About
Welcome to The Egg – the Empire State Plaza’s Center for the Performing Arts.
The Egg is a performing arts center located in Albany, NY’s Empire State Plaza. An unmistakable feature of the capital city’s skyline, the venue houses two theatres encased in a domed, egg-like concrete structure that took 12 years to construct and was completed in 1978. The Egg presents music, art, theatre, comedy, dance and family entertainment year-round.
“The Egg” itself is owned by the State of New York and managed by the not-for-profit Nelson A. Rockefeller Empire State Plaza Performing Arts Center Corporation. This entity was established to present quality performances, accessible to all citizens of New York State, highlighting the unique and extraordinary artists from New York State, across the country and around the globe. Through partnerships and collaborations, the Corporation presents performances, spotlights emerging artists, fosters relationships with resident companies, and enhances activities in cultural and arts education.
Special Initiatives
“New Work, NY”: Commissioning, encouraging and/or presenting new or recently created works by New York State performing artists including projects by Don Byron, Mark O’Connor, David Gonzalez, Ellen Sinopoli, Daniel Bernard Roumain, The Zucchini Brothers and Brian Melick.
“New York Living Legacy” project: Celebrating the work of legendary New York State performing artists through performances and community outreach activities. Specific legacies explored have included George Gershwin, Leonard Bernstein, Paul Taylor, Jazz Dance, NY Banjo, The Folk Renaissance and The Beatles in NY.
“NY: The State of the Arts”: An educational performance that demonstrates the importance of the performing arts in the history of New York State was commissioned and presented to school groups, free of charge.
New York State Presenters Network: A collaborative effort with the New York State Council on the Arts to develop a data base as well as touring and funding opportunities for New York State presenters and performing artists.
The Egg is also utilized by a multitude of professional and community organizations that present a variety of performances as well as cultural and corporate institutions that host various events. For information on renting the facilities at The Egg, please CLICK HERE
For information on the history and construction of The Egg, please CLICK HERE