This week’s noteworthy events include an early look at Lee Daniels’ first foray into the horror genre, a Soho museum dedicated to all things Banksy, a free outdoor dance festival in Battery Park City and a birthday concert for R&B wonder Maysa in Midtown.
Film
“The Deliverance”
Paris Theater — 4 West 58th St. (Midtown); IPIC Fulton Market— 11 Fulton St (Lower Manhattan)
Limited engagement begins Friday. Various times.
Director Lee Daniels calls “The Deliverance” a “faith-based thriller.” The mastermind behind “Monster’s Ball,” “Precious,” “The Butler” and the hip hop-themed primetime drama “Empire” proves with this dark, supernatural drama that he can work in any genre.
Grammy winning singer and Oscar-nominated actress Andra Day leads a cast of heavy hitters like Glenn Close, Mo’Nique and Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor in a story about a struggling single mom fighting her personal demons. But after moving her family into a new home for a fresh start, she encounters an unimaginable demon.
The Pittsburgh-set film takes cues from the exorcisms of Latoya Ammons, whose home became known in 2011 as the Demon House of Gary, Indiana. It was also the subject of an eyebrow-raising 2018 documentary.
New York City cinephiles have a chance to experience it on the big screen at either the historic Paris Theater just off Central Park South or the upscale IPIC Theater in the South Street Seaport before it begins streaming on Netflix on Aug. 30.
As a special treat, Bradley Cooper is scheduled to moderate a Q&A with Daniels during Friday night’s 7 p.m. screening at the Paris.
$17.
Art
Banksy Museum New York
277 Canal St. (Soho)
Open 7 days a week, 10 a.m. – 8 p.m.
The city that never sleeps has a museum dedicated to the artist who never speaks! The recently-opened Banksy Museum features over 160 recreations of works by the anonymous U.K. street artist known throughout the world for his provocative, site specific and sometimes temporary artwork and life-sized murals.
Although Banksy reportedly prefers his art to be revolutionary (and not a part of commercialized and institutionalized settings), the museum’s founder Hazis Vardar rationalizes his irreverent, indoor brick & mortar concept: “Street art belongs in the raw setting of the streets. But if people can’t see it, is it even art? … Most of this transient art could only be viewed on tiny smartphone screens, which is no way to experience the scale or emotion of Banksy’s work. So we knew that we needed to create an exhibition that would bring Banksy’s art back before the public.”
Banksy fans and art lovers may want to hurry to see this before it disappears.
General admission tickets are $30 with discounts available for seniors, teachers, students and children.
Dance
43rd Annual Battery Dance Festival
Rockefeller Park — 75 Battery Place (Battery Park City)
Through Aug. 17. 7 p.m.
The dance organization‘s mission to connect the world through dance by reaching both local and international audiences continues with this week-long event. This year it includes performances from New York City-based troupes as well as Romania’s Sibiu Ballet Theater & Gigi Căciuleanu Dance Company, Evelyn Tejeda of the Dominican Republic, Finland’s Pori Dance Company and Wyatt Sutter & Charles Pierson from Chicago.
Battery Dance will also premiere choreographer Rutkay Özpinar‘s “Frontiers.” The work was created this year as part of the FUTURE 400 program, an initiative of the Netherlands Consulate General in New York.
Free.
Theater
“Empire: The Musical”
New World Stages — 340 West 50th St. (Midtown)
Through Sept. 22. Various showtimes.
Directed by Tony winner Cady Huffman with music and lyrics by Caroline Sherman & Robert Hull and choreography by Lorna Ventura, the off-Broadway musical celebrates New York City’s most famous landmark: The Empire State Building. With a cast including Danny Iktomi Bevins, Alexandra Frohlinger, TJ Newton, April Ortiz, Kennedy Perez, and Ethan Saviet, the production follows three generations of New Yorkers in the 1920s, during the Great Depression, and the year 1976.
Tickets start at $49.
Music
Maysa Birthday Celebration
Sony Hall — 235 West 46th St. (Midtown)
Sat. Aug. 17, 8 p.m.
The solo powerhouse who served in Stevie Wonder‘s backing group Wonderlove and the British acid jazz band Incognito will celebrate her 58th revolution around the sun with a performance that was postponed from last spring. Maysa Leak plans to bring down the house with her eight-member band for a two-hour show featuring songs from her latest album, “Remix For Your Soul,” as well as other music from her impressive catalog.
Tickets start at $49.50.
Outdoors
Third Annual House Fest
Nolan Park and Colonels Row, Governors Island
Through Aug. 19. Various times.
The island’s yearly celebration brings together more than two dozen artists and performers for a day filled with more than 50 free dance and music performances, outdoor installations, walking tours, interactive workshops, open studios and more — all taking place in and around the historic former military houses of Nolan Park and Colonel’s Row for three days.
Free.
Family
ELEMENTAL
Disney/Pixar Disney and Pixar’s “Elemental.”
“Movies Under The Stars: Elemental”
Gil Scott-Heron Amphitheater — 450 St Ann’s Ave., Bronx (St. Mary’s Park)
Sat. Aug. 17, 8:30 p.m.–10:30 p.m.
Pixar’s 27th film, directed by Peter Sohn, focuses on a fictional city where all its residents represent the elements fire, water, earth and air. The story takes on a romantic tone with lead characters voiced by “Nancy Drew” actress Leah Lewis and Emmy nominee Mamoudou Athie. The family-friendly film about following your dreams scored an Academy Award nomination for Best Animated Feature.
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.
