We know not everyone is going away during New York City’s official spring break. Lucky for you, there are plenty of escapes right nearby. Here are three must-catch suggestions on the homefront:
“Real Women Have Curves” on Broadway
This show is still in previews, which makes getting discount tickets a bit easier. It’s the best thing I’ve seen all year, and there’s a ton of great theater right now (“Purpose,” “The Picture of Dorian Gray,” and “Oh Mary” come to mind). But theater is equal parts the talent on stage, and the show’s effect on the audience. Given the times we are in–and oh my, what times we are in– “Real Women Have Curves” is a celebration of women, immigrants, bodies, and the American dream, all of which feels so under attack.
There’s one scene and song that’s so affirming and empowering (no spoiler) and it draws a rare standing ovation in the middle of the show. I hadn’t seen such a thing since Lauren Patten sang “You Outta Know” on “Jagged Little Pill,” (adapted from Alanis Morrisette’s album). In this era of deportations, not to mention Ozempic, the ”Curves” musical, which is based on the 2002 film of the same name, is a revolution. On the night I went, I was thrilled to see a diverse audience and young children of immigrants (including me and my daughter) lined up to get our Playbills autographed and take selfies with the actors.
There’s such joy exuding from the majority-Latina cast; Tatianna Córdoba nails her Broadway debut, and you’ll recognize the versatility and deadpanness of Justina Machado from the Netflix revival of “One Day at a Time.” Joy is hard amid constant immigration raids and gringos trying to exploit you. But pity is not the right response, as the seamstresses themselves say. Their agency and sense of community are way more powerful than the forces bringing them down. Tickets for previews have been available for TDF members and on the TodayTix app. For more on scoring cheap Broadway tickets, check out our previous story.
Amy Sherald: American Sublime at the Whitney Museum
Of all the colors thrilling the senses in this show, it’s the colors that artist Amy Sherald doesn’t employ that make such a bold statement. Her work relies on grisaille, a gray monochrome, to depict skin tones, which Sherald says she does to de-emphasize the race of her subjects over their everyday lives. Taken together throughout the abundant fifth floor of the Whitney, the paintings are stunning for the highs and lows and in-betweens of Black America they depict, from Michelle Obama’s portrait to the Vanity Fair commission of the slain Breonna Taylor to beach bathers and gay lovers. Don’t miss the Art21 video on Sherald’s process. The Whitney has organized several tours of the exhibition, which are listed here.
Qawwali parties across New York
The hypnotic sounds of Qawwali, a type of Sufi devotional music, have arrived in New York. Over the last few weeks, concerts tied to Ramadan and the celebration of Eid were fairly frequent. I think this trend is here to stay, though, partly because once you hear Qawwali, you’ll keep going back for more. Here are some concerts to catch:
April 11: Hamza Akram Qawwal & Brothers at Roulette, Brooklyn, NY. Info here.
April 11: Saami Brother at Barzakh Café, Brooklyn, NY. Info here.
April 17: Fareed Ayaz & Abu Muhammad at Joe’s Pub. Fundraiser for Sakhi. Details here.
April 18: Fareed Ayaz & Abu Muhammad at Xanadu, New York City. Details here.
For more info on Qawwali and how it lives on in the South Asian diaspora, check out this Central Desi story.
And need day trip ideas too? Find some inspiration in previous coverage here.
