Who: Malika Tirolien, Rafael Zaldivar, Djely Tapa, Clerel, Bïa, Jordan Officer, Mateo, the Marianne Trudel Trio, Morgan Moore, Robbie Kuster, Jeremy Dutcher, Charlotte Cardin, Fredy V. & the Foundation, Carl Mayotte, Jack Broadbent, Elisapie, Jean-Michel Blais, Jacques Kuba Séguin, Naya Ali, Alain Caron, Paul Brochu, John Roney, Dominique Fils-Aimé, the Barr Brothers, Oscar Peterson, Oliver Jones, Jaco Pastorius, Miles Davis, Sarah Vaughan, Pierre Kwenders What:The Festival International de Jazz de Montréal digital edition Where:The Festival International de Jazz de Montréal Facebook When: June 27-30, free with RSVP, 6:00 Why: Several years ago we had an amazing time at the Festival International de Jazz de Montréal, wandering among numerous stages seeing bands from a wide range of genres. We’ve been meaning to go back but have not had a chance yet, but with the pandemic lockdown, anyone and everyone can attend this year’s digital edition. From June 27 to 30, the fest will go virtual at 6:00 each night, presenting five live acts, followed by archival festival performances by Oscar Peterson and Oliver Jones, Jaco Pastorius, Miles Davis, and Sarah Vaughan. Among the live standouts from all around the world are Bïa, Charlotte Cardin, Fredy V. & the Foundation, and the Barr Brothers. Below is the complete schedule.
Saturday, June 27
Canadian Multiculturalism Day: Live from L’Astral with Malika Tirolien (6:00), Rafael Zaldivar (7:00), Djely Tapa (7:20), Clerel (7:40), Bïa (8:00), and a 2004 performance by Oscar Peterson and Oliver Jones (8:23), and an after-party with Pierre Kwenders (10:00)
Sunday, June 28
Live from L’Astral with Jordan Officer (6:00), Mateo (7:00), the Marianne Trudel Trio featuring Morgan Moore and Robbie Kuster (7:20), Jeremy Dutcher (7:40), Charlotte Cardin (8:00), and a 1982 performance by Jaco Pastorius (8:23)
Monday, June 29
Live from L’Astral with Fredy V. & the Foundation (6:00), Carl Mayotte (7:00), Jack Broadbent (7:20), Elisapie (7:40), Jean-Michel Blais (8:00), and a 1985 performance by Miles Davis (8:23)
Tuesday, June 30
Live from L’Astral with Jacques Kuba Séguin (6:00), Naya Ali (7:00), Alain Caron with his trio featuring Paul Brochu and John Roney (7:20), Dominique Fils-Aimé (7:40), the Barr Brothers (8:00), a 1983 performance by Sarah Vaughan (8:23)
Who:Molière in the Park theater company What: Livestreamed performances and Q&As Where: FIAF Facebook and Molière in the Park YouTube When: Saturday, June 27, free with RSVP, 2:00 & 7:00 (show will be available for viewing through July 1 at 2:00) Why: Molière in the Park follows up its virtual staging of two-time Pulitzer Prize winner Richard Wilbur’s English-language translation of Molière’s The Misanthrope with another seminal work by the French playwright, also translated by Wilbur. On June 27 at 2:00 and 7:00, the Prospect Park-based troupe, in conjunction with the French Institute Alliance Française, will present Molière’s 1664 favorite, Tartuffe, known in French as Le Tartuffe; ou, l’imposteur. The story of a beguiling scoundrel who charms some and infuriates others will be performed by an outstanding cast, featuring Raúl E. Esparza as Tartuffe and Samira Wiley as Oronte, joined by Kaliswa Brewster, Toccarra Cash, Chris Henry Coffey, Naomi Lorrain, Jared McNeill, Jennifer Mudge, Rosemary Prinz, and Carter Redwood. The piece is directed by company founder Lucie Tiberghien, with production design by Kris Stone, video programming by Andy Carluccio, sound and music by Paul Pinto, and animation by Emily Rawson and Jonathan Kokotajlo, as Molière in the Park pushes the envelope in its use of online technology.
