The Central Park Blog » Events

New Oak Bridge Unveiled In Central Park

John Moore — Sat, 03 Oct 2009 20:34:06 +0000

A re-creation of a historic 1860 bridge in Central Park is being unveiled on Wednesday morning, replacing a plain wooden footbridge that had been in place since the Great Depression.

The Oak Bridge project, which has transformed the appearance of one of the main entrances to the Ramble near West 77th Street, is an attempt to restore the section of the park to the original vision. Calvert Vaux had originally created an ornate design: carved white oak, panels of decorative cast iron set in the railings, and pine floorboards. However, the upkeep of the wood turned out to be more than challenging. After numerous attempts at repair, including a reconstruction in 1875, the bridge was finally torn down and replaced in 1935 with a utilitarian footbridge that was meant to be temporary.

Last week the new Oak Bridge (or Bank Rock Bridge) was unveiled – The new bridge is constructed of steel and aluminum which was coated to resemble the painted carved oak elements of the original. New York Steel constructed the street structure and Welding Works fabricated and installed the ornamental cast aluminum.

The Wizard Of Oz Screened In Central Park

John Moore — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 00:46:27 +0000

Flying Monkeys in the heart of Manhattan? Subways and Buses and Tourists, Oh my! Yes, the Yellow Brick Road is winding through Central Park, tonight, Tuesday, September 29th. Netflix is sponsoring a 70th anniversary screening of the 1939 classic, “The Wizard Of Oz”. The showing is free and is taking place at Rumsey Playfield, the site of the annual SummerStage festival. Before the movie there will be an opening act featuring Jennifer Hudson and Julianne Hough. Sounds like the perfect way to enjoy an Indian Summer evening in the park. Ruby slippers optional.

Just the facts:

The Wizard of Oz

WHO WILL BE PERFORMING AT THE EVENT?

The opening concert will feature contemporary interpretations of classic songs from the “The Wizard of Oz” by Academy Award -winning actress and Grammy Award -winning singer Jennifer Hudson and two-time American Country Music winner and two-time “Dancing with the Stars” winner, Julianne Hough. The show is being produced by and will also feature The Roots’ Grammy Award -winning drummer and record producer Ahmir

?uestlove Thompson and a band assembled especially for the show. The concert begins at 7:30 p.m. ET.

Immediately following the free concert, “The Wizard of Oz” 70th anniversary edition will be shown on site on a giant inflatable screen.

HOW DO I GET TICKETS?

The concert performance and movie screening are free, but seating is first come, first served, so be sure to arrive early for the event.

WHERE WILL THE EVENT TAKE PLACE?

The concert and movie screening will take place outdoors at Rumsey Playfield in Central Park, New York. Enter the park at 69th Street and 5th Avenue on the east side or at 72nd Street and Central Park West on the west side.

WHAT HAPPENS IF THERE IS RAIN?

There is a back up location in the event of rain. Please check the official site for updates before the show to confirm.

Central Park Film Festival Starts Today

John Moore — Tue, 18 Aug 2009 04:27:22 +0000

Desperately Seeking Susan

All screenings are FREE and start at 8:00 pm. Gates open at 6:00 pm. To find Rumsey Playfield, enter the Park at Fifth Avenue and 69th Street. Rain or shine.

2009 Central Park Film Festival Schedule

John Moore — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 06:25:51 +0000

Central Park presents an outdoor cinema series every summer. Most of these films usually feature a New York theme and they are a great way to enjoy a summer evening in the park. This year’s lineup features some interesting choices – this year’s theme is “Be Cool” featuring five films with actors or actresses who epitomize “cool.” Hmmm. I guess the definition of cool is relative. While the remake of Ocean’s 11 is certainly an entertaining film, I’m not sure exactly sure what it has to do with New York City. Same for Goldfinger, although there is no denying the Sean Connery cool factor – besides I’ll vote for it just to hear Shirley Bassey belt out the title song on a warm summer night.

2009 Central Park Film Festival Schedule

Tuesday, August 18: Sex & The City Get Carried away! A New York writer (Sarah Jessica Parker) on sex and love is finally getting married to her Mr. Big. But her three best girlfriends must console her when one of them inadvertently leads Mr. Big to jilt her. (2008)

Wednesday, August 19: Shaft John Shaft (Richard Roundtree) is the ultimate in suave detectives. A cool private eye, Shaft is hired by a crime lord to find and retrieve his kidnapped daughter. (1971)

"Enchanted" in Central Park

Thursday, August 20: Ocean’s 11 Hollywood’s A list stars come together to pull off the most daring heist Las Vegas has ever known…11 men, 3 casinos, 150 million dollars, 1 chance to pull it off. (2001)

Friday, August 21: Twilight When you can live forever what do you live for? A teenage girl risks everything when she falls in love with a vampire. (2008)

Saturday, August 22: Viewer’s Choice! – Visit www.7online.com to vote between July 15 and August 15, 2009.

