Carnegie Hall

(NEW YORK, NY; October 24, 2023)—Following his sold-out performance of The Eyes of the World: From D-Day to VE Day in 2021, historian and narrator John Monsky returns to Carnegie Hall’s Stern Auditorium / Perelman Stage on Wednesday, November 8 at 8:00 p.m. with the premiere of a groundbreaking new production, November 1918: The Great War and The Great Gatsby, exploring the events and legacy of World War I.

The one-of-a kind multimedia event features bold musical storytelling, performed by acclaimed Broadway vocalists including Kristolyn Lloyd (Broadway: Dear Evan Hansen), Stephanie Jae Park (Broadway: Hamilton), Kate Rockwell (Broadway: Mean Girls), Nicholas Rodriguez (Broadway: Company), and Daniel Yearwood (Broadway: Sweeney Todd), breathing life into historical figures and performing popular and profound music of the era from Irving Berlin to James Reese Europe as well as new arrangements of the works of Blind Willie Johnson and Stevie Wonder, among others. The immersive concert experience, directed by Peter Flynn, features the 58-piece Orchestra of St. Luke’s conducted by Hamilton’s Ian Weinberger.

For this special evening—presented just days before the country commemorates Veterans Day—Monsky brings his signature curation back to the Carnegie Hall stage with meticulously researched history, historic flags, and rare archival film and photography. Approximately 200 images from the National Archives featured in the production have been enhanced and restored creating stunning and immersive effects, and never-before-seen footage drives home the emotion and drama of this turning point in history, in particular, the Meuse Argonne Offensive. Drawing from the world-renowned story of F. Scott Fitzgerald’s World War I veterans Jay Gatsby and Nick Carraway, Monsky also highlights key figures from this pinnacle time, unlocking new insights through the wartime journeys of:
 

• Quentin Roosevelt, a boy who grew up in the White House and is now flying planes for the United States Army.

• Vera Brittain, author of Testament of Youth, an Oxford student, who abandons her studies to become a volunteer nurse in France.

• James Reese Europe, a famous jazz musician and leader of the “Harlem Hellfighters,” America’s first troops to arrive in France, forced to serve under French command as the U.S. Army remained segregated until 1948.

• Charles Whittlesey, a New York lawyer leading a group of New York City soldiers, largely immigrants, surrounded in the middle of the Meuse-Argonne Forest.

• Cher Ami, a homing pigeon who becomes an unlikely symbol of American resolve and fortitude.

“John Monsky has a passion for combining storytelling, music, visuals, and film in unique and creative ways that bring history to life and connect emotionally with audiences,” said Clive Gillinson, Executive and Artistic Director of Carnegie Hall. “He did this brilliantly in his previous events at Carnegie Hall, covering the intensity of World War II, the Vietnam War, and the unforgettable Apollo 11 moon landing. We look forward to presenting his next production which will take us through some of the most important moments of World War I, relaying personal stories of heroism that continue to inspire and resonate with us today.”

“One hundred years ago, every American knew the story of at least three great battles in United States history: Yorktown from the American Revolution, Gettysburg from the Civil War and World War I’s Meuse Argonne offensive, the largest battle in American history,” says John Monsky. “Today, the details of The Great War are largely forgotten. We owe it to those who were there and to ourselves to understand it. I hope this evening reminds us all why it’s so important to remember these events honor those who have lost and sacrificed.”

About John Monsky
John Monsky—the creator, writer, and narrator of the American History Unbound series—is a historian, writer, producer, lecturer, and lawyer. Monsky’s reverence for historical ephemera is at the core of his productions with his meticulous research of flags and other tangible objects driving his narratives exploring landmark events in our history. The flag collection, which Monsky began as a child, with a kerchief carried by President Theodore Roosevelt, has been reported on in both The New Yorker and Art & Antiques Magazine.

In 2019, Monsky was honored by the New-York Historical Society, where he has developed and workshopped many of his lectures and serves as a Trustee. He has recently appeared on CNN and written a New York Times Op-Ed, providing historical perspective on current events.

Monsky graduated from Yale College as a history major, where he was awarded the White Prize in History and the Deforest Oratory Prize. After attending Harvard Law School and working as a law clerk, he served as an attorney for the US Senate Congressional Committee that was investigating the Iran-Contra affair. Today, Monsky is a partner and general counsel of Oak Hill Capital, an investment firm.


Program Information
Wednesday, November 8 at 8:00 p.m.
NOVEMBER 1918: THE GREAT WAR AND THE GREAT GATSBY
Stern Auditorium / Perelman Stage

John Monsky, Historian, Creator, and Narrator
Orchestra of St. Luke's
Ian Weinberger, Music Supervisor and Conductor
Kristolyn Lloyd, Vocalist
Stephanie Jae Park, Vocalist
Kate Rockwell, Vocalist
Nicholas Rodriguez, Vocalist
Daniel Yearwood, Vocalist
Peter Flynn, Director

The Eyes of the World was developed in close cooperation with the American Battle Monuments Commission and the New-York Historical Society.

American History Unbound Inc.

The American History Unbound series combines live music performed by celebrated Broadway actors and a full orchestra, film and photography from the National Archives, and historically significant flags and material culture to explore watershed moments in American history. Created and narrated by historian John Monsky, lectures to date, presented at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts Opera House, Carnegie Hall, the New-York Historical Society, The Parrish Art Museum in Water Mill, NY, the Norton Museum of Art in West Palm Beach, FLA, and Yale University, have explored D-Day, the Vietnam War, and the race to the moon. American History Unbound Inc. is a 501(c)(3).

Ticket Information

Tickets, priced at $30–$135, are available at the Carnegie Hall Box Office, 154 West 57th Street, or can be charged to major credit cards by calling CarnegieCharge at 212-247-7800 or by visiting the Carnegie Hall website, carnegiehall.org.

For Carnegie Hall Corporation presentations taking place in Stern Auditorium/Perelman Stage, a limited number of seats, priced at $10, will be available day-of-concert beginning at 11:00 a.m. Monday through Saturday and 12:00 noon on Sunday until one hour before the performance or until supply lasts. The exceptions are Weill Music Institute and gala events. These $10 tickets are available to the general public on a first-come, first-served basis at the Carnegie Hall Box Office only. There is a two-ticket limit per customer.

In addition, for all Carnegie Hall presentations in Stern Auditorium/Perelman Stage a limited number of partial view (seats with obstructed or limited sight lines or restricted leg room) will be sold for 50% of the full price. For more information on this and other discount ticket programs, including those for students, Notables members, and Bank of America customers, visit carnegiehall.org/discounts. Artists, programs, and prices are subject to change.