Alison Durkee

Arts/Culture Writer and Critic

United States of America

**Please find updated samples of my writing at alisondurkee.com.**

New York City-based writer and editor with a specialization in theatre, dance, and cultural tourism.

Current Features Editor for the London-based theatre website Everything Theatre and news writer for Mic.com. Contributor to such online publications as Exeunt Magazine, StageBuddy, Dance Network, and Critical Dance, with additional cultural/travel writing for Thought Gallery and City Guide NY.

Professional experience includes work with HERE Arts Center as Marketing Fellow, in addition to serving as a Research Assistant for The Theatre Museum and "With No Regrets: A Dancin' Man's Journey," an independent documentary on Broadway dancer/choreographer Tony Stevens that debuted at the 2013 Dances with Films Festival in Hollywood, CA.

Education:
MA with Distinction, Theatre Studies (Performance and the City)
Royal Central School of Speech and Drama
Thesis on Midcentury Nostalgia and Musical Theatre Revivals

BA Individualized Study (Concentration in Musical Theatre Studies and History)
New York University Gallatin School of Individualized Study

Software/Skills: Proficient in Adobe Photoshop, InDesign, and Illustrator; Microsoft Office; Wordpress/CMS; HTML/CSS; and basic graphic design/DSLR photography (samples available upon request). Fluency in both US (native speaker) and UK English.

Portfolio

At a Glance

CriticalDance
02/07/2016
'All that Jack (Cole)' Film Series

The Museum of Modern Art, New York, NY January 20-February 6, 2016 Alison Durkee All That Jack: Discovering the Work of Jack Cole at MoMA Curated by Debra Levine and Dave Kehr American jazz dance is an enduringly iconic style, its isolated movements and cool stylization instantaneously recognizable on stages around the world.

Mic
01/06/2017
Trump wants to oust Obama's ambassadors: Here's how US envoys are usually selected

U.S. ambassadors around the world are scrambling in the wake of President-elect Donald Trump's impending inauguration. According to the New York Times , Trump is forcing Obama-appointed diplomats to vacate their positions by Inauguration Day. While U.S. ambassadors, who are nominated by the president under Article II of the U.S.

Cityguideny
Manus x Machina: Cutting-Edge Fashion at the Met

As technology continues to advance, it impacts not only the world of gadgets and software, but also the more traditional arts. Its effect on the fashion world is now being explored at The Metropolitan Museum of Art in Manus x Machina: Fashion in an Age of Technology, an exhibition that simultaneously makes the case for technology and the power of traditional methods.

StageBuddy.com
Review: King Liz - StageBuddy.com

The high-profile world of the NBA is dominated by men, but in , it's a woman who takes center court. Fernanda Coppel's new play, currently premiering at Second Stage Uptown, takes on professional basketball from the perspective of Liz Rico (Karen Pittman), an indomitable force of a woman who's fought to become one of the top sports agents.

Exeuntmagazine
Unhealthy | Exeunt Magazine

It begins with four actors. They're not characters-not just yet. Each actor has rehearsed two roles; which one they'll be playing at each performance is left up to director Kelly Teaford, and is only revealed at the top of the show.

Cityguideny
New York's Easter Parade

Easter in New York brings egg hunts, fine brunches, and a bonnet-filled procession down Fifth Avenue that's been a city tradition for nearly a century and a half. Celebrate the holiday in true New York fashion with a trip to the Easter Parade.

Cityguideny
Warhol by the Book at the Morgan Library in NYC

From the vibrant hues of his Marilyn Monroe prints to his Campbell's Soup cans, Andy Warhol's iconic, larger-than-life works often reflect our culture more than the artist himself.

Mic
12/30/2016
What is a recess appointment - and what is the likelihood Merrick Garland will get one?

With less than a month before President-elect Trump's inauguration, many are wondering what actions President Barack Obama will take in his final days in the Oval Office. Will Obama finally appoint Merrick Garland to the Supreme Court, for example? Garland was announced as Obama's pick for the Supreme Court back in March - and has been waiting ever since.

