Today’s “Fab 5″/ Selected NYCity Events – SUNDAY, JAN. 04, 2015.
“We search the internet everyday looking for the very best of What’s Happening on Manhattan’s WestSide, so that you don’t have to. We make it as easy as 1-2-3.”

Celebration of American Circus  — Circus

Holiday Duo Recital  — SpecialEvent/ Holiday Music

The Temptations and The Four Tops on Broadway — Pop/Rock

Nutcracker Rouge — Ballet / Burlesque

Jim Caruso & Billy Stritch — Cabaret

For other useful and curated NYCity event info for Manhattan’s WestSide:
♦ “9 Notable Events-Jan.”, and “Top10 Free” in the header above.
♦ For NYCity trip planning see links in “Resources” and “Smart Stuff” in the header above.
♦ For NYCity Sights, Sounds and Stories visit out our sister site: nyc123blog.wordpress.com

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Celebration of American Circus
“The Big Apple Circus, Les 7 Doigts de la Main and Philippe Petit are among the artists and organizations instrumental in revolutionizing the circus arts. This weekend they will be honored at the first Celebration of American Circus, presented by Circus Now. The event, directed by West Hyler, will be both a ceremony and performance, and will be followed by a reception.” (NYT)

Enlivening the evening will be performances by several of North America’s most talented and esteemed circus performers including:
Charlotte & Nicolas (7 doigts de la main, Pippin) in hand-to-hand
the Ricochet Project (Cohdi Harrel and Laura Stokes) on duo rope
the Anastasini brothers (Big Apple Circus) in a Risley act
Damrosch Park, Lincoln Center,
At 8 p.m./ $20
circusnow.org/celebrate.

Holiday Duo Recital
“The Wagner Society of New York presents this recital with the soprano Jennifer Benke, the tenor Ric Furman and the pianist Tom Bagwell performing works by R. Strauss, Medtner, Barber, Giordano, Sibelius and Wagner.” (NYT)
Theater at the West Side Y.M.C.A., 10 West 64th St.
3pm / $25
212-749-4561 / wagnersocietyny.org.

The Temptations and The Four Tops on Broadway
“No, it’s not just your imagination: Two Motown stalwarts, the Four Tops and the Temptations, are wearing their dancing shoes once again on Broadway this week. Only one original member from each group remains — Abdul Fakir, known as Duke, of the Four Tops and Otis Williams of the Temptations — but still expect them to conjure the old-school magic of hits like “Reach Out, I’ll Be There,” “Ain’t Too Proud to Beg” and “My Girl.” The two groups will hit the road afterward for a cross-country tour.” (NYT)
Palace Theatre, 1564 Broadway and W47th St.
3pm / $52-$142
800-745-3000 / ticketmaster.com

Nutcracker Rouge (last day)
“If ballet ever merged with burlesque, the result might be something like Nutcracker Rouge. This strictly-for-grownups version—by Company XIV, which loves to mash up music, Baroque dance and texts and acrobatics—has Marie (not so much a little girl as a nubile young thing) embarking on a discovery of the sweet things in life—and we’re not talking candy canes. The classically trained dancers pose, pirouette and gyrate to the Tchaikovsky’s greatest hits, as well as Madonna’s (we said it was a mash-up, didn’t we?). If you like your hot chocolate with a little spice, this is for you.” (thoughtgallery.org)

Elsewhere, but looks worth the detour:
Jim Caruso & Billy Stritch
“Two of the town’s most sophisticated goofballs sing, play, and generally throw a party not exactly like the one the pair of them toss at Birdland on Monday nights, but just as much fun. They’ve got something of that old Bob Hope–Bing Crosby chemistry going for them, which ain’t bad. Since they pal around with everybody in the show biz, you never know who’s going to join them for a tune or two. Hey, Liza, is that you over there in the corner? Could be, because you see, folks, this is New York, New York.” (David Finkle, VillageVoice)
Bemelmans Bar
9 p.m./ $15 – $20

xx