News From The Queens Tourism Council
The Chinese Lunar New Year and Black History Month are still alive and kicking in Queens.
This upcoming week includes Peking acrobats, kung fu events, jazz and gospel concerts and an African dance celebration. But there’s also live Irish, Greek and classical music, a pop-up, artisan food market, ballet and community theater.
Here’s the rundown.
– Thursday through Saturday, Feb. 21-23, Skimming the Surface, 8 p.m.; Sunday, Feb. 24 at 5 p.m. Valerie Green/Dance Entropy presents dance featuring repertory favorites alongside premiere works in celebration of the company’s 15th anniversary season. The action centers around a table and 24 knives. $20 at door/$15 presale. Green Space, 37-24 24th St., Long Island City, 1-718- 956-3037, www.danceentropy.org.
– Friday, Feb. 22, Peking Acrobats, 7 p.m. The Peking Acrobats flawlessly appear to defy gravity in one breathtaking feat after another. Ancient art form and live traditional music meld with modern theatricality for this one-of-a-kind experience. $20-$30. Kupferberg Center, 65-30 Kissena Blvd., Flushing, 1-718-793- 8080, www.kupferbergcenter.org.
– Friday, Feb. 22, Irish Music and Dancing with Donie Carroll and friends, 7:30 p.m. cocktail hour, 8:30 p.m. showtime. From County Cork to Long Island City. $15. New York Irish Center, 10-40 Jackson Ave., Long Island City, www.newyorkirishcenter.org.
– Friday, Feb. 22, Black History Month Celebration of the African and Latin Influence on Jazz, 8 p.m. Featuring the band 23rd Son with special guests Camille Thurman and Catarina dos Santos. Free. York College Performing Arts Center (Little Theatre), 94-45 Guy R. Brewer Blvd., Jamaica, 1-718-262-2555.
– Friday and Saturday, Feb. 22- 23, The 39 Steps by the Parkside Players, 8 p.m.; Sunday, Feb. 24 at 2 p.m. A man with a boring life and no passion meets a mysterious woman who claims to be a spy. When she is murdered in his apartment, he finds himself running across Britain from the police and enemy spies, while searching for an answer to a question of national importance: What are The 39 Steps? $14/$12 seniors. Grace Lutheran Church, 71st Road and Union Turnpike, Forest Hills, 1-718- 353-7388, www.parksideplayers.com.
– Saturday, Feb. 23, Pui Chan, Kung Fu Pioneer, 3 p.m. A special screening and live event devoted to legendary kung fu grandmaster Pui Chan. His daughter, Mimi Chan, directed the film and she will appear in person at the screening with special guests who will perform a traditional Chinese lion dance. Free with $12 admission. Museum of the Moving Image, 36-01 35th Ave., Astoria, 1- 718-777-6800, www.movingimage.us.
– Saturday, Feb. 23, Gospel Legend Donnie McClurkin, 8 p.m. Grammy-award winner Donnie Mc- Clurkin is known worldwide as the tall raspy tenor who commands attention with his powerful and rich sounding vocals. $38-$50, Kupferberg Center, 65-30 Kissena Blvd., Flushing, 1-718-793-8080, www.kupferbergcenter.org.
– Saturday, Feb. 23, United African Dance Troupe, 7:30 p.m. Dancing leads the fifth annual Black History Month Celebration. $25/$10 children under 12. Jamaica Performing Arts Center, 153-10 Jamaica Ave., Jamaica, 1-718-618-6170, www.jamaica performingartscenter.org.
– Saturday, Feb. 23, A Night of Comedy with Phyllis Yvonne Stickney, 8 p.m. Phyllis Yvonne Stickney and guests take the stage for Are You Kidding Me?, a hilarious comedy show. $30. Black Spectrum Theatre, 177th Street and Baisley Boulevard, Roy Wilkins Park, 1-718-723-1800, www.blackspectrum.com.
– Saturday, Feb. 23, Tribute to Nikos Xylouris with Panos Bousalis and the Greek Culture Center’s Choir, 6:30 p.m. $45/$35/$25. Frank Sinatra School of Arts, 35-12 35th Ave, Astoria, 1-718-726-7329, www.greekculturalcenter.org.
– Saturday, Feb. 23, Fundraiser for Sandy Hook Victim’s Family, 5 p.m. Sunnyside native Ben Wheeler was among the victims in the Sandy Hook Elementary shootings on Dec. 14, 2012. Friends of the Wheeler family host a benefit for them. Sunnyside Community Services Center, 43-31 39th St., Sunnyside, Roger Hitts at benwheelerfund @yahoo.com.
– Sunday, Feb. 24, Queens County Market Pops Up, noon to 4 p.m. Queens County Market is a collection of vendors sharing one common theme: food! Buy and sample goods from bakers, chefs and other culinary entrepreneurs. Sac’s Place, 25-41 Broadway, Astoria, hello@queenscountymarket.com, www.queenscountymarket.com.
– Sunday, Feb. 24, The Beauty of Ballet, 1 and 3 p.m. The world-famous School of American Ballet returns to Queens Theatre for its second year to introduce children to the beauty of ballet. A member of the school’s faculty and advanced male and female students will illustrate how talented youngsters develop into accomplished classical ballet dancers, alternating examples of advanced classroom training exercises. Free and suggested for children ages 4 and older. Queens Theatre, 14 United Nations Avenue South, Flushing Meadows-Corona Park, 1-718- 760-0064, www.queenstheatre.org.
– Tuesday, Feb. 26, Classical Music, 11 p.m. The Tuesday Morning Music Club of Douglaston presents Piano Trio #1 for piano, cello and violin by Beethoven performed by J. Park, piano; Ilsa Greenwald, cello; and Hiroko Nakahara, violin. Variations 0p. 34 by Beethoven, Liebestot by F. Liszt and music from Rigoletto by Verdi will be rendered by Hannah Wang, pianist. Edmond Nicodemi, guitar, will play a composition by H. Villa-Lobos, and Galileo music. A delicious sandwich and salad lunch follows. Free. Douglaston Community Church, 39-15 Douglaston Pkwy., Douglaston, birutasings@yahoo.com, 1-516-466-4034.
The “It’s In Queens” column is produced by the Queens Tourism Council with the hope that readers will enjoy the borough’s attractions.
