Highlights this weekend include Tony-winning actress Tonya Pinkins’ debut as a playwright at The Apollo, Dance Theatre of Harlem’s return to City Center and one last chance to catch the expansive exhibit of pets in the city.
There’s also a free celebration of women in punk music at Lincoln Center.
Dance
Dance Theatre of Harlem
New York City Center — 131 West 55th St., Manhattan (Midtown)
Through April 13. Various times.
For the kick off of its 2025 season, the Dance Theatre of Harlem features the company premiere of William Forsythe’s “The Vertiginous Thrill of Exactitude” set to Franz Schubert’s Symphony No. 9.
Also on deck is a lively take on George Balanchine’s series of dances with Donizetti’s “Don Sebastian” opera as the backdrop.
Robert Garland, a DTH alum who became its artistic director in 2023, weaves his magic into two works that showcase his unique choreographic style: “Return,” a soulful celebration to the classic sounds of James Brown and Aretha Franklin; and the New York premiere of “The Cookout” — a tribute to the company’s trailblazing co-founder Arthur Mitchell and his reflections on Harlem’s legacy.
This weekend also marks the world premiere of ballerina Jodie Gates‘ “Passage of Being,” accompanied by the music of Oscar-nominated composer Ryan Lott.
Tickets start at $45.
Theater
“Jeffrey Manor”
The Apollo Stages at the Victoria Theater — 233 West 125th St., Manhattan (Harlem)
Sat. April 12, 2 p.m. and 7 p.m.
Actress Tonya Pinkins is making her debut as a playwright with a special presentation of “Jeffrey Manor” this weekend as part of the Apollo Works in Process series.
Directed by Kiara C. Jones, with cast members Perri Gaffney, Aisha de Haas, April Mae Davis, Gillian Glasco, Chloe Leigh Kekovic and Pernell Walker, the play explores Black womanhood and the lengths a family will go to preserve their legacy and love for one another.
Set in the same Chicago neighborhood the Tony Award winner grew up in, the work focuses on three generations of Black women grappling with the trauma of state violence, intergenerational trauma, parental sacrifice and community displacement.
Pinkins, known on Broadway for “Jelly’s Last Jam,” “Caroline, or Change” and “Holler, If You Hear Me,” tells the Daily News her first foray into playwriting has been richly rewarding.
“Watching actors play what I’ve written has revealed more to me than I knew was on the page,” she said of the play, she describes as “deeply personal and politically urgent.”
Tickets are $20.
Music
Barry Manilow
Radio City Music Hall — 1260 6th Ave., Manhattan (Midtown)
Fri. through Sun. 8 p.m.
Fanilows far and wide can rejoice once again! Barry Manilow‘s record-setting Radio City streak continues with a smattering of shows this month that bring him to 53 lifetime concert performances at the venue.
At 81, the Grammy, Emmy and Tony Award-winning Brooklyn native is still going strong — belting out hits like “Mandy,” “Looks Like We Made It,” and “Copacabana,” alongside a few others from a vast catalog dating back to his 1973 debut.
Tickets start at $62.99, plus fees.
Art
“Pets and The City”
The New York Historical — 170 Central Park West, Manhattan (Upper East Side)
Through April 20. Various times.
There’s still a little more than a week to catch an artful exploration of the history of New Yorkers and their beloved four-legged-family members in this fur-friendly exhibition curated by author and historian Roberta J.M. Olson.
Featuring paintings, objects, photographs, film and TV clips, and memorabilia, “Pets and the City” chronicles the last 250 years of pets and pet owners traversing The Asphalt Jungle. But it’s not just a purr-fect show and tell; educational components are also included, such as content about pet adoption, the trafficking of exotic animals, animal rights laws and the role of service animals.
Tickets are $24, with discounts available.
Experience
“Chamber Magic”
Lotte New York Palace — 455 Madison Ave., Manhattan (Midtown East)
Sat. and Sun. 7 p.m, and 9:30 p.m.
Steve Cohen, nicknamed “the millionaires’ magician” for performing parlor tricks for wealthy clientele, is celebrating his 25th year at mastering illusionary craft work at a private salon tucked inside of the five-star luxury hotel.
During the 90-minute live show, the Yonkers native transports the audience back to the early 20th century of Manhattan with mind-reading, sleight of hand, spirit conjuring and an astonishing trick called Think-A-Drink — using his magic tea kettle.
Tickets start at $175.
Film
“Freaky Tales“
Angelika Film Center & Cafe — 18 West Houston St., Manhattan (Soho)
Now showing. Various times.
Music marketing pro-turned-Hollywood biggie James F. Lopez executive produces the star-studded Lionsgate flick described as “a multi-track mixtape of colorful characters” in a “pulpy blend of explosive action, edgy humor, and gory thrills that promises one wild ride.”
“Insecure” heartthrob Jay Ellis portrays real-life Golden State Warrior basketball player Sleepy Floyd in the action-comedy anthology that takes its title from a Too $hort song.
Written and directed by “Captain Marvel” filmmakers Anna Boden and Ryan Fleck, “Freaky Tales” is a genre-blending cinematic love letter to the Bay Area circa 1987 featuring a buzzy cast that includes “The Last of Us” star Pedro Pascal, late “Euphoria” actor Angus Cloud, Jack Champion (of “Scream VI” fame), singer Normani, plus cameos from former NFL star Marshawn Lynch and Oscar winner Tom Hanks.
Tickets are $19.19, plus fees.
Free
“Mixtape: Women in Punk”
David Rubenstein Atrium — 1887 Broadway, Manhattan (Upper West Side)
Fri. April 11, 7:30 p.m.
Award-winning composer Tamar-kali and Bikini Kill’s Kathleen Hanna, curators of this season’s lineup of Lincoln Center’s American Songbook series, continues their celebration of female liberation for what is billed as “an unpredictable evening inspired by the rich history of women and nonbinary artists in punk rock.”
The duo will be joined on stage by acts such as Privacy Issues, Mary Jane Dunphe, Mia Berrin, Militia Vox and Tracy Bonham drawing on the music and influence of Debbie Harry, The Raincoats, X-Ray Spex, The Slits, Beth Ditto, and Patti Smith, among others.
Free. First come first served.
If you have an upcoming weekend event you’d like to submit for consideration in an upcoming roundup, please email: nycevents@nydailynews.com with the full details. Consideration does not guarantee inclusion.
