Pre Covid-19 we searched the internet everyday looking for the very best of What’s Happening, primarily on Manhattan’s WestSide, so that you don’t have to.” We made it as easy as 1-2-3.
Covid-19 has required some changes for the time being. Stay Safe.
For the month of April we are going to try a different format – on some days we will go visual and offer a selection of the very best NYCity Instagram photos, YouTube videos, or Pinterest Pins. On other days you will find info on the Best NYC Restaurants or Top OnlineTravel Forums with NYC info. We hope you will come back often to see what’s cooking here. Today it’s NYCity on You-Tube & Pinterest.
We hope you enjoy this change of pace, then please return here May 1, and every day for our daily, hot off the presses event guide with “Only the Best” NYCity event info.
GD: In the age of Covid-19 this info from City Guide is one of the best sources of info on What’s Happening, even if it’s only available in your home, and not in your favorite venue. Stay Safe.
(3/31-4/7) New Yorkers and tourists alike are impacted by COVID-19, but we are resilient. Read on for the latest info about entertainment resources, restaurants still serving amazing meals, closures, and more.
Friday night join the Rosé Mansion virtual Happy Hour. This week’s theme is CRAZY CUPS—bring the funkiest drinking vessel you can find for the chance to win a sweet prize!
Pre Covid-19 we searched the internet everyday looking for the very best of What’s Happening, primarily on Manhattan’s WestSide, so that you don’t have to.” We made it as easy as 1-2-3.
GD: Covid-19 has required some changes for the time being. Stay Safe.
For the month of April we are going to try a different format – on some days we will go visual and offer a selection of the very best NYCity Instagram photos, YouTube videos, or Pinterest Pins. On other days you will find info on the Best NYC Restaurants or Top OnlineTravel Forums with NYC info. We hope you will come back often to see what’s cooking here. Today it’s Best NYCity Restaurants.
It’s not difficult to find a place to eat in Manhattan. Seems like there is at least one restaurant on every block. The New York City health department inspected over 10,000 eating establishments in Manhattan alone last year. And the selection of restaurants includes cuisines from all over the world.
Finding a good place to eat is a bit harder. We could start with New York City’s 72 Michelin-Starred Restaurants, but they are more suitable for those on expense accounts or celebrating a special event. No worries. There are many guides to good eating available, if you know where to look.
Here are a few of my favorite guides to the best restaurants in various neighborhoods:
We hope you enjoy this change of pace, then please return here May 1, and every day for our daily, hot off the presses event guide with “Only the Best” NYCity event info.
Broadway theaters closed on March 12 as New York City enacted rules to promote social distancing and slow the spread of Covid-19, but that doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy a show. The NYC theater community has responded with initiatives and online shows to help support its members and entertain audiences via the internet while we’re staying away from crowds.
We’ve put together a sampling of streaming performances you can watch from your laptop or phone:
Kinky Boots. Photo: Matthew Penrod
Broadway HD
Starting in 2015, this online service began offering HD versions of classic and recent Broadway plays and musicals. You can try it out for free (with a one-week trial) or buy a subscription (from $9 a month) to watch some of your favorite shows. You can see stars like Katherine Hepburn in 1973’s televised version of The Glass Menagerie as well as musical hits like Kinky Boots, An American in Paris and Cats.
Stars in the House
Broadway actor, director and writer (and radio host) Seth Rudetsky and his husband, producer James Wesley, host two shows a day from their house on YouTube. The hourlong shows, which air live at 2pm and 8pm (the usual Broadway start times), raise money for the Actors Fund, helping to provide emergency relief for those unemployed in the theater community.
Living Room Concerts
Broadwayworld.com has started posting daily concert videos from an array of performers, mainly those whose shows were running before the recent closure of Broadway. They’re posting a new video every day—stars featured include Carolee Carmello (Hello, Dolly!), Kathryn Gallagher (Jagged Little Pill) and teenager Andrew Barth Feldman, the former lead in Dear Evan Hansen.
Marie’s Crisis Virtual Piano Bar
This West Village bar, known for sing-alongs to Broadway show tunes, has taken the experience online. They’re streaming two main sets of songs each evening, usually starting at 4pm, with different pianists tickling the ivories. To watch, join their Facebook group and tune in to “Sing out, Louise” (in the comfort of your own living room). You can also tip the piano players via Venmo or PayPal, with details during each performance.
Download recent shows, like the SpongeBob SquarePants musical, on Amazon
Many recent shows are available to rent or buy on Amazon and other online streamers, usually in the range of $3–12. Highlights include Rent, taped just before it ended its Broadway run; 2013’s Carousel, via Live from Lincoln Center; 2010 Tony Award winner Memphis; and the original Broadway production of Into the Woods, starring Bernadette Peters.
