(Photos: Toby Tenenbaum)

The world premiere of Brooklyn Youth Chorus’ “Port(al),” co-created by Chorus founder and artistic director Dianne Berkun Menaker; co-composer Paola Prestini; co-composer and co-librettist Jad Abumrad; director, designer, co-librettist, and co-choreographer Jessica Grindstaff; and co-choreographer Ogemdi Ude, debuted on May 1, 2025 at Brooklyn Navy Yard’s Agger Fish Building. “Port(al)” is a site-specific work for mixed chorus and electronics, telling the stories of past, present, and future voices through song, video, movement, and sound.

Production and Musical Details

Upon entering the Agger Fish Building, I stood on the loose pavement of the entryway, observing the unique plot of land that Brooklyn Navy Yard still is today–a 300 acre-plus industrial park, situated between Dumbo and Williamsburg, Brooklyn, that has brimmed with creativity and opportunities since the early 1800s. This cozy bay area (Wallabout Bay/Navy Yard Basin) is a haven for innovative ideas and “Port(al)’s” production illuminated a wide range of historical moments from around the area and across the world that evoked this sense of innovation and evolution. These moments included songs of the early ship builders, anecdotes from activist Clarence L. Irving, Sr. and historian Howard Zinn, and stories about the undocumented and enslaved persons who worked onsite and were not counted on the census. There was also a live performance reimagining of Rusty Brown, who was one of the first women in the workplace, that told of how they revolutionized opportunities for women and was drag at the same time. There was also a video recording of mezzo-soprano Eugenia Farrar’s voice that told of her radio-singing performance in 1907 when she sung “I Love You Truly” and embarked on a journey through radio technology and sound engineering thanks to Dr. Lee de Forest’s “wireless telephone.” Overall, the entire production wove together a multitude of perspectives, buzzing with connectivity at its core, that would not have been possible without the dedicated work and fine attention to detail of Brooklyn Youth Chorus’ founder and artistic director Dianne Berkun Menaker.

“Port(al)’s” effectiveness in captivating its audience stemmed from Berkun Menaker’s guidance and physicality in the space. I observed her conducting the young voices of the chorus and understood from the very beginning how they respect and honor her as both mentor and teacher. This first impression stuck with me for the remainder of the piece. I want to highlight Berkun Menaker’s vision as the backbone of this work – something that ultimately catapulted excitement, youthful play, and energy like a live wire directly into the mix of everything that was going on. Berkun Menaker is the conductor of past, present, and future voices.

Brooklyn Youth Chorus members performed with conviction and awareness that brought to the forefront their impressions of war, trauma, human suffering, technological advances, ideals surrounding capitalism, genocide, destruction, evolution, breakthroughs in societal class boundaries, oppression, slavery, media bias, propaganda, and more. The moment that still loops in the back of my mind is the video that showed chorus members actually speaking out loud about their worries and fears in real time. This was a bold reflection on the current state of our youth – a haunting ghost in and of itself. This retelling served as a respite in-between songs, electronic soundscapes, and choreography. It really stood out from what had happened in the production up to that point, and as I looked into the eyes and faces of each young person in that video, I was forever changed. This is something I will never un-see, nor forget – and I don’t want to. It is moments like this that provide insight into why activism is important and how it can alter the course we are currently on as a human society. These young persons talking about how they feel powerless while scrolling through social media on a daily basis is a wake up call. “Port(al)” does not shy away from this reality. It challenges audience members to face it. “Port(al)” gives voice to a generation that has no filter and does not want one – a generation raised to feel powerless and now hell-bent on making the changes we as a society absolutely need right now. This is art as activism.

The musical composition wove together historical moments in a beautiful tapestry of unified force designed to intoxicate the mind. All the while, the Brooklyn Youth Chorus embodied the space through the choreographic work of Jessica Grindstaff and Ogemdi Ude. This production asks deep questions, especially through its libretto, that require more than a verbal response. “Port(al)” examines the meaning of historical evolution and how activism embodies the change we want to see ‘happen.’ The voices of the Brooklyn Youth Chorus resounded like a drum in the space, beating at the heartstrings of everyone in the audience – and beyond. Agger Fisher Building’s 35,000-square-foot space and 80-foot-ceiling was filled with immersive electronic soundscapes, video projection, choreography, and lighting made possible by a brilliant creative team including Brian H Scott  (Lighting Designers), Darron L West (Sound Designer), S. Katy Tucker and Kylee Loera (Video Projection Designers), and Erik Sanko (Foley Designer, Additional Music).

The first and second movements, “Nature” and “Play,” invited the audience to observe the youth chorus familiarizing themselves within the space. This was a ‘remembering’ of memories surrounding nature and play at the Brooklyn Navy Yard. There was a sense of vulnerable innocence, circulating and re-imagining the space and time in different ways. I watched as audience members gathered close to feel the vastness of it all. “I Am With You” was a gentle lullaby-like opening song. It comforted and simply stated how one voice among a crowd of people exists to tell a story and ask questions, revealing the power of voice as a way to investigate life itself. “Crossing” evoked reflections on the water, and how the years between generations, embodying the stories and history of Brooklyn Navy Yard, conjure the generational ripple effect that we are experiencing today – stemming from the past and going into the future, one might discover what is at the core of our existence and why.

The text by Jad Abumrad and Jessica Grindstaff, ‘I am with you, men and women of a generation, or of so many generations hence. Just as you feel when you look on the river and sky. So I felt,’ left an impression that lasted throughout the remainder of the production.

The live performance by Cynthia Hopkins as Rusty Brown was phenomenal. The audience was ushered into a side space area within Agger Fisher to witness a re-imagined drag show that told the life story of one of the first women in the workplace at Brooklyn Navy Yard. Hopkins’ uncanny wit and intelligent use of storytelling made this moment feel like we had all entered a portal back in time and were witnessing them live. The Brooklyn Youth Chorus members were dressed in cocktail party attire with red bows. They lined the small platform where Hopkins performed in support of their storytelling, being and making something greater than themselves: they delivered an unforgettable message about how opportunities for women had to be made and fought for, and still are today. Bravo to Cynthia Hopkins for being a part of this production, and taking a stand for so many voices. The message of this performance will echo along the human journey for generations to come!

The Power of One Voice

Brooklyn Youth Chorus is a life-changing organization that makes opportunities for young singers possible. On the day of this world premiere the organization learned that “a $25,000 grant from the National Endowment for the Arts—funding [they] depend on—was abruptly terminated.” This is unacceptable and, as a writer who had the honor of reviewing this new work, I invite you, the reader, to take action with me in whatever way you feel you can. Now is not the time to let news like this wash over us: now is the time to make a difference, to change the course of our path, to use the power of art, and financially/creatively support art organizations.

In conclusion, I want to emphasize how vital Brooklyn Youth Chorus is, and that it must continue to be supported in order to thrive. In a statement included in “Port(al)’s” press release, Jessica Grindstaff (co-librettist, and co-choreographer) says, “It’s hard to think of something more hopeful than a group of young people united and raising their voices to talk about something they care about. When asked what gives them hope in the questionnaire, they said singing with this chorus–over and over and over again. You feel that, and it’s powerful–and part of sharing that feeling with the audience is having this not be a proscenium experience. The audience moves through this space, interacting with the set that’s then animated with voices–both recorded and live. That sound world created from the choristers’ strength and bond envelopes them, and they become part of it.”

An impression from the production that I want to conclude with is when the youth repeated the phrase “war is over” in song. I was struck by the thought about how one’s internal landscape is where war begins and feeds, destroying the benevolence of being. To end this war requires one to surrender in knowing: we are here for a reason.