This weekend’s activities include pumpkin carving in The Bronx, an indie film festival in Brooklyn and a night of conscious comedy in Harlem. Tony Award winner Adrienne Warren is doing a tribute to Tina Turner at Carnegie Hall, and the world premiere of “The Counter” is worth checking out. There’s also a free concert celebrating Jewish holidays in Coney Island.
Theater
Joan Marcus
Susannah Flood and Anthony Edwards in Roundabout Theatre Company’s ‘The Counter’. (Joan Marcus)
“The Counter”
Laura Pels Theatre — 111 West 46th St., Manhattan (Midtown)
Through Nov. 17. Various times.
The world premiere production of Meghan Kennedy‘s “The Counter” is a tight, concise and quiet two-hander (mostly) about a small-town waitress and a regular customer who form an unexpected bond after revealing life altering secrets.
Audiences are transported into the wintery chill of a desolate diner in the 75-minute production that tackles loss, grief, loneliness and mental health. Tony Award winner David Cromer superbly directs Anthony Edwards, Susannah Flood and Amy Warren in this well-crafted narrative that stirs emotions and asks “what would you do?”
Tickets start at $58.
Music
Handout; Getty
Adrienne Warren, who starred in ‘Tina’ on Broadway. (Handout; Getty)
“Simply the Best: A Tina Turner Tribute With Adrienne Warren”
Carnegie Hall — 57th St. and 7th Ave, Manhattan (Midtown)
Fri. Oct. 18, 8 p.m.
Adrienne Warren, the Broadway dynamo who dared to take on the mighty Tina Turner in a 2019 jukebox musical, will pay homage to the late rock & roll queen as the The New York Pops kicks off their new season.
The 78-member orchestra will back Tony winner Warren as she blesses the Carnegie Hall stage with some of Turner’s most memorable hits like “Nutbush City Limits,” “What’s Love Got to Do With It” and “Proud Mary.”
Tickets start at $79.
Books
Philomel Books, Penguin Young Readers
Oliver Jeffers, author of ‘Where to Hide a Star’. (Philomel Books, Penguin Young Readers)
“Oliver Jeffers: Where To Hide A Star”
Books Are Magic —122 Montague St. Brooklyn (Brooklyn Heights)
Sun. Oct. 20, 11 a.m.
Visual artist and bestselling author Oliver Jeffers will kick off the release of his new children’s book, “Where to Hide a Star” in his former stomping grounds.
In commemoration of his 20 years of publishing, author, who has more than 12 million books in print in the U.S. alone — revisits his characters Boy and Penguin, who launched his career with 2004’s “How to Catch a Star.”
The new story centers on a boy who rides to the North Pole in a spaceship to find his lost friend to also discover that others dream of having a star as a friend.
Tickets are $22.99 and include the price of the book.
Comedy
Handout; Getty
Phyllis Yvonne Stickney. (Handout; Getty)
“Phyllis Yvonne Stickney: Confessions of a Female Comic”
Comedy In Harlem — 750A St. Nicholas Ave., Manhattan (Harlem)
Sat. Oct. 19, 8 p.m and 10:30 p.m.
Phyllis Yvonne Stickney, who made history as the first female host of “Showtime at the Apollo,” returns to the uptown neighborhood she called home when she won first place at Amateur Night in 1986.
The veteran comedian and actress known for roles in “New Jack City,” “Jungle Fever” and recently “The Ms. Pat Show,” will perform her one woman show of conscious comedy at New York City’s only Black-owned comedy club. A live D.J. will also be on hand for both sets.
Tickets are $40 with a $18 food/drink minimum.
Film
Bushwick Film Festival
Tyler Ivey (left) and Greg Poppa in ‘Director’s Cut’, playing at the Bushwick Film Festival. (Bushwick Film Festival)
17th Annual Bushwick Film Festival
Williamsburg Cinemas — 217 Grand St., Brooklyn (Williamsburg)
Through Sun. Oct. 20. Various times.
With the theme “Producing the Dream,” festival organizer Kweighbaye Kotee will showcase nearly 100 films selected from close to 1,000 submissions at this year’s Bushwick Film Festival.
Among the highlights are Don Capria’s “Director’s Cut,” an indie horror flick centering on a punk band from Long Island who go to rural Pennsylvania to meet a filmmaker they met on social media. He offers to shoot their debut music video for free, but the band is in for a rude awakening.
Along with exclusive screenings, the 2024 event, sponsored by Netflix, will include an industry luncheon, screenplay readings, live film score performances and a comedy night.
Tickets are $20.46 for most screenings.
Family
NYBG
Adam Bierton carving pumpkins during NYBG Fall-O-Ween at The New York Botanical Garden. (NYBG)
Pumpkin Carving with Adam Bierton
New York for Botanical Garden — 2900 Southern Blvd., the Bronx (Bedford Park)
Sat. Oct. 19 and Sun. Oct. 20, 12 Noon –3 p.m.
Adam Bierton, the season five winner of Food Network’s “Halloween Wars,” brings his 3D style of pumpkin carvings to The Bronx this season. The professional sculptor and premier pumpkin carver will offer tips and tricks for attendees to create their own imaginative jack-o’lanterns at home.
Winning giant pumpkins from the Great Pumpkin Commonwealth weigh-offs will be on display for the New York Botanic Gardens’ “Fall-o-Ween” festivities. The growers of these giant pumpkins will also be on hand for deseeding demonstrations and conversations on the autumnal fruit’s growth.
Ticket are $35 and includes access to “Wonderland: Curious Nature” with discounts available for students and seniors.
Free
Mark Doyle
Uncle Moishy. (Mark Doyle)
“The Chol Hamoed Spectacular: The Yeshiva Boys Choir”
Coney Island Amphitheater — 3052 West 21st St., Brooklyn (Coney Island)
Sun. Oct. 20, 2 p.m.
Famed Jewish children’s entertainer Uncle Moishy will join The Yeshiva Boys Choir once again for their annual concert — this year marking a celebration of Chol Hamoed, the intermediate days of the Jewish holidays of Passover and Sukkot.
Fans can expect the Orthodox Jewish pop group — formed in 2002 by Eli Gerstner and Yossi Newman — to perform a selection of their songs, which may include 2005’s “V’ohavta,” 2011′ “Ah Ah Ah (Ashrei)” and 2014’s “”Adir.”
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.