Virtual Hal Prince Exhibit at Lincoln Center
In December 2019, the Lincoln Center Library for the Performing Arts opened an exhibit on the late Harold Prince, the legendary Broadway producer behind megahits like The Phantom of the Opera and Sweeney Todd. While the library is closed, you can take a virtual walk-through and 30-minute guided tour of the gallery with Doug Reside, the show’s curator.
Broadway Dreams Live Lessons
The Broadway Dreams Foundation is hosting free daily lessons, led by some accomplished Broadway-caliber talent, for aspiring actors, singers and dancers. Their lineup has included actors from Frozen, Head Over Heels and Chicago. To watch, get the Zoom link from their Facebook page. Sessions begin at 1pm; each day’s links are posted five minutes before class begins, though the schedule is listed earlier than that.
Viral Monologues from 24 Hour Plays
Every year, the 24 Hour Plays event presents a series of shows that are written, cast, directed and performed in one day with the involvement of talent from the NYC theater community. Now they’re doing a mini version, with online monologues, on their Instagram account. They’re performed by actors like Denis O’Hare and penned by playwrights like David Lindsay-Abaire.
Groove to disco versions of Stephen Sondheim songs
Broadway Records just released the digital version of Losing My Mind, a compilation of Sondheim songs with a dance beat. Conceived by Broadway performer Joshua Hinck and arranger Scott Wasserman, the 12-song album is an expanded version of a popular concert they put on in 2018. The album features singers like Alison Luff (Waitress) and Chip Zien (from the original Into the Woods). You can preview a track, “Unworthy of Your Love,” from Passion; hear the collection on Spotify; or order a copy from the Broadway Records site.
Broadway Backwards 2020 Encore
Broadway Cares, which produces number of annual AIDS fundraisers, has put together a special encore series of recent star-studded performances from Broadway Backwards, at which performers belt out famous show tunes with gender-swapped roles. They’re also asking viewers to support an emergency fundraiser for actors affected by the Covid-19 crisis—you can make a donation at broadwaycares.org.
Watch Broadway classics like Cabaret for free on YouTube
These days you may be wondering, “What good is sitting alone in your room?” You can get a very direct answer on YouTube by watching the 1993 version of Cabaret, featuring Alan Cumming in his breakout role. Other star turns worth checking out for free are Bernadette Peters and Mandy Patinkin in American Playhouse‘s 1986 broadcast of Sunday in the Park with George; Carol Burnett in 1964’s Once Upon A Mattress; Nell Carter in a 1982 broadcast of Ain’t Misbehavin’; Lauren Bacall in 1973’s Applause; Gregory and Maurice Hines in 1980’s Eubie!; and Ethel Merman and Frank Sinatra in 1954’s Anything Goes.
Jason Alexander sings on Twitter
While most people know Jason Alexander as George from Seinfeld, he got his big break on Broadway in a Stephen Sondheim musical (Merrily We Roll Along). He recently went on Twitter to sing a song from the show that got him interested in theater, Stephen Schwartz’s Pippin. The beautiful ballad, “With You,” has a message of love and support we can all use today.
Pre Covid-19 we searched the internet everyday looking for the very best of What’s Happening, primarily on Manhattan’s WestSide, so that you don’t have to.” We made it as easy as 1-2-3.
GD: Covid-19 has required some changes for the time being. Stay Safe.
For the month of April we are going to try a different format – on some days we will go visual and offer a selection of the very best NYCity Instagram photos, YouTube videos, or Pinterest Pins. On other days you will find info on the Best NYC Restaurants or Top OnlineTravel Forums with NYC info. We hope you will come back often to see what’s cooking here. Today it’s Selected NYC Instagram Photos (b).
We hope you enjoy this change of pace, then please return here May 1, and every day for our daily, hot off the presses event guide with “Only the Best” NYCity event info.
GD: In the age of Covid-19 this info from City Guide is one of the best sources of info on What’s Happening, even if it’s only available in your home, and not in your favorite venue. Stay Safe.
(3/31-4/7) New Yorkers and tourists alike are impacted by COVID-19, but we are resilient. Read on for the latest info about entertainment resources, restaurants still serving amazing meals, closures, and more.
Friday night join the Rosé Mansion virtual Happy Hour. This week’s theme is CRAZY CUPS—bring the funkiest drinking vessel you can find for the chance to win a sweet prize!
Pre Covid-19 we searched the internet everyday looking for the very best of What’s Happening, primarily on Manhattan’s WestSide, so that you don’t have to.” We made it as easy as 1-2-3.
