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

AUTUMN MOON FESTIVAL AND MORE

A CELEBRATION OF ASIAN CULTURE
Snug Harbor Cultural Center & Botanical Garden
1000 Richmond Terrace, Staten Island
Saturday, September 19, $8-$10, 12 noon – 4:00 pm
718-425-3504
snug-harbor.org

On September 19, Staten Island’s beautiful Snug Harbor Cultural Center & Botanical Garden will be hosting its sixteenth annual Autumn Moon Festival, an afternoon of special programs celebrating the Asian harvest. Taking place in the Chinese Scholar’s Garden, the festival will include an arts and crafts family workshop, a performance of Rabbit Days and Dumplings by Elena Moon Park and Friends, traditional music and dance, Asian-inspired food, martial arts and Tai Chi demonstrations, calligraphy lessons, and more. In addition, on Saturday and Sunday, Snug Harbor is holding a party for the grand opening of the Staten Island Museum, with games, live music, crafts, science, food, and more; admission for that is free. And finally, on Saturday at 2:00 and 8:00 and Sunday at 2:00, the Harbor Lights Theater Company will be presenting Rent in the Music Hall ($35-$45); the production continues through October 4.

BARBARA FELDON: ALWAYS IN CONTROL! 50 YEARS OF GET SMART

Barbara Feldon will be at Theatre St. Marks on September 16 to help celebrate the fiftieth anniversary of GET SMART

Theatre 80 St. Marks
80 St. Marks Pl. between First & Second Aves.
Wednesday, September 16, $25-$50, 7:00
212-388-0388
theatre80.wordpress.com
www.wouldyoubelieve.com

Would you believe that Get Smart is turning fifty years old? On September 18, 1965, NBC premiered a new television series starring comedian Don Adams as Maxwell Smart, Agent 86, an ingenious combination of James Bond and Inspector Clouseau, and Barbara Feldon as his partner, the lovely and patient Agent 99. Together they formed a kind of alternate version of John Steed and Emma Peel from the hit British show The Avengers. On September 16, 2015, Feldon, who earned two Emmy nominations for her role, will be at Theatre 80 St. Marks to celebrate the golden anniversary of Get Smart, sharing inside stories in a benefit for the HoFoPro (Howard Otway and Florence Otway Opportunity) Project, a nonprofit organization dedicated to “the promotion and development of theater by making grants to artists and artistic companies needing funds to complete their projects and providing a venue for the performance of their works.” Created by Mel Brooks and Buck Henry, the Cold War spy spoof, which pitted the good guys of CONTROL against the nasty villains of KAOS, also featured Edward Platt as the put-upon Chief, Bernie Kopell as evil mastermind Siegfried, Robert Karvelas as the hapless Larabee, Victor French as Agent 44, Dick Gautier as Hymie the Robot, and an endless stream of guest stars and up-and-comers, from Jack Gilford, James Caan, Ernest Borgnine, Don Rickles, Alice Ghostley, Billy Barty, Ted Knight, and Leonard Nimoy to Carol Burnett, Farley Granger, Larry Storch, Tom Bosley, Cesar Romero, Maury Wills, Julie Newmar, Broderick Crawford, Wally Cox, Milton Berle, Phyllis Diller, and Hugh Hefner. The show, which inspired the cartoon series Inspector Gadget, spawned such catchphrases as “Would you believe,” “Sorry about that, Chief,” and “Missed it by that much,” and introduced the world to the shoe phone and the Cone of Silence, ran for five seasons (four on NBC, the last on CBS) and won seven Emmy Awards, including twice for Outstanding Comedy Series. Feldon, whose character never revealed her real name (in one episode it is given as Susan Hilton, but it’s a ruse), will be joined by Joseph Sirola, who appeared in the episodes “Bronzefinger” and “Satan Place,” Get Smart experts Carl Birkmeyer and Nathan Sears, film journalist Lee Pfeiffer, and cinema historian Paul Scrabo. “A lot of women have said 99 was a role model for them. Because she was smart and always got the right answer,” Feldon says in The Get Smart Handbook. “And that was one of the first roles on television that showed women that way.” It should be quite a special treat to see Feldon talk about this all-time classic; unfortunately, Adams is no longer with us, having passed away in 2005 at the age of eighty-two.

