Hunter S.
Yelp
The PAC is the last piece of the Ground Zero project. It rises up, an enormous, impressive, glowing gold and brown marble cube, with the freedom tower glimmering in the background.
I saw the inaugural show here--Watch Night. It was edgy, inventive, thought-provoking. It was a mixture of hiphop, interpretive dance, orchestra, beatboxing, breakdance, ballet, spoken word, and an all-out opera.
There are multiple theater spaces, and what makes PAC special is that all of the spaces can be reconfigured in multiple ways--I think over 60 different configurations are possible.
The space I was in was very intimate. There were some balcony seats, but none of the seats were overly far away. I sat in the second row because I didn't know how the space would feel (sometimes the front row is looking directly at the front of the stage and you have to crane your neck). But the stage for this production was low to the ground and the front row would have been perfect.
That being said, this particular configuration was great in the way the seats were offset and each row was slightly elevated above the row in front of it, so you don't run into some some tall person's head ruining your night.
I am so appreciative that this center is ready to host shows representing multiple cultures and communities. Aside from Watch Night, there are several shows I'm interested in attending. There is an indigenous comedy troupe who is associated with the hit TV show Reservation Dogs. Laurence Fishburne has an upcoming one man show. There is a celebration of street dance with Afrikan Party, a futuristic ode to dance form in Africa, as well as an all-styles dance battle, which covers the multitude of street movements emerging in New York. So many other very cool, unconventional shows that utilize multiple media forms to entertain, intrigue, and stimulate.
Ticket prices generally range from the 50's to around 130 for premium seats, but it's variable. I noticed that the Laurence Fisburne show has tickets as high as 158. Some shows are as low as 48 and max out in the 80s.
This is also built as a community space. There is a beautiful common lobby where people can come and watch performers and small concerts for free. There is a small concession stand with wine, water, soda, nuts, snacks.
The architecture and lighting are beautiful and help slip you into a serene mood.
Marcus Samuelsson's newest restaurant, Metropolis, is also here. I have written a separate, detailed review on this venue.
I am so excited to see what the PAC brings over the coming years!