Mic
12/18/2016
'SNL': Hillary Clinton gives a 'Love Actually' inspired message to the Electoral College

Kate McKinnon returned as Hillary Clinton on Saturday Night Live's Christmas special to send a message to the Electoral College - Love Actually style. Replicating the iconic scene from the 2003 film in which Mark (Andrew Lincoln) uses caroling as a guise to silently declare his love for his best friend's wife (Keira Knightley), McKinnon's Clinton appeared at an elector's doorstep with a simple holiday plea: don't vote for Donald Trump.

ThoughtGallery.org
09/30/2015
What to Catch at the New York Public Library This Fall

By Alison Durkee The New York Public Library's free public programs have something for everyone, with a dense fall slate that runs from Alice in Wonderland to urban design to our fascination with conspiracy theories. Our picks for the best of the season follow. Returning to the Stephen A.

Mic
01/09/2017
How the government funds Planned Parenthood on the state and federal levels

The new session of Congress began last week, and Planned Parenthood is already under attack. Republicans have vowed to cut federal funding to the organization as part of their repeal of the Affordable Care Act - and it's not likely they'll face resistance from President-elect Donald Trump.

CriticalDance
07/14/2015
Inventive and diverse: Ballet NY's 2015 Season

Alison Durkee Ballet in New York City is often associated with such renowned large companies as New York City Ballet and ABT. But this past weekend, Ballet NY demonstrated instead how effective taking a smaller approach can be. The company's 2015 Program was an engaging and wide-reaching evening of dance, showcasing an impressive diversity of styles in four short works.

Cityguideny
Best New York City Museums for School Groups

With museums focused on art, science, history, and everything in between, New York City is full of opportunities for students to learn more about the world. Although the city may be tight on space, legendary institutions like the Met, the MoMA, and the Natural History Museum are all experts at taking in school groups and giving them experiences that kids will never forget.

StageBuddy.com
Review: Raft - StageBuddy.com

Modern life can get overwhelming with the seemingly unlimited number of options it presents. But how far should you go to escape? This is the question posed by , a new play by The Group Lab currently previewing its upcoming Edinburgh Fringe Festival run in 59E59 Theaters' East to Edinburgh Festival.Directed by Jenna Panther, Raft is a simple but commanding examination of the realities of a "simpler" life.

Cityguideny
From Tutus to Twyla: The Best Dance Shows This Fall in NYC

Summer may be coming to an end, but dance fans have a lot to look forward to this fall. The start of the new season brings a host of exciting performances, complete with emerging artists, farewell tours, and premieres by legendary choreographers. Here are our picks for the best dance shows this fall in NYC.

HERE Arts Center
Copywriting Sample

Membership mailing created as HERE Arts Center's Marketing Fellow, for which I wrote all except for the specific show descriptions

Everything Theatre
08/01/2016
Adam Richman on 'Stalking the Bogeyman'

As the host of such television programmes as Man v. Food and ITV's BBQ Champ, Adam Richman is known better for his work on screen - and in the kitchen - than in theatre.

Theatre Criticism

Everything Theatre
10/03/2016
Floyd Collins, Wilton's Music Hall - Review

Cons: The intricate orchestrations and sometimes distracting Kentucky accents make the show occasionally sound muddled. A well-staged and atmospheric revival of a daring show that goes beyond the usual light-hearted musical theatre fare. Though composer Adam Guettel is the grandson of musical theatre legend Richard Rodgers, audiences should not go into Floyd Collins expecting the catchy melodies and frothy love stories of musical theatre yore.

StageBuddy.com
FringeNYC Review: Dancers - StageBuddy.com

An elderly woman slowly emerges from behind a trunk, plugs in a small lamp, and retreats into the past. So begins Dancers, a 'movement play' performed by Wrought Atlas Theatre Ensemble currently making its North American premiere at the New York International Fringe Festival.

