The 45th annual VIV Awards are coming. AUDELCO presents The Vivian Robinson/AUDELCO Recognition Awards for Excellence in Black Theatre, “Making History—Black Joy!” Monday, Nov. 20, from 7:30 p.m. to 10 p.m. at Symphony Space, Peter Jay Sharp Theatre, 2537 Broadway at 95th Street. New York City honorary co-chairs are Sheryl Lee Ralph and Chuck Cooper. Honorary co-hosts are Brenda Braxton and George Faison. Special Pioneer Awards will be given to Thelma Pollard and Ishmael Reed. A. Curtis Farrow is the executive producer.
THEATER
“Freight: The Five Incarnations of Abel Green,” by Howard L. Craft. Directed by Joseph Megel and starring J. Alphonse Nicholson. The Castillo Theatre, 543 W. 42nd St., New York, N.Y. Produced by Woodie King Jr.’s New Federal Theatre. Now through Sunday, Nov. 19. For ticket information, visit Castillo.org.
“The Old Settler,” set in a 1943 Harlem tenement, where emotions are tested between 55-year-old spinster, Elizabeth Borny, and her skeptical sister, Quilly McGrath, is a story of love and survival. Thursday, Nov. 16, through Sunday, Nov. 19, Billie Holiday Theatre, at Restoration Plaza,1368 Fulton St., Brooklyn, N.Y. For tickets, call 718-636-6995.
“Sistas: The Musical,” St. Luke’s Theatre, 308 W. 46th St. between Eighth and Ninth avenues, running through January 2018. For information, call 212-239-6200 or visit telecharge.com.
“Me the People: The Trump America Musical,” Triad Theater, 158 W. 72nd St. New York, N.Y. Visit triadnyc.com for more information.
“Black Angels Over Tuskegee,” now in its eighth year off Broadway. St. Luke’s Theatre, 308 W. 46th St. between Eighth and Ninth avenues. For more information, call 212-239-6200 or visit telecharge.com.
MUSIC
Janet Jackson: State of the World Tour, Wednesday, Nov. 15, at 8 p.m. Barclays Center, 620 Atlantic Ave. (at the corner of Atlantic Avenue and Flatbush Avenue), Brooklyn, N.Y. For information, call 917-618-6700 or visit ticketmaster.com.
Janet Jackson: State of the World Tour, Sunday, Nov. 19, at Prudential Center, 25 Lafayette St., Newark, N.J. For information, call 973-757-6600 or visit ticketmaster.com.
The Whispers in Concert, Saturday, Nov. 18, at 8:45 p.m., Newark Symphony Hall, 1020 Broad St., Newark, N.J. For information, visit ticketmaster.com.
R&B Holiday Bash, Friday, Nov. 24, at 8 p.m., Kupferberg Center for the Arts, 153-49 Reeves Ave., Queens, N.Y. For information, visit ticketmaster.com.
The Great Xscape Tour, Saturday, Nov. 25, at 7:30 p.m., Prudential Center, 25 Lafayette St., Newark, N.J. For information, visit ticketmaster.com.
JAY-Z 4:44 Tour, Sunday, Nov. 26, and Monday, Nov. 27, at 8 p.m., Barclays Center, 620 Atlantic Ave. (at the corner of Atlantic Avenue and Flatbush Avenue), Brooklyn, N.Y.
Fantasia, Monday, Dec. 11, at 8 p.m., Highline Ballroom, 431 W. 16 St., New York, N.Y. For information, visit ticketmaster.com.
Christmas with Aaron Neville, Friday, Dec. 15, at B.B. King Blues Club & Grill, 237 W. 42nd Street, New York, N.Y. For information, call 212-997-4144 or visit ticketmaster.com.
Fantasia, Christmas After Midnight, Wednesday, Dec. 18, at 8 p.m., Apollo Theater, 253 W. 125 St., New York, N.Y. For information, call 212-531-5305 or visit ticketmaster.com.
Charlie Wilson, Sunday, Dec. 31, at 7 p.m., New Jersey Performing Arts Center, 1 Center Street, Newark, N.J. For information, call 888-466-5722 or visit njpac.org.
DANCE
An Evening with Savion Glover, Thursday, Dec. 7, at 7 p.m., New Jersey Performing Arts Center, 1 Center St., Newark, N.J. For information, call 888-466-5722 or visit njpac.org.
The Hip-Hop Nutcracker, featuring Kurtis Blow, Friday, Dec. 15, at 7 p.m., New Jersey Performing Arts Center, 1 Center St., Newark, N.J. For information, call 888-466-5722 or visit njpac.org.
Forces of Nature Dance Theatre, Saturday, Dec. 16, at 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. New Jersey Performing Arts Center, 1 Center St., Newark, N.J. For information, call 888-466-5722 or visit njpac.org.
FAMILY
Harlem Globetrotters, Friday, Nov. 24, at noon and Saturday, Nov. 25, at 1 p.m., Madison Square Garden, Seventh Avenue and 32nd Street, New York, N.Y. For information, call 212-465-MSG1 (6741) or 212-247-4777. Visit ticketmaster.com.
TV
“Star Trek: Discovery,” the latest edition of the pioneering science fiction series, stars African-American actress Shanequa Martin-Green as lead. CBS All Access by subscription.
“Whitney: Can I Be Me?” Intimate portrait of Whitney Houston. Exclusive video, candid interviews and behind the scenes performances. Check your Showtime listings.
COMMUNITY
CEMOTAP celebrates its 30th anniversary Saturday, Nov. 18, at 2 p.m. with “It’s Your Table.” Good food, good drink, edutainment, good music and good company. Keynote speaker: Legrand Clegg II, Esq., leader of CEMOTAP West. Other speakers: Dr. Leonard Jeffries and Dr. Adelaide Sanford. Robert Johnson Family Life Center, 172-17 Linden Blvd. (near Merrick Boulevard) St. Albans, Queens. For more information, call 718-322-8454.
Hear Imhotep Gary Byrd on 107.5 WBLS-FM weekly with “Express Yourself,” Sunday evenings from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. and simulcast over WLIB 1190AM. The full show can also be heard on HD radio at WBLS-HD2 and at WBLS.com., WLIB.com and iHeartRadio. IGB is also heard on WBAI-FM 99.5 with Radio GBE: “The Global Black Experience” and “The Global Beat Experience,” Friday 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Archived online at www.wbai.org. For bookings or to reach us about your GBEvent or for comments, email co-editor Nyerere Shannon @ nyerere1@aol.com, find us at Imhotep Gary Byrd on Facebook or follow us on Twitter @GBELIFE or call 212-592-3279.