GD: Covid-19 has required some changes for the time being. Stay Safe.
For the month of April we are going to try a different format – on some days we will go visual and offer a selection of the very best NYCity Instagram photos, YouTube videos, or Pinterest Pins. On other days you will find info on the Best NYC Restaurants or Top OnlineTravel Forums with NYC info. We hope you will come back often to see what’s cooking here. Today it’s The Nifty Nine NYC News sources.
We hope you enjoy this change of pace, then please return here May 1, and every day for our daily, hot off the presses event guide with “Only the Best” NYCity event info.
Despite widespread closures and cancellations related to Covid-19 in New York City, there are still plenty of ways to explore the five boroughs while socially distancing. We’ve rounded up online resources from museums, galleries, comedy clubs, theaters and other venues so that you can experience the best of New York City virtually. Read on for dozens of ways to connect with your favorite NYC attractions—or discover new ones—from home or wherever you’re socially distancing right now.
NYC & Company will promote organizations across the five boroughs that offer virtual experiences online. To be listed, please fill out our participation form.
Kinky Boots. Photo: Matthew Murphy
Broadway
24-Hour Plays presents a series of shows that are written, cast, directed and performed by the NYC theater community in one day. Now they’re doing a mini version of this, presented on their Instagram account.
Broadway Cares has put together a special encore series of two dozen or so recent star-studded performances from Broadway Backwards, where genders are swapped on famous show tunes.
The Broadway Dreams foundation is hosting free daily Broadway Dreams Live Lessons for aspiring student actors, singers and dancers with some accomplished Broadway-caliber talent.
Broadway HD offers high-definition versions of classic and more recent Broadway plays and musicals. (Note: this is a paid service.)
Groove to disco versions of Stephen Sondheim songs on Broadway Records. (Purchase is required for this too.)
BroadwayWorld.com, which covers the NYC theater community, has started posting daily Living Room Concerts from performers in shows that are temporarily closed.
West Village bar Marie’s Crisis has taken its sing-along experience online with two sets of songs each night evening at 4pm. (You’ll need to join the Facebook group to access.)
Stars in the House is a daily live YouTube channel raising money for the Actors Fund emergency relief for those unemployed in the theater community.
Littlefield’s weekly stand-up showcase, Butterboy, plans on streaming its show independently on Mondays at 7pm, with $5 tickets available on EventBrite.
While The Amazing Max is on hiatus from Off-Broadway performances, the Amazing Max himself will offer online magic lessons for kids. (Note: this is a paid service.)
Brooklyn Game Lab has made live game-related programming available to all during NYC’s store closures.
The Children’s Museum of Art has some how-to art projects online.
Historic Richmond Town brings its living history demonstrations online as well as its collection of vintage photographs and other educational resources.
Lincoln Center at Home provides a daily learning activity on Facebook Live through its pop-up classroom; there are regular kid-friendly concerts as well.
The Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island remain symbols of hope. Take quizzes to test your knowledge of the sites.
Film
Though BAM’s live cinema is on hold, you can still rent movies to screen at home (tickets are $12 for a 3-day rental) from the institution’s robust film program.
Tune in to Film at Lincoln Center’s Film Comment podcast.
The Paley Center is streaming previously unreleased discussions of popular TV shows like This Is Us, The Office and Parks and Recreation for free on YouTube.
The 10th annual Queens Film Festival will screen 220 independent films from 32 nations on discovered.tv from March 19 to 29.
View Aperture’s special online exhibits on women photographers, and purchase prints and books from their online shop.
Visit the online viewing rooms of David Zwirner, with works by the likes of Jeff Koons, Marlene Dumas and Chris Ofili.
See Gagosian’s installation views of works by Donald Judd, Richard Prince and Roe Ethridge.
Find an online viewing room, available through March 31, for Hollis Taggart’s latest exhibit: the works of abstract expressionist William Scharf. (Note: email sign-up required.)
Lévy Gory offers online viewing rooms of works from Art Basel Hong Kong. (Note: email sign-up required.)
Dorothea Lange. Tractored Out. Childress County, Texas. 1938. Gelatin Silver Print. The Museum of Modern Art. Purchase
Museums and Cultural Institutions
View much of the Alice Austen House collection online, including photographs and texts describing Austen’s life and work.
The American Folk Art Museum makes its collection of books, paintings, textiles and other works available on its website.
While the Brooklyn Historical Society is closed, you can still visit its collection digitally, with online exhibits on the history of Brooklyn’s waterfront and the borough’s anti-slavery movement.
The Brooklyn Museum will be sharing Art for the Socially Distanced, spotlighting a piece from the collection on their tumblr each day.