THE WARRIORS CONEY ISLAND REUNION

You can come out and play with the Warriors as many of the actors return to Coney Island for a special reunion on September 13

THE WARRIORS (Walter Hill, 1979)
Surf Pavilion
3029 Stillwell Ave., Coney Island
Sunday, September 13, $20-$25, 10:00 am
surfpavilion.com
www.warriorsmovie.co.uk

In the classic cult film The Warriors, a Coney Island gang has to return home after a disastrous gathering in the Bronx. On September 13, many of the actors from the film will be returning to Coney as well for a special reunion screening taking place at Surf Pavilion on Stillwell Ave., including Michael Beck (Swan), Dorsey Wright (Cleon), David Harris (Cochise), Bryan Tyler (Snow), Thomas G. Waites (Fox), Terry Michos (Vermin), Deborah Van Valkenburgh (Mercy), Jery Hewitt (Furies leader Muson), Apache Ramos (of the Orphans), and others. The film opens at a huge gang meeting in the Bronx (actually shot in Riverside Park), where the Warriors are wrongly accused of having killed Cyrus (Roger Hill), an outspoken leader trying to band all the warring factions together to form one huge force that can take over New York City borough by borough. The Warriors then must make it back to their home turf, Coney Island, with every gang in New York lying in wait for them to pass through their territory. This iconic New York City gang movie is based on Sol Yurick’s novel, which in turn is loosely based on Xenophon’s Anabasis, which told of the ancient Greeks’ retreat from Persia. Beck stars as Swan, who becomes the de-facto leader of the Warriors after Cleon gets taken down early. Battling Swan for control is Ajax (James Remar) and tough-talking Mercy. Serving as a Greek chorus is Lynne (Law & Order) Thigpen as a radio DJ, and, yes, that young woman out too late in Central Park is eventual Oscar winner Mercedes Ruehl.

Among the cartoony gangs of New York who try to stop the Warriors are the roller-skating Punks, the pathetic Orphans, the militaristic Gramercy Riffs, the all-girl Lizzies, the ragtag Rogues, and the inimitable Baseball Furies. Another main character is New York City itself, especially the subway system. Presented by the LSRR Tour and the Village Voice, the special conclave will include autograph signings, meet-and-greets, a cosplay contest, and live performances by the Gotham City Mashers and Sick of It All. If you can’t come out and play-ee-ay on September 13, The Warriors is also having its annual Coney Island Film Festival screening on September 19 at Sideshows by the Seashore ($10, 10:30 pm).

RIZZOLI BOOKSTORE INAUGURAL EVENT: A SPECIAL CONVERSATION BETWEEN MANOLO BLAHNIK AND ANDRÉ LEON TALLEY

Inaugural event at brand-new Rizzoli Bookstore will feature Manolo Blahnik and André Leon Talley (photo by twi-ny/mdr)

Who: Manolo Blahnik and André Leon Talley
What: Book signing and talk
Where: Rizzoli Bookstore, 1133 Broadway at 26th St., 212-759-2424
When: Friday, September 11, free, 5:30
Why: When we stopped by the beautiful, brand-new Rizzoli Bookstore on Broadway this past weekend — the company was forced out of its majestic Fifth-Seventh St. digs last spring after nearly thirty years — there was still a lot of construction going on in the back room, where they will be holding their events. So they have their work cut out for them to get it ready for the inaugural book signing and talk in the new space, taking place this Friday with legendary shoe designer Manolo Blahnik. The Canary Islands native will be discussing his life and career, as depicted in the massive book Manolo Blahnik‬: Fleeting Gestures and Obsessions (Rizzoli, September 8, $150), which includes contributions from Pedro Almodóvar, Mary Beard, Sofia Coppola, Michael Roberts, and André Leon Talley; Talley will host the conversation with Blahnik.

NEW YORK OYSTER WEEK: OYSTER SHELLEBRATION AND MORE

Tasty bivalve mollusks will be on special menus and at special events all over the city during New York Oyster Week

Multiple venues
September 10-27
www.oysterweek.com

Oysters have been an important part of New York City culture practically from the beginning, and not just because of how delicious and extravagant they are. “There used to be enough oysters in New York Harbor to process all the water there, which is one of the reasons environmentalists want them back,” Mark Kurlansky wrote in his celebrated 2006 book The Big Oyster: History on the Half Shell. “And perhaps this is also why oysters taste like eating the sea.” You can swallow the slimy bivalve mollusks while learning more about them at the Oyster Shellebration, taking place September 12 ($100, 5:00 – 8:00) in the newest section of Brooklyn Bridge Park at Adams and John Sts. Sponsored by the park conservancy and One John Street, the event will feature tastings of East Coast oysters, clam chowder, shrimp rolls, canapés, beer, Champagne, wine, and more, with Oyster Concierge Julie Qiu, Master Mermmelier Kevin Joseph, and Chef Rob McCue as well as experts from the Billion Oyster Project and the Beacon Institute for Rivers and Estuaries. Be prepared to discover that oysters aren’t just good, they’re good for all of us, for many reasons. Oyster Shellebration is part of New York Oyster Week, in which more than a dozen participating eateries will be preparing special menus highlighting oysters; the festivities kick off with the second annual Brooklyn Oyster Riot, being held September 10 at the Brooklyn Brewery ($95-$125) and featuring East and West Coast oysters served by oyster farmers, who will also share stories and answer questions. Also on the festival menu are the Shuckeasy on September 17, the Big Gay Oyster Brunch on September 20, and Oystoberfest and the Stone Street Oyster Festival on September 26.

