Performa to Stage Star-Studded Variety Show on Broadway for First Time

Performa, the New York-based biennial known for staging debut performances in unconventional venues, will mount its first-ever one-night variety show on Broadway. The Performa All-Star Variety Show takes place at Manhattan's Town Hall on June 10, featuring artists including Barbara Kruger, Julio Torres, Marcel Dzama, Anne Imhoff, Alexa West, Laurie Simmons, and Lonnie Holley. Hosted by writer and comedian Casey Jost, the 90-minute, 12-act event draws inspiration from 19th-century vaudeville and Futurist serates. Performa founder RoseLee Goldberg conceived the show as an alternative to the traditional gala, aiming to make performances accessible to a wider audience. The event will help fund Performa's 21st edition in 2027. The Town Hall, built in 1919 for the League for Political Education, seats 1,500 and has hosted Langston Hughes, Thich Nhat Hanh, and Celine Dion. Performa's previous fundraising efforts include ostentatious galas and a 2020 telethon.