A Macbeth Grows in Brooklyn

Polish theatre TR Warszawa is staging Shakespeare’s “Macbeth” in Dumbo this week. It almost seemed like the director, Grzegorz Jarzyna, and his crew were under some sort of a curse – for the last week they were building stage in the old Tobacco Warehouse at the Empire-Fulton Ferry State Park, with constant rain breaks, but they have finally built it and it’s ready. The play is staged outside and there’s no plan B, so even the dress rehearsal last night was highly iffy. But luckily, the weather cooperated, even if only for a few hours, and we’re happy to say that the rehearsal took place and… looked great:

We can’t wait to see the play, showing every night from tonight until June 29th. It’s a modern take on the old classic, very creative and contemporary, with lots of light, fireworks and sounds of military choppers. Sounds exciting, right? All the tickets are sold out (except the closing night), but we’ve been told that you can try right before the performance, maybe you’ll get lucky. We’re also keeping our fingers crossed so none of the performances would be rained out.

Sic Transit Gloria Mundi

This Latin phrase could be applied to all things in life, but we thought about it recently, when walking past the community garden on Avenue B and 6th Street. We knew the famous Tower of Toys is dangerous, we knew it was way past its prime and not what it used to be when Eddie Boros, who was born and lived nearby his entire life, had built it. He died last year at 74, and the tower became the most visible and lasting reminder of his life. It is no more. We feel sad, and have to remind ourselves that “Worldly things are fleeting.” Here’s a little photo eulogy:

Happy Father’s Day

Summer In The City

With the heat wave making us run for cover, we hardly get out of the house, glued to the fan and opening a refrigerator wide open just to cool down a little bit. Remember a classic, “Seven Year Itch”? Well, we are actually considering using Marylin Monroe’s character’s recipe to fight off the heat by putting our underwear in a freezer before putting it on. It’s that hot.

But it made us think that the summer is in the city full-on and isn’t going anywhere anytime soon. So we might as well take the full advantage of it, right?

We have already mentioned the free or almost free summer movies screenings. Time for music. The list is long, but we’re going to make it easier, just by listing a few of the summer concert series that we think are extremely attractive.

Central Park SummerStage kicks off Friday June 13th. This year’s concerts include NYC’s darlings, Vampire Weekend, Jamie Lidell, Thievery Corporation with the samba master Seu Jorge (featuring special guests, Bebel Gilberto and Federico Aubele – yum!), Mark Knopfler solo, and the oldies but goodies – Crosby, Stills and Nash. Among others, of course. For full listings, go to their website.

River To River festival’s big highlight is the 4th of July, when you will be able to watch the fireworks, having Sonic Youth as accompaniment.

It might be the last summer of free or almost-free concerts at McCarren Park Pool, before they fill the space with water again (it will be great to splash in the water, too, but we have to wait till next summer). Head there to see Gogol Bordello, Devo, Armin Van Buuren, and Wilco among others.

If you have a more sophisticated taste, you should check out Metropolitan Opera’s Summer Concert in Prospect Park and the New York Philharmonic Concerts In The Park Series.

Want more? Go to NewYorkology’s full listings and… have fun!

Finger Lickin’ Good

It’s a scorcher weekend out there, with temperatures reaching just below 100 degrees, and humidity making us sweat our pants off. You know how people down South are dealing with temps like these? They just don’t care, sit on their porches, fan their faces, munching on a nice, spicy/smoky barbecue and sipping their ice teas. Now, thanks to the Big  Apple Barbecue Block Party in the city, we can do the same thing!  The event brings together the country’s top pitmasters who cook up their award-winning food for over a hundred thousand barbecue enthusiasts.

Where? Madison Square Park. When? It ends today, at 6pm. Why? Cause it’s finger-licking-good, y’all.

Time to Climb “The Times” (twice)

Alain Robert, a.k.a. “French Spiderman” is back in New York. At least for a day, part of which he had to spend, respectively, in jail. The famous building-climber scaled the new “New York Times” building today, climbing 52 stories with no protection or reinsurance. He had an important message for US:

Few hours later, a man from Brooklyn felt envious of the Spiderman, and he too climbed up:

Movies Under the Stars

One of the things that’s great about New York is its summer and all the free or almost-free stuff that the city has to offer. Staten Island ferry with its view of the city and Madame Liberty, free concerts in Central Park, Battery Park and Brooklyn (more about those later, cause they deserve a separate post), but also the fact that in the summer, we like to watch movies under the stars.

HBO’s Bryant Park Summer Film Festival kicks off June 16th, and is going to continue all throughout the summer, until August 18. Every Monday you will be able to see oldies but goodies, among them “Dr. No”, “The Candidate” and “Superman” (yes, the one with Christopher Reeve).

If you don’t feel like sitting on the grass, and have a more sophisticated taste, head to the Rooftop Films 2008 Summer Series. It runs every weekend till September 27, screening 19 feature films and over 150 short films in 38 screenings. Every show features live bands or DJs, too. Think about it: spectacular views of the city, world premieres of independent movies, music, and all that for a mere $9 (some shows are only $6). The best deal in town!

“SATC” on Top

It’s official: “Sex” sells. Long awaited movie version of “Sex And The City” knocked Indiana Jones from atop the box office in North America over the weekend. Four glamorous chicks had brought an estimated 55.7 million dollars profit, where “Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull,” (previous weekend’s box office leader), earned 46 million.

Thus, “Sex and the City” became the top-opening romantic comedy of all-time, and the second biggest debut for a TV adaptation after “Mission: Impossible II,” which opened with 57.8 million dollars in 2000.

It seems like, more than just another movie, “Sex And The City” is a sociological phenomenon – we went to a few movie theaters near us, just to see groups of dolled up, high-heeled women, making the movie a “girl’s night out”. Needless to say, tickets were all sold out in the East part of Manhattan, until the late evening.

You go, girls!