This week’s highlights include a preview of 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.
Movie
“Deliverance”
Paris Theater — 4 West 58th St. (Midtown); IPIC Fulton Market — 11 Fulton St (Lower Manhattan)
Limited engagement begins Friday. Times vary.
Director Lee Daniels calls “Deliverance” a “faith-based thriller.” The mastermind behind “Monster’s Ball,” “Precious,” “The Butler” and the hip-hop 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 big names like Glenn Close, Mo’Nique and Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor in the story of a struggling single mother battling her personal demons. But after moving her family to a new home for a fresh start, she encounters an unimaginable demon.
The film, set in Pittsburgh, is inspired by the exorcisms of Latoya Ammons, whose home became known in 2011 as the Demon House of Gary, Indiana. It was also the subject of a surprising 2018 documentary.
New York moviegoers have the chance to catch it on the big screen, either at the historic Paris Theater just off Central Park South or at the upscale IPIC Theater at South Street Seaport, before it hits Netflix on August 30.
As a special treat, Bradley Cooper is expected to moderate a Q&A with Daniels at Friday night’s 7 p.m. screening at the Paris.
$17.
Art
Banksy Museum in New York
277 Canal Street (Soho)
Open 7 days a week, from 10 a.m. to 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 reconstructions of works by the anonymous British street artist known worldwide for his provocative, site-specific and sometimes temporary works, as well as his life-size murals.
Although Banksy prefers his art to be revolutionary (and not embedded in commercial and institutionalized frameworks), the museum’s founder, Hazis Vardar, rationalizes his irreverent concept of a hard interior: “Street art has its place in the raw framework of the street. But if people can’t see it, is it really art?”[…]Most of these ephemeral works can only be seen on tiny smartphone screens, which is no way to experience the scale or emotion of Banksy’s work. So we knew we had to create an exhibition that would bring Banksy’s art back into the public eye.”
Banksy fans and art lovers may want to hurry up and see this before it’s gone.
General admission tickets are $30 with discounts available for seniors, teachers, students and children.
Dance
43rd Annual Drum Dance Festival
Rockefeller Park — 75 Battery Place (Battery Park City)
Until August 17. 7 p.m.
The dance organization’s mission to connect the world through dance by reaching local and international audiences continues with the weeklong event. This year, it features performances by New York-based troupes as well as the Sibiu Ballet Theater and Gigi Căciuleanu Dance Company from Romania, Evelyn Tejeda from the Dominican Republic, Pori Dance Company from Finland, and Wyatt Sutter and Charles Pierson from Chicago.
Battery Dance will also present “Frontiers” by choreographer Rutkay Özpinar. This work was created this year as part of the FUTURE 400 program, an initiative of the Consulate General of the Netherlands in New York.
Free.
Theater
“Empire: The Musical”
New World Stages — 340 West 50th St. (Midtown)
Until September 22. Hours vary.
Directed by Tony Award winner Cady Huffman, with music and lyrics by Caroline Sherman and 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 in 1976.
Tickets start at $49.
Music
Celebrating a birthday
Sony Room — 235 West 46th St. (Midtown)
Sat. August 17, 8 p.m.
The solo singer who has been a part of Stevie Wonder’s Wonderlove and British acid jazz band Incognito will celebrate her 58th revolution around the sun with a show that was postponed last spring. Maysa Leak plans to rock the house with her eight-piece band for a two-hour show featuring songs from her latest album, “Remix For Your Soul,” as well as other tracks from her impressive catalog.
Tickets start at $49.50.
Outdoors
Third Annual House Fest
Nolan Park and Colonels Row, Governor’s Island
Until August 19. Hours vary.
The annual island 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 homes of Nolan Park and Colonel’s Row over three days.
Free.
Family
ELEMENTARY
Disney/Pixar Disney and Pixar’s “Elementary.”
“Movies Under the Stars: Elementary”
Gil Scott-Heron Amphitheater — 450 St Ann’s Ave., Bronx (St. Mary’s Park)
Seated. August 17, 8:30 p.m. – 10:30 p.m.
Pixar’s 27th film, directed by Peter Sohn, centers on a fictional town where all its inhabitants represent the elements of fire, water, earth and air. The story takes on a romantic tone with the main characters voiced by “Nancy Drew” actress Leah Lewis and Emmy nominee Mamoudou Athie. The family film about following your dreams was nominated for an Oscar for Best Animated Feature.
Free.
If you have an event coming up this weekend that you would like to submit for consideration in an upcoming roundup, please email: nycevents@nydailynews.com with details. Consideration does not guarantee inclusion.