StageBuddy.com
FringeNYC Review: A Supposedly Fun Thing I'll Never Do Again - StageBuddy.com

FringeNYC Review: A Supposedly Fun Thing I'll Never Do Again In 1995, author David Foster Wallace set sail on a seven-night luxury Caribbean cruise aboard the MV Zenith and wrote about his experience in Harper's Magazine, later republished as the essay A Supposedly Fun Thing I'll Never Do Again.

StageBuddy.com
FringeNYC Review: Hard Day's Night - StageBuddy.com

FringeNYC Review: Hard Day's Night "I live in an indie movie." So declares Kelly K. Kelly, the main character of Hard Day's Night, a wonderfully entertaining new play by Vicki Vodrey currently playing at the New York International Fringe Festival. And given Kelly's family, the comparison to the quirky disfunction of indie ensembles certainly makes sense.

StageBuddy.com
Review: Shakespeare Off-Broadway's "The Taming of the Shrew" - StageBuddy.com

Review: Shakespeare Off-Broadway's "The Taming of the Shrew" Unlike Shakespeare's many plays that still resonate 400 years later, The Taming of the Shrew's outdated gender portrayals make it a hard piece for contemporary audiences to accept. But that isn't stopping The Theatre Project and TP&co's Shakespeare Off-Broadway series, whose production of the classic comedy is currently running at The Players Theatre.

StageBuddy.com
Review: Future Honey - StageBuddy.com

It's no secret how reliant we are on technology. It pervades nearly every aspect of our lives-without it, you wouldn't be reading this review. But trying to take on such a massive topic is a daunting task.

StageBuddy.com
FringeNYC Review: dungeon - StageBuddy.com

FringeNYC Review: dungeon Plastic bags, flashlights, a white canvas, and Day-Glo bendy straws become the portal to a subterranean world in dungeon, an imaginative puppetry piece currently playing at the New York International Fringe Festival.

StageBuddy.com
Review: What Are You Eating? - StageBuddy.com

Review: What Are You Eating? From the latest health food promises to the perpetual lure of junk food, our relationship with the food we eat is often a complicated one. This fraught relationship is the focus of What Are You Eating?, a new show by Eric Wright and Matt Singer currently playing at The Tank.

Dance Criticism

CriticalDance
06/04/2015
The School of American Ballet: 2015 Workshop Performance

Alison Durkee This last weekend in May brought another year to an end at the esteemed School of American Ballet, as its advanced students showcased their talents at the school's annual Workshop performances. Featuring an interesting range of pieces, this year's Workshop was a delight, showcasing the variety, technique, and potential of ballet's future stars.

Seeing Dance
10/04/2016
Review: Matthias Sperling in Now That We Know

Alison Durkee The relationship between our body and mind is one that affects everything we do: the way we walk, how we interact with others - and, for dancers, the movements we choreograph and perform. For as intrinsic as this relationship is, though, much about how it works and its potential still remains a mystery.

CriticalDance
06/18/2015
KaleiDANCEscope: A Shared Evening of Dance

Alison Durkee Last weekend brought two emerging New York City choreographers into the spotlight, as Rebekka Nodhturft's Awaken Dance Theater and Cécilia Daninthe's Cedan Dance Company joined together for KaleiDANCEscope: A Shared Evening of Dance. It proved to be an engaging display of the up-and-coming choreographers' work, showcasing strong choreographic voices and high ambitions in its varied program.

CriticalDance
10/25/2015
Jazz in the spotlight: New York Jazz Choreography Project

Ailey Citigroup Theater, New York, NY Alison Durkee October 17, 2015 Jazz is an ever-evolving form of dance. From its African roots, to the 'classical' style pioneered by choreographers like Jack Cole in the mid-20th-century, to the modern-influenced contemporary style popular today, jazz dance has always reflected the culture in which it's being performed.

