December 20, 8pm / $46

New World Stages / 340 W 50th St / between Eighth and Ninth Aves / 10019

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December 19, 8:30pm / $20

Abrons Arts Center at Henry Street Settlement / 466 Grand St at Pitt St / 10002

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Sept. 25, 8 pm / $10-15

The Fillmore New York at Irving Plaza / 17 Irving Place / 10003

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“It’s the audience that makes you a star.” Well, since 1934 audiences have delighted in the acting talents of Brooklyn-born Fyvush Finkel, who goes Back on the Block with CiNYC Host Hank through Manhattan’s Lower East Side. This artisan of the stage and screen was born Philip Finkel in 1922, adopting the stage name of Fyvush (Yiddish for Philip) when he started his almost 35-year career acting in New York’s Yiddish Theater. Mr. Finkel made the move to Broadway in 1964 in the original production of Fiddler on the Roof, eventually landing the lead role of Tevye the milkman during his 12-year run with the show. He was nominated for 2 Emmy Awards and a Golden Globe in the early ‘90s for his role as lawyer Douglas Wambaugh on the television show Picket Fences, winning the Emmy in 1994. Most recently the former furrier appeared in the television series Boston Public and returned to the stage in David Ives’ Off-Broadway play New Jerusalem with the Classic Stage Company. In this special segment of Back on the Block, Hank and Fyvush visit East Village landmarks John’s and The Orpheum Theater, to talk about a life well lived…and still going strong.

John’s
302 East 12th Street, 10003

Orpheum Theater
126 Second Avenue, 10003

www.orpheum-theater.com

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Where do you go to see great theater?

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From their first performance in 1958 at the 92nd Street Y to their current role as international ambassadors, The Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater is known for its excellence and commitment to African American cultural expression. Now a mainstay in New York City culture, Alvin Ailey has performed for an estimated 21 million people in 48 states and 71 countries on six continents. They also offer a myriad of programs to delight and educate, which proves that dance isn’t reserved for the classically trained anymore. The Alvin Ailey Extension program gives anyone a chance to take classes that utilize fun techniques such as Samba and Capoeira. The Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater strives to give dance back to the community, both through invigorating classes and innovative performances.

Free Performances in New York City
* St. George Theatre (Staten Island) – Tuesday, August 5 – PERFORMANCE SOLD OUT (however, classes are available)

* Hostos Center for the Arts and Culture (Bronx) – Wednesday, August 6

* Celebrate Brooklyn – Thursday, August 7

* New York City Center (Manhattan) – Saturday, August 9

* Queens Theatre in the Park – Tuesday, August 12 – PERFORMANCE SOLD OUT (however, classes are available)

Visit the link below for more information about performances and classes.

Have you seen a good performance lately?

Post a comment below and tell us where you go to experience NYC culture!

Catch CiNYC host Christopher Kromer in the critically acclaimed production of George Packer’s “Betrayed” at the Culture Project in 10013, directed by Pippin Parker. Set in Iraq in the tumultuous times following Saddam Hussein’s fall, “Betrayed” tells the story of three young Iraqis and their struggle to reconcile love for their homeland with their belief in the American presence. Christopher portrays a well-intentioned American who undergoes a dramatic shift in perspective throughout the course of the play. With “Betrayed,” Culture Project continues to provide relevant theater exploring the themes of injustice and morality.

www.cultureproject.org

Ellen Stewart originally founded the La MaMa Experimental Theatre Club as a venue to develop and present new performance work. Playwrights, composers, poets, musicians and dancers have all been able to express themselves during the almost fifty years the theatre has resided in the East Village. This creative and nurturing environment has brought artists from all over the world, while also taking La Mama’s resident companies everywhere from the Ukraine to Colombia.

http://lamama.org/

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Robert Deniro and Jane Rosenthal pulled together the Tribeca Film Festival in May of 2002 to provide a venue for filmmakers to give back to the community. The festival happens every spring and has grown to include music and arts as well. It has been such a hit that The Tribeca Cinemas and Gallery has taken up the torch to provide entertainment in-between festivals.

“What we’re doing here at Tribeca Cinemas is really creating a year round cultural hub,” explains Jon Patricof of Tribeca Enterprises. The theater was originally a screening room they saved from destruction. It remains in almost the same state as it was originally in order to preserve the spiritof the venue. They’ve added a gallery upstairs, a drive-in movie theater and a restaurant next door for their various events and cultural creativities. Or, if you’re so inclined, plan your own event and rent out this spectacular space.

Figure out what’s playing at www.tribecafilmfestival.org

54 Varick Street, 10013