The Coney Island History Project includes a compilation of nearly 100 oral histories and a digital archive of photos, which reveal the seaside park’s rich history.
The Jewish Museum offers mobile tours of their collection, featuring the voices of Kehinde Wiley, Isaac Mizrahi and others.
Take advantage of immersive 360-degree videos of The Metropolitan Museum of Art’s most beloved locations, including The Met Cloisters, The Met Breuer and the Fifth Avenue museum’s Temple of Dendur and arms and armor galleries.
The Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) operates a lively and informative YouTube channel with all sorts of videos about art and artists, including a piece on its Dorothea Lange photography show and interviews with famous directors in the channel’s film section.
Look at photos of the Neue Galerie’s exhibit on Viennese photographer Madame d’Ora and see views of the installation with a video from the exhibit’s curator.
At the New York Botanical Garden online, visitors can explore recent installations, browse horticulture lecture videos and stay up to date with its latest news.
Check out video highlights on the Whitney Museum of American Art Watch and Listen page, which includes content from their critically acclaimed Vida Americana exhibit.
Courtesy, Met Opera
Performances
The 92Y is livestreaming some of its offerings for free; others, like an online film lecture series by Columbia University’s Annette Innsdorf (starting March 29), require registration and payment.
For the next eight weeks, the Chamber Music Society will release concerts from its 50-year archive every day at 12:30pm.
The Jazz at Lincoln Center blog and Youtube channel are two great resources for adding some music to your time at home.
Joe’s Pub at the Public hosts Live from the Archives, streaming past performances every Thursday, Friday and Saturday at 8pm.
The Metropolitan Opera has been an innovator for years with its live high-definition broadcasts. Now they’re streaming one opera a day, starting at 7pm.
Stream avant-garde dance performances from the New York Live Arts archive for free; three shows will be featured each week.
Though the New York Philharmonic canceled the rest of its season, you can still enjoy its music through the NY Phil Plays On platform.
Nowadays has launched Virtual Nowadays, a nightly stream of DJ sets and music discussions beginning at 8pm.
Turnstile Tours will be hosting daily virtual versions of their citywide tours, including up-close looks at the Brooklyn Army Terminal and Prospect Park. (Note: some sessions charge a small fee.)
Viewing NYC has articles, photo galleries and videos that give a virtual first-person look at NYC attractions. Here’s one of walking across the Brooklyn Bridge.
Pre Covid-19 we searched the internet everyday looking for the very best of What’s Happening, primarily on Manhattan’s WestSide, so that you don’t have to.” We made it as easy as 1-2-3.
Covid-19 has required some changes for the time being. Stay Safe.
For the month of April we are going to try a different format – on some days we will go visual and offer a selection of the very best NYCity Instagram photos, YouTube videos, or Pinterest Pins. On other days you will find info on the Best NYC Restaurants or Top OnlineTravel Forums with NYC info. We hope you will come back often to see what’s cooking here. Today it’s NYCity on You-Tube & Pinterest.
We hope you enjoy this change of pace, then please return here May 1, and every day for our daily, hot off the presses event guide with “Only the Best” NYCity event info.
With Broadway gone dark until further notice, SiriusXM Broadway host Seth Rudetsky and his husband, producer-performer James Wesley, are producing “Stars in the House,”
a daily mini-show presented online only. The show features stage and screen stars such as Kelli O’Hara, Brian Stokes Mitchell, Sara Bareilles and more performing live from the healthy confines of their own homes, as well as clever conversation between the married pair.
The advent of the COVID-19 pandemic caused the Metropolitan Opera to cancel the rest of its 2019-2020 season. Buffs can still enjoy nights at the opera by viewing past performances from the Met’s “Live in HD” series streamed online daily for 20 hours; the streams will also be available via On Demand apps for Apple and Amazon plus Roku devices and Samsung Smart TV. Broadcast information, updated timings and cuesheets will be posted Thursday nights. Among the performances you can catch is “La Traviata” starring Diana Damrau and Juan Diego Florez (pictured).
WHEN Programs start at 7:30 p.m. and stream until 3:30 p.m. the following day
Instructor Anita Haravon (pictured) and the folks at All Beings Yoga have found a way to help the masses find inner peace by offering one-hour Live Stream Yoga sessions. Registered participants will receive a meeting link by email five minutes before each online class begins. WHEN 9:30 a.m. Saturday-Sunday and 7 p.m. Tuesday and Thursday
Like other museums, the Guggenheim is closed, but it’s got a heck of an online presence. Visit the museum’s site to hear Guggenheim staffers and radio host Roman Mars discuss the museum’s architecture and to view lots of its collection or take a virtual tour via Google Arts and Culture (artsandculture.google.com)
92nd Street Y, like all other city performance spaces, has suspended its in-person programs, but you can still see its shows, many of which will be streamed live for the time being. Among the shows scheduled to stream: a 3 p.m. Sunday performance by pianist Anthony de Mare (pictured), who will be paying tribute to the iconic composer Stephen Sondheim, who just celebrated his 90th birthday.
