New Yorkers will never forget that fateful day. And the days after when we came together in collective grief. So very different from this crisis. Now that our city is reopening, it’s a great time to experience touristy things without the tourists. If you’re not afraid of heights, check out the Edge Sky Deck for amazing views of our city. Head to Central Park for a socially distanced Shakespeare experience , and listen to a live symphony orchestra at Bryant Park. You’re invited to a FREE star-studded musical theater event this Sunday and you don’t have to leave home. And for more stay at home entertainment check out the Broadway Babe’s picks this week. Valerie Smaldone has a special invite to Art and Activism, a fabulous event she produces and hosts every year.

Pop Up Orchestras at Bryant Park.

Starting Sept. 14, Bryant Park will begin to host special outdoor performances for the public to enjoy this month, starting with the American Symphony Orchestra. The other shows will take place on Sept. 16, 21 and 23. The shows are free and will take place on the upper terrace from 5:30 to 6:30, but only 50 are will be admitted, first come. You can also watch the live performances on Facebook and Instagram. Get the details.

The Edge Has Reopened

Head to Hudson Yards to the Edge Sky Deck, the highest outdoor sky deck in the Western Hemisphere, and take in the 360-degree views of the city we love. Look 100 stories down from the thrilling glass floor, lean out over the city on angled glass walls and sip champagne in the sky. Get the details.

As You Like It in Central Park

This social distranced masked version of the classic, is being performed in Central Park by Idle Playthings a brand new Manhattan-based theatre company dedicated to producing affordable and accessible theatrical productions of classical and brand new works for the people of New York as the city prepares to awaken from its pandemic era pause. Don’t you love the pandemic creativity? Learn more.

Restaurant of the Week: Turkish Cuisine

This is one of our favorite restaurants and we’ve held some of our 3T Holiday events there too. As far as authentic Persian experiences go, Turkish Cuisine in the Hell’s Kitchen District really cannot be beat. They’re open for outdoor dining in the front and their backyard is open too. Tell Aisha we sent you. 631 9th Avenue New York New York +1 212 3979650

Sept. 13. A Star Filled FREE Gala and You’re Invited

Every year MCC Theater, one of the most celebrated Off Broadway companies , has a star filled gala called Miscast. It features musical theater stars performing roles in which they would never have been cast. It is always sold out. This year it had to be cancelled because of Covid 19.  MCC is releasing it virtually on MCC’s YouTube channel on Sunday September 13th at 8PM for free. WATCH IT HERE.

 The New York Times featured it with a behind-the-scenes look at what to expect on the night of the broadcast.  They also compiled a list of their Top 5 favorite performances .

There will be a pre-show starting around 7:45pm with videos from past years and never before seen interviews with some Miscast alums. The full lineup has been announced – featuring performances from Norbert Leo Butz, Leslie Odom Jr., Phillipa Soo, and more – PLUS a reunion from members of the Original Broadway Cast of HAIRSPRAY! You can find the full lineup of performers here. 

All proceeds from donations to the theatre will provide vital support to MCC Theater, and their mission to develop and produce exciting work Off-Broadway, as well as their Youth Company and partnerships with New York City public high schools, and MCC’s literary development work with emerging playwrights. Ten percent of the money raised during the broadcast will support The Mental Health Coalition in its mission to end the stigma surrounding mental health.

The Broadway Babe’s Picks

We don’t know how she keeps unearthing these finds, but our Broadway Babe, Randie Levine Miller has done it again, from Pippin, to Hello Dolly, to South Pacific and more. But what you’ll really love are her insider side bars.

Pippin

From 2015,Stephen Schwartz’s “Pippin” national tour, features Andrea Martin in her Tony Award winning role, as well as John Rubenstein (who played Pippin in the original 1971 version) and Sasha Allen as the leading player…directed by award winning Diane Paulus… “they’ve got magic to do”, and in this production, they do it! Enjoy.

Hello Dolly with Bernadette Peters

Bernadette Peters replaced Bette Midler in the recent revival of “Hello Dolly” to great acclaim…. also featured in the cast were Broadway veterans Victor Garber, Kate Baldwin, Gavin Creel and Jennifer Simard….from 2018.

Sidbar: at age 7, Bernadette and I shared a singing teacher at 1697 Broadway …. Lola Bennett, who I adored…. I had lessons every Friday at 4pm….following Bernadette…. her mother was a real stage mother…Bernadette was always disciplined and focused, in addition to being talented…you could tell, even then, that she was destined for stardom!

Tom Jones

Legendary performer, Tom Jones recently turned 80, which is hard to believe…. In this 1989 concert,”Tom Jones: Live At This Moment”,. he’s still hot and sexy and a helluva great entertainer. He sings many of his hits and there’s also behind the scenes footage…I can’t imagine any tomato not enjoying this concert. 

Sidebar: I was a guest of his manager and got to see and meet Tom at Westbury Music Fair in the early 80’s … my late dear friend, Nancy Eisner, worked for Tom’s manager and she arranged to take me, my mother, Brooke Shields and her mother, Terry Shields by limo to the venue….We had a great time…. That night, Brooke, who was the face of Calvin Klein Jeans, literally split her pants! And we couldn’t stop laughing… Tom had an agenda and fantasy about Brooke… he was hoping to de-flower her! He could hope, but Brooke, who was a lovely young lady of 16, had no interest. Meanwhile, in those days, before me, too, women in the audience would throw their underwear at Tom…. he was known to have quite the sexual appetite, sometimes, according to Nancy, having several sexual encounters in a day! 

South Pacific 2010 from Lincoln Center

A classic and a treat!  Live From Lincoln Center presented “Rogers and Hammerstein’s South Pacific” in 2010, which played to sold out audiences at the Vivian Beaumont Theater.  It was nominated for several Tony Awards…. Starring Kelli O’Hara, Paulo Szot, Loretta Ables Sayre and Danny Burstein. Directed by Bartlett Sher… They don’t make ’em like this anymore… a total audience pleaser! 

Stephen Schwartz & Jeanine Tesori

Multiple award winning composer/lyricist, Stephen Schwartz (“Wicked”, “Pippin”, “Godspell”) and multiple award winning composer, Jeanine Tesori (“Fun Home”, “Caroline or Change”, “Thoroughly Modern Millie”) in conversation about Stephen’s works.. This special video was produced by The Dramatists Guild Fund/Legacy Fund in 2016. Stephen performs some of his songs….These two colleagues are totally delightful in this behind-the-scenes look at the prolific Schwartz’s works…

Sidebar: I know Stephen and his brilliant director son, Scott Schwartz who is the artistic director of Bay Street Theater in Sag Harbor. One of my favorite encounters with Stephen was running into him and telling him how much I adored his opera, “Seance on a Wet Afternoon” which was presented in 2009 at NY 

City Opera… It did not receive good reviews, but I was mesmerized by this work…I’ve often found that writers are so happy to hear compliments about some of their “flops” on which they’ve worked so hard… He is a true genius and a true mensch! As is his son…