Updated
Updated · The New York Times · Jun 29
Little Island Cuts Summer Run to 56 Shows as Barry Diller Pushes Programming Shift
Updated
Updated · The New York Times · Jun 29

Little Island Cuts Summer Run to 56 Shows as Barry Diller Pushes Programming Shift

1 articles · Updated · The New York Times · Jun 29

Summary

  • Little Island will stage 56 performances from July 29 to Sept. 6, roughly half last summer’s 110-show schedule and compressed into a six-week run.
  • Barry Diller’s push to take the park “in a different direction” led the venue to rethink its long-term programming plan, producing a shorter slate with more concert-style and culinary events.
  • The lineup still includes new marquee works, including Julio Torres and Martine Gutierrez’s play “Marina” and Qween Jean’s returning Summer Legacy Ball.
  • The pullback marks a sharp change from Little Island’s recent summers, when it emphasized larger theatrical commissions such as nine world premieres in 2024 and last year’s revival of “The Gospel at Colonus.”

Insights

Can a new culinary focus maintain Little Island’s status as a premier arts destination with fewer world premieres?
Is Barry Diller's pivot to food and concerts a savvy business move or the end of a bold artistic experiment?