WORD, ROCK, AND SWORD V: A FESTIVAL EXPLORATION OF WOMEN’S LIVES

Toshi Reagon (l.) and friends will come together for fifth annual festival

Toshi Reagon, Nona Hendryx, and friends will come together for fifth annual festival exploring women’s lives

Multiple venues
September 13-20, free – $25
www.wordrocksword.com

“Word, Rock & Sword” might describe itself as “a festival exploration of women’s lives,” but it also makes clear that “All are welcome” to these eight days of live music, panel discussions, film screenings, yoga, workshops, and other special events, many of which are free and require advance registration because of very limited space. The festival was started by singer-songwriter and activist Toshi Reagon, who explained in a statement, “We struggle in a political climate that still tolerates and actively encourages systemic discrimination against women — from the workplace to the doctor’s office. We witness congressional attacks on funding for Planned Parenthood; the harassment and murder of abortion providers; the denial of access to affordable health care; the constant vulnerability of women and girls to violence and sexual abuse; the daily struggle of women to hold families together in our ailing economy. We will come together to share our gifts and focus our intentions for the twenty-first century.” The fifth annual festival begins September 13 with an Opening Service in a private home with song, poetry, art, storytelling, and silent meditation and continues with such other programs as the discussion “Beyond the Hashtag: Using Art and Technology to Combat the Criminalization of Our Communities,” presented by the Astraea Lesbian Foundation for Justice and the Ford Foundation; “Babies!” with Amy Matthews, which examines the learning experiences of newborns and toddlers; the multisensory anatomy lesson “Sound, Movement, and Mapping Our Bodies” with Matthews and Lydia Mann; Imani Uzuri’s healing creative-expression workshop “Water from the Well”; and “A Musical Celebration of Women’s Lives Year 5” ($20-$25), a concert at (le) poisson rouge with Nona Hendryx, Joan as Police Woman, Martha Redbone, Tamar-kali, SassyBlack, Gina Breedlove, and many more, produced and directed by Reagon and hosted by Karen Williams.

ROBERT RYAN — AN ACTOR’S ACTOR: THE NAKED SPUR

Robert Ryan, Janet Leigh, and Millard Mitchell have a lot of physical and psychological ground to cover in Anthony Mann’s THE NAKED SPUR

THE NAKED SPUR (Albert Mann, 1953)
Anthology Film Archives
32 Second Ave. at Second St.
Saturday, September 5, 4:30, Monday, September 7, 9:00, and Wednesday, September 9, 7:00
Series runs September 4-10
212-505-5181
anthologyfilmarchives.org

Shortly after the Civil War, bounty hunter Howard Kemp (James Stewart) is determined to bring in wanted murderer Ben Vandergroat (Robert Ryan) and claim the reward. Joined by grizzled old prospector Jesse Tate (Millard Mitchell) and dishonorably discharged Union lieutenant Roy Anderson (Ralph Meeker), Kemp gets his man, along with Ben’s companion, the young Lina Patch (Janet Leigh), the daughter of Ben’s dead best friend. They tie up Ben’s hands, put him on a burro, and head out on the long, arduous trail to turn him over to the federal marshals. But the smug, wisecracking outlaw has other plans, continually planting various seeds to try to set Howard, Roy, and Jesse against one another. Directed by Anthony Mann (Winchester ’73, The Man from Laramie) and shot in the Rocky Mountains, The Naked Spur is not just another Western; it is a multilayered exploration of lust and greed, love and sexuality, with Lina at the center of it all. When Ben needs his sore back rubbed, he asks her, “Can you do me?” Roy thinks he can do anything he wants with any woman. And Howard can’t get over a part of his past, suffering from nightmares that haunt him. Unfortunately, the complex story is dragged down by overly conventional music — “Beautiful Dreamer”? Really? — and some ridiculously staged, hard-to-believe action scenes, but it’s still worth saddling up your horse and going along for the ride. The Naked Spur is screening September 5, 7, and 9 as part of the Anthology Film Archives series “Robert Ryan: An Actor’s Actor,” which continues with such other Ryan flicks as Daniel Mann’s About Mrs. Leslie, Nicholas Ray’s On Dangerous Ground, John Sturges’s Bad Day at Black Rock, Fred Zinnemann’s An Act of Violence, and Mann’s God’s Little Acre. Select screenings will be followed by a discussion with Cheyney Ryan, Robert’s son, and professor J. R. Jones, the author of the new book The Lives of Robert Ryan. A Dartmouth grad who was born in Chicago, Ryan was an outspoken civil rights activist who made more than fifty films during his thirty-plus-year career, which ended when he died of lung cancer in 1973 at the age of sixty-four.