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Bop with tots to Beatles tunes on Mothers Day and more things to do around NYC in the coming week
By
Steve Smith
Published May 12, 2023
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By
Steve Smith
Published May 12, 2023
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Seven Picks a Week is our guide to what’s worth catching in arts, culture and activities during the week ahead, with contributions from reporters throughout the WNYC/Gothamist newsroom and colleagues from WQXR and "All of It."
Mother’s Day can be a fraught holiday. If you’re finding it painful, here’s a guide from NPR with some strategies for getting through the day or supporting those who may be struggling.
Bring the fam to Brooklyn Bowl for a Mother’s Day, Beatles-themed party
The Williamsburg bowling alley is hosting a Beatles concert for kids and families. The band will play some of the Beatles’ greatest hits, and everyone is invited to dance and sing along – and no one will stress if your toddler has a meltdown. Tickets are around $22, children under 1 are free and a portion of proceeds will go to nonprofit Femme House. Bowling, booze and food is extra. The concert is Sunday, May 14 and doors open at noon. The music starts at 12:30 p.m.
– Kerry Shaw
Enjoy a free “Mother Nature” hike in Brooklyn, Manhattan or on Staten Island
The parks department is hosting hikes across the boroughs on Mother’s Day, including a “Flower ID” walk in Fort Tyron Park in Manhattan and an “Osprey Nest Watch” at Marine Park in Brooklyn. Over at Alison Pond Park on Staten Island, walkers will go “in search of animal families,” and learn how mothers care for their young. The hikes start at 1 p.m. on Sunday, May 14, and last for an hour. Participants are encouraged to bring water and wear comfortable shoes. The hikes are recommended for all ages.
– Kerry Shaw
Lawrence Brownlee and Erin Morley soar in a new production of Mozart's "The Magic Flute" at the Metropolitan Opera.
Zenith Richards/Met Opera
Mix and match Mozart at the Met Opera
Tony Award-winning director Ivo van Hove makes his Met debut with a gripping new production of Mozart’s “Don Giovanni,” with the charismatic singer Peter Mattei in the title role and conductor Nathalie Stutzmann making her house conducting debut. You can catch this new modern-dress staging tonight and Tuesday at the Metropolitan Opera House, and it’s also playing next Saturday, May 20, in the house and on movie-theater screens all over town. The production runs through June 2. And next Friday, May 19, brings the first new production in 19 years of Mozart’s “Die Zauberflöte” (“The Magic Flute”). It's directed by Simon McBurney, with a delicious pair of lead performers in Erin Morley as Pamina and Lawrence Brownlee as Tamino, and once again, Stutzmann conducts. That production runs through June 10. Find more information and order tickets here.
– Steve Smith
Bounce around the dance floor in Bushwick
She.They.DJ, the weekly happy hour party representing women, nonbinary and trans DJs, is hosting Bounceflooria, a club night at the Bushwick bar Mood Ring. Genreless DJ Aqua Ruis, “responsibly reckless renaissance woman” Purp and Brooklyn-based artist Alissa Brianna will keep things moving all night with back-to-back-to-back sets, and flash tattoos and tarot readings will keep you occupied when you're not dancing. The party starts at 7 p.m. and runs until closing. For more information, visit here.
– Precious Fondren
Choruses from throughout the city will combine to raise their voices in Lincoln Center's newest mass-chorus event on Saturday.
Richard Termine for Lincoln Center
Hear a chorus of hundreds unite in a free performance at Lincoln Center
A communal and participatory arts experience is one of the things Lincoln Center has championed lately. Saturday at 3 p.m., the institution hosts the world premiere of "Search for Spring," a new community choral experience by composer Jonathan Dove and librettist Alasdair Middleton that explores the toll of climate change and the hope for a better future ahead. Five community choruses come together from across the boroughs, performing outdoors on Josie Robertson Plaza, for this monumental choral work that expresses shared feelings of loss, confusion, renewal and finally, hope. Admission is free, and you can learn more here.
– Ed Yim, WQXR
Catch a free movie on an outdoor screen near you
The weather has been stunning just lately, and that means it might be a great time to watch a movie on a rooftop or in a park near you. Rooftop Films is known for this kind of thing, and on Saturday night they’re opening a series of free community movie nights with the 1984 hip-hop saga “Beat Street.” It’s screening at 8 p.m. at Restoration Plaza, located at 1368 Fulton St. in Brooklyn. But really, you should think about getting there early: DJ Hard Hitting Harry gets the music started at 4 p.m., there’s karaoke starting at 6 and at 8 p.m., Crazy Legs of the Rock Steady Crew will introduce the film. No tickets are required, so you can just show up, but you can also RSVP for the event on the Rooftop Films website. That’s also the best way to find out about upcoming events, like a screening of Wong Kar Wai’s “Chungking Express” next Wednesday, May 17, in Fort Greene Park.
– Steve Smith
Michael Cruz Kayne presents his one-man show "Sorry for Your Loss" at Minetta Lane Theatre through June 10.
Jeremy Daniel
Laugh and cry at a comedy about a tragedy
At the top of his one-man show "Sorry for Your Loss," actor, comic and writer for "Late Night with Stephen Colbert" Michael Cruz Kayne warns that you will probably laugh but also likely cry. He is right. With candor and comedy, Kayne introduces us to his family — his awesome wife, Carrie, and his children: Truman, a ridiculously handsome teenager; his daughter, Willa, a preteen with some Wednesday Addams energy; and Fisher, who died when he was 34 days old. "Sorry for Your Loss" is a comedy show about death — or rather, a show about death with some laughs. Sparked by a the tragic loss of a child, Kayne has created a piece that looks at why we find it hard to talk about grief, and what good can come when we do. We spoke with Kayne about his show earlier this week, and you'll find ticket information here.
– Alison Stewart, "All of It"
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new york city
nyc events
Steve Smith
Steve Smith is a former WNYC and Gothamist editor.
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Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
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