Steve Reich in our fields. Reich has made a profound impact on each of their individual artistic practices as well as their group identity.

Make sure to grab tickets now before they’re gone>>>

https://ps21chatham.org/event/so-percussion-with-becca-stevens/

05/22/2026

Groundtone weekend is coming up.

June 18th through June 21st, our grounds will lay the stage for four days of audacious music, unexpected collaboration, sound, and community in the PS21 landscape – all culminating with Chatham’s first community wide celebration of Make Music Day.

Each day radiates what’s fresh in the music scene, and we’ve got a little something for everyone: virtuosic percussion, post-punk meets jazz, lucid film scoring, and a roundup of recent compositions presented by pathbreaking performers.

PS21’s own soundscape and community hit the spotlight, too, in our commissioned pieces, Annea Lockwood’s “Home Ground” and Phil Kline’s June iteration of “Force of Nature”

https://ps21chatham.org/groundtone/

05/14/2026

Are you ready to show us your best dance moves on June 6th?

OKI and the Oki Dub Ainu Band travel to Chatham from Hokkaido, Japan for a celebration of the upcoming summer, and you all are invited. Sharing the musical traditions of the indigenous Ainu people, OKI and the band layer their gorgeous folk melodies with high energy dub rhythms, afro beats, and reggae flow.

We’ve never heard something quite like this – OKI’s tonkori folk harp woven into the texture of a rock band feels both ancient and entirely contemporary. Each song brings something fresh and unexpected, all of it fun.

Come kick it all off with us, we’ve missed you.

Tickets >>> https://ps21chatham.org/event/oki-dub-ainu-band/

Address

2980 State Route 66
Chatham, NY
12037

Telephone

+15183926121

Website

http://www.ps21chatham.org/

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