#WeeklyColumn | It’s In Queens! Feb. 15 to Feb. 21
BY QEDC It's In Queens
As public schools are on break this week, the borough hosts a variety of youth-enrichment activities — everything from film to engineering to insects. Ghosts, Beethoven, Sleeping Beauty, and daring plane fighters are also on tap. Don’t forget the lecture on bats.
Feb. 15, Mid-Winter Ghost Hunting Course, 8:30 pm. Rumors that Neir’s Tavern is haunted have been swirling for almost 200 years. On this night, participants take a crash course on ghost-hunting and then search for paranormal activity with ghost meters, infrared temperature detectors, dowsing rods, and other equipment. Neir’s, 87-48 78th St., Woodhaven.
Feb. 15, Classical Music Concert, 8 pm. Acclaimed pianist HaeSun Paik and the New York Classical Players offer a Beethoven double feature. Flushing Town Hall, 137-35 Northern Blvd.
Feb. 15, Black History Month Celebration Part III, 5 pm. The world premiere of “Barzack Towers,” a 13-minute Sci-Fi short, followed by “’63 Boycott,” a documentary on a massive walkout to protest public school segregation in Chicago. Then, the filmmakers and Afrikan Poetry Theatre Executive Director Saiku Branch chat with student filmmakers. Museum of the Moving Image, 36-01 35th Ave., Astoria’s Kaufman Arts District.
Feb. 16, Sleeping Beauty, 1 pm (workshop) & 2:15 pm (performance). David Gonzalez leads an interactive storytelling workshop emphasizing language, voice, gesture, and imagination. Then, Gonzalez offers rhymed verse to spin a classic fairy tale with live music, image projections, and Chinese subtitles. Flushing Town Hall, 137-35 Northern Blvd.
Feb. 16, Midwinter Recess Family Programs, Feb. 24. Screenings of “Paddington 2” and Sweet Blackberry Presents, a program of three animated shorts about Henry “Box” Brown’s daring escape from slavery, groundbreaking prima ballerina Janet Collins, and the first black female aviator Bessie Coleman. In addition, families are welcome to drop in for activities exploring sounds for films and creating handmade instruments. Museum of the Moving Image, 36-01 35th Ave., Astoria’s Kaufman Arts District.
Feb. 16, Black Angels Over Tuskegee, 2 pm. This play chronicles the Tuskegee Airmen, the first African-American fighter pilots in U.S. military history. These talented aviators struggled to overcome myths regarding their ability, intelligence, and patriotism. Jamaica Performing Arts Center, 153-10 Jamaica Ave.
Feb. 16, For the Love of Queens 5K and 10K Relay, 9 am start. Run in a five-kilometer race alone or a 10-kilometer relay with a friend. It’s a fast course with a special DJ and hot cocoa. Meet at Queens Museum in Flushing Meadows Corona Park.
Feb. 17, Chinese New Year Temple Bazaar, 11 am + 2 pm. For centuries, the Chinese have celebrated Lunar New Year in temple fairs. Flushing Town Hall seizes the moment with performances, art-making, lantern-making, and food to celebrate the Year of the Pig. Flushing Town Hall, 137-35 Northern Blvd.
Feb. 17, Lyrics of Light, Lyrics of Love: A Tribute to Lewis H. Latimer, 3 pm. Writer and spoken word artist Bob McNeil, who authored “Verses of Realness,” performs a musical and poetical tribute. Lewis H. Latimer House Museum, 34-41 137th St., Flushing.
Feb. 17, Opening Reception for Distance: Works on Paper by Skowhegan Alumni, 2 pm. The selected art explores the concept of distance: physical, chronological, intellectual, emotional, and geographic. Exhibit will be on display until April 7. Dorsky Gallery, 11-03 45th Ave., LIC.
Feb. 18, Engineering Week, Feb. 22. The museum and NYU’s Tandon School of Engineering have developed daily educational activities and programs. New York Hall of Science, 47-01 111th St., Flushing Meadows Corona Park.
Feb. 19, February Break Family Programs, Feb. 22. Four days of children’s enrichment activities at 1 pm: George Washington Carver Workshop on Feb. 19; Storytime & Crafts on Feb. 20; Heart Worms on Feb. 21; and Bugging Out on Feb. 22. Queens Botanical Garden, 43-50 Main St., Flushing.
