David Dinkins News

59th street (Florence Gould Hall) heard the sounds usually found on 44th street (Birdland) for a concert in celebration of The Big Apple last night and Broadwayworld was there. Check out the photos below.

HBO has greenlit Storm Over Brooklyn, the winning project of the inaugural Feature Documentary Initiative created in 2017 by award-winning production company Lightbox and the American Black Film Festival (ABFF), as part of their joint initiative to foster diversity in the feature documentary arena.

All-Out Arts and the acclaimed Fresh Fruit Festival will celebrate notable selections from last year's Fresh Fruit Festival. 'It was a very powerful season,' said Louis Lopardi, the executive producer of the festival. 'It's fitting for our 15th year. So many amazing works,' he continued. 'And looking forward to one of most exiting seasons to come!' he concluded.

This year marks a half-century since Dr. Martin Luther King's earthly journey ended and the Civil Rights Act of 1968 was passed. To memorialize this occasion, The New School's Nth Degree Series and Project1VOICE present Words of Change-Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. at the New School on April 4, 2018, at 6:01 p.m. in the Auditorium Room 106, 66 West 12th Street.

 More than 480 business and philanthropic leaders, influencers, older adult advocates, and cultural patrons gathered at the Ziegfeld Ballroom Monday at the fifth annual Eight Over Eighty benefit gala hosted by The New Jewish Home. The nonprofit paid tribute to eight New Yorkers who, in their ninth and tenth decades, continue to live lives of remarkable achievement, vitality, and civic engagement. The event raised $1.1 million to support The New Jewish Home, one of the nation's largest and most diversified nonprofit older adult health care systems, providing rehabilitation, skilled nursing and health care programs, which serves 12,000 older adults of all faiths and ethnicities annually.

This year marks a half-century since Dr. Martin Luther King's earthly journey ended and the Civil Rights Act of 1968 was passed. To memorialize this occasion, The New School's Nth Degree Series and Project1VOICE present Words of Change-Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. at the New School on April 4, 2018 at 6:01 p.m. in the Auditorium Room 106, 66 West 12th Street.

At its fifth annual Eight Over Eighty benefit gala, The New Jewish Home will pay tribute to eight New Yorkers who, in their ninth and tenth decades, continue to live lives of remarkable achievement, vitality, and civic engagement. The event, at the Ziegfeld Ballroom on Monday, March 12, raises funds to support The New Jewish Home, one of the nation's largest and most diversified nonprofit geriatric rehabilitation, skilled nursing, and home health care programs, which together serves 12,000 older adults of all faiths and ethnicities each year. Over 450 business and philanthropic leaders, influencers, healthcare and eldercare advocates, and cultural patrons are expected to attend the event, which is projected to raise $1.5 million.

In 1904 the Friars started meeting, and in 1918 The Yiddish Art Theatre was founded. How symbolic that the Yiddish Theatre, now a City Village Cinema movie house was the scene of The Friars Sunshine Committee's annual morning of Christmas cheer for New York City Children. The kids are entertained by clowns, are given their early Christmas presents by some famous Friars, and the theatre staff makes sure they have unlimited popcorn while enjoying a movie.

The American Black Film Festival (ABFF) and Lightbox, the award-winning U.S. and U.K. production company, today announced that director Muta'Ali is the recipient of their first annual documentary film development fund. Muta'Ali will work with Lightbox and ABFF to develop his feature documentary Storm Over Brooklyn.

The security was tight in the Monastery last night as politicians, tennis legends, celebrities and Friars gathered in the Frank Sinatra Dining Room to pay tribute to David Dinkins on his 90th birthday.   The security protection wasn't good enough however to stop one of the greatest comedians on the planet, Dean Emeritus Freddie Roman (MC) to have some fun with the former Mayor.  As a matter of fact Gov. Andrew Cuomo, who made a special trip down from Albany to be at the Friars got some laughs himself during his heartfelt tribute to Mr. Dinkins.  There was much love, laughter, joy, and a few tears in the club during the evening, as there always is in the Friars Club.  I couldn't help thinking as I watched all the Democrats and  Republicans in the room enjoying each others camaraderie, how great it would be if all our representatives in Washington would become Friars, meet in The Monastery, feel the love, and solve the nations problems. 