Men in Black Will Smith & Tommy Lee Jones are protecting the earth from the scum of the universe. (1997)

Goldfinger Investigating a gold magnate’s gold smuggling, James Bond uncovers a plot to contaminate the Fort Knox gold reserve. (1965)

Desperately Seeking Susan A bored suburban housewife, seeking adventure to her life, accidentally gets hit on the head, wakes up with amnesia, and is mistaken for a free-spirited New York City drifter named Susan (Madonna). (1985)

All screenings are FREE and start at 8:00 pm. Gates open at 6:00 pm. To find Rumsey Playfield, enter the Park at Fifth Avenue and 69th Street. Rain or shine.

Rumsey Playfield
East 72nd Street off Fifth Avenue

Duke Ellington Tribute in Central Park

John Moore — Sun, 28 Jun 2009 20:52:48 +0000

On Wednesday, July 1 at 6:30 p.m., The Duke Ellington Center for the Arts will host a spectacular and unprecedented event in Central Park featuring their Duke Ellington Big Band and 14 grand pianos on the Mall.

The series of events marking the 110th Anniversary of Duke Ellington continues: On Wednesday, July 1 at 6:30 p.m., The Duke Ellington Center for the Arts will host a spectacular and unprecedented event in Central Park featuring their Duke Ellington Big Band and 14 grand pianos on the Great Mall. Mercedes Ellington, granddaughter of the Duke and the show’s producer, will pay personal tribute to Bobby Short, the famous pianist-who, 14 years ago on the same date, unveiled the Duke Ellington Statue at Fifth Avenue and 110th Street.

The event will be a Free public evening concert at the Central Park Bandshell featuring the 16-piece orchestra in the Bandshell, and 14 grand pianos, courtesy of Beethoven Pianos, arranged in front of the Bandshell on the Great Mall. According to Edward Kennedy (“Duke”) Ellington II, grandson of the famous composer, “Nothing like this has ever been done in Central Park before—it will be a phenomenal spectacle!”

The symbolism of 14 grand pianos at the event recognizes July 1 as the 14th anniversary since the unveiling of the Duke Ellington statue near the northeastern corner of Central Park. Bobby Short worked for almost 20 years at making that monument a reality. He personally raised some $1.5million for the project and did all the political and social maneuvering to have an amphitheater created and the statue erected in the middle of the important Fifth Avenue intersection at 110th Street. The Duke Ellington Memorial is the considered to be the greatest physical expression in the world of the love a single musician can have for his favorite composer. It was the first monument in New York City dedicated to a person of color and the first memorial to The Duke in the United States.

Commenting on Short’s achievement, Mike Abbott, retired vice-president of MCA/Universal, a seasoned music industry veteran and life-long Harlem resident, says: “If any New Yorker deserved to have a monument in the middle of a Fifth Avenue intersection, it was Duke Ellington; and if any New Yorker could pull it off, it was Bobby Short. And he did.”

Duke Ellington was the world’s most prolific composer during the twentieth century. This is true both in terms of the number of compositions and the variety of forms. That remarkable achievement is further underscored by more than fifty years of sustained performance as an artist and entertainer. He is considered by many, worldwide, to be America’s greatest composer, bandleader and recording artist. The Central Park concert on July 1 will feature 18 of the more than 3,000 Ellington compositions—the ones regularly played by Bobby Short.

The Duke Ellington Center for the Arts is a not-for-profit organization formed by Mercedes Ellington—the eldest of only four surviving descendants of Duke Ellington. The Center is coordinating the 110th Anniversary of Duke Ellington under the theme “110 Years Duke!” and is collaborating with the People of Grenada on this particular event.

“Twelfth Night” Provides a Magical Evening of Shakespeare in Central Park.

John Moore — Sat, 27 Jun 2009 07:19:57 +0000

“If music be the food of love, play on” commands the lovelorn Count Orsino as “Twelfth Night” opens – and it is indeed music that sustained a wonderfully joyous performance throughout a rare, clear night at the Delacorte Theater in Central Park this week. And the music provided by Brooklyn based indie-folk band Hem is only one of the many delights of this delightful production of perhaps the most beloved of Shakespeare’s comedies.