“We are disturbed and appalled by the corrosive and dangerously divisive nature of religious double standards and the questionable moral righteousness we are currently witnessing,” Tiberghien and producer Garth Belcon said in a statement. “Turning to Tartuffe with this company of actors and creative team has been healing. Our goal is to reinforce the power of faith, love, and respect for every human life, versus religious posturing for economic or political gain.” Admission to the ninety-minute comedy is free, but advance RSVP is required; donations are gladly accepted. The livestreamed show, which will be available with English or French closed captions, will be followed by a Q&A with members of the company; if you miss either of the live productions, a recording will be available for viewing through July 1.
Who: The Roots, H.E.R., Roddy Ricch, Lil Baby, SZA, Kirk Franklin, Snoh Aalegra, Earthgang, G Herbo, Polo G, D Nice, Musiq Soulchild, Michelle Obama, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Chris Paul, Tom Hanks, Liza Koshy, Kerry Washington, Tracee Ellis Ross, Janelle Monáe, Elaine Welteroth, Deon Cole, Coach K, Wallo267, Ghetto Gastro What: Thirteenth annual Roots Picnic Where:The Roots YouTube When: Saturday, June 27, free with RSVP, 8:00 Why: If you’ve never attended one of the Roots’ annual picnic extravaganzas, now’s your chance. The thirteenth annual party hosted by the Philly hip-hop band founded in 1987 by Tariq “Black Thought” Trotter and Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson goes virtual on June 27 with a stellar lineup chiming in from wherever they are sheltering in place. There will be performances by H.E.R., Roddy Ricch, Lil Baby, SZA, Kirk Franklin, Snoh Aalegra, Earthgang, G Herbo, Polo G, D Nice, and Musiq Soulchild along with appearances by Michelle Obama, Common, Lin Manuel Miranda, Chris Paul, Tom Hanks, Liza Koshy, Kerry Washington, Tracee Ellis Ross, Janelle Monáe, Deon Cole, Coach K, Wallo267, Ghetto Gastro, and Elaine Welteroth. The event is being held in conjunction with When We All Vote, “a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization that is on a mission to increase participation in every election and close the race and age voting gap by changing the culture around voting, harnessing grassroots energy, and through strategic partnerships to reach every American.” When We All Vote was founded in 2018 by cochairs Obama, Hanks, Miranda, Monae, Paul, Faith Hill, and Tim McGraw. We all might not be gathering at the Mann at Fairmount Park this year, but we still can have quite a virtual party with some amazing guests, all for a cause that should be close to the heart of all Americans but unfortunately doesn’t appear to be. If you haven’t registered to vote yet, what are you waiting for?
Who: Andre J., Tyler Ashley (aka the Dauphine of Bushwick), Raja Feather Kelly, Bill T. Jones, Migguel Anggelo, Bubble_T, DJ Shirine Saad’s Gyal Tings, the House of LaBeija, the Illustrious Blacks, OOPS!, RAGGA NYC, Papi Juice, Switch n’ Play What: Virtual Pride party Where:BAM,New York Live Arts When: Saturday, June 27, free (donations accepted), 8:00 Why: BAM and New York Live Arts will celebrate Pride together with the virtual House Party with Everybooty. The livestreamed event, taking place June 27 at 8:00, was inspired by a creator they have in common: dancer, choreographer, and activist Bill T. Jones, NYLA’s artistic director and whose troupe, the Bill T. Jones/Arnie Zane Company, has been performing at BAM for more than three dozen years. The festivities will include music, dance, storytelling, drag, video collages, and more by a diverse group of queer performance artists, musicians, dancers, choreographers, and more. Among the participants in the eighth annual Everybooty are Tyler Ashley (aka the Dauphine of Bushwick), Raja Feather Kelly, Migguel Anggelo, Bubble_T, DJ Shirine Saad’s Gyal Tings, the House of LaBeija, the Illustrious Blacks, and Papi Juice. In addition, beginning June 25, BAM will be streaming twelve archival works by Bill T. Jones/Arnie Zane Company, from Secret Pastures (1984), The Animal Trilogy (1986), A Letter to My Nephew (2017) and Still/Here (1994) to We Set Out Early . . . Visibility Was Poor (1998), The Flight Project (2003), A Rite (2013), and A Quarreling Pair (2008). “BAM and Live Arts stand proud of their LGBTQIA legacies and in solidarity with those fighting to dismantle systemic racism and end violence against Black and brown people,” the two organizations said in a statement. The party is free, but donations will be accepted, with proceeds split between Callen-Lorde Community Health Center,GRIOT Circle, and Black Trans Femmes in the Arts.
