this week in lectures, signings, panel discussions, workshops, and Q&As

THE NEW GROUP OFF STAGE: THE TRUE (and more)

the true reunion

Who: Austin Cauldwell, Edie Falco, Glenn Fitzgerald, Michael McKean, John Pankow, Peter Scolari, Tracy Shayne
What: Live reunion reading by the New Group
Where: The New Group Off Stage
When: Thursday, July 16 (available through July 19 at midnight), $25, 7:00
Why: In my September 2018 review of the New Group’s world premiere of The True, I wrote, “Obie-winning playwright Sharr White and director Scott Elliott manage to make a story about the 1977 mayoral election in Albany, New York, tense and exciting.” White’s fact-based drama featured a stellar cast taking us behind the scenes of political intrigue in the state capital. The Manhattan-based troupe is bringing the original cast back for a live, virtual reunion reading on July 16 at 7:00 as part of “The New Group Off Stage,” an online initiative benefiting the company and local organizations. Chiming in from wherever they are sheltering in place will be Michael McKean as Erastus Corning II, Glenn Fitzgerald as Howard C. Nolan, John Pankow as Charlie Ryan, Tracy Shayne as Betty Corning, Austin Cauldwell as Bill McCormick, Edie Falco as Dorothea “Polly” Noonan, and Peter Scolari as her husband, Peter. Ten percent of the proceeds will go to Girl Be Heard, which helps build youth resilience.

“The New Group Off Stage” continues July 30 with Jesse Eisenberg’s The Spoils, with Eisenberg, Kunal Nayyar, Erin Darke, Annapurna Sriram, and Michael Zegen, benefiting the Immigrant Freelance Artists for Theatre Fund. In addition, the New Group hosts “Why We Do It” on Wednesdays at 4:00, free live conversations moderated by founding artistic director Scott Elliott; coming up are Suzanne Vega on July 15, Clint Ramos on July 22, Maulik Pancholy on July 29, Erica Schmidt on August 5, Nico Santos on August 26, and Natasha Lyonne on September 2. And the New Group is teaming up with the NRDC for “Facing the Rising Tide: A free digital festival of play readings and conversations about environmental racism, the climate crisis, and hope,” consisting of free live readings and discussions July 20-24 at 7:00, with Charles Gershman’s Quik-Mart, directed by Arpita Mukherjee; Erika Dickerson-Despenza’s shadow/land, directed by Candis C. Jones; Rae Binstock’s That Heaven’s Vault Should Crack, directed by Kareem Fahmy; Jessica Huang’s Mother of Exiles, directed by Seonjae Kim; and Daniella De Jesús’s Mambo Sauce, directed by Machel Ross.

KAYE BALLARD — THE SHOW GOES ON!

kaye ballard

Who: Special guests
What: Livestream film premiere of Kaye Ballard — The Show Goes On! with bonuses before and after screening
Where: Facebook Live
When: Tuesday, July 14, free, 8:00
Why: In January 2019, the one and only Kaye Ballard passed away at the age of ninety-three. If you don’t know anything about her, you need to, and you can do so on July 14 when the documentary Kaye Ballard — The Show Goes On! makes its virtual premiere for free on Facebook Live. Ballard was a beloved singer, actress, and comedian perhaps best known for her many guest appearances on talk shows, game shows, and variety programs, from The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson (and Jack Paar) and The Mike Douglas Show to Hollywood Squares and The Perry Como Show; she also appeared on such sitcoms as The Mothers-in-Law, The Doris Day Show, and What a Dummy in addition to a bunch of films, burlesque and vaudeville, and more than two dozen stage shows, going back to 1946.

In Kaye Ballard — The Show Goes On!, director Dan Wingate speaks with Ann-Margret, Jerry Stiller, Carol Burnett, Harold Prince, Carol Channing, Michael Feinstein, Rex Reed, Joy Behar, Peter Marshall, and Ballard herself, who is seen in new interviews, classic archival footage, and clips from her 2017 one-woman show about her life. “I don’t know where I got it, I don’t know why it happened, but I think I’m lucky because I always knew what I wanted to do,” she says in the film. And now you can consider yourself lucky to discover the great Kaye Ballard either for the first time or all over again; the advance screening (the virtual release is set for July 17) will be preceded by a special introduction and followed by a surprise bonus.

THE GHOSTS OF NEW YORK CITY’S ELEVATED RAILROADS

Ghosts

New York Adventure Club explores “The Ghosts of New York City’s Elevated Railroads” in July 14 webinar

Who: Michael Morgenthal
What: Webinar with Q&A
Where: New York Adventure Club
When: Tuesday, July 14, $10, 8:00
Why: Greenwich Village native and licensed tour guide Michael Morgenthal will take people on a virtual journey on Gotham’s fabled elevated lines on July 14 at 8:00 in the New York Adventure Club webinar “The Ghosts of New York City’s Elevated Railroads.” Morgenthal will explore the construction of the lines, the transfer points, the impact they had on city architecture, and elements that are still visible today. The talk will be followed by a Q&A; tickets are $10 and allow you to watch the program for one week. Other upcoming NYAC livestream events include “The Beer Barons & Breweries of Staten Island” on July 15, “Through the Lens: Wild, Weird, and Wacky America” on July 17, “Grand Central Terminal and the Secrets Within” on July 20, “Underground Manhattan, the History of the NYC Subway System” on July 21, “Fort Tryon Park, from Secret Shrine to the Cloisters” on July 23, “Spy City: The History of Espionage in New York City” on July 27, “Castles in the Sky: The Gilded Age Mansions of Northern Manhattan” on July 30, and “New York Skyscrapers and the Terra Cotta Revolution” on July 31.

