New York Public Library for the Performing Arts

10/14/2026

Celebrating the official "First Lady of American Cinema," Lillian Gish! Born on this day in 1893, Gish didn’t just act in silent films, she also helped define the art of screen acting itself. Gish's film career spanned 75 years, from 1912's silent shorts all the way to 1987’s "The Whales of August" alongside Bette Davis, she was an unparalleled icon of early Hollywood.

Spanning 1909 to 1992, the Lillian Gish papers, preserved by the Library for the Performing Arts, document the lives and careers of Lillian and Dorothy Gish through correspondence, business and personal documents, scripts, scrapbooks, programs, clippings, and extensive photography—including early D.W. Griffith film stills and portraits by famous photographers.

Check out the archive at the Library today: https://on.nypl.org/3Uf3hAE

10/14/2026

The Broadway revival of "Chess," starring Lea Michele and Aaron Tveit, was recorded by the Library for the Performing Arts and it's now accessible at our Theatre on Film and Tape Archive.

The archive also includes the original 1988 Broadway production of Chess. Both productions were staged at the Imperial Theatre.

Learn more about accessing these titles at the Library: https://on.nypl.org/4B3IBMF

📷: Lea Michele and the cast of "Chess," photo by Matthew Murphy, 2025.

10/13/2026

Marked as part of the worldwide recognition of the 100th anniversary of the death of Harry Houdini, the Library for the Performing Arts and Parent Assembly #1 of the Society of American Magicians present a special program honoring his enduring legacy on Oct 16. The free event is happening at the Library for the Performing Arts, and online!

Join leading archivists, collectors, and performers as they showcase rare items from the Library's archive and beyond, exploring how historical materials construct a robust portrait of this complex showman.

We also are excited to feature a conversation with Dorothy Dietrich on her legendary 1980 suspended straitjacket escape and a riveting performance by leading escape artist Thomas Solomon.

NYPL and Parent Assembly #1 of the Society of American Magicians co-present an archival exploration of Houdini’s legacy.

10/11/2026

Happy anniversary, New York City Ballet!

Though it had gone through different iterations and names before then, the company first performed as the New York City Ballet on October 11, 1948. The program was three Balanchine works: "Concerto Barocco," "Orpheus," and "Symphony in C," all three of which became classics in the company's repertoire.

📷: New York City Ballet production of "Concerto Barocco" with Suzanne Farrell and Peter Martins, choreography by George Balanchine (New York), photo by Martha Swope, 1976. New York City Ballet production of "Orpheus" with George Balanchine rehearsing Mikhail Baryshnikov, choreography by George Balanchine, photo by Martha Swope, 1979. New York City Ballet production of "Symphony in C," choreography by George Balanchine, photo by Martha Swope, 1983. Jerome Robbins Dance Division.

10/09/2026

Actor Eva Marie Saint, who passed away at the age of 102, had memorable roles on screen opposite Marlon Brando in "On the Waterfront," and alongside Cary Grant in Alfred Hitchcock’s "North by Northwest," but she also had a long career on stage and on Broadway.

Saint made her Broadway debut in Horton Foote’s 1953 play "The Trip to Bountiful," and starred as Mary Todd opposite Fred Gwynne's Abraham Lincoln in "The Lincoln Mask" in 1972.

Explore more images of Saint onstage in our archive: https://on.nypl.org/479GitG

Actress Eva Marie Saint in a publicity shot from the Massachusetts Center Repertory Company's production of the play "Candida," photo by Martha Swope, 1977. Fred Gwynne and Eve Marie Saint in the stage production "The Lincoln Mask," photo by Friedman-Abeles, 1972. Billy Rose Theatre Division.

10/08/2026

Two hundred years ago next year, Beethoven died. Two days before he died, Beethoven remarked to his friends, "Applaud, friends, the comedy is over." Marking this 200th anniversary, New York Classical Players comes to the Library for the Performing Arts on Oct 15 for a free concert as part of their ensemble’s Beethoven 200 chamber series.

The New York Classical Players perform at the Library for the Performing Arts for their Beethoven chamber series.

10/07/2026

On this day in 1982, "Cats" leapt onto Broadway for the very first time at the Winter Garden Theatre! Andrew Lloyd Webber’s legendary musical transformed Broadway forever and ran for 7,485 iconic performances.

Check out tons of archival images from the original Broadway show, as well as other productions in our digital collections archive. Start exploring: https://on.nypl.org/4dTqhfa

📷: Publicity photograph of Cynthia Onrubia and cast for the stage production Cats, photo by Martha Swope, 1982.

10/05/2026

The Library for the Performing Arts is closed for the rest of today.

We apologize for the inconvenience.

10/05/2026

Banned Books Week celebrates the freedom to read—and the fight against censorship extends beyond books to the stage. 🎭✨

In partnership with No Book Bans - All Youth Should Be Seen and Heard, the Library for the Performing Arts is highlighting challenged plays from our collection. Like banned books, many of these works center LGBTQ+ voices, people of color, and disability experiences. Stop by the Library for the Performing Arts or any NYPL branch to borrow a challenged play today!

A selection of plays from the Library for the Performing Arts' circulating collection that have been the subject of banning efforts.

10/04/2026

Thank you to Indian Bharatnatyam artist RAMA VAIDYANATHAN for coming from Dehli for the fifth annual Dr. Kothari Lecture at the Library for the Performing Arts! Here are a few shots from the performance and lecture.