Greetings! In the spirit of our GBE African Reeducation Month, we salute The Riverside Theatre, who will host their second annual Legacy to Promise Gala honoring Phylicia Rashad & Roy Haynes on Monday, Sept. 26 at 7 p.m. at the Riverside Church, 91 Claremont Ave. between 120th and 122nd streets.
THEATER
- The Classical Theatre of Harlem, in conjunction with the Hip-Hop Theater Festival, presents the world premiere of “SEED,” a story of Harlem in the ’80s and ’90s. “SEED” begs the question: How far are you willing to go protect the future of a community and its children? Running through Sun., Oct. 9, at the National Black Theatre, 2031 Fifth Ave. at 125th Street in Harlem. For tickets, call (866) 811-4111 or visit www.seedtheplay.com.
- “Black Angels Over Tuskegee,” the story of the pioneering first African-American fighter pilots, now playing at the Actors Temple Theatre, 339 W. 47th St. between Eighth and Ninth avenues. For tickets, call (212) 239-6200 or visit www.telecharge.com.
- Academy Award nominee and Golden Globe winner Angela Bassett and Academy Award nominee Samuel L. Jackson star in the Broadway debut of “The Mountaintop,” Katori Hall’s Olivier Award-winning drama, directed by Tony Award nominee Kenny Leon (“Fences,” “A Raisin in the Sun”). Performances begin Sept. 22, with the official opening on Oct. 13. Featuring original music by Grammy Award-winning saxophonist and Tony Award nominee Branford Marsalis. At the Bernard B. Jacobs Theatre, 242 W. 45th St. For tickets, visit Telecharge.com.
- The Riverside Theatre, Voza Rivers, New Heritage Theatre Group and the City College of New York present Daniel Beaty in “Emergency,” Fri., Sept. 23 and Sat., Sept. 24 at 7 p.m. and Sun., Sept. 25 at 3 p.m. The following weekend it’s Beaty in “Through the Night,” Fri., Sept. 30 and Sat., Oct. 1 at 7 p.m. and Sun., Oct. 2 at 3 p.m. Two weekends and six performances only at Aaron Davis Hall on the City College campus, 135th Street and Convent Avenue. For more information, call (212) 650-7100 or visit www.newheritagetheatre.org.
- “Mama, I Want to Sing: The Next Generation,” by Vy Higginsen, with original music by Wesley Naylor. Now playing at the Dempsey Theater, 127 W. 127th St. between Adam Clayton Powell Jr. and Malcolm X boulevards. For more information and tickets, visit www.mamafoundation.org.
- “Baby It’s You” follows the creation and rise of the independent record company that gave us the popular girl group the Shirelles, the Isley Brothers, Dionne Warwick, Chuck Jackson and more. At the Broadhurst Theatre, 235 W. 44th St. For more information, visit www.babyitsyouonbroadway.com.
- “The Devil’s Music: The Life and Blues of Bessie Smith.” Now running on Broadway at St. Luke’s Theatre, 308 W. 46th St. For tickets, call (212) 239-6200 or visit www.stlukestheatre.com.
- Whoopi Goldberg’s “Sister Act,” the stage musical based on the 1992 movie of the same name, features funky, soulful songs by Alan Menken and Glenn Slater and presents the dynamic debut of Patina Miller. At the Broadway Theatre, 1681 Broadway. For more information, visit www.sisteractbroadway.com.
- “The Lion King.” The Disney spectacle continues to roar as a landmark musical event on Broadway at the Minskoff Theatre, 1515 Broadway at West 45th Street. For more information, call (212) 840-3890 or (800) 714-8452 or visit www.minskofftheatre.com.
- “Memphis,” the musical with a soul music score as its foundation, explores racial integration in 1950s Tennessee, the heart of the South, with compelling performances. At the Shubert Theatre, 225 W. 44th St. For more information, call (212) 239-6200 or visit www.memphisthemusical.com.
MUSIC
- The Ravi Coltrane Quartet brings jazz artistry now through Sept. 25 to the Village Vanguard, 178 Seventh Ave. at 11th Street. For more information, call (212) 255-4037.