AMERICAN UTOPIA MEETS UTOPIA AVENUE: DAVID BYRNE AND DAVID MITCHELL IN CONVERSATION

David Mitchell and David Byrne will discuss the concept of utopia and the state of the world i 92Y conversation

David Mitchell and David Byrne will discuss the concept of utopia and the state of the world in 92Y conversation

Who: David Byrne, David Mitchell
What: Online discussion and Q&A
Where: 92Y Unterberg Poetry Center
When: Tuesday, July 14, $35, 6:00
Why: In his Broadway show American Utopia, Scotland-born former Talking Heads American lead singer David Byrne adapted songs from throughout his career into a stunningly conceived stage musical with a mobile, untethered band, choreography by Annie-B Parson, and a narrative delving into the nature of the human brain and our experience on this planet, featuring such songs as “Here,” “This Must Be the Place (Naive Melody),” “Bullet,” and “Road to Nowhere.” In his brand-new novel, Utopia Avenue, English author David Mitchell (Cloud Atlas, Black Swan Green) follows the life and times of a fictional British psychedelic band; the first chapter is titled “Abandon Hope.” On July 14 at 6:00, Byrne and Mitchell will discuss their latest work and the state of the world in a livestreamed discussion from wherever they are sheltering in place; the event is hosted by the 92nd St. Y’s Unterberg Poetry Center and the Community Bookstore in Park Slope. Tickets are $35 but come with a signed copy of Utopia Avenue; the first one hundred purchasers will get the opportunity to briefly chat virtually one-on-one with Mitchell.

THE IRISH (REP) . . . AND HOW WE GOT THAT WAY: A CELEBRATION OF ENDURANCE AND PERSEVERANCE THROUGH HARD TIMES

irish rep

Who: Terry Donnelly, Bob Green, Marian Tomas Griffin, Rusty Magee, Ciarán O’Reilly, Ciarán Sheehan, Donna Kane, Charlotte Moore, Kathleen Begala, Ellen McCourt, Malachy McCourt
What: Livestreamed broadcast of 1998 Irish Rep world premiere with new video introduction
Where: Irish Rep YouTube channel, preshow VIP reception on Zoom ($500 or more)
When: Monday, July 13, free, 7:00 (donations of $500 or more include special benefits and admission to preshow VIP party at 6:00)
Why: The Irish Rep continues its busy virtual programming with an online livestreamed screening of a 1998 production of Pulitzer Prize winner Frank McCourt’s The Irish . . . and How They Got That Way, which debuted in 1997 and was revived in 2000 and again in 2010. The irreverent musical about all things Irish features classic songs (“Danny Boy,” “Galway Bay,” “The Rose of Tralee,” and even a U2 tune) arranged by Rusty Magee, with a splendid cast consisting of Magee, Terry Donnelly, Bob Green, Marian Tomas Griffin, Ciarán O’Reilly, and Ciarán Sheehan; the show is directed by Irish Rep cofounder Charlotte Moore, with choreography by Barry McNabb, sets and projections by Shawn Lewis, costumes by David Toser, and lighting by Michael Gottlieb. The event, which is the company’s rescheduled gala fundraiser, will be preceded by a new video celebrating the history of the troupe and the original production with Moore, fellow cofounder O’Reilly, board chair Kathleen Begala, McCourt’s widow and board chair emerita Ellen McCourt, and playwright Malachy McCourt, Frank’s brother. It’s free to watch the show, although donations are accepted; if you give $500 or more, you can take part in the VIP preshow party, with a Zoom reception with the cast and creatives and a live performance by Sheehan.

During the pandemic, the Irish Rep has also presented Yes! Reflections of Molly Bloom, boasting a dazzling performance by Aedín Moloney; the Meet the Makers and The Show Must Go Online series; and The Gifts You Gave to the Dark, Darren Murphy’s short, heartbreaking work about a man (Marty Rea) in Belfast with Covid-19 unable to visit his dying mother (Marie Mullen) in Dublin, who is being cared for by her brother (Seán McGinley). Coming up is Dan Butler, Sean Gormley, John Keating, Tim Ruddy, and Amanda Quaid in an online version of Conor McPherson’s The Weir from July 21 to 25 and a virtual version of Barry Day’s Love, Noël, a musical about Noël Coward starring Steve Ross and KT Sullivan, from August 11 to 15.

