Now in its second season, New Works: An Arts Commission Project is an initiative by the Center for the Performing Arts to promote and sustain central Indiana’s working artists and arts communities in an inclusive way by supporting the creation of new works across all performing arts disciplines. The three winning proposals selected by the judging panel will be presented on stage at the Palladium, with a talkback discussion following the performances. A livestream option is also available.

Suits – Emily Franks and En Pointe Indiana Ballet

Suits is an original dance piece incorporating various styles and techniques, including ballet, contemporary, Graham and jazz, to be performed by 19 pre-professional student dancers from Noblesville-based En Pointe Indiana Ballet. Franks, an En Pointe instructor and former dancer with Dance Kaleidoscope, is choreographing a story based on her own career transition from professional dance to office-based work. The narrative is a mystery about a stolen document, set amid the human dynamics of corporate culture. Learn more: En Pointe Indiana Ballet

Open Heart Surgery – Jamey Guzman

Open Heart Surgery is a contemporary opera modeled after a TV medical drama and featuring three singers and several live musicians from Bloomington-based New Voices Opera. Composer Guzman, who explores themes involving historically underrepresented communities, is collaborating with librettist Caroline Cao to tell the story of a young doctor caught between her dreams of working in film and her immigrant family’s expectations of a career in medicine. Learn more: Jamey Guzman

Boon Bestowed – Cecily Terhune

Boon Bestowed is a four-movement work for solo classical saxophone and electronic looper pedal, to be composed by Katie Madonna Lee and performed by Carmel-based musician and music educator Cecily Terhune. Each movement will each feature one instrument from the standard saxophone quartet – soprano, alto, tenor and baritone – and each will represent a powerful female archetype: nurturer, leader, activist and teacher. A projected slideshow of images will accompany the music. Learn more: Cecily Terhune

New Works is supported by the Allen Whitehill Clowes Charitable Foundation.