Broadway theaters closed on March 12 as New York City enacted rules to promote social distancing and slow the spread of Covid-19, but that doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy a show. The NYC theater community has responded with initiatives and online shows to help support its members and entertain audiences via the internet while we’re staying away from crowds.
We’ve put together a sampling of streaming performances you can watch from your laptop or phone:
Kinky Boots. Photo: Matthew Penrod
Broadway HD
Starting in 2015, this online service began offering HD versions of classic and recent Broadway plays and musicals. You can try it out for free (with a one-week trial) or buy a subscription (from $9 a month) to watch some of your favorite shows. You can see stars like Katherine Hepburn in 1973’s televised version of The Glass Menagerie as well as musical hits like Kinky Boots, An American in Paris and Cats.
Stars in the House
Broadway actor, director and writer (and radio host) Seth Rudetsky and his husband, producer James Wesley, host two shows a day from their house on YouTube. The hourlong shows, which air live at 2pm and 8pm (the usual Broadway start times), raise money for the Actors Fund, helping to provide emergency relief for those unemployed in the theater community.
Living Room Concerts
Broadwayworld.com has started posting daily concert videos from an array of performers, mainly those whose shows were running before the recent closure of Broadway. They’re posting a new video every day—stars featured include Carolee Carmello (Hello, Dolly!), Kathryn Gallagher (Jagged Little Pill) and teenager Andrew Barth Feldman, the former lead in Dear Evan Hansen.
Marie’s Crisis Virtual Piano Bar
This West Village bar, known for sing-alongs to Broadway show tunes, has taken the experience online. They’re streaming two main sets of songs each evening, usually starting at 4pm, with different pianists tickling the ivories. To watch, join their Facebook group and tune in to “Sing out, Louise” (in the comfort of your own living room). You can also tip the piano players via Venmo or PayPal, with details during each performance.
Download recent shows, like the SpongeBob SquarePants musical, on Amazon
Many recent shows are available to rent or buy on Amazon and other online streamers, usually in the range of $3–12. Highlights include Rent, taped just before it ended its Broadway run; 2013’s Carousel, via Live from Lincoln Center; 2010 Tony Award winner Memphis; and the original Broadway production of Into the Woods, starring Bernadette Peters.
Virtual Hal Prince Exhibit at Lincoln Center
In December 2019, the Lincoln Center Library for the Performing Arts opened an exhibit on the late Harold Prince, the legendary Broadway producer behind megahits like The Phantom of the Opera and Sweeney Todd. While the library is closed, you can take a virtual walk-through and 30-minute guided tour of the gallery with Doug Reside, the show’s curator.
Broadway Dreams Live Lessons
The Broadway Dreams Foundation is hosting free daily lessons, led by some accomplished Broadway-caliber talent, for aspiring actors, singers and dancers. Their lineup has included actors from Frozen, Head Over Heels and Chicago. To watch, get the Zoom link from their Facebook page. Sessions begin at 1pm; each day’s links are posted five minutes before class begins, though the schedule is listed earlier than that.
Viral Monologues from 24 Hour Plays
Every year, the 24 Hour Plays event presents a series of shows that are written, cast, directed and performed in one day with the involvement of talent from the NYC theater community. Now they’re doing a mini version, with online monologues, on their Instagram account. They’re performed by actors like Denis O’Hare and penned by playwrights like David Lindsay-Abaire.
Groove to disco versions of Stephen Sondheim songs
Broadway Records just released the digital version of Losing My Mind, a compilation of Sondheim songs with a dance beat. Conceived by Broadway performer Joshua Hinck and arranger Scott Wasserman, the 12-song album is an expanded version of a popular concert they put on in 2018. The album features singers like Alison Luff (Waitress) and Chip Zien (from the original Into the Woods). You can preview a track, “Unworthy of Your Love,” from Passion; hear the collection on Spotify; or order a copy from the Broadway Records site.
Broadway Backwards 2020 Encore
Broadway Cares, which produces number of annual AIDS fundraisers, has put together a special encore series of recent star-studded performances from Broadway Backwards, at which performers belt out famous show tunes with gender-swapped roles. They’re also asking viewers to support an emergency fundraiser for actors affected by the Covid-19 crisis—you can make a donation at broadwaycares.org.
