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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE, PLEASE

THE EYES OF THE WORLD: FROM D-DAY TO VE DAY
COMES TO MIAMI’S NEW WORLD CENTER
SATURDAY, MAY 10 AT 8:00PM

FOLLOWING SOLD-OUT PERFORMANCES AT CARNEGIE HALL,
THE KENNEDY CENTER AND BOSTON’S SYMPHONY HALL

HISTORIAN JOHN MONSKY TAKES THE STAGE WIT TOP BROADWAY VOCALISTS
AND THE RENOWNED ORCHESTRA OF ST. LUKE’S FOR MUSICAL JOURNEY
THROUGH THE FINAL MONTHS OF WORLD WAR II IN EUROPE

SPECIAL ONE-NIGHT-ONLY PERFORMANCE IS UNDERWRITTEN BY
CITADEL FOUNDER AND CEO KENNETH C. GRIFFIN AND GRIFFIN CATALYST

Miami, FL (May 6, 2025) – The acclaimed multimedia production The Eyes of the World: From D-Day to VE Day comes to Miami’s New World Center (NWC) on Saturday, May 10, for a special one-night-only performance underwritten by Citadel Founder and CEO Kenneth C. Griffin and Griffin Catalyst. In addition to the live performance inside the New World Center, The Eyes of the World will also be presented as one of NWC’s signature WALLCAST® Concerts in SoundScape Park, where audiences can experience the event live outdoors through the striking visual and audio technology of the NWC’s soaring 7,000-square-foot projection wall.

The Eyes of the World: From D-Day to VE Day recreates the harrowing final 11 months of World War II in Europe, from the beaches of Normandy and the liberation of Paris to the fall of Berlin, through music, imagery from the National Archives and narration from acclaimed historian John Monsky. Accompanied by four Broadway stars and New York City’s Orchestra of St. Luke’s, this innovative and immersive production brings the WWII era to life through warriors and journalists – both known and unknown – who experienced the drama, heartbreak and triumph of the War. Rarely-seen historic flags that were carried onto the beaches of Normandy and paved the way to victory further illuminate stories often lost to history.

The program also highlights the vital role Miami played in the war effort – a city where more than half a million servicemen trained for combat and where luxury hotels were transformed into military barracks – as we mark the 80th anniversary of the end of WWII.

Using the words and images of Ernest Hemingway, Life magazine daredevil war photographer Robert Capa, Vogue model-turned-photojournalist Lee Miller and a young soldier named Jerry, who landed on Utah Beach on June 6, 1944, Monsky leads audiences through the events that brought these figures face to face with the action. Their paths intersect as they report on the War, trying to stay alive in their search for the truth. And maybe, even save the world.

Along the way, they cross paths with Hemingway’s estranged wife, war correspondent journalist Martha Gellhorn; General Dwight D. Eisenhower; Pablo Picasso; Marlene Dietrich; the heroic 761^st Tank Battalion (“The Black Panthers”); and the 6888 Central Postal Directory Battalion, among others.

Joining Monsky on stage are Broadway stars Shereen Ahmed (My Fair Lady), John Clay III (Choir Boy), Hayley Podschun (Wicked) and Nicholas Rodriguez (Company). Ian Weinberger, music director of Hamilton on Broadway, is music supervisor, arranger and conducts the Orchestra of St. Luke’s with period music from Edith Piaf, Irving Berlin, Aaron Copland and more.

The program, which sold out premier venues including Boston’s Symphony Hall, Carnegie Hall, and the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, comes to Miami thanks to the generous support of Citadel founder and CEO Kenneth C. Griffin and his civic engagement initiative Griffin Catalyst. With the aim of “Catalyzing American Achievement,” one of Griffin Catalyst’s six priority areas is Freedom & Democracy, core ideas enshrined in John Monsky’s creative work at American History Unbound.

Griffin said, “The bravery and sacrifice of American service men and women during the World Wars reflect a heroic commitment to our nation’s values. I’m proud to support the stories of American History Unbound so that current and future generations can appreciate the sacrifices made to protect the freedoms we enjoy today.”

Monsky said, “We are grateful to Ken Griffin and Griffin Catalyst for making it possible for us to share this important American story in Miami. Miami was part of it, too. In 1942, glamorous hotels were transformed into barracks. Parks with swaying palm trees became training grounds for servicemen. Through this production, it is an honor to pay tribute to the heroes of WWII and every American who has sacrificed for our freedom. I deeply appreciate Ken Griffin’s commitment to preserving American history.”

