Calendar

This article is from the archive of The New York Sun before the launch of its new website in 2022. The Sun has neither altered nor updated such articles but will seek to correct any errors, mis-categorizations or other problems introduced during transfer.

The New York Sun
NY Sun
NEW YORK SUN CONTRIBUTOR

ART


SIMPSON SAYS


Brooklyn-based artist Lorna Simpson discusses her work as part of the American Federation of Arts lecture series. Her recent works on film portray minorities in intimate and unfinished conversations. Ms. Simpson became well known in the mid-1980s for her combination of large-scale photographs and text addressing racial and gender issues. In the following decade, Ms. Simpson focused on black-and-white photographs printed on multipaneled pieces of felt. Her extensive captions often tell complex and ambiguous stories that again explore sex and race. In 1993, Ms. Simpson became the first African-American woman to display her work in the Venice Biennale. Talk: Thursday, 6:30 p.m., AFA townhouse, 41 E. 65th St., between Madison and Park avenues, 212-988-7700 ext. 64, $15 general, $10 members and students, reservations required.


STORMY WEATHER


The exhibit “Into the Storm” examines artists’ interest in storms in paintings, drawings, and prints. A lecture tonight titled “The Eye of the Storm: Symbols and Expressions in the 19th- and Early 20th-Century American Landscape” explores the exhibit in greater detail. (Tonight, 6:30 p.m., free). Exhibit: Through Sunday, October 10, Wednesday and Thursday, noon-5 p.m., Friday-Sunday, 11 a.m.-6 p.m., The National Academy Museum, 1083 Fifth Ave. at 89th Street, 212-369-4880, free.


GOLDEN NEW YORK


Brooklyn native Lucille Fornasieri Gold has been photographing the streets of Brooklyn and Manhattan for more than 30 years using 35-mm film. An exhibit of her photographs taken in the 1970s captures fireworks at a Chinese New Year celebration, a chasidic family on their stoop staring over at their black neighbors, and many scenes of New Yorkers enjoying parks throughout the city. Many images have humorous touches: A man and his dog resting on a park bench resemble a peaceful married couple, a City Council candidate’s pose echoes a large poster of Bozo the Clown, and a large cannon near the Verrazano Narrows points ominously at a pastel pair of bridesmaids. Through Monday, October 11, daily, 9 a.m.-8 p.m., Chelsea Market gallery, 75 Ninth Ave. at 15th Street, 212-243-6005, free.


BENEFITS


REACHING THEIR GOAL


Tom Brokaw serves as master of ceremonies at the Great Sports Legends gala, which benefits the Miami Project to Cure Paralysis. Honorees include Mia Hamm, Barry Sanders, Greg Norman, Michael Andretti, Jerry Bailey, and Kristi Yamaguchi. Tonight, 6:30 p.m., Waldorf-Astoria, 301 Park Ave. at 49th Street, 305-243-4656, $750-$1,250.


CIVIL LIBERTARIANS


Robin Williams, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Jake Gyllenhaal, Sean Penn, Tony Kushner, and Sarah Jones read selections of Supreme Court decisions in which the ACLU played a role at “The Freedom Concert,” a benefit for the ACLU. The evening also includes musical performances by Paul Simon, Wyclef Jean, Lou Reed, Patti Smith, Nanci Griffith, Mos Def, and Philip Glass (who produces the show). A tribute to Lenny Bruce, juxtaposing archival recordings of his comedy with his statements on free speech, is also included. Monday, 7:30 p.m., Lincoln Center, Avery Fischer Hall, Columbus Avenue at 63rd Street, 212-721-6500, $100-$250.


BOOKS


HOME ON THE RANCH


Mark Spragg reads from his novel “An Unfinished Life” (Knopf). The book tells the story of a Wyoming rancher who reluctantly takes in his daughter-in-law and granddaughter when they run out of places to go. Tomorrow, 7 p.m., Barnes & Noble Lincoln Triangle, 1972 Broadway at 66th Street, 212-595-6859, free.