Watch Broadway classics like Cabaret for free on YouTube
These days you may be wondering, “What good is sitting alone in your room?” You can get a very direct answer on YouTube by watching the 1993 version of Cabaret, featuring Alan Cumming in his breakout role. Other star turns worth checking out for free are Bernadette Peters and Mandy Patinkin in American Playhouse‘s 1986 broadcast of Sunday in the Park with George; Carol Burnett in 1964’s Once Upon A Mattress; Nell Carter in a 1982 broadcast of Ain’t Misbehavin’; Lauren Bacall in 1973’s Applause; Gregory and Maurice Hines in 1980’s Eubie!; and Ethel Merman and Frank Sinatra in 1954’s Anything Goes.
Jason Alexander sings on Twitter
While most people know Jason Alexander as George from Seinfeld, he got his big break on Broadway in a Stephen Sondheim musical (Merrily We Roll Along). He recently went on Twitter to sing a song from the show that got him interested in theater, Stephen Schwartz’s Pippin. The beautiful ballad, “With You,” has a message of love and support we can all use today.
Pre Covid-19 we searched the internet everyday looking for the very best of What’s Happening, primarily on Manhattan’s WestSide, so that you don’t have to.” We made it as easy as 1-2-3.
GD: Covid-19 has required some changes for the time being. Stay Safe.
For the month of March we are going to try a different format – on some days we will go visual and offer a selection of the very best NYCity Instagram photos, YouTube videos, or Pinterest Pins. On other days you will find info on the Best NYC Restaurants or Top OnlineTravel Forums with NYC info. We hope you will come back often to see what’s cooking here. Today it’s Best NYCity Restaurants.
It’s not difficult to find a place to eat in Manhattan. Seems like there is at least one restaurant on every block. The New York City health department inspected over 10,000 eating establishments in Manhattan alone last year. And the selection of restaurants includes cuisines from all over the world.
Finding a good place to eat is a bit harder. We could start with New York City’s 72 Michelin-Starred Restaurants, but they are more suitable for those on expense accounts or celebrating a special event. No worries. There are many guides to good eating available, if you know where to look.
Here are a few of my favorite guides to the best restaurants in various neighborhoods:
We hope you enjoy this change of pace, then please return here April 1, and every day for our daily, hot off the presses event guide with “Only the Best” NYCity event info.
Broadway theaters closed on March 12 as New York City enacted rules to promote social distancing and slow the spread of Covid-19, but that doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy a show. The NYC theater community has responded with initiatives and online shows to help support its members and entertain audiences via the internet while we’re staying away from crowds.
We’ve put together a sampling of streaming performances you can watch from your laptop or phone:
Kinky Boots. Photo: Matthew Penrod
Broadway HD
Starting in 2015, this online service began offering HD versions of classic and recent Broadway plays and musicals. You can try it out for free (with a one-week trial) or buy a subscription (from $9 a month) to watch some of your favorite shows. You can see stars like Katherine Hepburn in 1973’s televised version of The Glass Menagerie as well as musical hits like Kinky Boots, An American in Paris and Cats.
Stars in the House
Broadway actor, director and writer (and radio host) Seth Rudetsky and his husband, producer James Wesley, host two shows a day from their house on YouTube. The hourlong shows, which air live at 2pm and 8pm (the usual Broadway start times), raise money for the Actors Fund, helping to provide emergency relief for those unemployed in the theater community.
Living Room Concerts
Broadwayworld.com has started posting daily concert videos from an array of performers, mainly those whose shows were running before the recent closure of Broadway. They’re posting a new video every day—stars featured include Carolee Carmello (Hello, Dolly!), Kathryn Gallagher (Jagged Little Pill) and teenager Andrew Barth Feldman, the former lead in Dear Evan Hansen.
Marie’s Crisis Virtual Piano Bar
This West Village bar, known for sing-alongs to Broadway show tunes, has taken the experience online. They’re streaming two main sets of songs each evening, usually starting at 4pm, with different pianists tickling the ivories. To watch, join their Facebook group and tune in to “Sing out, Louise” (in the comfort of your own living room). You can also tip the piano players via Venmo or PayPal, with details during each performance.
Download recent shows, like the SpongeBob SquarePants musical, on Amazon
Many recent shows are available to rent or buy on Amazon and other online streamers, usually in the range of $3–12. Highlights include Rent, taped just before it ended its Broadway run; 2013’s Carousel, via Live from Lincoln Center; 2010 Tony Award winner Memphis; and the original Broadway production of Into the Woods, starring Bernadette Peters.