Although, given the recent weather the performance was miraculous just for the fact that it was completed. I originally was slated to attend Sunday’s performance. It was actually a lovely evening until about 7:45 when the heavens, as they say, opened and the rain came pouring down. The resultant one hour wait until the performance was called wasn’t much fun, but I quickly found out that it was much less fun for the profoundly disgruntled theater fans that had spent the entire day waiting for tickets.

Anyway – Daniel Sullivan, the Tony-winning director of Proof, has directed an ensemble of stage, screen and musical theatre veterans in Shakespeare’s comedy of mistaken identity and mismatched lovers that opened Wednesday evening and runs through July 12th. Starring Anne Hathaway, Audra McDonald, Julie White and Raul Esparza the production follows the example of many Delacorte performances past which combine big name stars from various venues and Broadway veterans, with decidedly uneven results. This effort is very happily the exception as the cast fits seamlessly together and manages to create what I think is one of the most remarkably complete productions to take place in the park that I’ve ever seen.

From her first moment on the perfectly designed stage it is obvious that Ms. Hathaway is the equal to anyone else on stage and having a great time proving it. Playing her gender bending role with the perfect combination of winsome femininity and boyish gallantry the actress is the perfect foil for the increasingly giddy attentions of Lady Olivia, played to lusty perfection by Audra McDonald. Raúl Esparza plays Count Orsino with wit and grace and, along with the ladies, gets to show off his impressive vocal abilities on several occasions throughout the evening.

The evening also features comic turns from Tony-winning actress Julie White as Maria, two-time Tony nominee David Pittu as the fool Feste, Hamish Linklater as Sir Andrew Aguecheek, Jay O. Sanders as Sir Toby Belch, Michael Cumpsty as Malvolio, as well as Herb Foster as Valentine, Kevin Kelly as Sea Captain, as Curio and Jon Patrick Walker as Fabian.

Shakespeare in the Park most recently staged Twelfth Night in 2002, starring Jimmy Smits, Julia Stiles, Kathryn Meisle and Zach Braff. Additional stagings have featured Jeff Goldblum and Michelle Pfeiffer (1989); Kim Greist, F. Murray Abraham and Peter MacNicol (1986); and Barbara Barrie and Ralph Waite (1969).

Performances of Shakespeare in the Park are Tuesday-Sunday at 8 PM. Tickets are free and are available on the day of the performance (two per person) at the Delacorte Theater in Central Park beginning at 1 PM, or by entering the Public’s online ticketing lottery at PublicTheater.

The closest entrances to the Delacorte are located at 81st Street and Central Park West or 70th Street and Fifth Avenue.

Josh Ritter At SummerStage

John Moore — Sun, 14 Jun 2009 18:54:36 +0000

The 24th season of SummerStage got off to a rousing start Friday night with the performance of Josh Ritter and the New York Pops. It was a perfect June evening in Central Park and it was apparent from the moment he bounded on stage that Josh was thrilled to be there.

Josh Ritter at SummerStage

His boyish enthusiasm infused the evening with an ebbullient energy as he played old favorites (“Kathleen”, “Other Side”) as well as selections from his newest album – “Historical Conquests”. He was brilliantly backed by the New York Pops Orchestra, which added just the right amount of musical stylings to take the evening to another level.

Mr. Ritter was also joined on stage twice – once by Grammy winning violinist Hillary Hahn and once more by Glen Hansard of ”The Frames”. It was an amazing evening of music, with the SummerStage venue managed to perfection by the New York Parks Foundation. It is difficult enough to find a worthwhile free performance in New York City, it is truly stunning to find one where they actually seem happy to see you.

Shakespeare In The Park at the Delacorte Theater

John Moore — Sat, 06 Jun 2009 05:34:44 +0000

Shakespeare In The Park kicks of this week at the Delacorte Theater in Central Park. The first offering will be “Twelfth Night”, one of the Bard’s most beloved comedies.
This year’s production will feature Charles Borland, Andrew Crowe, Michael Cumpsty, Steve Curtis, Clifton Duncan, Raúl Esparza, Herb Foster, Leslie Harrison, Anne Hathaway, Slate Holmgren, Kevin Kelly, David Kenner, Christopher Layer, Robin LeMon, Hamish Linklater, Dorien Makhloghi, Audra McDonald, David Pittu, Ray Rizzo, Jay O. Sanders, Julie Sharbutt, Stark Sands, Baylen Thomas, Zach Villa, Jon Patrick Walker, Julie White

Performances will run Tues. – Sunday from JUNE 10th – JULY 12th at 8:00 pm

Added perf: July 6
No perf: July 4
Limited ticket distribution: June 16, July 9
No distribution/Stand-by line only: June 25
Academy Award Nominee Anne Hathaway makes her Public Theater debut playing Viola, one of the canon’s most charming heroines. This beguiling comedy follows the romantic adventures of Viola and her identical twin Sebastian, both shipwrecked in the enchanted dukedom of Illyria. At the helm of this time-honored story of cross-dressing and mistaken identity, all in the name of love, is Tony Award winning Director Daniel Sullivan.