BOOK COUNTRY


Highlights of the busy New York is Book Country series this year include Arnold Scaasi in conversation with New York social diarist David Patrick Columbia (Saturday, 11 a.m.), a history discussion with Gail Collins and others (Saturday, 3 p.m.), and a panel on New York literature including Frank McCourt and Jimmy Breslin (Sunday, 3 p.m.). Dozens of other discussions and book signings take place throughout the weekend. Festival: Saturday, 11 406 1766 457 1776257 1779 343 1789a.m.-6 p.m., and Sunday, 11 a.m.-5 p.m., various locations in and around Washington Square Park, free, tickets required for some events, see www.nyisbookcountry.com for full schedule.


COMEDY


COMICS WITH A CAUSE


Comedians Dave Attell, Toddy Barry, Lewis Black, Colin Quinn, and others headline a benefit for meningitis research. The Gerry Red Wilson Foundation benefit was founded in honor of a rising comedian who died of spinal meningitis in 1998. Tonight, 7:30 p.m., Town Hall, 123 W. 43rd St., between Broadway and Sixth Avenue, 212-307-4100, $35 and $45.


WORLDLY COMEDY


The First Sundays Comedy Film Festival showcases films from Canada, Latvia, and America. The program include’s Steve Collins’s “Funny Guy,” “Hotdogboy,” which uses subtle sounds to humorous effect, and Latvian Signe Baumane’s animated “Tiny Shoes.” Hosts Kevin Maher and Jay Stern present comedy skits, film trivia contests, and interviews with filmmakers. After the show, the audience is invited to meet the filmmakers at a reception that includes a free Stella Artois beer. Sunday, 7 p.m., Chicago City Limits Theater, 1105 First Ave. at 61 Street, 212-888-5233, $10.


FAMILY


BUMP IN THE NIGHT


John Irving reads from his children’s book “A Sound Like Someone Trying Not to Make a Sound” (Bantam Doubleday Dell). The story, which was originally embedded in Mr. Irving’s adult novel “A Widow for One Year” (Modern Library), tells of a young boy woken in the middle of night by a spooky sound. Tomorrow, 7 p.m., Barnes & Noble Union Square, 33 E. 17th St. at Broadway, 212-253-0810, free.


FASHION


DRESSING TO IMPRESS


Specialists from menswear lines including Dolce & Gabbana, Gucci, Helmut Lang, John Varvatos, and 2(x)ist display sharp looks at the “First Impressions: How to Dress for a First Date” event. Models show off the first-date looks and several fashion experts discuss how to put together the right outfit. The event also supports a good cause: 10% of purchases go to the National Pros trate Cancer Coalition. Tonight, 5-7 p.m., Saks Fifth Avenue, 611 Fifth Ave. at 49th Street, 212-343-3920, free.


FESTIVAL


POLITICAL PUPPETS


As a prelude to the first presidential debate, characters from Broadway’s “Avenue Q” stage their own debate between candidates Bush and Kerry. The “Avenue Q&A” event – perhaps the only political forum where being called a “puppet” isn’t an insult – includes music, free cotton candy and popcorn, and a festive outdoor debate. Thursday, 12:30 p.m. gathering, 1 p.m. event, Times Square, 46th Street and Broadway, free.


FILM


ALGIERS REVISITED


Artist and director Julian Schnabel hosts an evening celebration of the DVD release of Gillo Pontecorvo’s 1965 film “The Battle of Algiers.” The Algerian government commissioned the film to show the country’s revolution from both sides. A screening of the new documentary “Marxist Poetry: The Making of the Battle of Algiers” follows Mr. Schnabel’s remarks. Tomorrow, 6 p.m., NYU Casa Italiana Zerilli-Marimo, 24 W. 12th St., between Fifth and Sixth avenues, 212-998-3862, free.


FOOD & DRINK


ARE YOU BEING SERVED?


Culinary historian Cathy Kaufman illustrates the changes in dinner service that wealthy New Yorkers experienced during the 1830s. Accustomed to dining “a la francaise,” in which multiple dishes were served simultaneously, New Yorkers embraced the European fad of dining “a la russe,” in which courses were served individually. Ms. Kaufman’s discussion focuses on how the two services affected food preparation. A reception featuring 19th-century food and wine follows. Tomorrow, 6:30 p.m., Mount Vernon Hotel Museum & Garden, 421 E. 61st St., between York and First avenues, 212-838-6878, $25 general, $22 members, reservations recommended.