A B O U T  J O H N  M O N S K Y

John Monsky is the creator, writer, and narrator of the American History Unbound series. His reverence for historical ephemera is at the core of his productions, with his meticulous research of flags and other tangible objects driving his narratives that explore landmark events in our history.

His lectures for the Carnegie Hall Presents series include The Vietnam War: At Home and Abroad (2018), We Chose to Go to the Moon (2019), The Eyes of the World: From D-Day to VE Day (2021), and The Great War & The Great Gatsby (2023, 2025). In 2019, Monsky was honored by The New York Historical, where he has developed and workshopped many of his lectures and serves as co-vice chair. He has appeared on CNN, CBS, and NBC. Monsky serves on the board of directors of Rockefeller University and Yale University Art Gallery.

His flag collection, which he began in his boyhood, is nationally recognized and has been reported on in The New Yorker, Art & Antiques Magazine, and other publications. His historical research on George Washington has appeared in the Winterthur Portfolio.

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 U.S. Senate Congressional Committee investigating the Iran-Contra affair. Monsky, an historian and lawyer, is a senior partner at Oak Hill Capital, an investment firm. He lives in New York City with his wife, Jennifer Weis. They have four children—Harrison, Annabel, Gillian, and Caitlin— and a dog named Flyer.

A B O U T  N E W  W O R L D  C E N T E R

The New World Center is the home of the New World Symphony, a premier orchestral academy that prepares talented young musicians for leadership roles in professional orchestras and ensembles, and serves as a laboratory for the way music is taught, presented and experienced. Located in Miami Beach, the New World Center was designed by Frank Gehry and is home to the Knight New Media Center, making it one of the most technologically advanced performance spaces in the world. More information at nws.edu.

P R O D U C T I O N  C R E D I T S

The Eyes of the World: From D-Day to VE Day is produced by American History Unbound Inc. John Monsky is writer, creator, narrator, and executive producer. Trey Ellett is director. Ian Weinberger is music supervisor, conductor, and arranger. Emily Maltby is choreographer. Kelsey Burns is associate choreographer. Meredith Wagner is executive producer. Bethany Weinstein Stewert is production manager. Rick Miramontez, Alexander Diaz and Gene Graham are producers. Eric Duran is media producer. Reece dos Santos is associate producer. Josephine Hurshell-Hobson is assistant producer. The WALLCAST® concert of The Eyes of the World: From D-Day to VE Day is made possible thanks to NWS Media.

A B O U T  A M E R I C A N  H I S T O R Y  U N B O U N D

The American History Unbound series combines live music, performed by leading orchestras and celebrated Broadway actors, lecture, photographs and film from the National Archives, historic American flags, and material culture to explore watershed moments in American history.

These symphonic and visual journeys through history are commissioned by the Carnegie Hall Presents series. Created and narrated by historian John Monsky, programs to date have explored the Vietnam War, the race to the moon, D-Day, and World War I.

These works have been presented at Carnegie Hall, Boston’s Symphony Hall, the John F. Kennedy Center Opera House, The New York Historical, Parrish Art Museum in Water Mill, New York, Norton Museum of Art in West Palm Beach, Florida, Yale University, New York University’s Skirball Center for the Performing Arts and the New York Stock Exchange.

In December 2024, The Eyes of the World: From Day to VE Day was performed in the East Room of The White House for veterans. A performance with the legendary Boston Pops is currently streaming on PBS.org.  American History Unbound Inc. is a 501(c)(3).

www.americanhistoryunbound.com

A B O U T  G R I F F I N  C A T A L Y S T

Griffin Catalyst is the civic engagement initiative of Citadel founder and CEO Ken Griffin, encompassing his philanthropic and community impact efforts. Tackling the world’s greatest challenges in innovative, action-oriented, and evidence-driven ways, Griffin Catalyst is dedicated to expanding opportunity and improving lives across six areas of focus: Education, Science & Medicine, Upward Mobility, Freedom and democracy, Enterprise and innovation, and Communities. For more information, visit griffincatalyst.org.

T O  A T T E N D

The WALLCAST® concert in SoundScape Park (400 17^th Street, Miami Beach) is free and open to the public. No ticket is required. Attendees are encouraged to bring lawn chairs, blankets, food, and non-alcoholic drinks to enjoy on the lawn. RSVP at www.nws.edu/EyesOfTheWorld. Tickets to the indoor event are available by invitation only.

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