While the majority of free tickets for Shakespeare in the Park are distributed via the free line at the Delacorte Theater, a limited number of tickets will be available the day of each performance online. Specific locations for senior and handicapped accessible seats are not available through the virtual ticket line.

For more info on Shakespeare in Central Park click here.

New York Philharmonic In Central Park 2009

John Moore — Tue, 19 May 2009 07:45:26 +0000

The schedule for this year’s concerts in Central Park has been announced – there will be two concerts in July on the 14th and 17th. Both will be followed by the annual fireworks display above the Great Lawn.

The 14th will feature Mozart’s Symphony No. 41, Jupiter - Mozart finished his Symphony No. 40 in late July, 1788; a mere 16 days later, he had completed the present Symphony No. 41—an amazing achievement by any measure. The second piece featured will be Beethoven’s Symphony No. 7 - Beethoven’s most instantly appealing symphony was first performed in Vienna in 1813, at a benefit concert for Austrian soldiers who had been wounded in the Napoleonic wars. The driving energy and sheer exuberance of Beethoven’s Seventh sweeps everyone along before it—from the suspenseful opening to the whirlwind ending, where every part of you will feel like dancing.

July 17th will feature selections by Copland as well as selected arias from Mozart with baritone Nathan Gunn. The concert will finish with Symphony 1 by Mahler.

Both performances will be conducted by Alan Gilbert, Music Director of the New York Philharmonic, beginning in the 2009-10 season, the only native New Yorker to hold the post.

Performances begin at 8 p.m., so if you want seating close to the bandshell, plan to arrive at least 2 hours early — if you’re less particular, and depending on the size of your group, you can arrive up until the show begins.

Things to Bring:

* Food and drink (alcoholic beverages are not permitted in Central Park)
* Candles (it gets dark as the night goes on and it can be difficult to see your companions)
* Jacket or Sweater (after the sun sets, the temperature can drop and you’ll be happy to have it)
* Insect repellent to keep the bugs at bay away (citronella candles can also do double duty)
* Blankets to sit on (a plastic garbage bag makes a great liner between your blanket/beach towel

The Philharmonic Concerts end with a brilliant fireworks display and this year’s promises to be one of the most spectacular ever.

Complete Central Park SummerStage Schedule Announced

John Moore — Mon, 27 Apr 2009 08:02:04 +0000

The 24th Anniversary edition of the annual SummerStage Festival in Central Park promises to be one of the best ever. Here’s a few things to remember that will help you enjoy your time at the concerts.

1) Video cameras are not allowed, so please leave them at home
2) Glass bottles and alcohol are a no-no too
3) Leave your folding chairs at home (we do have bleacher seating and a blanket’s nice too)
4) Shows are rain or shine (you may want to have a poncho handy in case of passing summer showers)
5) Gates open one hour prior to show time and many of our shows fill to capacity so it’s a good idea to come early, especially for our highly visible, popular shows
6) Pack a lunch or purchase food, drinks, beer or wine from our concession stands
7) Central Park SummerStage is located at Rumsey Playfield and is easily accessed by entering the park at 69th Street and 5th Avenue or 72nd Street and Central Park West
8 ) There is priority seating for our wheelchair and disabled patrons
9) There’s a hotline for up to date info on performances: 212-360-2777

Click here for a printable pdf schedule

TV on the Radio
Dirty Projectors
Friday, June 05, 2009
From 5:30 PM to 10:00 PM
A benefit concert to support the full season of free programs at Central Park SummerStage.

Josh Ritter and The New York Pops
Friday, June 12, 2009
From 8:00 PM to 10:00 PM

Smokie Norful
Tye Tribbett & G.A.
Ruben Studdard
Saturday, June 13, 2009
From 3:00 PM to 7:00 PM

Indigo Girls
Matt Nathanson
Tuesday, June 16, 2009
From 4:30 PM to 10:00 PM
A benefit concert to support the full season of free programs at Central Park SummerStage.

