By Mabel Pais

The New Jersey Performing Arts Center (NJPAC) welcomes you for an intimate evening with the singing diva, AUDRA MCDONALD, at Newark, N.J, on Saturday, April 29, 2023 at 7:30 PM.

A MUST SEE FOR EVERY AUDRA FAN!

Six TONY® awards, Two GRAMMY® awards, One EMMY® award winning STAR!!!

AUDRA MCDONALD is unparalleled in the breadth and versatility of her singer and actress artistry. Blessed with a luminous soprano and an incomparable gift for dramatic truth-telling, she is as much at home on Broadway and opera stages as she is in roles on film and television. With six Tony Awards, two Grammy Awards (both stemming from her LA Opera debut in ‘Rise and Fall of the City of Mahogany’), an Emmy Award, and a long list of other accolades to her name, she is among today’s most highly regarded performers. In addition to her theatrical work, she has a significant career as a concert and recording artist, regularly appearing on the world’s great stages.

Audra McDonald is perhaps the most astounding performer of our lifetimes—a once-in-a-century artist with a miracle of a voice. To hear her live is to hear “singing” invented right before you. It’s no surprise this Tony-winning actor of all time (with six awards) and the only person to ever win in all four acting categories. Her list of unforgettable performances spans Broadway (Carousel, Master Class, Ragtime, A Raisin in the Sun, The Gershwins’ Porgy and Bess, Lady Day at Emerson’s Bar & Grill, Shuffle Along); solo albums (Way Back to Paradise, How Glory Goes, Happy Songs, Build a Bridge, Go Back Home, Sing Happy); and TV and film (The Good Fight, The Gilded Age, Beauty, and the Beast, Respect).

Acclaimed by The New York Times as a “one-of-a-kind musical super-talent,” Audra McDonald was named one of Time magazine’s 100 most influential people of 2015. She received a 2015 National Medal of Arts — America’s highest honor for achievement in the arts — from President Barack Obama. In addition to her work on stage and screen, she is noted as a passionate advocate for equal rights, LGBTQ causes, and underprivileged youth. She is currently starring in the CBS All Access drama The Good Fight. To learn more, visit AudraMcDonald.com.

TICKETS

Tickets to see Audra McDonald are available at NJPAC.org or in person at the NJPAC Box Office, 1 Center Street in Newark, N.J. or by calling 888. GO.NJPAC (888.466.5722).

The New Jersey Performing Arts Center (NJPAC)

Follow NJPAC Online:

Website:     njpac.org

Twitter:      @NJPAC

Instagram:    @NJPAC

Hashtag:     #NJPAC

Facebook:     facebook.com/NJPAC

YouTube:     NJPACtv

Follow NJPAC’s Standing in Solidarity Series Online:

Website:     njpac.org/takeastand

Hashtag:       #NJPACTakeAStand

Youtube:       Standing in Solidarity playlist

(Mabel Pais writes on Social Issues, The Arts and Entertainment, Health & Wellness, Cuisine and Spirituality)

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BCM-NY HOSTS EID-AL-FITR CELEBRATIONS

By Mabel Pais

The Brooklyn Children’s Museum (BCM) hosts Celebrate Eid al-Fitr (brooklynkids.org/programs/eid/) on Sunday, April 23, a fun-filled festival of food, music, dance, and art that will take place from 11 am to 4 pm.

Eid al-Fitr marks the end of the holy month of Ramadan and the month-long dawn-to-sunset fasting. Traditionally, people celebrate the holiday by gathering with family and friends, exchanging gifts, and greeting one another. At Brooklyn Children’s Museum, visitors will learn the story of Eid al-Fitr, enjoy hands-on activities, and celebrate cultural traditions from across the Muslim world with Council Member Shahana Hanif and various cultural partners, artists, and performers.

Visitors will learn about Halal food and spices and receive a recipe to take home from the Arab-American Family Support Center; participate in a South Asian food workshop and art-making station with APNA Brooklyn Community Center; enjoy delicious food from South Asian and Turkish food vendors throughout the day, organized by APNA and the Turkish Cultural Center (TCC); join interactive drumming performances and enjoy storytelling through puppetry led by The Culture Tree; move along to the rhythms of the Bangladesh Institute for Performing Arts with dance and music presentations that share traditional instruments, including tabla and harmonium; and get creative with art activities that include making a water marbling painting with TCC, designing crescent moons in BCM’s ColorLab art studio, and getting one’s hands painted at the popular Henna station!

“I am overjoyed to be joining the Brooklyn Children’s Museum once again for their Eid celebration,” says Council Member Shahana Hanif. “It has been a true privilege to work with this important Brooklyn institution to create an inclusive and family-focused celebration. I applaud BCM’s proactive efforts to welcome children and families in an opportunity to learn about this important Muslim holiday celebrated by thousands across our City. I extend my gratitude to the BCM staff, community partners, and volunteers for making this event thoughtful and possible!”

“We’re thrilled to collaborate with Council Member Shahana Hanif and our amazing cultural partners to create a truly inclusive and engaging Eid al-Fitr celebration at Brooklyn Children’s Museum,” says Stephanie Hill Wilchfort, President and CEO of Brooklyn Children’s Museum. “Working alongside such a diverse and dedicated group of organizations is an incredible opportunity, and we look forward to sharing this special day with families from all backgrounds.”

TICKETS

Tickets to Celebrate Eid al-Fitr (BrooklynKids.org) are available for general admission, discounted for grandparents, and free for children under one year of age. General admission tickets include access to all special programs and Museum exhibits. To purchase tickets, visit www.brooklynkids.org/eid.

Shahana Hanif

Shahana Hanif represents the 39th Council District, which includes parts of Kensington, Borough Park, Windsor Terrace, Park Slope, Gowanus, Carroll Gardens, Cobble Hill, and the Columbia Waterfront. Born and raised in District 39 to Bangladeshi immigrant parents, Shahana has spent her life fighting for working-class families and a city rooted in care, equity, and justice for all. Learn more about Councilperson Hanif at council.nyc.gov/district-39.

The Turkish Cultural Center

Learn more at turkishculturalcenter.org.

The Culture Tree

Learn more at theculturetree.com.

The Bangladesh Institute of Performing Arts

Learn more at bipainc.com.

APNA Brooklyn Community Center

Learn more at apnabrooklyn.com.

The Arab-American Family Support Center

Learn more at aafscny.org.

The Brooklyn Children’s Museum

Inspired by the energy and diversity of the borough, Brooklyn Children’s Museum creates experiences that ignite curiosity, celebrate identity and cultivate joyful learning. Founded in 1899 as the world’s first children’s museum, Brooklyn Children’s Museum (BCM) is New York City’s largest cultural institution designed especially for families. Proudly based in Crown Heights, Brooklyn, BCM serves 300,000 children and caregivers annually with exhibits and programs grounded in the visual arts, music and performance, natural science, and world cultures. For more information, visit brooklynkids.org.

(Mabel Pais writes on Social Issues, The Arts and Entertainment, Health & Wellness, Cuisine and Spirituality)