In the Now: New York City events for Friday, Dec. 27

Teddy Bear Tea Party at the Mount Vernon Hotel Museum and Garden. Kids get a tour from an actress who plays the proprietor’s wife.

Teddy Bear Tea Party at the Mount Vernon Hotel Museum and Garden. Kids get a tour from an actress who plays the proprietor’s wife.

TEA FOR TOTS

BYOB – bring your own bear!

The Mount Vernon Hotel Museum and Garden on the Upper East Side hosts a honey of a brunch on Sunday to cure kids’ post-holiday blahs.

Children ages 3 to 6 are invited to bring a bear, doll or other stuffed animal to a Teddy Bear Tea, where they’ll get a tour of the estate by an actress playing Mrs. Woodhull, who was married to hotel proprietor James Woodhull in the 1800s.

Little ones live out a typical day at the elegant stone manse during the 19th century, from playing with vintage toys like the cup-and-ball or Jacob’s Ladder, to helping the lady of the house sweep the floor or hand-wash laundry before hanging the duds on a drying rack.

After working up an appetite, it’s tea time, with cookies and fruit tea on little tables (plus regular tea for the adults).

Kwanzaa celebration at the American Museum of Natural History takes place under the big whale.

Roderick MIckens

Kwanzaa celebration at the American Museum of Natural History takes place under the big whale.

“It’s a nice little event to do before the kids go back to school,” says museum marketer Terri Daly.

Reservations are recommended. Tix are $ 10 for adults and $ 5 for children under 12 at mvhm.org. Nicole Lyn Pesce

CELEBRATE KWANZAA

Unity, creativity and purpose.

Those are just a few of the principles of Kwanzaa, a holiday based on African harvest celebrations.

On Dec. 27, the Apollo Theater hosts its annual celebration with Forces of Nature Dance Theatre and other performances.

Kate Baldwin and Norbert Leo Butz in “Big Fish”

Paul Kolnik

Kate Baldwin and Norbert Leo Butz in “Big Fish”

The following night the American Museum of Natural History celebrates its 35th Kwanzaa event, one of the oldest in the country. Under the big blue whale, the Supremes from “Motown: The Musical” will perform, followed by a Kwanzaa documentary co-written by Maya Angelou.

“Kwanzaa celebrates the interconnectedness of humanity,” says Adina Williams, senior manager of public programs, “as well as the connections between humans and the natural world, making it a great fit for the museum.”

For info, go to apollotheater.org or amnh.org. Justin Rocket Silverman

‘FISH’ THAT’S GOING AWAY

It’s the end of the line for Broadway’s “Big Fish” on Sunday.

While the musical snagged mixed reviews for its score, story, direction and physical production, the show’s leading man, Norbert Leo Butz, hooked uniformly warm notices as the eccentric storyteller and errant family man Edward Bloom.

Susanna Phillips as Rosalinde and Christopher Maltman as Eisenstein in Johann Strauss’ “Die Fledermaus.”

Susanna Phillips as Rosalinde and Christopher Maltman as Eisenstein in Johann Strauss’ “Die Fledermaus.”

The alternately exuberant and vulnerable star turn by Butz, who has won Tonys for “Dirty Rotten Scoundrels” and “Catch Me If You Can,” makes the show worth seeing.

Ditto the fine support from Kate Baldwin, who plays Edward’s wife, and Bobby Steggert, as his son. When “Big Fish” announced its closing date, Steggert tweeted: “Show business is a heart breaker.”

Tickets and show times at bigfishthemusical.com. Joe Dziemianowicz

NEW YEAR, NEW GIG

Cheers to spending New Year’s Eve doing something you’ve never done — like making your debut at the Metropolitan Opera.

Danny Burstein has that circled on his calendar for Tuesday, when he plays the speaking role of Frosch, a comic jailer in the Met’s new production of Johann Strauss’ “Die Fledermaus.” Burstein follows in the footsteps and pratfalls of Sid Caesar, Dom DeLuise and Bill Irwin, who previously played the role.

Harlem Rep puts on a double bill of Yip Harburg, including “ Finian’s Rainbow” (above).

Harlem Rep puts on a double bill of Yip Harburg, including “ Finian’s Rainbow” (above).

“If they hadn’t offered me the part I would have never dreamed of it,” says Burstein, a four-time Tony nominee. “Frosch is great fun.”

Frothy “Fledermaus” revolves around an unhappily married couple — who will be played by Susanna Phillips and Christopher Maltman — who don’t realize how much they love each other.

Tony-nominated writer Douglas Carter Beane makes his Met debut with new English dialogue. Expect zingers. And look for plenty of lush eye candy in Jeremy Sams’ staging, set in turn-of-the-century Vienna. It runs through Feb. 22.

For more info, go to metopera.org. Joe Dziemianowicz

YIP, YIP, HOORAY

Harlem Repertory Theater launches its new season on Friday with a Yip Harburg musical twofer.

An 80-minute “Finian’s Rainbow,” about love, leprechauns and racism, is Act I of the double bill. Act II is the seldom seen “Flahooley,” about corporate greed and prejudice, in a multimedia take with puppets and video elements.

Harburg is famous for writing the wistful “Somewhere Over the Rainbow.” Harlem Rep artistic director Keith Grant has staged the shows separately and says he adores how “entertaining, insightful and political” they are on their own.

“I couldn’t resist the urge,” he says, “to let an audience see them back to back.”

“Finian’s Rainbow”/“Flahooley” run Dec. 27-Jan. 12 at 133rd Street Arts Center (308 W. 133rd St.), $ 15-$ 40 at smarttix.com. Joe Dziemianowicz


Lifestyle – NY Daily News

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