Word
Wally Lamb
Zoë Heller
Wednesday, June 17, 2009
From 7:30 PM to 9:30 PM

Sharon Olds
Thomas Sayers Ellis
Thursday, June 18, 2009
From 7:30 PM to 9:30 PM

Comedy Central Park
Gabriel Iglesias
Pablo Francisco
Friday, June 19, 2009
From 8:00 PM to 10:00 PM

Definitely Poetry Hosted by Majora Carter
Earthdriver
Staceyann Chin
Jennifer Johns
Artbattles
Urban Word NYC
Saturday, June 20, 2009
From 3:00 PM to 7:00 PM

Fête de la Musique
Yannick Noah
Coralie Clément
Mayra Andrade
Sunday, June 21, 2009
From 3:00 PM to 7:00 PM

311
Ziggy Marley
The Expendables
Thursday, June 25, 2009
From 5:00 PM to 10:00 PM
A benefit concert to support the full season of free programs at Central Park SummerStage.

Istanbulive: The Sounds & Colors of Turkey
Mazhar-Fuat-Özkan
Painted on Water featuring Sertab Erener & Demir Demirkan
NY Gypsy All-Stars with Hüsnü Senlendirici and special guests
Saturday, June 27, 2009
From 3:00 PM to 7:00 PM

Ledisi / Esperanza Spalding
Jonathan Batiste
Sunday, June 28, 2009
From 3:00 PM to 7:00 PM

Explosions in the Sky
Constantines
Tuesday, June 30, 2009
From 5:30 PM to 10:00 PM
A benefit concert to support the full season of free programs at Central Park SummerStage.

Oumou Sangare, Les Nubians, Asa
Sunday, July 05, 2009
From 3:00 PM to 7:00 PM

Juana Molina
Curumin
El G (ZZK)
Wednesday, July 08, 2009
From 7:00 PM to 10:00 PM

Matisyahu
Umphrey’s McGee
Thursday, July 09, 2009
From 5:30 PM to 10:00 PM
A benefit concert to support the full season of free programs at Central Park SummerStage.

Los Fabulosos Cadillacs
Eric Bobo
Saturday, July 11, 2009
From 3:00 PM to 7:00 PM

Global Family Day!
DJ Lance Rock & Brobee (of Yo Gabba Gabba!)
Billy B.
Iza Trapani, Storyteller
“Sleeping Beauty” Puppet Show
Sunday, July 12, 2009
From 3:00 PM to 7:00 PM

The Metropolitan Opera Summer Recital Featuring Paulo Szot
Monday, July 13, 2009
From 8:00 PM to 10:00 PM

Q-Tip
Chester French
Little Dragon
Benji B
Saturday, July 18, 2009
From 3:00 PM to 7:00 PM

Alpha Blondy & The Solar System
Lee “Scratch” Perry & Dubblestandart
Subatomic Sound System
Sunday, July 19, 2009

From 3:00 PM to 7:00 PM

Bettye Lavette
Budos Band
Felix Hernandez Rhythm Revue
Friday, July 24, 2009
From 7:00 PM to 10:00 PM

Jerry Rivera and special guests
N’Klabe
Saturday, July 25, 2009
From 3:00 PM to 7:00 PM

Ginuwine
Joe
Chico DeBarge
Sunday, July 26, 2009
From 3:00 PM to 7:00 PM

Dance
RIOULT
Germaul Barnes/Viewsic Expressions
Friday, July 31, 2009
From 8:00 PM to 10:00 PM

M. Ward
Mike Watt & Nels Cline +
Saturday, August 01, 2009
From 7:00 PM to 10:00 PM

CineFest Brasil
If I Were You 2 (Se eu fosse você 2) directed by Daniel Filho
Silvia Machete
Sunday, August 02, 2009
From 7:30 PM to 10:00 PM

Toumani Diabaté
Monday, August 03, 2009
From 7:30 PM to 10:00 PM

Music & Film
I Am Cuba directed by Mikhail Kalatozov
The Pedrito Martinez Project
Wednesday, August 05, 2009
From 7:00 PM to 10:00 PM

Asbury Shorts: An Evening of the World’s Best Short Films
Mingus Dynasty Quintet
Thursday, August 06, 2009
From 7:30 PM to 10:00 PM

Dance
Dayton Contemporary Dance Company
nathantrice/RITUALS dance theater
Friday, August 07, 2009
From 8:00 PM to 10:00 PM

Boys Noize
Saturday, August 08, 2009
From 3:00 PM to 7:00 PM

Jazmine Sullivan
Chrisette Michele
Jon B.
Sunday, August 09, 2009
From 3:00 PM to 7:00 PM

Dance
Morphoses/The Wheeldon Company
with musical guest Martha Wainwright
Friday, August 14, 2009
From 8:00 PM to 10:00 PM

Dance
Morphoses/The Wheeldon Company
with musical guest Martha Wainwright
Saturday, August 15, 2009
From 8:00 PM to 10:00 PM