Next Wave is where BAM books the work nobody else in the city will risk, and this edition leans on artists using their own bodies and family histories as source material. A Rwandan playwright adapting his memoir with a guitarist, a dancer treating herself as a living archive of Tituba, and a Philip Glass Ensemble anniversary concert are all on the same run. If you want the performance that will still be argued about in December, start here.
What to expect
Programs land in the Howard Gilman Opera House, the Harvey Theater and BAM Fisher, so check which building your ticket names. Most productions play a short four-to-five-night run rather than an open engagement. Several are performed in French, Kinyarwanda or Portuguese with English supertitles.
Good to know
- Atlantic Av-Barclays Ctr (2 3 4 5 B D N Q R) and Lafayette Av on the C both work; the Harvey is a few blocks from the main building
- Runs are short, often under a week, so a production you miss does not come back
- Bundling three or more programs unlocks the festival's package discount
- The BAM Cafe and the restaurants along Lafayette fill up before curtain
- Best for adventurous audiences; several works carry mature themes
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Common questions
Is Next Wave one ticket or many?
Many. Each production is ticketed separately, though BAM discounts packages of three or more programs.
Is any of it free?
Yes. At least one outdoor program on the BAM plaza is presented free of charge.
Which building should I go to?
It depends on the show. Next Wave uses the Peter Jay Sharp Building, the Harvey Theater and BAM Fisher, all in Fort Greene.
More this weekend
