Las Vegas—Mar 31, 2009
NCM Fathom Expands its Arts and Cultural Programming With Renowned New York Theatre Ballet Series Creating
“Season of the Arts” in Over 400 Movie Theaters Nationwide
New Agreement with MarQe Entertainment Brings Classic Chamber Ballet
to Local Community Cinemas Beginning in August
NCM Fathom, the alternative entertainment division of National CineMedia, announced today an agreement with MarQe Entertainment Inc., (MarQe) to present a series of New York Theatre Ballet (NYTB) performances exclusively in select movie theaters nationwide beginning this August. The NYTB is historically known for its elaborate storybook sets, rich costumes and mesmerizing choreography where each classical story comes to life through the art of dance. The New York Theatre Balletseries will complement Fathom’s existing opera schedule, offering audiences a “Season of the Arts,” beginning in late summer and continuing into 2010. The series will include a live performance of The Nutcracker, which is slated to be broadcast live from New York in December. Each performance will feature exclusive segments that will only be seen by cinema audiences. The agreement for Fathom to exclusively distribute The New York Theatre Ballet series was announced today by Dan Diamond, vice president of Fathom, at ShoWest 2009, the largest annual convention for the motion picture industry.
Through this new agreement, Fathom in conjunction with MarQe will present The New York Theatre Balletseries featuring six performances of dynamic chamber ballet classics such as Sleeping Beauty, Cinderella, The Nutcracker, Carnival of the Animals and The Alice in Wonderland Follies. The ballet performances are perfectly suited to the attention span of the youngest audience members, yet sophisticated enough for the most discerning adults. Hailed by The New York Times as “a discreet little pearl in the oyster of New York dance,” NYTB has earned acclaim for its restoration and revival of small masterworks by great choreographers and for its innovative ballets based on children’s literature.
The New York Theatre Ballet series will be offered across NCM’s exclusive Digital Broadcast Network (DBN) – North America’s largest cinema broadcast network that reaches nearly 500 movie theaters and performing arts centers in the country. Tickets will be available beginning Friday, July 10th. Visit www.FathomEvents.com to learn more.
Founded by Diana Byer in 1978, the NYTB is the most widely seen chamber ballet in the U.S. NYTB is the only chamber ballet company in New York to celebrate its 30th anniversary in 2009 – an important milestone since numerous chamber companies have closed due to dwindling arts funding and increased costs.
“We are thrilled with the opportunity to work with MarQe and NCM Fathom bringing NYTB’s 30-year legacy to the screen for audiences across the country to enjoy. In this current economic climate, it is more important than ever to make the arts accessible and affordable and we’re doing just that by bringing the rich experience of the NYTB to local cinemas nationwide,” said Byer, artist director and founder of NYTB.
MarQe Entertainment Inc. specializes in the creation and worldwide distribution of high definition digital versions of world class performing arts and special events. MarQe will produce the NYTB events for distribution to movie theaters nationwide.
“Our arrangement with Fathom enables us to bring the performing arts of all disciplines to audiences around the country,” CEO & Executive Producer of MarQe Entertainment Marina Giokas said. “Together, we are providing widespread communities and groups an opportunity to attend some of the world’s greatest performances that have previously been inaccessible due to barriers of time, location and costs. This is truly a groundbreaking initiative.”
Fathom is a leader in the alternative entertainment industry, presenting a variety of one-of-a-kind entertainment events in movie theaters nationwide since 2002 including live, high-definition performances of the Metropolitan Opera, as well as special live town hall discussions, sporting, music, anime and many other unique entertainment presentations.
“Fathom has experienced great success in bringing performing arts events to movie theaters around the country and this exclusive partnership with MarQe enables us to offer a ‘Season of the Arts’ with the New York Theatre Ballet series,” said Dan Diamond, vice president of Fathom. “This prestigious chamber ballet will add another dimension to our event schedule and give fans of all ages the chance to gather, experience and enjoy more of the fine arts in their local movie theaters.”