Australian actor and filmmaker Damon Gameau has followed up his award-winning 2014 documentary, That Sugar Film, about the effects of sugar on the body, with 2040, in which he goes around the world not only to point out how our environment is rapidly deteriorating in numerous ways but also to do something about it, for the sake of his four-year-old daughter, his wife, and the rest of the planet. “I think we’re all pretty aware that when it comes to predictions of the future, they’re almost entirely negative at the moment,” he says near the start of the film. “Any time you open your news feed or social media, there’s some kind of doom and gloom story about the future of our environment. And as a father, I think there’s room for a different story, a story that focuses on the solutions to some of these problems. So my plan is to go out and find some of these solutions and then create a vision of a different future for our daughter. I want to show her what the world would look like if the solutions I find were implemented today. So what would the world look like in 2040 if we just embraced the best that already exists. That’s my only rule: Everything I show her in this 2040 has to exist today in some form. I can’t make it up.”
Gameau heads out to Bangladesh, Singapore, Sweden, America, the UK, and Tanzania, meeting with scientists, farmers, economists, and other experts to come up with answers to questions involving carbon dioxide, methane gas, solar and wind power, automobile traffic, fossil fuels, meat consumption, and other key issues. “It’s our generational challenge,” Doughnut Economics purveyor Kate Raworth explains. Gameau speaks with Neel Tamhane about self-sustaining energy microgrids, RethinkX cofounder Tony Seba about transportation, Colin Seis about regenerative farming, Dr. Brian von Herzen of the Climate Foundation about our use of water, Dr. Amanda Cahill about women, childbirth, and education for girls, and Eric Toensmeier and Paul Hawken of Project Drawdown about greenhouse gases. Gameau shifts between 2019 and 2040, when an older version of him, his wife, and his daughter reveal what the world might be like if we take action now. It all comes down to creating more than we consume, and Gameau makes the case that we can start immediately with what we already have.
Writer-director-producer-star Gameau is an engaging character, an instantly likable fellow with a lively sense of humor. He has fun with the media of film, using animation effects to turn his home into a place of climate disaster and depicting some of the people he talks with in miniature, putting them in fireplaces and atop wind turbines. He also lets children between the ages of six and eleven tell us what they think is wrong with the world and what they want for their future, and the result is as hysterically funny as it is smart and poignant, getting right to the point.
2040 is available for streaming through July 1; Gameau will be hosting a week of free panel discussions online (see the full schedule below), delving into specific issues brought up in the documentary with various experts, including some who appeared in the film. It’s time to do something, and I’m fine with Gameau leading the way. As one of the kids says near the end, “If people keep doing what they’re doing now, the world won’t be a very good place.”
