Greetings! The Rev. Al Sharpton’s birthday celebration will take place Thursday, Oct. 2 at First Corinthian Baptist Church, 1912 Adam Clayton Powell Jr. Blvd., featuring Yolanda Adamas and Marvin Sapp and hosted by national radio personality Tom Joyner. Also, join the NAN Education Summit at New York University’s Kimmel Center. For more information, visit nationalactionnetwork.net or call 877-NAN-HOJ1.
THEATER
“Hell Hath No Fury Like a Woman Scorned,” the new play by Tyler Perry, takes place Oct. 9 through 12 for six shows at the Beacon Theatre, 2130 Broadway at 75th Street. Tickets are available via the Beacon Theatre box office and Ticketmaster or by calling 866-858-0008 or visiting beaconhotel.com.
“Mighty Real: A Fabulous Sylvester Musical,” featuring Anthony Payne as the 1970s disco-era music legend in this Anthony Ken LLC Sheryl Lee Palph-Diva Foundation production. A run is scheduled at the Theatre at St. Clemons, 423 W. 46th St. Visit fabuloussylvester.com for further details.
With the 50th anniversary of the Civil Rights Act, “Selma ‘65” tells the real story of Viola Liuzzo, the white civil rights activist killed by Klansmen. Marietta Hedge plays dual roles on both sides. La Mama E.T.C., 74A E. Fourth. St, between Bowery and Second Ave. Call 212-475-7710 or visit lamama.org.
“Motown: The Musical,” with book by Berry Gordy Jr., is now playing at the Lunt-Fontanne Theatre, 205 W. 46th St., between Eighth Avenue and Broadway. For tickets, visit ticketmaster.com or motownthemusical.com.
“Kinky Boots,” featuring 2013 Tony Award winner Billy Porter, is at the Al Hirschfield Theatre, 302 W. 45th St. For more information, call 866-276-4887 or visit broadway.com/shows/kinky-boots.
“Aladdin,” featuring Tony Award winner James Monroe Igleheart as the uniquely modern Genie, is playing now at the New Amsterdam Theatre, located at 214 W. 42nd St. Visit broadway.com.
“The Lion King” has evolved into the highest grossing show on Broadway, with a visually stunning yet realistic, thrilling landscape. Actors dress as wild animals, encompassing their characters in spectacular, goosebump-giving performances that keep audiences coming back time and again to the Miniskoff Theatre, 1515 Broadway. Call 212-869-0550 or visit miniskofftheatre.com.
MUSIC
The 10th anniversary of Circle of Sisters, the largest expo in New York City, uniting, motivating and celebrating women of color, takes place Saturday, Oct. 4 and Sunday, Oct. 5 at the Jacob Javits Center, 34th Street and 11th Avenue. The main stage will host explosive panels featuring R&B veteran and Grammy Award-winning recording artists and hosts of reality TV stars, plus celebrity couples such as such as Niecy Nash and Jay Tucker; Rebecca and Terry Crews; and Tamela and David Mann. There will also be “The State of Black America With Roland Martin.” Saturday night’s R&B concert will feature Johnny Gill, Fantasia, Jennifer Hudson and Tyrese. Visit wbls.com and wlib.com for more information.
“A Weekend of Music and Inspiration,” featuring lecturer and author Marianne Williamson and internationally acclaimed new thought songwriter-musician and teacher Rickie Byars Beckwith, takes place at the United Palace House of Inspiration Oct. 3-5. For tickets and more information, visit unitededpalace.org.
The Blue Note presents Chick Corea and the Vigil, now through Oct. 5. Lee Ritenour performs Oct. 7-12. The Blue Note is located at 131 W. Third St. Call 212-475-8592 or visit bluenotejazz.com.
The Whispers perform at B.B. King Blues Club Oct. 11. Call 212-997-4144 or visit bbkingsblues.com.
Legendary actor and social activist Harry Belafonte and former New York City Mayor David N. Dinkins will be joining the panel for “Apollo Uptown Hall: The Harlem/South Africa Connection” (Oct. 12), a panel discussion part of the Africa Now! Festival (Oct. 10–12). South African music legend Hugh Masekela will host the Africa Now! South Africa Mainstage concert Oct. 11. Visit apollotheater.org.
Carnegie Hall presents Hugh Masekela and Vusi Mahlasela Friday, Oct. 10 at the Stern Auditorium Perelman Stage, located at 57th Street and Seventh Avenue in Manhattan. Visit carnegiehall.org.
Stevie Wonder is taking his landmark 1976 multiplatinum classic “Songs in the Key of Life” on the road. The legendary singer-songwriter-musician will launch his 11-city tour this fall Nov. 6 at Madison Square Garden. Tickets can be purchased through all Ticketmaster outlets, on www.ticketmaster.com, by calling 1-800-745-3000, via the LiveNation app or www.livenation.com.
BOOKS
Drama Desk Award winning playwright J.E. Franklin presents her new book, “To Break Every Yoke,” a collection of plays that includes her classic drama “Black Girl,” Sunday, Oct. 5, 2 p.m. to 4 p.m., at the Castillo Theatre, located at 543 W. 42nd St. “To Break Every Yoke,” published by Xlibris Press, has four plays that look at slavery into the 21st century. The event is hosted by Woodie King Jr.’s New Federal Theatre and is free to the public. For more information, call 212-353-1176.
Taui Network and Ausar Auset Society will host a “Sofik Aabut Black Writers Conference” featuring authors Dr. Ra Un Nefer Amen, Nana Camille Yarbrough and more! Saturday, Oct. 11-13, noon-6 p.m., at 305 Remsen Ave., Brooklyn, N.Y. For further information, call 718-469-3199 or visit kamithistory.com.
COMMUNITY
An urgent fundraiser will be held for Bernard White and CPR Metro at the beautiful brownstone of Layding Kaliba, 315 W. 137th St. in Harlem, Saturday, Oct. 4 3 p.m., 7 p.m. Featuring music and poetry by Atiba Kwabena, Songhai Djeli and more and tributes from Hugh Hamilton, Dr. Leonard Jeffries, Sista Betty Dobson, Dr. James Macintosh, Sista Pam Afrika, Brother Larry Hamm, attorney Lynne Stewart and Ted Wilson. Funds are needed for White to continue providing community radio. Call 212-234-5587 or 347-907-0629 for more information.
The NAACP New York State Conference will convene its 78th annual convention at the Westchester Marriott Hotel, 670 White Plains Road, Tarrytown, N.Y., Oct.10-12.This year’s theme is “NAACP: All in for Justice and Equality.” For more information, please call 212-344-7474 or visit www.nysnaacp.org.
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 7 to 9 p.m., and on WLIB-AM with “The GBE Mind Flight,” Sunday evenings from 9 p.m. to midnight. The full show can be heard on HD radio at WBLS-HD2. IGB is also heard on WBAI-FM 99.5 with Radio GBE: “The 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 contact us for bookings or to reach us about your event, email igbexp@gmail.com, find Imhotep Gary Byrd on Facebook or follow us on Twitter @GBELIFE or call 212-592-3279.