Highlights this weekend include Ash K. Tata‘s ambitious take on Shakespeare’s Roman tragedy, Vanessa Williams at 54 Below and a free Black Broadway exhibit in Lincoln Center.
Theater
“The Tragedy of Coriolanus” (Photo by Hollis King)
“The Tragedy of Coriolanus”
Theatre for a New Audience at Polonsky Shakespeare Center—262 Ashland Place, Brooklyn (Fort Greene)
Through March 1. Various showtimes.
After starring in last winter’s emotionally charged “A Guide for the Homesick,” Drama Desk Award winner McKinley Belcher III is back on the New York City stage bringing more drama — this time as Caius Martius Coriolanus, Shakespeare’s Roman ruler who gets banished from his home and then joins his enemies to attack his city.
Also starring Roslyn Ruff and Mickey Sumner (as a female Aufidius), the play’s exploration of leadership, honor and the dynamics of power is as relevant as ever in today’s topsy-turvy political landscape.
Director Ash K. Tata took a radical approach to the Elizabethan drama with actors of different races and genders taking on roles traditionally made for others. And scenic designer Afsoon Pajoufar’s immersive, metaverse video game-styled production elements serve as an inviting — and visceral — device that stays true to the theater company’s mission of making classical theater accessible to new audiences.
Tickets start at $95, discounts available.
Music
Vanessa Williams performs during her opening night performance for her residency at 54 Below on Feb. 16, 2026 in New York. (Photo by Bruce Glikas/WireImage)
54 Below—254 W 54th St., Manhattan (Midtown)
Through Feb. 21. 7 p.m.
On a break from starring as Miranda Priestly in the West End production of “The Devil Wears Prada,” Vanessa Williams has come back to her roots with a weeklong residency at the nonprofit cabaret hotspot below Studio 54.
Accompanied by a five-piece band (including backing vocals by Broadway veteran Shelley Thomas-Harts), Williams performs songs showcasing her versatility and longevity spanning five decades.
From her late 1980s hits “The Right Stuff” and and the Oscar-winning “Colors of the Wind” to Stephen Sondheim classics “Losing My Mind” and “Children Will Listen,” fans of the the 62-year-old Westchester native will get to experience her full essence in the most intimate setting.
Tickets start at $145, plus fees.
Comedy
David Krumholtz and Jess Domain. (Rengim Mutevellioglu)
Baruch Performing Arts Center—55 Lexington Ave., Manhattan (Gramercy)
Through Feb. 22. Various times.
The city’s first festival dedicated exclusively to comedy on screen kicked off earlier this week.
The inaugural event is showcasing more than 75 films full-length features, documentaries, mockumentaries, shorts and episodic storytelling from established and emerging filmmakers.
The New York premiere of “Forelock,” starring David Krumholtz, and the nine-time Oscar nominated film “Sentimental Value” are among the highlights — along with the first-ever competitive category for films under four minutes that builds on the festival’s mission to reflect how comedy is created, consumed and shared in modern times.
“Comedy comes in all shapes and sizes,” NYCFF co-founder Bob Melley explained about “Shorty Shorts,” which he added welcomes the embrace of “great humor in every format without judging anyone’s attention span.”
Tickets start at $33.
Film
“Billy Preston: That’s the Way God Planned It” (Abramorama)
“Billy Preston: That’s the Way God Planned It“
Film Forum—209 West Houston St., Manhattan (Greenwich Village)
Opens Feb. 20. Various times.
Emmy winner Paris Barclay‘s 105-minute chronicle of the meteoric rise and tragic fall of Billy Preston is a treasure trove for classic rock and soul music fans.
The Los Angeles-born keyboardist, singer, and songwriter started off as a young piano prodigy who rose to fame working with Little Richard, Sam Cooke, The Rolling Stones, Barbara Streisand, Sly Stone and The Beatles. He later achieved success as a Grammy Award-winning solo artist. But then there was also the sexual assault of a teenage boy, years of substance abuse and a dark past that haunted him.
Preston, who died in 2006, just days after coming out as gay in a rehabilitation facility at age 59, is remembered — warts and all — by friends, family, colleagues and historians through testimonials in this powerful biographical documentary.
Tickets are $17.
Art
Dion Pollard at the Harlem Fine Arts Show. (Sekou Luke)
Harlem Fine Arts Show
The Glasshouse— 660 12th Ave., Manhattan (Hell’s Kitchen)
Through Feb. 22. Various times.
In its 18th year, the largest traveling U.S. exhibition showcasing work by Black and Brown artists continues its mission to celebrate Black artistry.
This year’s event spotlights 100+ artists and hosts several signature events with a focus on the art of healing, cultural legacy and African Americans in technology. Broadcasting veteran Ann Tripp of WBLS-FM and her former intern-turned-NY1 anchor Dean Meminger will host Friday’s Red Dot Opening event, featuring a performance by renowned jazz vocalist Antoinette Montague.
Harlem-based multidisciplinary artist, designer and educator Fitgi Saint-Louis is the spotlight artist for 2026. Known for her creative innovation and social impact, organizers said Saint-Louis’ work serves as the perfect embodiment of our theme, “Art For Technology.”
“For nearly two decades, the Harlem Fine Arts Show has been a platform where artistry meets purpose and legacy meets opportunity,” founder and CEO Dion Clarke said. “Our mission continues to evolve to uplift voices, champion healing through art, and strengthen communities through connection.”
Tickets start at $44.
Talk
Councilman Yusef Salaam at The Moth in Harlem. (Peter Cooper for The Moth; Getty Images)
The Moth in Harlem
Aaron Davis Hall—129 Convent Ave., Manhattan (Harlem)
Fri. Feb. 20, 7:30 p.m.
New York City Councilman Yusef Salaam is among the five storytellers sharing their personal stories for the popular note-free speaking series’ first appearance in Harlem. The “Central Park Five/Exonerated Five” member will share how he discovered the spiritual meaning and strength within his name and drew on it to survive nearly seven years of incarceration.
With the theme of “American Dreams,” the event will be hosted by comedian and lifestyle content creator Amber Wallen. Other speakers include Grammy-nominated musician Lachi, poet Cola Rum, pediatric nurse Renita Walls and foster care system survivor Jonathan Grant-Brown.
Tickets are $55, plus fees.
Free
(L-R) Aida Walker, Bert Williams, Eartha Kitt, Geoffrey Holder. (Courtesy of The New York Public Library for the Performing Arts)
“Syncopated Stages: Black Disruptions to the Great White Way”
The New York Public Library for the Performing Arts—40 Lincoln Center Plaza, Manhattan (Upper West Side)
Through Feb. 21. 10:30 a.m.– 6 p.m.
This weekend is the last chance to catch the exhibit curated by late playwright, composer and Black theater scholar Michael D. Dinwiddie, which shines a light on the Black artists who shaped New York theater over the past three centuries.
The president of the August Wilson Society, who died last summer, combed through the archives of the Billy Rose Theatre Division of the library for the show that includes over 250 objects from 1825 to 2025.
From “Shuffle Along” and “Hello Dolly” to “A Strange Loop” and “Gypsy,” the expansive exhibition also nods to trailblazers like Aida Overton Walker, Bert Williams, Eartha Kitt and Geoffrey Holder, to name a few.
Free.
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