Works & Process presents Opera Philadelphia for a preview performance of Complications in Sue by Michael R. Jackson, set for Friday, January 16, 2026 at 7PM at the Peter B. Lewis Theater, 1071 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY, 10128. Tickets start at $25 and can be purchased here.

Before its world premiere at Opera Philadelphia in February, this preview of Complications in Sue shows how one librettist, one actor, four singers, and ten composers joined forces to make opera in a brand-new way. In his first opera libretto, Pulitzer Prize– and Tony Award–winning playwright Michael R. Jackson (A Strange Loop) traces the life of a woman named Sue over ten decades. Sue’s life—from the mundane to the extraordinary—unfolds, with each chapter scored by a different musical luminary.

Opera Philadelphia favorites Missy Mazzoli (Breaking the Waves, The Listeners), Rene Orth (10 Days in a Madhouse), and Nico Muhly (Dark Sisters) return alongside a panoply of company debuts from notable composers, like Grammy Awards–nominee Nathalie Joachim. The production stars MacArthur Fellow and cabaret icon Justin Vivian Bond, with Zack Winokur and Raja Feather Kelly directing, and conductor Caren Levinemaking her Opera Philadelphia debut. Jackson, Costanzo, Winokur, and Kelly join in a moderated discussion blended with performance highlights.

Production details are available at https://www.operaphila.org/about/news-press/pressroom/2025/complications/.

Works & Process Lead Donors
Lead funding provided by Adam and Abigail Flatto, Christian Humann Foundation, Leon Levy Foundation, NYC Department of Cultural Affairs, Stephen Kroll Reidy, Rockefeller Brothers Fund, Caroline M. Sharp, The Evelyn Sharp Foundation, The SHS Foundation, and Eugene and Jean Stark.

Additional support provided by Jody and John Arnhold, Jeff and Susan Campbell, Cate Caruso, Stuart H. Coleman and Meryl Rosofsky, Paul Cronson, Duke Dang and Charles E. Rosen, Lucy and Philip Dobrin, Elizabeth Sharp Edens and Wes Edens, The Fanwood Foundation, Bart Friedman and Wendy Stein, Agnes Gund, Mertz Gilmore Foundation, New York State Council on the Arts, Barbara Ritchin, Denise and Andrew Saul, and Randall Sharp.
Works & Process is supported, in part, by public funds from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the City Council; and the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature.

About Works & Process
Championing performing artists and their creative process at each step from studio to stage, Works & Process produces fully funded residencies and presents events that go behind the scenes, blending artist discussion and performance highlights. Works & Process events transcend the proscenium, encouraging audiences to spectate and participate beyond the stage, and culminate in receptions in the Guggenheim rotunda to continue the conversation.

Works & Process produces over 25 creative residencies annually. Expanding from our bubble residency program created during the COVID-19 pandemic, Works & Process now has a network of over a dozen partners in Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, and Vermont. In over 100 Works & Process residencies, supporting over 1,000 artists, incubated works have been recognized with awards and grants, and have toured nationally—and internationally with the U.S. State Department. These out-of-town residencies provide 24/7 studio access, on-site housing, access to health insurance enrollment, industry-leading artist fees, and a transportation stipend to facilitate uninterrupted creative process.

Beyond the Guggenheim, we also partner with organizations across New York, including 92NY and the New York Public Library for the Performing Arts, Jerome Robbins Dance Division. During the summer, we curate and present free outdoor dance programs with Manhattan West and City Parks Foundation’s SummerStage.

Works and Process, Inc. is a registered 501(c)(3) organization. Tax ID: 13-3592291
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• January 16, 2026 from 7:00 to 9:00 pm

  January 16, 2026 07:00 to January 16, 2026 09:00
• 1071 5th Avenue, New York, NY

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• Contact Michelle Tabnick for more information
  6467654773 or [email protected]
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