photo: Nicole Freezer Rubens

A summer of New York creativity unfolds across the city and beyond, from Misty Copeland’s Ballet Festival at The Joyce to the Broadway Bound Theatre Festival’s powerhouse lineup of new plays and musicals, plus a breezy Northport daycation, insider Broadway tips, and a nostalgic spin through the Red Hook Pinball Museum. Looking ahead post-Labor Day, save the date for Gabrielle Carlson’s trunk show and get your tickets to see Eileen Barnett at the Laurie Beechman Theatre.

Misty Copeland’s Ballet Festival

The Joyce Theater’s Ballet Festival—curated by the trailblazing Misty Copeland—unfolds as a two‑week celebration of ballet’s past, present, and future. Bringing together an extraordinary roster of dancers from major companies including American Ballet Theatre, New York City Ballet, Paris Opera Ballet, Houston Ballet, Dance Theatre of Harlem, and Complexions, the festival highlights both iconic choreography and fresh contemporary voices. Audiences experience a dynamic range of works: from Bob Fosse’s Percussion IV to Nureyev’s Romeo & Juliet, Dwight Rhoden’s Ave Maria, and new creations by rising choreographers like Aleisha Walker and Ilo. The programming shifts weekly, offering an evolving mix of classical virtuosity, modern innovation, and intimate duets that showcase the depth and diversity of today’s ballet artists.

Beyond the stage, the festival cultivates community and connection. Opening night extends into a Summer Soirée at the PHD Rooftop Lounge, where guests mingle with the artists and toast the season’s creative energy. Curtain chats, teen workshops, and live musical collaborations deepen the audience’s engagement, making the festival not just a performance series but a full cultural experience. With Copeland’s curatorial vision at the helm, the Ballet Festival becomes a vibrant platform for storytelling, experimentation, and the ongoing evolution of ballet—inviting audiences to witness how tradition and innovation can coexist beautifully. GET THE DETAILS.

The Broadway Bound Theatre Festival

This is a vibrant, fully curated celebration of new plays and musicals, giving emerging and established playwrights a rare professional platform in the heart of New York City. Named one of Time Out’s top summer theatre festivals, BBTF champions writers by removing the financial and logistical barriers that often prevent new work from reaching the stage. Over its multi‑week season, audiences experience an eclectic lineup—from absurdist comedies and political satires to intimate family dramas and original musicals—each piece refined through dramaturgy, workshops, readings, and collaborative development. The result is a festival that feels both artist‑driven and audience‑centered, offering fresh stories that reflect the evolving landscape of American theater.

What truly distinguishes BBTF is its commitment to nurturing playwrights beyond the performance itself. Every submission receives a thoughtful critique, and accepted writers engage in multiple rewrites guided by dramaturgs and industry professionals. Productions are staged at the AMT Theater, an Off‑Broadway venue equipped with state‑of‑the‑art technology, giving each show a polished, professional home. The festival fosters a creative community that is inclusive, supportive, and deeply collaborative—an environment where writers learn the business of self‑producing while seeing their work come alive on stage. For theater lovers and industry insiders alike, BBTF offers a rare chance to witness bold new voices at the moment their stories first meet an audience. TICKETS START AT $30.00

Daycation in Northport

Our Long Island reporter, Andrea Pepononkis, continues her daycation recommendations, one town at a time. This week’s focus is Northport, filled with harbor views, charming shops, delicious food, and slow‑paced summer magic. From breakfast at Copenhagen Bakery to sunset at Cow Harbor Park, the village invites you to wander, savor, and unwind. Friendly shopkeepers, scenic streets, and waterfront beauty make Northport a timeless escape. READ MORE.

September 10. Meet author Barbara Davis

Barbara Davis’s upcoming Huntington signing celebrates Denim Wars (The Three Tomatoes Book Publishing), a vivid plunge into the late‑70s/early‑80s denim battles, where rival brands fought to define cool. Showroom clashes, glossy ads, rising models, and Studio 54 nights collide in a world where style was power, ambition ruled, and risk fueled everything.

Don’t Throw Away That Unused Theater Ticket

It happens to all of us — you buy a Broadway ticket and then life gets in the way. This week we picked up a terrific insider tip from our friend Carol Ostrow: don’t toss that unused ticket. Bring it to the theater on the day you’re able to go, and they’ll seat you. It may not be your original seat, but you will get in. And if you ever need group tickets or a seamless theater‑and‑lunch package, Carol is the person to call. Through Carol Ostrow Productions & Group Sales, she recently arranged for our NYC Insiders to see the Tony Award–winning musical Schmigadoon — plus a fabulous lunch — all with her signature ease. You can reach her at 212‑265‑8500.

Roving in the Red Hook Pinball Museum

 Nicole Freezer Rubens writes:

The point is to play! If you want a dose of nostalgic graphics, sights, sounds, and fun, visit the Red Hook Pinball Museum. This new museum, located at 362 Van Brunt Street in Red Hook, Brooklyn, founded by friends Kevin Murray and Wesley Michalski, is a simple gathering space filled with vintage electromechanical pinball machines that are older than any Three Tomatoes. The games have all been lovingly restored, some taking up to 400 hours of work. Small placards offer brief historical descriptions of what the machines feature, such as the first automatic ball lift or designs skirting gambling laws.

The museum is unique in that it feels more like a clubhouse or a pool hall. Entry and the games are free, with a suggested donation to support the upkeep and ongoing tournaments and events the founders offer. Families and friends hang out under simple string lights and amidst other antique items defining the colorful decor. Stepping inside this museum is a right of passage and a trip back in time to long before video games and phones entertained us. What was your favorite pinball machine and your high score? GET MORE DETAILS.

~Nicole Freezer Rubens is the author of “The Long Pause and the Short Breath”

Save the Date

Our talented designer friend Gabrielle Carlson is presenting a two-day trunk show of her exquisite clothes for real women at the beautiful Guerlain Spa at the Waldorf. We hope to see you there.

October 6. Eileen Barnett Back Again…For the Very First Time

 Eileen Barnett returns to New York this fall with Back Again…For the Very First Time at The Laurie Beechman Theatre on October 6. Known to Broadway audiences as Luisa Contini in Nine, Barnett has built a rich career across stage and screen, appearing in Hacks, Matlock, Gilmore Girls, Frasier, Mad Men, Blackish, and beloved soaps including Days of Our Lives and Knots Landing. Her theatrical credits span Jacques Brel, Fiddler on the Roof, Passion, and Kiss of the Spider Woman, showcasing her versatility and enduring artistry.

Her new show blends songs by Sondheim, Randy Newman, William Finn, Ahrens & Flaherty, and Lerner & Loewe with personal stories that trace her artistic journey. Barnett’s recent surge in auditions—after embracing her natural silver hair—adds a delightful twist to her return. Whether silver or brunette, she’s poised to captivate New York once again. Tickets available at: https://events.leapevents.com/event/lbt25-eileen-barnett.