NYC Life: Celebrating Broadway, Mae West, Tennessee Williams, Broadway Babe, and More
Photo: Marc J. Franklin for Playbill
Broadway is celebrating the new season with the Curtain Up Broadway Festival and Valerie Smaldone is part of it. There’s still time to experience the Feast of San Gennaro, and our roving photographer has some great photos of what to expect. Mae West is coming to life in a fun show starring Karen Nason and Sidney Meyer. Tennessee Williams is coming to Theatre Row in November. Celebrate fall at the NY Botanical Garden. Our Broadway Babe has some nostalgic streaming picks for you today. And don’t miss our Tomatoes Got Talent Show, which you can watch from home!
Last Weekend. The San Gennaro Feast
The San Gennaro Feast going on now through Sunday September 25th in Little Italy is the largest Italian festival. It celebrates the Patron Saint of Naples Saint Januarius. The narrow streets of Little Italy are transformed into a bold giant block party that draws celebrants for 11 days. In the early 1900’s Neapolitans settled on Mulberry Street and in 1926 had their first street festival. Our roving photographer, Nicole Freezer Rubens has captured some of the sights and smells.
It began as a religious event raising money for the needy in the neighborhood. It has evolved into a world-renowned impressive event featuring traditional food booths, carnival games and rides, a grand procession and a cannoli eating contest!
Nicole says she loves the vibrant smells, sights and sounds that entice me every year. Get there if you can, to celebrate Italian heritage, and be sure to save room for a zeppole.
Nicole is the author of The Long Pause and the Short Breath. Follow her on Instagram@nfrconsult.
Sept. 30 – Oct. 2. Curtain Up Broadway Festival
The festival is a 3-day extravaganza taking place right in the heart of Broadway. With over 15 events on stages in the Duffy Square area, all interactive events and performances are free. There are speakers, performances, a Broadway Block Party, and Valerie Smaldone is one of the announcers. GET THE DEATAILS.
Oct. 11. Watch the Live Stream of Tomatoes Got Talent
The in-theater event is sold out, but streaming tickets are available. It’s a fabulous and inspiring show that proves you are never too old and it is never too late to live your dreams. Watch live or on demand. Get tickets now.
October 23. Mae West Comes to Life
Karen Nason (our very first Tomatoes Got Talent Show winner) and everyone’s favorite cabaret guy, Sidney Meyer will delight the audience for a one-time performance of Mae West, the Musical, “Come Up ‘n See Me” at The Museum of Interest Things Secret Speakeasy. Tickets are just $10 and includes admission to the museum. Seating is limited so hurry now and get your tickets!!! Get details and tickets here.
Nov. 2- 12. Four- One Act Tennessee Williams Plays
Delusions of grandeur is a common theme throughout these 4-one act plays: Moony’s Kid Don’t Cry, The Lady of Larkspur Lotion, The Case of the Crushed Petunias, Hello From Bertha. You will see a stargazing would-be lumberjack trapped in a life with a sickly woman and child, a surreal look at the world through the eyes of a dreamer, a delusional romantic writer falling in-love with the precursor of Streetcar’s Blanche and finally a dying prostitute with a fantasy love interest. GET YOUR TICKETS.
Sept 17- Oct. 30 Fall-O-Ween at the NYBC
The New York Botanical Garden Conservatory Plaza is now home to hundreds of pumpkins and gourds of all sizes, offering picture-perfect moments to capture your fall photos! You’ll find special weekends of pumpkin parades and pumpkin carving face-offs, as well as the return of our beer sampling weekend—newly reimagined for 2022!
The tricks and treats of fall come to life this year with plentiful pumpkins, gourds and ghouls, and fun-filled activities to celebrate this season of frights and foliage. There is something for everyone during the day or at night.
Evening events give kids (and adults!) the chance to show off their Halloween costumes, artisan demos share the flavors of the season with food and drink talks, and so much more as the leaves transition to brilliant oranges, yellows, and reds. GET YOUR TICKETS.
Broadway Babe’s Picks
Our Broadway Babe, Randie Levine-Miller, has unearthed some rare nostalgic gems including the Gypsy Rose Lee TV program, (yes, that Gypsy!) with Eartha Kitt and Lainie Kazan; Jerry Herman in London; Frank Sinatra’s 75th birthday celebration produced by Dean Martin’s company; and a long-gone cabaret/piano bar with some cabaret greats! WATCH THE VIDEOS.
The tomato behind The Three Tomatoes.
Cheryl Benton, aka the “head tomato” is founder and publisher of The Three Tomatoes, a digital lifestyle magazine for “women who aren’t kids”. Having lived and worked for many years in New York City, the land of size zero twenty-somethings, she was truly starting to feel like an invisible woman. She created The Three Tomatoes just for the fun of it as the antidote for invisibility and sent it to 60 friends. Today she has thousands of friends and is chief cheerleader for smart, savvy women who want to live their lives fully at every age and every stage. She is the author of the novel, "Can You See Us Now?" and co-author of a humorous books of quips, "Martini Wisdom." Because she's lived a long time, her full bio won't fit here. If you want the "blah, blah, blah", read more. www.thethreetomatoes.com/about-the-head-tomato
