Here we are in the midst of another beautiful summer on the Upper West Side. Some days might be hot, others rainy, or perhaps a mix of both, but there’s no shortage of fun events to enjoy both indoors and out. ILTUWS perused the local summer schedule and earmarked these as can’t-miss events of the first week of August.
A Midsummer Night’s Dream at West Side Community Garden
– Saturday, August 3 and Sunday, August 4 at 6 p.m. (Free)
– 123 West 89th Street between Amsterdam and Columbus Avenues
With Shakespeare in the Park off this year due to renovations at the Delacorte Theater, the West Side Community Garden is stepping in to help locals get their fix of the famous bard. They are hosting two showings of A Midsummer Night’s Dream, produced by the Stag and Lion Theatre Company.
Written between 1595 and 1596, this Shakespeare comedy is one of his most popular, intertwining the lives of four young lovers, a group of amateur actors, and a fairy kingdom. The play explores themes of love, magic, and transformation, all set in a mystical forest where enchantment and confusion abound.
The West Side Community Garden, with its ‘in the round’ atmosphere, offers a perfect setting to enjoy this magical production.
See a full list of West Side Community Garden events here.
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Master and Margarita or, The Devil Comes to Moscow at Pushkin Hall
– Saturday, August 3 to Sunday, October 14. (Tickets start at $44.52)
– 165 West 86th Street between Amsterdam and Columbus Avenues
Theater86 presents a stage adaptation by Jean-Claude Van Itallie of Mikhail Bulgakov’s cult classic novel, The Master and Margarita. Written in secrecy during Stalin’s reign, Bulgakov’s story blends elements of love, phantasmagoria, and a dark satire as the devil and his entourage visit Moscow to change societal norms and religious beliefs.
The narrative weaves the fate of the Master, a writer who has retreated to a lunatic asylum, with that of his lover, Margarita, who decides to sell her soul to save him.
Mick Jagger of The Rolling Stones drew inspiration from this novel for his song “Sympathy for the Devil.”
The first three shows are sold out but tickets for the rest of the run can purchased be here.
The Bluegrass Jam in Riverside Park
– Sunday, August 4 from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. (Every Sunday)
– The Riverside Park Promenade at West 102nd Street
Come one, come all, to the bluegrass jam, where musicians from around the city gather to play bluegrass standards. You never know who might show up—some virtuosos have joined in the past, adding an unexpected spice to the jam. Enjoy the breeze coming in off the Hudson River as the music takes you away.
Started amid the pandemic in the spring of 2020 as a way for musicians to come together while respecting social distancing, the bluegrass jam has since become a beloved weekly event, weather permitting.
Co-founders Liz Wolfe and Ron Zwerdling describe the gathering as a “slow jam” geared towards entry-level musicians, though everyone is welcome. Last summer, fiddle extraordinaire Kenny Kosek, known for his work with Chaka Khan, Willie Nelson and Jerry Garcia dropped by for a session.
Jam on!
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Lincoln Center’s Summer for the City Concert Series: Steel Pulse
– Sunday, August 4 at 8 p.m. (Free)
– Damrosch Park at Lincoln Center (at West 62nd Street)
We’ve had this one circled on the calendar since we first saw it: reggae in the heat of summer, just what the doctor ordered.
Steel Pulse, hailing from the Handsworth area of Birmingham, England, has been a cornerstone of reggae music since 1975. Two of the band’s founders, Basil Gabbidon and David Hinds, were inspired to form their group after listening to Bob Marley and the Wailers’ Catch a Fire, released in 1973. Since then, Steel Pulse has headlined some of the biggest music and reggae festivals worldwide.
In 1989, Steel Pulse’s song “I Can’t Stand it” was featured in Spike Lee’s film Do The Right Thing. The song’s chorus, “I can’t stand the heat,” perfectly captured the sweltering day in Brooklyn.
Let’s bring that fire to Lincoln Center for their Summer for the City concert series. More info here.
Hippo Playground Summer Concert Series: Cara Samantha
– Wednesday, August 7 from 3:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. (Free)
– Riverside Park at West 91st Street
Here’s a treat for the kids—or the kid in all of us! Cara Samantha, known for her work in Cara’s Caterpillars and as a Grammy award-winning background vocalist, will be performing at Hippo Playground in Riverside Park. You might recognize her from her appearance on American Idol season 12.
Samantha gained fame with The Key of Awesome’s viral music parody series, where she performed as the singing voices of Adele, Elsa, Madonna, and more. Her Edele parody alone has over 11 million views.
At Hippo Playground, Cara Samantha will be bringing her pop-soul singing voice, along with dancing, acoustic guitar, and engaging singalongs.
For more details on Cara Samantha click here. To see the full summer lineup at Hippo Playground, running every Wednesday until August 28, click here.
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New York Comedy Club – Upper West Side: Secret Lineup Show
– Wednesday, August 7 at 7:30 p.m. (Tickets start at $25)
– 236 West 78th Street between Broadway and Amsterdam Avenue
Out with the old and in with the new! New York Comedy Club (NYCC) replaces Stand Up NY, which closed earlier this year after a run of roughly 38 years and multiple owners.
NYCC is celebrating its official opening night on Thursday, August 1 with a sold-out show featuring Chris Distefano, Akaash Singh, Chuck Nice, Corinne Fisher, and James Mattern. You can add your name to the waitlist here.
What really caught our attention is the Secret Lineup Show at NYCC on Wednesday, August 7. For a new club, keeping the lineup under wraps adds an air of intrigue. Let’s see what they’ve got.
Welcome to the neighborhood! Tickets for the Secret Lineup Show can be purchased here.
I’d party with Bobby!