BROOKLYN BREWS


The exhibit 100 Bottles of Beer on the Wall: Brewing in Brooklyn examines the role of Brooklyn as a center of beer production from 1870 until the 1970s. Through Friday, October 15, Wednesday, Thursday, and Saturday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m., Friday, 10 a.m.- 8 p.m., Sunday, noon-5 p.m., Brooklyn Historical Society, 128 Pierrepont St. at Clinton Street, Brooklyn, 718-222-4111, $6 general, $4 seniors and students.


MUSIC


SONGS OF SPAIN


The New Amsterdam Trio performs music from the Spanish Renaissance at an afternoon concert presented by Midtown Concerts. The group features Rachel Begley, Daphna Mor, and Tricia van Oers (from England, Israel, and the Netherlands, respectively) playing various recorders. Tomorrow, 1:15-1:40 p.m., Church of St. Francis of Assisi, 135 W. 31st St., between Sixth and Seventh avenues, 212-967-9157, free.


ROYAL TUNES


After selling out one night at the Bowery Ballroom, the Tennessee rock band Kings of Leon has added a second show at the downtown venue. Wednesday, 10 p.m., Bowery Ballroom, 6 Delancey St. at Bowery, 212-533-2111, $15.


WILD OPERA


A chamber music concert features “wild” opera works that are whimsical, dramatic, funny, or unusual. Composer Stephanie Chases’s string quartet version of Bizet’s “A Fantasy about Carmen” receives its world premiere. The host of WQXR’s “New York at Night,” Nimet Habachy, gives a preconcert lecture about “the spectacular aspects” of great opera. The evening is presented by the Music of the Spheres Society, which blends chamber music, philosophy, and science. Friday, 7:30 p.m. lecture, 8:15 p.m. concert, Christ and St. Stephen’s Church, 120 W. 69th St., between Columbus and Amsterdam avenues, 212-877-4402, $30 general, $18 seniors and students.


NATURE


FEATHERED FRIENDS


The New York City Audubon Society presents a series of weekend bird-watching walks. Wave Hill opens early for the walks, which provide an opportunity to watch songbirds on their flights south for the winter. Participants should bring a field guide and binoculars to spot whitethroated sparrows, double-crested cormorants, red-belly woodpeckers, tufted titmice, and other travelers in flight. Sundays, October 3-October 31, 8:30 a.m., Wave Hill, meet at main gate, 249th Street and Independence Avenue, Bronx, 718-549-3200 ext. 305, $20 general, $15 members, registration required.


PARTY


WIT AND WHISKEY


Parkerfest, the annual celebration of all things Dorothy Parker, features several walking tours of Parker’s haunts. The weekend’s highlight is the Bathtub Gin Ball & Speakeasy Cruise, complete with live jazz. Friday, 7 p.m. boarding, 8 p.m. departure, Aviation Skyport Marina, East 23rd Street and FDR Drive, $35 in advance, $45 at event if still available. See www.dorothyparkernyc.com for tickets and full schedule.


POETRY


VERSE VOICES The Re:Verse Festival, which celebrates “independent thought, writing, and media” in minority communities, includes poetry readings by Samiya Bashir, R. Erica Doyle, and Cheryl Boyce Taylor (6:15 p.m.). The PBS documentary “I’ll Make Me A World,” which features poet Gwendolyn Brooks, also screens (4 p.m.). Festival: Saturday, 4-8 p.m., Bronx Museum of the Arts, 1040 Grand Concourse at 165th Street, Bronx, 718-530-9132, free.


READING


AGE IS JUST A NUMBER


Six writers under the age of 25 read their work at “Feed the Young Writers.” David Amsden, Marty Beckerman, and Jackie Corley are among the participants. Tonight, 8 p.m., P.S. 122, 150 First Ave. at 9th Street, 212-477-5288, $10.


