7 Things to do in NYC this weekend Sept. 6-8
This weekend is the last chance to catch original cast members in the immersive revival of “Cabaret.” There’s also a free kickoff event for a 3-acre corn maze in Queens, and The Whitney hosts free dance classes teaching Alvin Ailey’s legendary “Revelations” as 100 life-sized elephant sculptures make their way to the Meatpacking District.
Theater
‘Cabaret at the Kit Kat Club’
August Wilson Theater — 245 W. 52nd St., Manhattan (Broadway)
Various showtimes.
This weekend marks the final countdown to see Oscar winner Eddie Redmayne and Tony Award nominees Gayle Rankin and Ato Blankson-Wood before they bid auf wiedersehen to one of the most stunning musical productions to hit Broadway in years.
Since opening in April, this newest incarnation of the Kander & Ebb musical is a must-see. The immersive experience transforms the Wilson theater into a burlesque nightclub set in 1930s Berlin, replete with all the debauchery one can imagine.
The Rebecca Frecknall-helmed revival, which transferred from a record-setting West End run, stays true to Christopher Isherwood’s stories about a bisexual American author who falls for an alcoholic nightclub performer during the Nazi takeover of Germany.
Beginning Sept 16, “American Idol” powerhouse Adam Lambert, “Moana” star Auli’i Cravalho and “Fat Ham” scene-stealer Calvin Leon Smith take over the roles of Emcee, Sally Bowles and Clifford Bradshaw, respectively.
Tickets start at $77.
Film
‘Seeking Mavis Beacon’
IFC Center — 323 Sixth Ave., Manhattan (Greenwich Village)
Various showtimes.
In their debut film, Jazmin Renée Jones and Olivia McKayla Ross track their mission to find whatever happened to “Mavis Beacon,” a mythical persona considered an unsung hero in Black history.
The face of “Mavis Beacon Teaches Typing,” a popular educational software from the 1990s, was a Haitian born woman named Renee L’esperance who was paid only $500 for her image and ultimately faded into obscurity. In this fascinating documentary, the self-described “e-girl detectives” chronicle their challenging journey to connect with one of the most recognizable Black women in technology of the last century.
Tickets are $19.95 with discounts available for seniors and students.
Dance
‘Edges of Ailey’ Free Dance Classes
The Whitney Museum of American Art — 99 Gansevoort St., Manhattan (Meatpacking District)
Sun. Sept. 8. Noon and 2 p.m.
Ahead of its upcoming “Edges of Ailey” exhibition celebrating the legacy of Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, the Whitney taps world class dance instructor Amos Machanic Jr. to teach excerpts of the company’s signature work “Revelations.”
The outdoor classes for the masses coincide with the museum’s Free Second Sunday program that gives visitors free admission from 10:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. Registration is not required to participate but space is limited.
Free
Music
‘American Symphony Orchestra – Beyond the Hall”
Bryant Park — Bryant Park Lawn, Manhattan (Midtown)
Fri. Sept. 6. 7 p.m.
As the summer’s Picnic in the Park series comes to a close, the American Symphony Orchestra kicks off its new season with a program exploring music in a context different from the usual concert setting. Selections will include music from Florence Price‘s “Suite of Dances,” Kurt Weill’s “Threepenny Opera,” Scott Joplin’s “Treemonisha,” Leonard Bernstein’s “On the Town” and Bernard Herrmann’s “Psycho.”
Free
Art
‘The Great Elephant Migration’
Gansevoort Plaza – 38 Gansevoort St, Manhattan (Meatpacking District)
Through late Oct.
A true work of immersive art will descend on to the cobblestones of the Meatpacking District when 100 life-sized Indian elephant sculptures are unveiled this weekend. In partnership with Elephant Family USA — a conservation charity dedicated to helping the human race share space with the world’s magnificent wildlife — the traveling exhibition aims to amplify indigenous knowledge and share a message about human-wildlife coexistence and conservation.
Each one-of-a-kind member of the head-turning herd is made from Lantana camara, one of the world’s top invasive plant species posing a serious threat to global biodiversity. Created by the Coexistence Collective, a community of 200 indigenous Indian artisans, the sculptures can also be purchased with prices ranging from $8,000 to $22,000.
Organizers say it’s one of the largest public art installations the city has seen since Christo and Jeanne-Claude’s “The Gates” in 2005, where thousands of bright orange gates filled Central Park.
Free
Family
‘BLOOM’
Rockefeller Center — 610 Fifth Ave., Manhattan (Midtown)
Sat. and Sun. through late Sept. 11 a.m. – 7 p.m.
Kids romping around in a pit of inflatable balls is always a joy; but parents can also join in on the fun with this immersive exhibit underneath Rockefeller Center. The sprawling 13,000-square-foot events and arts venue has been designed to replicate America’s first botanical garden, the Elgin Botanic Garden. The family-friendly “Seedling” programming includes complimentary face painting, story time and free cotton candy as kids learn about the journey of a seed as it grows and transforms.
Tickets are $36.24 adults, $24.95 for kids, free for 2 and under
Outdoors
Corn Fest
Queens County Farm Museum — 73-50 Little Neck Parkway, Queens (Floral Park)
Sat. Oct. 7. 11 a.m. – to 4 p.m.
To celebrate the grand opening of the Amazing Maize Maze, a fun day of activities will include cornhole, corn husking, sack races and a scavenger hunt. There will also be live square dancing sessions, cornbread tastings, recipe demos and corn husk wreath making.
Open on weekends through Oct. 26, the 3-acre adventure through countless towering corn stalks will culminate on a victory bridge with a scenic overlook.
Free
If you have an upcoming weekend event you’d like to submit for consideration in an upcoming roundup, please email: [email protected] with the details. Consideration does not guarantee inclusion.