- The “Watch the Throne” tour starring Jay-Z and Kanye West comes to the Garden State, Wed., Sept. 28 at the IZOD Center in East Rutherford, N.J. For more information, call (201) 935-3900 or visit www.izodcenter.com.
- Jazz at Lincoln Center presents “An Evening with Jimmy Heath and Jon Hendricks” plus free pre-concert music at 6:30 p.m. and a lecture at 7 p.m., Sat., Sept. 24. Also coming to the Rose Theatre is Grammy winner Cassandra Wilson, Sept. 30 and Oct. 1 at 8 p.m. For more information, visit www.jalc.org.
FILM
- “The Black Power Mixtape 1967-1975.” Racial activism in reel time captured by Swedish film crews. Check your local listings for showtimes.
COMMUNITY
- St Luke’s Medical Group will be offering free screenings, workshops and giveaways during their Community Health Day. Screenings will be done for asthma, blood pressure and blood glucose levels, as well as rapid HIV tests and tests for kidney disease. Workshops will be held on hypertension at noon and HIV/AIDS at 2 p.m. Come meet the doctors on Sat., Sept. 24 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., at 2771 Frederick Douglass Blvd. at 147th Street. For more information and any questions, call (212) 523-7317.
- Community health fair and blood drive on Sat., Sept. 24 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Macedonia AME Church Community Center, 37-22 Union St. in Flushing, Queens. Free health screenings, workshops on the care and prevention of diabetes, long-term health care planning and HIV/AIDS testing will be provided. This event is free and open to the public.
- Minister Abdul Hafeez Muhammed will pay tribute to the Black women of the world at the CEMOTAP Center, 135-05 Roackaway Blvd. in South Ozone Park, Sat., Sept. 24 at 2 p.m. Speaking on “The Divine Nature of Women,” Muhammed will review the purpose and focus of Minister Louis Farrakhan’s recent message to thousands of women in Chicago. The speech will affirm the strength, intelligence and contributions of women in the human race. Admission is free. For more information, call (212) 322-8454.
- “Think Outside the Cell: A New Day, a New Way,” a national symposium and call to action on issues affecting the incarcerated, the formerly incarcerated and their families will be held Sat., Sept. 24 from 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. at the Riverside Church, West 120th Street and Riverside Drive. Free and open to the public; breakfast and lunch will be provided. For more information, visit www.thinkoutsidethecell.org.
- The NYU Cancer Institute at NYU Langone Medical Center hosts “Breast Cancer in Women of Color.” Learn about the latest screening techniques, risk reduction and treatment options, as well as complementary medicine, such as acupuncture. At Club 101, 101 Park Ave. For more information, call (212) 263-2266 or visit www.nyuc.org/rsvp.
- The eighth annual Harlem Business Economic Summit, “Small Business, Big Ideas,” presented by the Harlem Business Alliance is Mon., Sept. 26. At the Adam Clayton Powell Jr State Office Building, 163 W. 125th St. Keynote Speaker will be William Thompson Jr, chairman of Battery Park City, chair of Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s Minority & Women Owned Business Enterprise Task Force and former NYC comptroller. Plus other exciting guest speakers and panel discussions. Register online at www.hbany.org or call (347) 851-7741.
Hear Imhotep Gary Byrd on 107.5 WBLS-FM daily with “Imhotep’s On-Air Guide to Black Events” and “Express Yourself,” Sunday evenings from 6 to 8 p.m., and on WLIB-AM with “The GBE Mind Flight,” Sunday evenings from 7 p.m. to midnight (simulcast on WLIB-AM/WBLS-FM from 7-8 p.m.). The full show can be heard on HD radio at WBLS-HD2. IGB is also heard on WBAI-FM 99.5 with the GBE 2.0 “Global Black Experience” and “Global Beat Experience,” Saturdays from 5 to 7 p.m. We are archived online with both shows at www.wbai.org. To reach us about your event, email gbemail2@yahoo.com, find Imhotep Gary Byrd on Facebook or follow us on Twitter @GBELIFE.