About this Event
Grab a chair and come enjoy a movie in a neighborhood park or playground! This summer, NYC Parks will host family-friendly movie showings across the five boroughs.
Arts, Culture & Fun in partnership with The Charlie Parker Festival will be screening Mary Lou Williams: The Lady Who Swings the Band. During an era when Jazz was the nation's popular music, Mary Lou Williams was one of its greatest innovators. As both a pianist and composer, she was a font of daring and creativity who helped shape the sound of 20th century America. And like the dynamic, turbulent nation in which she lived, Williams seemed to redefine herself with every passing decade.From child prodigy to "Boogie-Woogie Queen" to groundbreaking composer to mentoring some of the greatest musicians of all time, Mary Lou Williams never ceased to astound those who heard her play. But away from the piano, Williams was a woman in a "man's world," a black person in a "whites only" society, an ambitious artist who dared to be different, and who struggled against the imperatives of being a "star." Above all, she did not fit the (still) prevailing notions of where genius comes from or what it looks like. Time and again, she pushed back against a world that said, "You can't" and said, "I can." It nearly cost her everything.
Come early! The screening will take place after the jazz concert by David Schnitter Quintet, part of the Charlie Parker Jazz Festival, at 6:30pm.
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Please wear a mask if you are unvaccinated or cannot maintain social distance.
All individuals should maintain social distancing of six feet during programming, regardless of vaccination status.
Wash your hands before attending a program.
Stay home if you are sick.
Contact (212) 360-1430 or [email protected] for more information regarding accessibility.
Event Venue & Nearby Stays
Hansborough Recreation Center, 35 West 134th Street, New York, United States
USD 0.00