The Chinatown Partnership has planned four nights of free outdoor performances to feature the history of performing arts in Chinese culture.
Lunar Stages will be held Sept. 21 and 28 as well as Oct. 5 and 12 in Columbus Park in Chinatown. It features live theatrical and musical performances, American and Chinese movies, and a variety of family activities.
“This is one of our first efforts to bring activity back to Chinatown, especially in the evening,” said David Eng, director of marketing and development for the Partnership.
The business group is sponsoring these free events, which correspond with the Autumn Moon Festival, originally a harvest festival in dynastic China, hence the title — Lunar Stages.
Each night, family activities will begin at 5:30 p.m. Sept. 21 will feature performances by the Qi Shu Fang Peking Opera Company at 6:30 p.m. and Academy Award winning “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon” at 7:30 p.m. The Sept. 28 event will include a performance by the Drum Spirit of China at 6:30 p.m. and a showing of “Once Upon a Time in China.” On Oct. 5 the Chinese Theatre Works will present puppetry and Chinese shadow theatre at 6:30 p.m. and “Music Palace” will show at 7:15 p.m. followed by “King of Masks.” Gaijin a Go-Go will perform at 6 p.m. on Oct. 12 and at 7 p.m. “Charlie’s Angels” — featuring New York native and daughter of Chinese immigrants Lucy Liu — will be shown.
“We hope that by starting the events at 5:30 p.m. people will come after work,” Eng said. He said he hopes that people from all the neighboring boroughs will come out and join them.
Pamphlets from the events will also get patrons discounts at local restaurants on the days of the events and a 10 percent discount on traditional moon cakes at the Fay Da Bakery, 83 Mott St., from Sept. 21 through the end of the festival on Oct. 12.
For more information visit www.LunarStages.com.
—Lori Haught