Feb. 20, Nocturnal Neighbors: The Bats of New York City, 8 pm. Kaitlyn Parkins, a conservation biologist for New York City Audubon, discusses the lives of the bats in NYC. She has results from years of research, including statistics on how bats use green roofs as foraging habitats. Alley Pond Environmental Center, 228-06 Northern Blvd., Douglaston.
Feb. 20, Folk Music Sing-a-Long, 3:30 pm. Moreno Ferreira, a multi-instrumentalist, vocalist, and music instructor, sings “Train is A-Comin’,” “Shoo, Fly,” and other classics. Queens Historical Society, Kingsland Homestead, 143-35 137th St., Flushing.
Feb. 20, Worse Than War: Genocide, Eliminationism, And The Ongoing Assault On Humanity, noon. This documentary looks at genocides. How and why do they start? Why do the perpetrators kill? Why has timely intervention rarely occurred? Kupferberg Holocaust Center, Queensborough Community College, 222-05 56th Ave., Bayside.
Feb. 21, Family Terrariums, 1 pm. A hands-on workshop to learn about the ecosystem of a terrarium and create one to take home. A bit of history, a touch of science, and a burst of creativity. Initially known as “Wardian cases” and used to transport plants over long distances, terrariums were popular fixtures in Victorian homes. Voelker Orth Museum, 149-19 38th Ave., Flushing.
Feb. 21, Conversation on Listing, Remembrance and the Politics of Mourning, 7 pm. The program departs from The List, a growing document that traces information related to the deaths of refugees, asylum seekers, and migrants within or on the borders of Europe since 1993, compiled by UNITED for Intercultural Action. SculptureCenter, 44-19 Purves St., LIC.
Feb. 21, Omar Edwards, It’s a Jam: The History of Tap Dance America, 7 pm. Spend the evening with legendary tap artist and rhythm master Omar Edwards, along with some musicians and special guests. The audience is invited to participate. Jamaica Performing Arts Center, 161-04 Jamaica Ave.
Continued from the previous week
Cyrano, Cyrano, until Feb. 17. Four actors play more than 100 characters in this 70-minute play full of romance, sword fighting, and quick changes. The remaining schedule is Feb. 14-16 at 7: 30 pm and Feb. 17 at 4 pm. Queens Theatre, 14 United Nations Ave. S., Flushing Meadows Corona Park.
Poets of Pandaemonium: The Cinema of Derek Jarman and Humphrey Jennings, until Feb. 17. This retrospective juxtaposes two 20th century English filmmakers. Jennings was a documentarian, while Jarman addressed queer life. Schedule: “Sebastiane + The Silent Village,” Feb. 15, 7 pm; “War Requiem + The True Story of Lili Marlene,” Feb. 16, 7 pm; and “Jubilee + Fires Were Started,” Feb. 17, 6 pm. Museum of the Moving Image, 36-01 35th Ave., Astoria’s Kaufman Arts District.
The Glass Menagerie, until Feb. 24. Pigeonholed Theater presents the classic Tennessee Williams play about family, dreams, bitterness, and abandonment. Weekdays and Saturdays at 7:30 pm; Sundays at 2 pm. The Secret Theatre, 44-02 23rd St., Long Island City.
Latinx Homages, until March 10. Tremendous dance and music by Latino singers and composers. Salsa, Cumbia, Tex-Mex, Cha-cha-cha, and Mambo. Fridays and Saturdays at 8 pm, Sundays at 4 pm. Thalía Spanish Theatre, 41-17 Greenpoint Ave., Sunnyside.
Wall Floor Positions, until Feb. 23. As part of the exhibition “Bruce Nauman: Disappearing Acts,” artists make themselves into minimalist prop sculptures, moving through various poses in relation to the floor and wall. Live performances every hour from 1 pm to 5 pm on Fridays and Saturdays. MoMA PS1, 22-25 Jackson Ave., LIC.
In Practice: Other Objects, until March 25. This exhibition displays new pieces by 11 artists and artist teams that probe the slippages and interplay between objecthood and personhood. SculptureCenter, 44-19 Purves St., LIC.
Images: Flushing Town Hall
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