{"id":138915,"date":"2026-02-19T17:17:12","date_gmt":"2026-02-19T17:17:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/138915\/"},"modified":"2026-02-19T17:17:12","modified_gmt":"2026-02-19T17:17:12","slug":"7-things-to-do-in-nyc-this-weekend-feb-20-22","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/138915\/","title":{"rendered":"7 things to do in NYC this weekend: Feb. 20\u201322"},"content":{"rendered":"

Highlights this weekend include Ash K. Tata<\/a>\u2018s ambitious take on Shakespeare\u2019s Roman tragedy, Vanessa Williams<\/a> at 54 Below and a free Black Broadway exhibit in Lincoln Center.<\/p>\n

Theater
\n\""The“The Tragedy of Coriolanus” (Photo by Hollis King)<\/p>\n

\u201cThe Tragedy of Coriolanus\u201d<\/p>\n

Theatre for a New Audience at Polonsky Shakespeare Center<\/a>\u2014262 Ashland Place, Brooklyn (Fort Greene)<\/p>\n

Through March 1. Various showtimes.<\/p>\n

After starring in last winter\u2019s emotionally charged \u201cA Guide for the Homesick,<\/a>\u201d Drama Desk Award winner McKinley Belcher III<\/a> is back on the New York City stage bringing more drama \u2014 this time as Caius Martius Coriolanus, Shakespeare\u2019s Roman ruler who gets banished from his home and then joins his enemies to attack his city.<\/p>\n

Also starring Roslyn Ruff<\/a> and Mickey Sumner<\/a> (as a female Aufidius), the play\u2019s exploration of leadership, honor and the dynamics of power is as relevant as ever in today\u2019s topsy-turvy political landscape.<\/p>\n

Director Ash K. Tata<\/a> 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\u2019<\/a>s immersive, metaverse video game-styled production elements serve as an inviting \u2014 and visceral \u2014 device that stays true to the theater company\u2019s mission of making classical theater accessible to new audiences.<\/p>\n

Tickets<\/a> start at $95, discounts available.<\/p>\n

Music
\n\"NEWVanessa 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)<\/p>\n

Vanessa Williams<\/a><\/p>\n

54 Below<\/a>\u2014254 W 54th St., Manhattan (Midtown)<\/p>\n

Through Feb. 21. 7 p.m.<\/p>\n

On a break from starring as Miranda Priestly in the West End production of \u201cThe Devil Wears Prada,\u201d<\/a> Vanessa Williams<\/a> has come back to her roots with a weeklong residency at the nonprofit cabaret hotspot below Studio 54.<\/p>\n

Accompanied by a five-piece band (including backing vocals by Broadway veteran Shelley Thomas-Harts<\/a>), Williams performs songs showcasing her versatility and longevity spanning five decades.<\/p>\n

From her late 1980s hits \u201cThe Right Stuff<\/a>\u201d and and the Oscar-winning \u201cColors of the Wind\u201d<\/a> to Stephen Sondheim<\/a> classics \u201cLosing My Mind\u201d and \u201cChildren Will Listen,\u201d fans of the the 62-year-old Westchester native will get to experience her full essence in the most intimate setting.<\/p>\n

Tickets<\/a> start at $145, plus fees.<\/p>\n

Comedy
\n\"DavidDavid Krumholtz and Jess Domain. (Rengim Mutevellioglu)<\/p>\n

New York Comedy Film Festival<\/a><\/p>\n

Baruch Performing Arts Center<\/a>\u201455 Lexington Ave., Manhattan (Gramercy)<\/p>\n

Through Feb. 22. Various times.<\/p>\n

The city\u2019s first festival dedicated exclusively to comedy on screen kicked off earlier this week.<\/p>\n

The inaugural event is showcasing more than 75 films full-length features, documentaries, mockumentaries, shorts and episodic storytelling from established and emerging filmmakers.<\/p>\n

The New York premiere of \u201cForelock<\/a>,\u201d starring David Krumholtz<\/a>, and the nine-time Oscar nominated film \u201cSentimental Value\u201d<\/a> are among the highlights \u2014 along with the first-ever competitive category for films under four minutes that builds on the festival\u2019s mission to reflect how comedy is created, consumed and shared in modern times.<\/p>\n

\u201cComedy comes in all shapes and sizes,\u201d NYCFF co-founder Bob Melley<\/a> explained about \u201cShorty Shorts,\u201d which he added welcomes the embrace of \u201cgreat humor in every format without judging anyone\u2019s attention span.\u201d<\/p>\n

Tickets<\/a> start at $33.<\/p>\n

Film
\n\""Billy“Billy Preston: That\u2019s the Way God Planned It” (Abramorama)<\/p>\n

\u201cBilly Preston: That\u2019s the Way God Planned It<\/a>\u201c<\/p>\n

Film Forum<\/a>\u2014209 West Houston St., Manhattan (Greenwich Village)<\/p>\n

Opens Feb. 20. Various times.<\/p>\n

Emmy winner Paris Barclay<\/a>\u2018s 105-minute chronicle of the meteoric rise and tragic fall of Billy Preston<\/a> is a treasure trove for classic rock and soul music fans.<\/p>\n

