Arts and Entertainment

Most Movie Theaters Outside of New York City Can Reopen Today

Arts and Entertainment | Friday, October 23, 2020 | By New York State Governor's Office and Star Staff

Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today announced that movie theaters outside of New York City can reopen at 25 percent capacity under state guidance starting October 23. No more than 50 people are allowed in front of each screen in each movie theater at once. Theaters can only open outside of New York City in counties that have COVID-19 positivity rates of less than 2 percent on a 14-day average and do not have any cluster zones. Theaters will be subject to rigorous state guidance and enforcement.

However Cinemaworld, the parent company of Regal Cinemas, said its theaters, including the 14 screens at the Shops at Ithaca Mall, will remain closed indefinitely. After Cuomo's announcement, the company announced it will be opening Regal Cinemas today in Albany, Buffalo, Orchard Park, Deer Park, Lynbrook, New Rochelle, Poughkeepsie, Syracuse, Victor, and Westbury, but for now the Ithaca location remains closed.

The governor also announced that 159,972 test results were reported to New York State yesterday—a new record high.

"We hit 160,000 tests in one day, which is a record number and the highest we've ever done. When you're doing that level of tests you get down to the block level. And then, when you start to see a cluster, you oversample in that cluster, so you get even more data," Cuomo said. "Beginning October 23, movie theaters outside of New York City will be allowed to reopen at 25 percent capacity with up to 50 people maximum per screen. This is outside of New York City in areas that have infection rates below 2 percent on a 14-day average and have no cluster zones."

Magic for Humans (At Home)

Arts and Entertainment | Friday, October 23, 2020 | By State Theatre of Ithaca

The State Theatre of Ithaca announced an online presentation of Magic for Humans (At Home) with Justin Willman, an interactive hour of magic, comedy, and unexpected surprises delivered directly into your living room. Justin is a regular on the Tonight Show, Ellen, and Comedy Central, and is the star of the hit Netflix series Magic for Humans. Now he invites you and your family to join him (on Zoom) for this unique and intimate all-ages experiment.

For Halloween weekend Justin has created a brand-new show packed with more tricks and treats than you can imagine. Plus, there will be a costume contest, so dress appropriately. It's going to be a spooky and fun-filled event that your whole family will enjoy.

Each ticket allows viewing on one device, so you can choose to enjoy the show solo or share the fun with the entire family. During the performance Justin will be able to see, hear and interact with the audience in real time, making this a truly unique experience. Capacity is limited.

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Virtual 'Dear Hope' Performance by the Hangar

Arts and Entertainment | Friday, October 23, 2020 | By Thena Gitlin

At 7:30 PM EST on Sunday, November 1, the Hangar Theatre Company will present a virtual stream of a new play, Dear Hope, by Joy Peskin, directed by Michael Barakiva. The performance is free, with registration required at hangartheatre.org/hope.

Dear Hope is a semi-autobiographical story of Hope, a liberal Democrat attending the Women’s March in Washington, DC on January 21, 2017. On the way there, she meets Jim, a conservative Republican who just attended the Presidential Inauguration. Alternating between live interactions and email exchanges, Dear Hope is the story of two good people from opposite sides of the political spectrum who will stop at nothing to find common ground. This play dramatizes the challenges and rewards of coming together during divided times.

'Virtual Vibrance: Making, Shaking, Breaking Performance' at Cornell

Arts and Entertainment | Friday, October 23, 2020 | By Jayme Kilburn, PhD student, Department of Performing and Media Arts

On October 30–31, the Cornell University Department of Performing and Media Arts (PMA), Cornell Ambassadors for Media and Performance (CAMP), and Graduate Researchers in Media and Performing Arts (GRMPA) offer three collaboratively crafted online performances led by undergraduate women artists of color. The series, titled "Virtual Vibrance: Making, Shaking, Breaking Performance," is funded in part by the Cornell Council for the Arts.

Friday, October 30 (7:30 p.m.) and Saturday, October 31 (2:00 p.m.): "Exhibit Noir," devised by Faith Parris '24. "Exhibit Noir" depicts a Black museum, exploring blackness in the arts while focusing on the white gaze. Parris incorporates Paul Lawrence Dunbar's idea of "the mask" and other original poetry. The piece will consist of four consecutive dances that serve to tell a story through the African Diaspora.

Cornell Concert Series Presents Vijay Iyer

Arts and Entertainment | Friday, October 23, 2020 | By Cornell Concert Series

Composer-pianist Vijay Iyer has carved out a unique path as an influential, prolific, shape-shifting presence in modern music. He was described by Pitchfork as "one of the best in the world at what he does," by the Los Angeles Weekly as “a boundless and deeply important young star,” by the New York Times as a “social conscience, multimedia collaborator, system builder, rhapsodist, historical thinker and multicultural gateway,” and by Minnesota Public Radio as “an American treasure.” A musical innovator, an active collaborator, and a member of multiple artistic communities, Iyer continues to reimagine the role of the musician in the 21st century.

For his episode on the Cornell Concert Series Fall 2020 Season, Iyer performs some of his own compositions, which draw from a variety of sources- including African American improvisational traditions, his own Indian heritage, and the Western classical canon. Iyer also answers student questions about his upcoming collaborations, and non-piano influences on his compositions.