Brooklyn Academy of Music Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids
Brooklyn Academy of Music
Construction
BAM
BAM Peter Jay Sharp Building (2019)
Address	30 Lafayette Avenue (Peter Jay Sharp) 651 Fulton Street (BAM Strong) 321 Ashland Place (Fisher)
Location	Brooklyn, New York
Public transit	Long Island Rail Road: Atlantic Branch at Atlantic Terminal New York City Subway: at Atlantic Avenue–Barclays Center at Fulton Street at Lafayette Avenue
Type	Performing arts center
Capacity	Howard Gilman Opera House: 2,109 Harvey Theater: 874 Lepercq Space: 350 Fishman Space: 250 Total: 3,583
Built	1908
Opened	1908

The Brooklyn Academy of Music (BAM) is a famous arts center in Brooklyn, New York City. It's a place where you can see many different kinds of performances. BAM is known for showing exciting and new types of theater, dance, music, opera, and movies. These shows happen in several buildings close to each other.

BAM was officially started in 1859 and held its first show in 1861. It moved to its current spot in Fort Greene, Brooklyn in 1908. BAM is a non-profit organization, which means it uses its money to support its mission, not to make a profit. Gina Duncan became its president in April 2022, and David Binder became the artistic director in 2019.

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History of BAM

How BAM Started

On October 21, 1858, a group of people met to talk about building a large hall. They wanted a place for music, talks, science events, and other gatherings. This hall needed to be big enough for Brooklyn's growing population.

The group asked the New York State Legislature for permission to create the Brooklyn Academy of Music. On February 16, 1859, the Legislature approved their request. The group raised money, and the first Brooklyn Academy of Music opened on January 15, 1861.

At the opening, the managers said that no plays would ever be performed there. The first concert featured music from operas like Der Freischütz and the William Tell Overture.

The First BAM Building

The first BAM building was located at 176–194 Montague Street in Brooklyn Heights. It was designed by architect Leopold Eidlitz. This building was meant to be the home of the Brooklyn Philharmonic orchestra.

It had a large theater with 2,109 seats and a smaller concert hall. Many famous performers appeared there, including Ellen Terry and Edwin Booth. Even the Egyptologist Amelia Edwards gave lectures there in 1889-1890.

Moving to a New Home

On November 30, 1903, the first BAM building sadly burned down. After this, plans were made to move to a new location in Fort Greene, Brooklyn.

The first stone for the new building was laid in 1906. A series of opening events took place in the fall of 1908. The grand opening night featured famous singers Geraldine Farrar and Enrico Caruso. They performed in a Metropolitan Opera show of Faust. The Met continued to perform in Brooklyn until 1921.

In the early 1900s, the new building was also used for religious services. Charles Taze Russell, who started the Bible Students movement, gave sermons there from 1908 to 1912.

BAM in Recent Times (1960s-Today)

In 1967, Harvey Lichtenstein became the executive director of BAM. For 32 years, he helped BAM become very popular. He brought in new and exciting shows and helped the organization save money for its future.

BAM started its yearly Next Wave Festival in 1983. This festival shows performances by artists from all over the world. BAM also offers educational programs and events for children. They also show many different kinds of movies.

From 1999 to 2015, Karen Brooks Hopkins was president, and Joseph V. Melillo was executive producer. More recently, Katy Clark was president from 2015 to 2021. Since 2012, BAM has also hosted BAMcinemaFest, a festival that focuses on independent films.

Artists and Performances at BAM

Many famous artists have performed or shown their work at BAM. These include musicians like Philip Glass and Steve Reich. Dancers and choreographers like Trisha Brown, Pina Bausch, and Merce Cunningham have also performed there.

Other well-known artists include Laurie Anderson, Seal, and the Mariinsky Theatre.

Some famous bands have also recorded live albums at BAM. The punk band Hole recorded their MTV Unplugged album there in 1995. Alice in Chains recorded their Unplugged album there in 1996. Alanis Morissette also recorded her MTV Unplugged album at BAM in 1999.

BAM's Buildings and Spaces

The Howard Gilman Opera House at BAM.

BAM has several different buildings and performance spaces.

The Peter Jay Sharp Building

This building is in the Fort Greene Historic District. It holds the Howard Gilman Opera House and the BAM Rose Cinemas. The building was designed in 1908 in the Renaissance Revival style. It has a strong base of gray granite and cream-colored brick.

The Howard Gilman Opera House has 2,109 seats. The BAM Rose Cinemas opened in 1998 and have four screens. They mostly show new, independent, and classic films.

Inside the Peter Jay Sharp Building, you'll also find the Lepercq Space. This used to be a ballroom but is now a flexible space for events, including the BAMcafé. There's also the Hillman Attic Studio, which is used for rehearsals and performances.

The BAM Strong (Harvey Theater)

The BAM Strong includes the 874-seat BAM Harvey Theater at 651 Fulton Street. This theater was built in 1904 and was once called the Majestic Theater. It used to show vaudeville acts and then movies. In 1999, it was named after Harvey Lichtenstein.

When it was renovated, the inside was left with faded paint and exposed brick. This gives the theater a unique look, like a "modern ruin." In 2014, CNN called the BAM Harvey one of the "15 of the World's Most Spectacular Theaters." This complex also has a special art gallery.

The BAM Fisher Building

The BAM Fisher Building opened in 2012. It contains the Fishman Space, which is a 250-seat black box theater. A black box theater is a simple, flexible space, usually with black walls, that can be set up in many ways.

The Fisher Building also has the Fisher Hillman Studio, used for rehearsals and performances. The main offices for BAM are also located here.

BAM's main buildings are part of the Brooklyn Academy of Music Historic District. This district was created in 1978 to protect the historic buildings. BAM is located near downtown Brooklyn, close to Atlantic Terminal and the Barclays Center arena. It is an important part of the Brooklyn Cultural District.

Notable Productions at BAM

BAM has hosted many important and well-known plays and performances. Here are a few examples:

2023: The Sign in Sidney Brustein's Window by Lorraine Hansberry, starring Oscar Isaac and Rachel Brosnahan.
2022: Cyrano by Edmond Rostand, starring James McAvoy.
2020: Medea by Euripides, starring Bobby Cannavale and Rose Byrne.
2016: The Judas Kiss by David Hare, starring Rupert Everett.
2016: Richard II / Henry V by William Shakespeare, starring David Tennant.
2014: King Lear by William Shakespeare, starring Frank Langella.
2011: Diary of a Madman by Nikolai Gogol, starring Geoffrey Rush.
2008: Macbeth by William Shakespeare, starring Patrick Stewart.

Brooklyn Academy of Music facts for kids