RUBICON THEATRE COMPANY: INSIDE THE ARTIST’S PROCESS

Adam Halpin and Megan McGinnis in Daddy Long Legs, directed by John Caird, at the Davenport Theatre. (© Jeremy Daniel)

Husband-and-wife Daddy Long Legs stars Adam Halpin and Megan McGinnis will take part in Rubicon’s “Inside the Artist’s Process” on July 31 (photo © Jeremy Daniel)

Who: Kirby Ward, Norm Lewis, Faith Prince, Christian Hoff, Brian Stokes Mitchell, Stephen Schwartz, Megan McGinnis, Lauren Patten, Aaron Lazar
What: Zoom interviews with theater professionals
Where: Rubicon Theatre Zoom
When: Fridays and Mondays through August 7, $20 per session, 2:00
Why: During the pandemic, California-based Rubicon has been hosting “Inside the Artist’s Process,” livestreamed interview sessions with major theater professionals, from actors and writers to directors and choreographers. Every Monday and Friday at 2:00, Rubicon education and outreach director Kirby Ward speaks with the guest for a half hour, followed by a thirty-minute Q&A session with students from the Musical Theatre Production Workshop, Fearless Shakespeare, and Stinky Feet program who are enrolled in the summer-camp-like initiative. The series continues with Norm Lewis (Porgy and Bess, Dessa Rose) on July 13, Faith Prince (A Catered Affair, Guys and Dolls) on July 17, Christian Hoff (The Who’s Tommy, Jersey Boys) on July 20, Brian Stokes Mitchell (Ragtime, Kiss Me Kate) on July 24, composer and lyricist Stephen Schwartz (Godspell, Wicked) on July 27, married couple Megan McGinnis (Little Women, Daddy Long Legs) and Adam Halpin (Dear Evan Hansen, Daddy Long Legs) on July 31, Lauren Patten (Jagged Little Pill, The Wolves) on August 3, and Aaron Lazaar (The Last Ship, Les Misérables) and Ben Lipitz (The Lion King) on August 7. You should also check out the free “Connections” hosted by board member Brett Molotsky, who has chatted with Rubicon cofounder and producing artistic director Karyl Lynn Burns, Ward, and Patten, in addition to the troupe’s “Crossing the Rubicon,” Nibroc Trilogy, and “Rubicon Experience” podcast. All proceeds go to Rubicon’s education and outreach fund.

COMMUNITY DAY: SAY IT LOUD — A REFLECTION ON THE ’67 NEWARK UPRISING, THEN AND NOW

Robert Curvin speaks out during the Newark Riots of 1967 (Bettmann, 1967/ image © Getty Images)

Rutgers graduate and Congress of Racial Equality leader Robert Curvin speaks out during the Newark Riots of 1967 (Bettmann, 1967 / image © Getty Images)

Who: Sharon Owens, Moya Mathison, Arruna D’Souza, Alexis Green, Gimmidat, Ras Baraka, Linda C. Harrison
What: Newark Museum of Art virtual community day
Where: Newark Museum of Art Facebook Live and Zoom
When: Sunday, July 12, free (advance registration required for Zoom programs), noon – 5:00
Why: On July 12, 1967, after an incident of police brutality committed by white officers on Black taxi driver John Smith in Newark, New Jersey, a civil rebellion broke out, with four days of anger, riot, looting, and racial tension exploding during a tumultuous time across America — it was clearly not the Summer of Love for everyone. With parallels that are happening in the country today, the Newark Museum of Art looks back at that turbulent period with “Community Day: Say It Loud — A Reflection on the ’67 Newark Uprising, Then and Now.” The free, virtual afternoon consists of a series of special programs exploring social justice, including storytelling, performance, and talks, taking place between noon and 5:00 on Sunday afternoon, the fifty-third anniversary of the uprising. “Our country is fractured, and its most vulnerable communities are in mourning and looking for reprieve,” museum director and CEO Linda C. Harrison said in a statement. “The Newark Museum of Art stands by its commitment to not only aid in the healing process through art but to also be a catalyst for discussions on systemic racism, equity, and inclusion to help shape a more hopeful future.” Below is the full schedule; some events require advance registration on Zoom. (On July 18, the museum will host “Community Day: Celebrating Pride,” with drag queen Harmonica Sunbeam, Amanda Simpson of the Hetrick-Martin Institute, LGBTQIA musical artists Wafia and Calvin Arsenia, the LGBTQ+ Rights Panel: “Where Are We Going?,” fashion designer Marco Hall, DJ Kenneth Kyrell, and more.)

Sunday, July 12
“Storytime Live: Undoing Racism,” with Sharon Owens of the Newark Public Library reading Old Turtle and the Broken Truth, written by Douglas Wood and illustrated by Jon J. Muth, followed by a conversation with child therapist Moya Mathison, noon

“Inequality in Art,” with Aruna D’Souza, author of Whitewalling: Art, Race, and Protest in 3 Acts, 2:00

Poet Alexis Green and Music by Gimmidat, Zoom only, 3:00

Ras Baraka and Linda Harrison in Conversation: “Newark, the Progressive City,” with Newark mayor Ras Baraka and Newark Museum of Art director and CEO Linda C. Harrison, 4:00