Virtual Hal Prince Exhibit at Lincoln Center
In December 2019, the Lincoln Center Library for the Performing Arts opened an exhibit on the late Harold Prince, the legendary Broadway producer behind megahits like The Phantom of the Opera and Sweeney Todd. While the library is closed, you can take a virtual walk-through and 30-minute guided tour of the gallery with Doug Reside, the show’s curator.
Broadway Dreams Live Lessons
The Broadway Dreams Foundation is hosting free daily lessons, led by some accomplished Broadway-caliber talent, for aspiring actors, singers and dancers. Their lineup has included actors from Frozen, Head Over Heels and Chicago. To watch, get the Zoom link from their Facebook page. Sessions begin at 1pm; each day’s links are posted five minutes before class begins, though the schedule is listed earlier than that.
Viral Monologues from 24 Hour Plays
Every year, the 24 Hour Plays event presents a series of shows that are written, cast, directed and performed in one day with the involvement of talent from the NYC theater community. Now they’re doing a mini version, with online monologues, on their Instagram account. They’re performed by actors like Denis O’Hare and penned by playwrights like David Lindsay-Abaire.
Groove to disco versions of Stephen Sondheim songs
Broadway Records just released the digital version of Losing My Mind, a compilation of Sondheim songs with a dance beat. Conceived by Broadway performer Joshua Hinck and arranger Scott Wasserman, the 12-song album is an expanded version of a popular concert they put on in 2018. The album features singers like Alison Luff (Waitress) and Chip Zien (from the original Into the Woods). You can preview a track, “Unworthy of Your Love,” from Passion; hear the collection on Spotify; or order a copy from the Broadway Records site.
Broadway Backwards 2020 Encore
Broadway Cares, which produces number of annual AIDS fundraisers, has put together a special encore series of recent star-studded performances from Broadway Backwards, at which performers belt out famous show tunes with gender-swapped roles. They’re also asking viewers to support an emergency fundraiser for actors affected by the Covid-19 crisis—you can make a donation at broadwaycares.org.
Watch Broadway classics like Cabaret for free on YouTube
These days you may be wondering, “What good is sitting alone in your room?” You can get a very direct answer on YouTube by watching the 1993 version of Cabaret, featuring Alan Cumming in his breakout role. Other star turns worth checking out for free are Bernadette Peters and Mandy Patinkin in American Playhouse‘s 1986 broadcast of Sunday in the Park with George; Carol Burnett in 1964’s Once Upon A Mattress; Nell Carter in a 1982 broadcast of Ain’t Misbehavin’; Lauren Bacall in 1973’s Applause; Gregory and Maurice Hines in 1980’s Eubie!; and Ethel Merman and Frank Sinatra in 1954’s Anything Goes.
Jason Alexander sings on Twitter
While most people know Jason Alexander as George from Seinfeld, he got his big break on Broadway in a Stephen Sondheim musical (Merrily We Roll Along). He recently went on Twitter to sing a song from the show that got him interested in theater, Stephen Schwartz’s Pippin. The beautiful ballad, “With You,” has a message of love and support we can all use today.
Pre Covid-19 we searched the internet everyday looking for the very best of What’s Happening, primarily on Manhattan’s WestSide, so that you don’t have to.” We made it as easy as 1-2-3.
GD: Covid-19 has required some changes for the time being. Stay Safe.
For the month of March we are going to try a different format – on some days we will go visual and offer a selection of the very best NYCity Instagram photos, YouTube videos, or Pinterest Pins. On other days you will find info on the Best NYC Restaurants or Top OnlineTravel Forums with NYC info. We hope you will come back often to see what’s cooking here. Today it’s NYCity Instagram Photos (a).
We hope you enjoy this change of pace, then please return here April 1, and every day for our daily, hot off the presses event guide with “Only the Best” NYCity event info.
With Broadway gone dark until further notice, SiriusXM Broadway host Seth Rudetsky and his husband, producer-performer James Wesley, are producing “Stars in the House,”
a daily mini-show presented online only. The show features stage and screen stars such as Kelli O’Hara, Brian Stokes Mitchell, Sara Bareilles and more performing live from the healthy confines of their own homes, as well as clever conversation between the married pair.
The advent of the COVID-19 pandemic caused the Metropolitan Opera to cancel the rest of its 2019-2020 season. Buffs can still enjoy nights at the opera by viewing past performances from the Met’s “Live in HD” series streamed online daily for 20 hours; the streams will also be available via On Demand apps for Apple and Amazon plus Roku devices and Samsung Smart TV. Broadcast information, updated timings and cuesheets will be posted Thursday nights. Among the performances you can catch is “La Traviata” starring Diana Damrau and Juan Diego Florez (pictured).