CriticalDance
04/30/2015
Established and Emerging Choreographers Shine at 2015 Choreographer's Canvas

The Group Theatre Too: Choreographer's Canvas Alison Durkee Manhattan Movement & Arts Center, New York, NY; April 26, 2015 Ballet shoes, bungee cords, a skeleton, and more were on display last weekend at Manhattan Movement and Arts Center, as choreographers from New York City and around the world came together to demonstrate their creative talents at the Choreographer's Canvas.

Theatre/Dance News and Interviews

Thebarretender
Broadway Spotlight: An American in Paris | The Barretender

Original leading man Fairchild also commented to the Washington Post that the original movie's popularity combined with the show's classical style will help bridge the divide between the more "highbrow" classical dance world and mainstream Broadway audiences. The musical, Fairchild notes, can "reach the masses and show them a different way of telling a story that oftentimes just gets stuck at Lincoln Center."

Everything Theatre
10/03/2016
Interview: Bringing 'Vanities' to the UK

Vanities' tale of female friendship has had a long history. Centring on the friendship of three Texas women throughout different phases of their lives, Vanities originally debuted as a play by Jack Heifner in 1976 before being adapted into a musical 30 years later in 2006.

Cityguideny
See Off-Broadway Theatre for Less with 20at20

Want to book a last-minute ticket to the theatre this fall without breaking the bank? Check out 20at20, a biannual promotion that presents Off-Broadway theatre for less, running now through October 4th. Originally created in 2007 by the Off-Broadway Alliance, 20at20 is as easy as its name, offering $20 tickets, available 20 minutes before a performance, for 20 days.

Cityguideny
Holiday Shows NYC: The Nutcracker, Radio City, and More

Holiday Shows NYC : as "the most wonderful time of the year" begins, New York City will be celebrating the holiday season like nowhere else. In addition to the classic decorations and holiday events, New York adds some holiday cheer to the performing arts, with theatre and dance productions around the city taking on a seasonal theme.

Cultural News

The Culture Trip
Drinking It All In | Top 10 Bars In Manhattan's West Village

Alison Durkee December 12, 2015 With its tree-lined streets and wealth of shops and restaurants, Manhattan 's West Village is one of the best places to spend an afternoon. But be sure to stick around after the sun goes down, as this chic neighborhood is also home to some of NYC's best nightlife.

Cityguideny
Discover NYC Architecture at Open House New York

Some of the best architecture and design in the world can be found in New York City, with major landmarks and hidden gems packed into all five boroughs. Yet many of these marvels are off-limits to the public, leaving some of NYC's best design going largely unseen.

Cityguideny
NYC Celebrates 150 Years of Alice in Wonderland: Curiouser and Curiouser

This year marks the 150 th anniversary of Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, Lewis Carroll's classic tale of a young girl who tumbles into an unfamiliar world. To celebrate the occasion, Alice fans can go down the rabbit hole this fall in New York City with a slate of events that celebrate the iconic story, including exhibitions, film screenings, and talks.

Cityguideny
NYC's Top Ten Film Festivals You Don't Know (Yet)

Each year, thousands of film fans vie for tickets at New York City's top two film festivals, the Tribeca Film Festival and the New York Film Festival. But while these festivals may be the ones getting the most attention, NYC is packed year-round with alternative cinema scenes.

Cityguideny
From Ancient Egypt to the Gilded Age: What to See at the Met This Fall

There's always something new to discover on a trip to the Metropolitan Museum of Art. The Met has over two million works of art in its collection and a constant rotation of exhibitions. This fall, museum visitors can enjoy a host of new shows, including special looks at Ancient Egypt, the Gilded Age, Asian art, and style icon Countess Jacqueline de Ribes.

ThoughtGallery.org
09/11/2015
Talks, Flicks, More: Our Picks for the 2015 New York Film Festival

By Alison Durkee Film fans in NYC have a lot to get excited about this fall, as the New York Film Festival returns to Lincoln Center from September 25 through October 11. Hosted by the Film Society of Lincoln Center, the festival celebrates films and filmmakers both past and present, with a diverse slate of features, documentaries, live events, and...