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

THE GHOSTS OF NEW YORK CITY’S ELEVATED RAILROADS

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

OLYMPIA ONLINE PREMIERE AND Q&A

Olympia Dukakis looks back at her life and career in award-winning documentary

Who: Olympia Dukakis, Apollo Dukakis, Carey Perloff, Harry Mavromichalis, Sid Ganis, Anthoula Katsimatides
What: Livestream free premiere of Olympia (Harry Mavromichalis, 2019) followed by panel discussion
Where: Olympia Facebook page
When: Thursday, July 9, free with RSVP, 8:00 (opens virtually July 10)
Why: “Some people don’t know who the fuck I am,” San Francisco Pride parade celebrity grand marshal Olympia Dukakis says as she rides in a convertible in 2011, waving to the loud, large crowd lining the street. You’ll know just who the Oscar-winning actor is after watching Olympia, Harry Mavromichalis’s Maysles-esque documentary that has its online premiere July 9 at 8:00, followed by a Q&A with Dukakis, her brother Apollo Dukakis, writer-producer-director Mavromichalis, American Conservatory Theater artistic director emerita Carey Perloff, and executive producers Harry Sid Ganis and Anthoula Katsimatides. The film, which was shot mostly during the Obama administration and opens virtually July 10, reveals Dukakis, the star of such beloved hits as Moonstruck and Steel Magnolias and the breakthrough television series Tales of The City, to be a dynamic and imposing figure who holds nothing back as she discusses the movie business in Hollywood and the theater community in New York, shares intimate details about her sexual desires, suicidal thoughts, and drug addiction, and travels to her ancestral home in Lesbos, Greece, to reconnect with her past.

Former modern dancer Mavromichalis balances wonderful home movies and family pictures with clips from throughout Dukakis’s career, photos from her stage work, primarily with her Montclair, New Jersey–based Whole Theatre company, and words of praise from Whoopi Goldberg, Laura Linney, Diane Ladd, Rocco Sisto, Lynn Cohen, Lainie Kazan, Austin Pendleton, Ed Asner, Armistead Maupin, and her cousin, former presidential candidate Michael Dukakis. She and her husband of more than fifty years, actor Louis Zorich, speak extremely openly and honestly about their marriage, she explores her relationship with her mother, and she spends time with her children and grandchildren. Dukakis, who turned eighty-nine last month, is direct and forthright, displaying a rebellious and independent spirit along with a touching vulnerability, an intense social conscience, and a resolute sense of female empowerment that still drives her even as she tackles modern technology, specifically Siri, which presents a few challenges. She’s one tough character who has never been afraid to say what she thinks; she’s also a supremely talented actor who shines on stage and screen, including in this lively and affectionate documentary.

BLACK DANCE STORIES

Black Dance Stories

Who: Jamar Roberts, Tiffany Rea-Fisher, Cynthia Oliver, Marjani Forté-Saunders, Lorenzo “Rennie” Harris, J. Bouey, Kyle Marshall, Okwui Okpokwasil, Charmaine Warren
What: Live discussions with Black dance artists
Where: Zoom and Black Dance Stories YouTube channel
When: Thursdays in July, free, 6:00
Why: “Our dance world was pummeled by Covid-19 and Black dance artists around the world are finding ways to talk about life during this time,” Black Dance Stories founder Charmaine Warren said in a statement about her new online discussion series. “Our world was further turned upside down after horrible events ensued nationally and globally, bringing attention, yet again, to the need for the Black Lives Matter movement. Black dance artists have not been quiet since. Black dance artists have been doing the work. Black dance artists continue to make work. To stay involved, we will hold weekly impromptu discussions and tell stories — Black Dance Stories. This is one action — we will stay involved.” Performer, producer, and dance writer Warren kicked things off last Thursday with Ayodele Casel and Stefanie Batten Bland; the live Zoom talks continue Thursday nights at 6:00 in July with a stellar lineup.

On July 9, Warren will be speaking with longtime Alvin Ailey dancer and choreographer Jamar Roberts, whose Cooped is a searing testament to society’s current ills, and choreographer and Elisa Monte Dance artistic director Tiffany Rea-Fisher, who is also the vice president of the Stonewall Community Development Corporation and a member of Women of Color in the Arts. On July 16, Warren will Zoom with Bronx-born choreographer, actor, dancer, and performance artist Cynthia Oliver and artist, educator, and organizer Marjani Forte Saunders, who won a Bessie for her solo show Memoirs of a . . . Unicorn. On July 23, Warren meets with Philly native and street dance pioneer Rennie Harris, founder of Rennie Harris Puremovement, who choreographed the much-talked-about Lazarus for Alvin Ailey, and dance artist, writer, and choreographer J. Bouey, founder and cohost of “The Dance Union Podcast” and current member of the Bill T. Jones/Arnie Zane Company. And on July 30, Warren chats with choreographer, educator, and dancer Kyle Marshall, whose Kyle Marshall Choreography “sees the dancing body as a container of history, an igniter of social reform, and a site of celebration,” and Brooklyn-based writer, performer, and choreographer Okwui Okpokwasili, who just won an Antonyo Award for her stirring performance in the Public Theater revival of For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide/ when the rainbow is enuf and who was the subject of Andrew Rossi’s 2017 documentary, Bronx Gothic. It will be hard not to stay involved with this roster of exciting creators.