Friday, June 26
US Premiere, with Damon Gameau, Paul Hawken, Kate Raworth, and Neel Tamhane discussing innovative solutions to the climate crisis, moderated by Kate Aronoff of The New Republic, free with advance RSVP, 7:30
Saturday, June 27
“From Drawdown to Regeneration: Meet the Researchers Behind Drawdown,” with Damon Gameau, Chad Frischmann, Mamta Mehra, Ryan Allard, moderated by Crystal Chissell, free with advance RSVP, 7:30
Sunday, June 28
“Regenerative Agriculture,” with Damon Gameau, Eric Toensmeier, and Portia Adomah Kuffuor, free with advance RSVP, 4:30
“Sustainable Travel,” with Damon Gameau, Darrell Wade, and Denaye Hinds, moderated by Ashley Renne, free with advance RSVP, 7:30
Monday, June 29
“Seaweed & Marine Regeneration,” with Damon Gamean, Brian von Herzen, Brad Ack, and Jo Kelly, free with advance RSVP, 7:30
Tuesday, June 30
“The Power of Youth Voices,” with Damon Gameau, Xiye Bastida, and Alexandra Berry, moderated by Annelise Bauer, free with advance RSVP, 7:30
Wednesday, July 1
“Climate Justice & Empowering Women,” with Damon Gameau, Mary Heglar, and Amy Westervel, free with advance RSVP, 7:30
Thursday July 2
“The Importance of Hope,” with Damon Gameau, Eric Holthaus, and Renee Lertzman, free with advance RSVP, 7:30
Horizon Line will be part of Streb fundraiser “Action Heroes: Home Season @ Home”
Who:STREB Extreme Action Company What: Livestreamed virtual presentation and fundraiser Where:STREB Zoom When: Friday, June 26, $0-$50, 7:00 Why: No other dance troupe in New York City uses space like the STREB Extreme Action Company. The Brooklyn-based company, founded in 1985 by artistic director Elizabeth Streb, uses small- and large-scale proprietary constructions to jump, run, tumble, and soar in such locations as the Park Ave. Armory (Kiss the Air!), the World Financial Center (Human Fountain), Gansevoort Plaza (Ascension), Lumberyard in the Catskills, and the Sony Center am Potsdamer Platz, combining dance, gymnastics, athletics, and acrobatics in breathtaking ways. So what is such a company to do during a pandemic lockdown, with Streb and her “Action Heroes” sheltering in place?
On Friday, June 26, at 7:00, STREB goes virtual with “Action Heroes: Home Season @ Home,” a benefit fundraiser that will include classic archival footage, rarely seen pieces, and two new works choreographed specifically for Zoom, Horizon Line, which premiered last month and takes the troupe to a new, claustrophobic level, and the world premiere of Body Grammar. As always, Streb will be “pushing boundaries of what the human body can do,” with associate artistic director Cassandre Joseph, Jackie Carlson, Daniel Rysak, Tyler DuBoys, Justin Ross, Sophia Wade, Kairis Daniels, Brigitte Manga, Luciany Germán, and Matthew Keywas. If you’ve never seen Streb and her Pop Action movement vocabulary, you can watch this Ted Talk and check out Catherine Gund’s 2014 documentary, Born to Fly: Elizabeth Streb vs. Gravity. Admission to “Action Heroes: Home Season @ Home” is free with advance RSVP, although donations are appreciated; if you give fifty dollars or more, you’ll be invited to the live postshow talk with Streb and the company.
Mandy Patinkin and Claire Danes will talk about the end of Homeland in livestreamed discussion June 25 (photo by Sifeddine Elamine/Showtime)
Who: Alex Gansa, Claire Danes, Mandy Patinkin, Seija Rankin What: Livestream discussion presented by 92Y and Entertainment Weekly Where:92Y Vimeo livestream When: Thursday, June 25, free (donations accepted), 5:00 Why: After eight beguiling, thrilling, torturous, exciting, infuriating, and memorable seasons, the Showtime drama Homeland came to a close on April 26 with a jam-packed finale. Based on the Israeli series Prisoners of War, the show centered on the unique relationship between on-again, off-again CIA agent Carrie Mathison, portrayed by Claire Danes, who has won two Emmys for the role, and CIA division chief and National Security Advisor Saul Berenson, played to grumpy perfection by Mandy Patinkin, who earned four Emmy nominations with no win, which makes sense for Saul, who ends up losing a lot in his endless national and international negotiations. They fostered a special friendship over the years, so no matter what other crazy stuff was going on, you always knew something would bring them back together. On June 25, Danes, Patinkin, and creator, executive producer, and showrunner Alex Gansa will discuss Homeland with Entertainment Weekly’s Seija Rankin as part of the 92nd St. Y’s continuing digital programming, focusing on Carrie and Saul, what it was like filming the last season, and, hopefully, how the plots relate to what is happening in the real world. (Oh, and by the way, if you have not been following the adventures of Patinkin and his wife, Kathryn Grody, on Twitter, you don’t know what you’re missing.)
