The Martha Graham Dance Company swept “the grandest small-town theater in America” with wonder and warmth on Feb. 3rd at the fourth and final performance of the Majestic Theater’s Centennial season.
Billed as a dual centennial event, the performance marked a unique moment in the town’s history as the most celebrated dance company in the world commemorated 100 years of performing Martha Graham’s “contract and release” dance technique in concert with the Majestic’s centennial.
Before the stage lights rose, Executive Director Brett W. Messenger presented a brief overview of the theater’s history and artistic legacy. He announced the return of Tony-award winning John Rubenstein — who portrayed Dwight Eisenhower in “Eisenhower: This Piece of Ground” in October — to narrate a Graham masterpiece and perform “Simple Song” for the first time in 50 years (and only in Gettysburg).
Dedicating the performance to recently deceased Karl Held (1962-2025), Messenger said the impresario was excited about the evening’s program the last time they spoke shortly before Held passed.
A Gettysburg native, Held was a beloved personal friend to many as well as a Broadway producer who was instrumental in the Majestic Theater’s renovation 20 years ago.
Gettysburg Mayor Chad-Alan Carr said he met Held on his first visit to Gettysburg in 2007 to perform at the Governor’s Awards for the Arts (which Held produced). Held consequently produced the weeklong Gettysburg Festival, which convinced Carr that Gettysburg was “a thriving, arts-supportive community” and inspired him to create the Gettysburg Community Theatre here.
“The stars aligned,” Carr said. “I am so grateful to have met Karl who introduced me to many patrons, donors, colleagues, and friends in this wonderful community I now call home.”
As Mayor, Carr presented a lovely tribute officially proclaiming Feb. 3-7 “Gettysburg College’s Majestic Theater and Karl Held Week.”
And Martha Graham Dance Company’s Artistic Director Janet Eilber spoke to Graham’s legacy.
The dance concert began as beautifully costumed dancers performed Graham’s iconic “Appalachian Spring” (1942) — narrated by Rubenstein and performed by Laurel Dalley Smith (the Bride); Ethan Palma (the Husbandman); Antonio Leone (The Preacher); and Meagan King, Devin Loh, Marzia Memoli and Amanda Moreira (the followers). Aron Copland won a Pulitzer Prize for the score.
From their first moment creating magic under the lights, the dancers evoked a full spectrum of the emotions that their founder focused on expressing through grounded movement.
“Lamentation” (1930) performed solo and mostly seated by Xin Ying was breathtaking in its personification of raw grief.
A new work choreographed by Jamar Roberts (who describes it as “equal parts protest and lament”), “We The People” — performed by Ane Arrieta, Zachary Jeppsen-Toy, Meagan King, Lloyd Knight, Antonio Leone, Marzia Memoli, Amanda Moreira, Ethan Palma, Jai Perez, Anne Souder, and Leslie Andrea Williams — exemplified physical strength and determination.
“Immediate Tragedy” (1937) with Graham’s choreography reimagined by Janet Eilber and performed solo by Anne Souder, expressed great resilience and determination in response to the rise of fascism in Europe.
Hope Boykin choreographed “En Mass” (2025), a piece started by Martha Graham and Leonard Bernstein that was left unfinished and then commissioned for the dance company’s centennial season. With additional music by Christopher Rountree, it united the company’s past, present and future.
Ane Arietta, Zachary Jeppsen-Toy, Meagan King, Lloyd Knight, Jai Perez, Anne Souder and Xi Ying performed “En Mass” accompanied by members of the College’s Sunderman Conservatory of Music led by the College’s Director of Orchestral Activities, Dr. César Leal.
Young students from the Edge Dance Complex in Adams County — choreographed by instructor Dawn Glass — held their own performing the reimagined Gettysburg Address portion of “American Document.”
The aesthetics of the costumes, the sheer physical strength of the dancers and the beauty of their choreographed movements created a relevant and unforgettable moment in time.
In the aftermath of the performance, Messenger said a group of about 30 of Held’s friends gathered as planned out in front of the theater to honor the impresario who Carr described as “visionary, advisor, and friend to me and many others.” Another friend spoke briefly and the marquee dimmed.
And when the dimming ended, the group broke into applause for Karl E. Held.
If his ghost was present to accept the honor, perhaps Held was joined by the ghosts of Henry M. Scharf (who conceived the largest vaudeville and silent movie theater in Southern Pennsylvania 100 years ago), by Ike and Mamie Eisenhower (who frequented the Majestic Theater in the 1950s), by Martha Graham (who revolutionized modern dance) and by award-winning composers Aron Copland and Leonard Bernstein.
The Feb. 3 evening was made possible, in part, by the J. William Warehime Fund of the Majestic Theater Centennial Endowment, a special gift from the J. William Warehime Foundation, and the Lydia Ziegler Clare Fund.
Photo courtesy of the Majestic Theater
