Guild Hall Reopens the Theater

On Sunday, June 30, Guild Hall completed its two-year capital improvements project with a ribbon-cutting ceremony to christen the newly redesigned, upgraded and renamed Hilarie and Mitchell Morgan Theater, formerly known as the John Drew Theater. The Morgans were on hand to pull the red ribbon officially opening the theater that now bears their name. The event included a brief performance by Music From The Sole, a 2023 Guild Hall William P. Rayner Artist-in-Residence.

The renovation of the theater was a collaboration with Peter Pennoyer Architects and theatrical consultants Apeiro Design. New enhancements include wider, more comfortable seating with greater row-to-row depth, a steeper rake for improved sightlines a new flexible social space at the rear of the theater, an audio lift system for improved sound for every art form, from symphonies to cinema, advanced lighting, video systems, a remote-controlled camera system for live streaming and recording, a relocated control booth and new lighting positions in the balcony.

To inaugurate the reopening of the theater, Guild Hall will host a benefit concert with Emmy and Tony Award-winning actor and singer Billy Porter, on Friday, July 12 at 8 p.m. Porter is a Grammy, Emmy and two-time Tony Award-winning actor and singer widely known for his tour-de-force performance in Broadway’s “Kinky Boots” and his portrayal of Pray Tell in the FX series, “Pose.”

Guild Hall guests are encouraged to dress in creative attire for Porter’s performance, walk the red carpet and celebrate the reopening of the theater. Tickets start at $150 for nonbenefit tickets, and $1,000 for benefit tickets (which include a cocktail reception in the garden following the concert where Porter will be in attendance)

Here’s what else Guild Hall has coming up in terms of exhibitions, talks, performances and more in the months ahead:

Exhibitions:

“First Literature Project” – Runs through July 14

“Spin a Yarn” – Runs through July 14

“Ted Carey: Queer as Folk” – Runs through July 14

“Eric Fischl: A Day at the Beach” — July 17 to September 1

“Julian Schnabel: Selected Works From Home”” — August 4 to October 28

Literary:

“Inside the Situation Room” with George Stephanopoulos — Sunday, July 21, at 5 p.m.

“An Evening With David Sedaris” — Saturday, October 5, at 7 p.m.

Talks:

Conversations Across Time: Fiber Arts Then and Now” with Estrellita Brodsky and Joanne Pillsbury — Sunday, July 14, at 2 p.m.

“Stirring the Pot Series” Florence Fabricant in Conversation with: Daniel Humm of Eleven Madison Park on Sunday, July 28, at 11 a.m.; Giada de Laurentiis on Sunday, August 4, at 11 a.m.; Pam Weekes and Connie McDonald of Levain Bakery on Sunday, August 18, at 11 a.m.; Marcus Samuelsson on Sunday, August 25 at 11 a.m.

“Equality Matters in the Hamptons” with Bryan Stevenson — Friday, August 9, at 5:30 p.m.

“A Conversation With Julian Schnabel” — Saturday, August 3, at 6 p.m.

“StarTalk Live!” with Neil deGrasse Tyson — Sunday, August 18, at 7 p.m.

“Dilla Time: The Dilla Experience” with Dan Charnas, Jeff Peretz and Special GuestsNate Smith — Thursday, August 22, at 7 p.m.

“Unscripted: An Evening of Authentic Tales With The Moth” — Friday, September 13, at 7:30 p.m.

Music:

“An Evening With Billy Porter” theater grand reopening benefit concert - Friday, July 12, at 8 p.m.

Branford Marsalis Quartet — Wednesday, July 17,at 7:30 p.m.

“G.E. Smith’s Portraits” featuring Yola — Thursday, July 18, at 7 p.m.

Robert Glasper in concert — Monday, July 29, at 7 p.m.

“Sam Green’s 32 Sounds” — Thursday, August 1, at 7 p.m.

“G.E. Smith’s Portraits” featuring Valerie June and Lola Kirke — Thursday, August 15, at 7 p.m.

Rufus Wainwright in concert — Sunday, September 1, at 7 p.m.

“The Bell Études,” an evening of solo piano performed by Conor Hanick composed by Nico Muhly and commissioned by Guild Hall — Saturday, September 7, at 7 p.m.

Arturo O’Farrill and the Latin Jazz Ensemble — Saturday, September 14, at 7 p.m.

Taylor Mac in concert, an “Evening of Songs” — Friday, September 27, at 7 p.m.

Film:

HamptonsFilm Summer Docs: “Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story” — Wednesday, August 14, at 7 p.m.;

“Academy Icons: Susan Lacy Film Series” — “Leonard Bernstein: Reaching for the Note” with Susan Lacy and Jamie Bernstein, Sunday, August 25, at 7 p.m.; “Paul Simon: Born at the Right Time” with Susan Lacy, Monday, September 6 at 7 p.m.; “Lou Reed: Rock and Roll Heart” with Susan Lacy, Laurie Anderson and Timothy Greenfield Sanders, Sunday, September 15, at 7 p.m.

OLA Latino Film Festival Screening of “Blue Beetle” — Friday, September 20, at 7 p.m.

Dance:

“New York City Ballet: On and Offstage” — Saturday, July 20, at 7 p.m.

“Hamptons Dance Project VI” — Friday, August 9, Saturday, August 10 and Sunday, August 11 at 6 p.m. Offsite.

Theater:

“An Evening of Short Plays” directed by Bob Balaban — Saturday, July 27 and Sunday, July 28 at 7 p.m.

Comedy:

Zainab Johnson — Wednesday, July 31, at 7 p.m.

Dulcé Sloan — Saturday, September 21, at 7 p.m.

Kidfest:

Bubblemania — Wednesday, August 21, at 5 p.m.

Sunrise Circus with Parallel Exit — Wednesday, August 28, at 5 p.m.

Benefit Events:

Summer Gala — Friday, August 2, 6 p.m. to midnight

Garden as Art — Sunday, September 8, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

The 2024 George D. Yates Golf Outing at the Maidstone Club — Monday, September 30, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Full program details and tickets for shows can be found at guildhall.org. Guild Hall’s galleries and Louise & Howie’s Coffee Bar in the lobby are open Wednesday to Sunday, noon to 5 p.m. and Friday, noon to 7 p.m., including a happy hour from 5 to 6:30 p.m. on Fridays. Museum admission is free. Guild Hall is at 158 Main Street in East Hampton. For details, call 631-324-0806.