Events this weekend to check out include the breathtaking “Alice in Wonderland” exhibit in The Bronx, a sunset screening of 2023’s biggest box office hit and a free hip hop concert in Brooklyn headlined by Common.
Music
Natasha Yvette Williams
54 Below — 254 W 54th St., Manhattan (Midtown)
Fri. July 12. 7 p.m. showtime.
One of the breakout stars from Broadway’s “Some Like It Hot” returns to the cabaret venue below Studio 54 for two shows to kick off this weekend.
For her second time at the 54 Below, Tony Award nominee NaTasha Yvette Williams tells The Daily News that she will sing her favorite songs popularized by the likes of Ella Fitzgerald, Nina Simone, Chaka Khan and Ledisi.
A new song,”I Got It,” written especially for her by Jeremiah Fleming and Siedah Garrett (Michael Jackson, Jennifer Hudson and The Brand New Heavies) will also be showcased.
Williams says she will have her recent Grammy award in tow as she belts out her showstopper “What Are You Thirsty For?” from “Some Like It Hot.”
Tickets start at $51.
Family
“Wonderland: Curious Nature”
New York for Botanical Garden — 2900 Southern Blvd., The Bronx (Bedford Park)
Through Oct. 27. Various times.
Even if you’ve never been a fan of “Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland,” it’s worth the trip to The Bx just to experience the sheer wonderment of a gargantuan rabbit made entirely of plants up close . The sprawling exhibit celebrates the wild and curious imagination of 18th century British poet and author Lewis Carroll.
Curator and scholar Jennifer R. Gross and a group of world-class craftsmen painstakingly transformed the Bronx garden’s 250 acres for “Wonderland: Curious Nature.” True to the themes and scenes of the book, the one-of-a-kind botanical experience features a mysterious rabbit hole, a house built of mycelium bricks made from mushrooms and even a life-sized chess board designed by Yoko Ono — and much more. Special programming includes a Queen of Hearts-inspired pop-up at the Peggy Rockefeller Rose Garden, a reservation-only tea party in the Hudson Garden Grill and lawn games with roaming characters.
The immersive experience also includes themed food and drink options like The Cheshire Cat Masala chai tea, Mad Hatter chocolate brownies and illustrated Wonderland sugar cookies.
Tickets are $35 with discounts available for seniors, students and children.
Art
“Statement Sleeves”
The Museum at FIT — 227 W 27th St., Manhattan (Chelsea)
Through Aug. 25. Various times.
Folks with a passion for fashion still have a chance to be enthralled (and educated) by the Fashion Institute of Technology’s latest exhibit. Curated by costume and accessories expert Colleen Hill, “Statement Sleeves” shines a light on close to 80 fashion pieces from the museum’s permanent collection — the majority on display to the public for the first time.
Works by native New Yorkers LaQuan Smith, Christian Francis Roth and Marc Jacobs are featured alongside Balenciaga, Tom Ford, Schiaparelli, and Vivienne Westwood to show “how sleeves serve as a vital mode of self-expression that reflects our gestures and movements, showcases their ability to indicate specific fashion eras and their related trends, and proclaims their role as signifiers of status, taste, and personality.”
Free.
Film
Barbie
Warner Bros. Pictures Margot Robbie dressed as the original Barbie in Warner Bros. Pictures’ “Barbie.”
“Movie Night: Barbie”
Field 62 — Wards Meadow Loop, Randall’s Island
Sat. July 13. 7 p.m.
Moviegoers who can’t get enough of last year’s star-studded, billion dollar-grossing blockbuster can see “Barbie” again on the big screen during a sunset screening on Randall’s Island.
Greta Gerwig‘s comedy flick, which tells the story of the famous Mattel doll‘s adventures in the real world, stars Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling in the roles of Barbie and Ken, alongside a cast that includes
Free.
Outdoors
L’Alliance New York’s Annual Bastille Day Celebration
Madison Ave. from 59th St. to 63rd St., Manhattan (Upper East Side)
Sun. July 14. 12 noon to 5 p.m.
The weekend will come to a grand close when L’Alliance New York, formerly French Institute Alliance Française (FIAF), hosts the largest Bastille Day celebration outside of France. According to organizers, more than 25,000 people are expected to come out for a cross section of French fashion, culture, film, food, and fun to commemorate the French national holiday marking the anniversary of the beginning of the French Revolution.
This year’s theme is tied to the 2024 Paris Olympics, which begin July 26. Over 45 stations, booths and sponsors will highlight the games. Among the events and exhibitions are the Citroën Car Show, a Rosé and Bubbly Party and a court to play pétanque, a game similar to bocce. There will also be baked goods, a photo booth, and face painting.
Free.
Theater
“The Delicate Tears of the Waning Moon (Las Dedicadas Lágrimas de la Luna Menguante)”
Teatro Repertorio Español —138 E. 27th St., Manhattan (Kips Bay)
Through July 14. Various times.
Chicago’s Water People Theater Group is the force behind the New York premiere of Rebeca Alemán’s play, which tells the story of human rights journalist who emerges from a coma after a vicious attack stripped her memory.
Inspired by true events and performed in Spanish with English translation, the Iraida Tapias-helmed two-hander stars the playwright as herself and Ignacio García-Bustelo.
Tickets start at $27.
Free
“SummerStage/Common and Pete Rock”
Herbert Von King Park — 670 Lafayette Ave., Brooklyn (Bed-Stuy)
Sat. July 13. 5 p.m.
Emmy, Grammy and Oscar winner Common will deliver his brew of conscious rap to the Brooklyn masses in the park named after the late community leader affectionately known as the “Mayor of Bedford-Stuyvesant.” Joining him on the bill is Bronx-born super-producer Pete Rock. The longtime hip hop homies’ new collaborative album, “The Auditorium Vol. 1.,” out Friday — has already yielded the nostalgic bangers “Dreamin’” and “Wise Up.”
Free.
If you have an upcoming weekend event you’d like to submit for consideration in an upcoming roundup, please email: [email protected] with the details. Consideration does not guarantee inclusion.