The Los Angeles-born keyboardist, singer, and songwriter started off as a young piano prodigy who rose to fame working with Little Richard<\/a>, Sam Cooke, The Rolling Stones, Barbara Streisand<\/a>, Sly Stone and The Beatles<\/a>. He later achieved success as a Grammy Award-winning<\/a> solo artist. But then there was also the sexual assault of a teenage boy<\/a>, years of substance abuse and a dark past that haunted him.<\/p>\n

Preston, who died in 2006, just days after coming out as gay in a rehabilitation facility at age 59, is remembered \u2014 warts and all \u2014 by friends, family, colleagues and historians through testimonials in this powerful biographical documentary.<\/p>\n

Tickets<\/a> are $17.<\/p>\n

Art
\n\"DionDion Pollard at the Harlem Fine Arts Show. (Sekou Luke)<\/p>\n

Harlem Fine Arts Show<\/p>\n

The Glasshouse<\/a>\u2014 660 12th Ave., Manhattan (Hell\u2019s Kitchen)<\/p>\n

Through Feb. 22. Various times.<\/p>\n

In its 18th year, the largest traveling U.S. exhibition showcasing work by Black and Brown artists continues its mission to celebrate Black artistry.<\/p>\n

This year\u2019s 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<\/a> of WBLS-FM and her former intern-turned-NY1 anchor Dean Meminger<\/a> will host Friday\u2019s Red Dot Opening event, featuring a performance by renowned jazz vocalist Antoinette Montague.<\/a><\/p>\n

Harlem-based multidisciplinary artist, designer and educator Fitgi Saint-Louis<\/a> is the spotlight artist for 2026. Known for her creative innovation and social impact, organizers said Saint-Louis\u2019 work serves as the perfect embodiment of our theme, \u201cArt For Technology.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cFor nearly two decades, the Harlem Fine Arts Show has been a platform where artistry meets purpose and legacy meets opportunity,\u201d founder and CEO Dion Clarke<\/a> said. \u201cOur mission continues to evolve to uplift voices, champion healing through art, and strengthen communities through connection.\u201d<\/p>\n

Tickets<\/a> start at $44.<\/p>\n

Talk
\n\"CouncilmanCouncilman Yusef Salaam at The Moth in Harlem. (Peter Cooper for The Moth; Getty Images)<\/p>\n

The Moth in Harlem<\/p>\n

Aaron Davis Hall<\/a>\u2014129 Convent Ave., Manhattan (Harlem)<\/p>\n

Fri. Feb. 20, 7:30 p.m.<\/p>\n

New York City Councilman Yusef Salaam<\/a> is among the five storytellers sharing their personal stories for the popular note-free speaking series\u2019 first appearance in Harlem. The \u201cCentral Park Five\/Exonerated Five\u201d member<\/a> will share how he discovered the spiritual meaning and strength within his name and drew on it to survive nearly seven years of incarceration.<\/p>\n

With the theme of \u201cAmerican Dreams,\u201d the event will be hosted by comedian and lifestyle content creator Amber Wallen<\/a>. Other speakers include Grammy-nominated musician Lachi<\/a>, poet Cola Rum, pediatric nurse Renita Walls and foster care system survivor Jonathan Grant-Brown.<\/p>\n

Tickets<\/a> are $55, plus fees.<\/p>\n

Free
\n\"(L-R)(L-R) Aida Walker, Bert Williams, Eartha Kitt, Geoffrey Holder. (Courtesy of The New York Public Library for the Performing Arts)<\/p>\n

\u201cSyncopated Stages: Black Disruptions to the Great White Way\u201d<\/p>\n

The New York Public Library for the Performing Arts<\/a>\u201440 Lincoln Center Plaza, Manhattan (Upper West Side)<\/p>\n

Through Feb. 21. 10:30 a.m.\u2013 6 p.m.<\/p>\n

This weekend is the last chance to catch the exhibit curated by late playwright, composer and Black theater scholar Michael D. Dinwiddie<\/a>, which shines a light on the Black artists who shaped New York theater over the past three centuries.<\/p>\n

The president of the August Wilson Society<\/a>, 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.<\/p>\n

From \u201cShuffle Along\u201d and \u201cHello Dolly\u201d to \u201cA Strange Loop<\/a>\u201d and \u201cGypsy<\/a>,\u201d the expansive exhibition also nods to trailblazers like Aida Overton Walker, Bert Williams, Eartha Kitt and Geoffrey Holder<\/a>, to name a few.<\/p>\n

Free.<\/p>\n

If you have an upcoming weekend event you\u2019d like to submit for consideration in an upcoming roundup, please email: nycevents@nydailynews.com<\/a> with the full listing details. Consideration does not guarantee inclusion.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Highlights this weekend include Ash K. Tata\u2018s ambitious take on Shakespeare\u2019s Roman tragedy, Vanessa Williams at 54 Below…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":138916,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[8],"tags":[4982,157,85,158,4983,9,24,264,56,63,65,64,2632,905,904],"class_list":{"0":"post-138915","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-new-york-city","8":"tag-arts","9":"tag-entertainment","10":"tag-latest-headlines","11":"tag-movies","12":"tag-music-and-concerts","13":"tag-new-york","14":"tag-new-york-city","15":"tag-new-york-county","16":"tag-ny","17":"tag-nyc","18":"tag-nyc-headlines","19":"tag-nyc-news","20":"tag-snyde","21":"tag-theater","22":"tag-things-to-do"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/138915","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=138915"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/138915\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/138916"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=138915"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=138915"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=138915"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}