Bernie Fusrhpan, managing partner of the Metropolitan Room moved his club into the Friars Club last night and BroadwayWorld was there for the entertainment super special. 

On Wednesday, April 5, 2017, more than 340 people attended the New York City Mission Society's annual Champions for Children Gala, raising a half million dollars to help youth and families in the city's most underserved communities break the cycle of poverty and achieve success.

Actress Leslie Lewis will star in her One-Woman play 'Miracle in Rwanda' Monday April 3rd at The New York Law School. The show is in support of the law schools 'Safe Passage Project'. The charity helps indigent children in Immigration Court.

NYC Parks Commissioner Mitchell J. Silver, FAICP, yesterday joined City Council Member Corey Johnson, State Senator Brad Hoylman, Community Board 4-Manhattan Chair Delores Rubin, West 47th/48th Streets Block Association President Elke Fears and neighborhood children to cut the ribbon on Ramone Aponte Park which has received a full reconstruction which included greening up the space and making it more accessible of all ages.

Woodie King Jr.'s New Federal Theatre (NFT) held a festive Gala Benefit on Sunday, June 26 from 2:00 to 5:30 PM at Trump Place, 220 Riverside Boulevard (enter West 70th Street) honoring Novella Nelson and Melvin Van Peebles, two of many actors and directors who have worked at NFT over the theatre's 46 year history. Mr. Van Peebles was introduced by Academy Award winner Estelle Parsons. Ms. Nelson was introduced by former Mayor David Dinkins. Scroll down for photos from the event!

Legendary entertainer Tony Bennett was honored by the Friars Club in celebration of his storied and successful career that has spanned 7 decades on June 20th and BroadwayWorld was there.

NYC Parks Commissioner Mitchell J. Silver, FACIP, today joined AT&T's New York President Marissa Shorenstein, Bronx Borough President Rueben Diaz, Jr. and community members to announce a deal to extend free public AT&T Wi-Fi in the Parks for an additional five years. The free Wi-Fi is available, regardless of wireless carrier, to parkgoers at 27 locations in 21 parks across the five boroughs. The collaboration increases the number of free solar mobile charging stations to 34 units at 15 parks and beaches; and four new parks will receive the popular AT&T Street Charge units-Queens Flushing Meadows Park at David Dinkins Circle and Ederle Terrace, Brooklyn's Sunset Park and Prospect Park at the LeFrak Center and Joyce Kilmer Park in the Bronx, where the announcement was made.

Woodie King Jr.'s New Federal Theatre (NFT) will hold a Gala Benefit on Sunday, June 26 from 2:00 to 5:30 PM at Trump Place, 220 Riverside Boulevard (enter West 70th Street) honoring Novella Nelson and Melvin Van Peebles, two of many actors and directors who have worked at NFT over the theatre's 46 year history.

Woodie King Jr.'s New Federal Theatre (NFT) will hold a Gala Benefit on Sunday, June 26 from 2:00 to 5:30 PM at Trump Place, 220 Riverside Boulevard (enter West 70th Street) honoring Novella Nelson and Melvin Van Peebles, two of many actors and directors who have worked at NFT over the theatre's 46 year history.  Mr. Van Peebles will be introduced by Academy Award winner Estelle Parsons.  Ms. Nelson will be introduced by former Mayor David Dinkins.

Fred Staton, jazz saxophonist, will celebrate his 101st birthday at the Monday Night Jam, hosted by the Jazz Foundation of America in NYC, on February 15. Fred, whose sister is the late Jazz/Blues songstress, Dakota Staton, is evidence of the power of jazz and the importance of living a life of passion, no matter one's age.