WHEN Programs start at 7:30 p.m. and stream until 3:30 p.m. the following day
Instructor Anita Haravon (pictured) and the folks at All Beings Yoga have found a way to help the masses find inner peace by offering one-hour Live Stream Yoga sessions. Registered participants will receive a meeting link by email five minutes before each online class begins. WHEN 9:30 a.m. Saturday-Sunday and 7 p.m. Tuesday and Thursday
Like other museums, the Guggenheim is closed, but it’s got a heck of an online presence. Visit the museum’s site to hear Guggenheim staffers and radio host Roman Mars discuss the museum’s architecture and to view lots of its collection or take a virtual tour via Google Arts and Culture (artsandculture.google.com)
92nd Street Y, like all other city performance spaces, has suspended its in-person programs, but you can still see its shows, many of which will be streamed live for the time being. Among the shows scheduled to stream: a 3 p.m. Sunday performance by pianist Anthony de Mare (pictured), who will be paying tribute to the iconic composer Stephen Sondheim, who just celebrated his 90th birthday.
GD: In the age of Covid-19 this info from City Guide is one of the best sources of info on What’s Happening, even if it’s only available in your home, and not in your favorite venue. Stay Safe.
“Most cities are nouns. New York City is a verb.”—John F. Kennedy
New Yorkers and tourists alike are impacted by COVID-19, but we are resilient. Read on for the latest info about entertainment resources, restaurants still serving amazing meals, closures, and more.
(3/19-3/29) 2020 Queens World Film Festival will be streaming online. The festival presents cinematic treasures presented in thematic blocks from filmmakers residing all over the globe—yet all engaged in similar conversations.
NYC UPDATES
On Thursday, March 12, New York City declared a State of Emergency, due to the spread of COVID-19. We are updating this page about closures as quickly as possible.
Foreign nationals who have been in China or Iran within the past 14 days cannot enter the United States.
U.S. citizens, residents, and their immediate family members who have been in China or Iran within in the past 14 days can enter the United States, but they are subject to health monitoring and possible quarantine for up to 14 days.
On March 11, a similar policy was expanded to include 26 European countries for a period of 30 days.
On March 14, a similar policy was issued to include the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland.
Additionally, CDC has issued the following additional specific travel guidance related to COVID-19.
ARTECHOUSE NYC is now temporarily closed. This pioneering digital gallery, new to Chelsea, has launched the #SupportARTECHOUSE campaign. Anytime Access passes can be purchased at a discount and redeemed for a later visit at any ARTECHOUSE location, which includes D.C. and Miami in addition to NYC. You can find this offer, as well as the option to simply donate to support the future of large-scale digital art, HERE.
“Most cities are nouns. New York City is a verb.”—John F. Kennedy
New Yorkers and tourists alike are impacted by COVID-19, but we are resilient. Read on for the latest info about entertainment resources, restaurants still serving amazing meals, closures, and more.
Friday night join the Rosé Mansion virtual Happy Hour. This week’s theme is CRAZY CUPS—bring the funkiest drinking vessel you can find for the chance to win a sweet prize!
(3/19-3/29) 2020 Queens World Film Festival will be streaming online. The festival presents cinematic treasures presented in thematic blocks from filmmakers residing all over the globe—yet all engaged in similar conversations.
Since 1981, Linhart Dentistry has been taking care of New. York City. Although for the safety of patients and staff the Linhart Dentistry offices are closed, Linhart is still serving the community. If you have any dental issues, questions, or emergencies, a dentist is on call 24/7. Just dial 212-682-5180 and press 1 to reach a doctor on his or her cellphone. Any emergencies will be handled promptly and with the care that you expect from Linhart. You can also leave a message by pressing 2. Voicemails and emails will be checked daily so please feel free to call or email at info@drlinhart.com
ARTECHOUSE NYC is now temporarily closed. This pioneering digital gallery, new to Chelsea, has launched the #SupportARTECHOUSE campaign. Anytime Access passes can be purchased at a discount and redeemed for a later visit at any ARTECHOUSE location, which includes D.C. and Miami in addition to NYC. You can find this offer, as well as the option to simply donate to support the future of large-scale digital art, HERE.
Kinky Boots. Photo: Matthew Penrod
Kinky Boots. Photo: Matthew Murphy
Spyscape. Photo: Molly Flores
Dorothea Lange. Tractored Out. Childress County, Texas. 1938. Gelatin Silver Print. The Museum of Modern Art. Purchase
Courtesy, Met Opera
Photo: Julienne Schaer