TALKS


DISORDER IN THE COURT


Novelist and law professor Thane Rosenbaum moderates a discussion about the differences between the law in practice and the law as it’s portrayed on television dramas. Panelists include a co-executive producer of “Law & Order,” Richard Sweren, and a co-creator of “100 Centre Street,” David Black. Tonight, 8 p.m., JCC in Manhattan, 334 Amsterdam Ave. at 76th Street, 646-505-5708, $7 general, free for members.


LAUDING LANDMARKS


The Center for New York City Law presents a breakfast with the chairman of the Landmarks Preservation Commission, Robert Tierney, who discusses the commission’s recent work. Friday, 8:15 a.m., New York Law School, 57 Worth St. at Church Street, 212-431-2115, free, registration required.


COLUMBIA AND THE CITY


As part of Columbia’s 250th anniversary celebration, the university hosts a symposium titled “The 21st-Century City and Its Values.” In three sessions – “Urbanism,” “Toleration,” and “Equality” – speakers including Martha Nussbaum and Partha Chatterjee talk about the emerging character of modern city life. Friday, 9:30 a.m.-5 p.m., Columbia University, Miller Theatre, 116th Street and Broadway, 877-250-8428, free, registration required. See c250.Columbia.edu for registration.


SHAW’S SECRET


Daniel Leary discusses George Bernard Shaw’s play “Saint Joan” as “the open secret of Shaw’s creativity. “The event is the first meeting of the Bernard Shaw Society’s new season. A reception follows. Friday, 7:30 p.m., the American Irish Historical Society, 991 Fifth Ave. at 80th Street, 212-982-9885, $5.


THEATER


META-MUSICAL


The New York Theatre Company’s “The Musical of Musicals -The Musical!” which closes this weekend, gently satirizes the form by turning one story (about an ingenue who can’t pay the rent) into five musicals, each with the distinctive style of legends such as Rodgers and Hammerstein, Andrew Lloyd Weber, and Stephen Sondheim. The production features music by Eric Rockwell and lyrics by Joanne Bogart. Through Saturday, tonight-Friday, 8 p.m., with matinees Wednesday and Saturday, 2:30 p.m., St. Peter’s in the Citigroup Center, York Theatre, 619 Lexington Ave. at 54th Street, 212-868-4444, $55 general, $20 student tickets when available on day of performance.


O BROTHER, DONDE ESTAS?


The new interactive clown comedy “Little Brothers /Hermanitos” uses the style of vaudeville and silent films to tell the story of two brothers who hold a competition to see who can dance better, walk better, eat more, laugh funnier, and get messier. Saturdays, October 2 and 16, November 6 and 20, and December 11, 3 p.m., Teatro Sea at Los Kabayitos Puppet & Children’s Theatre, 107 Suffolk St., between Delancey and Rivington streets, second floor, 212-260-4080 ext. 14, $12 general, $10 children.


TOURS


TASTE OF TRIBECA


A tour of New York’s “western frontier,” TriBeCa, focuses on the neighborhood’s transition from residential area to industrial center and back again. Stops include St. John’s Park and the Mercantile Building. Saturday, 1 p.m., meet at Bogardus Triangle, the intersection of Chambers Street, Hudson Street, and West Broadway, 212-439-1090, $12 general, $10 seniors, students, and New-York Historical Society members.


MAFIA HANGOUTS


Tony Soprano may be in hibernation until next season, but a “Sopranos” bus tour rolls on, with visits to the Bada Bing, Satriale’s Pork Store, the Muffler Man, and other criminal haunts. Screen Tours puts on the Jersey excursion. Saturdays and Sundays, 2-6 p.m. (duration is approximate), meet in front of the Garment District “Button,” Seventh Avenue and 39th Street, or in front of Houlihan’s in Harmon Meadow Plaza, off Route 3 in Secaucus, N.J., 212-209-3370, www.screentours.com ,$37, reservations required. Note: The tour guide and bus will be identified by a blue flag.



To submit an event for consideration for the Calendar, please wire the particulars to calendar@nysun.com, placing the date of the event in the subject line.

NY Sun
NEW YORK SUN CONTRIBUTOR

This article is from the archive of The New York Sun before the launch of its new website in 2022. The Sun has neither altered nor updated such articles but will seek to correct any errors, mis-categorizations or other problems introduced during transfer.


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