Is it really summer in NYC without Shakespeare in the Park? We’re about to find out. 

The Delacorte Theater—the Central Park sister to the Public Theater in the East Village—has been putting on free productions of the Bard’s plays every summer for the past six decades, with a musical adaptation of The Public’s The Tempest closing out the 2023 season next month, running in the 1,800-seat open-air theater for one week only from Sunday, August 27 through Sunday, Sept. 3, 2023.

RECOMMENDED: How to get free Shakespeare in the Park tickets

It won’t just be the final production of 2023 for the historic performance space; it will be the Delacorte’s final production for the next two years. That’s because the Public Theater, in partnership with Central Park Conservancy and the New York City Department of Parks & Recreation, is embarking on a revitalization project of the 61-year-old theater, beginning in the fall of 2023 and reportedly culminating in time for the 2025 summer season. 

The project—which is estimated to cost $77 million, with $41 million contributed by the offices of the mayor, City Council and Manhattan borough president, another $1 million from the state budget and the remainder privately funded—was first announced back in December 2021 but the renovation faced pandemic-related delays. Proposed plans would benefit both the performers and the patrons: increased access for people living with disabilities, new audience seating, improved lighting, modernized back-of-house operations, among others. 

“Now, it is time for us to ensure that our beloved Delacorte will continue to be a home for artists and audiences for generations to come. This 18-month renovation will create a Delacorte that is more accessible, more sustainable, more able to create extraordinary theater, and more a palace for the people of this city than ever before,” said artistic director Oskar Eustis and executive director Patrick Willingham in a statement. 

“When we gather together in summer 2025, it will be at the magnificent, refreshed Delacorte Theater built by and for the people of New York, to be treasured as our shared home for Free Shakespeare in the Park for generations to come. We look forward to sharing it with you all.”

Check out renderings for the proposed new Delacorte Theater space below:

* This article was originally published here

Bow down, because the queen is here—well, Queen Bey, that is.

New Yorkers are gearing up for Beyoncé at MetLife Stadium, with the “CUFF IT” crooner bringing her Renaissance Tour to the East Rutherford venue on Saturday, July 29 and Sunday, July 30 (here’s how to get Beyoncé tickets, if you don’t have the already), but Bey fans can get an even earlier peek at the iconic performer at Madame Tussauds New York.

On Thursday, July 27, the wax museum debuted a brand-new iteration of Beyoncé’s wax figure (one that thankfully doesn’t make the list of the worst-looking wax sculptures at Madame Tussauds in NYC). The new statue is a recreation of the Queen Nefertiti-inspired look that the superstar wore during her historic Coachella performance from 2018 (Bey was the first Black woman to ever headline the music festival), including replicas of her Balmain bodysuit and coordinating cape, ornate headpiece, statement necklace, diamante earrings and metallic booties. The Beychella effect is complete with a commanding pose, accessorized with a cane. 

To successfully achieve Beyoncé’s likeness, the museum enlisted the efforts of 20 Madame Tussauds studio artists, sculptors and designers in London, who researched hundreds of images, videos and magazine spreads of the singer before completing the statue in six months. 

The wax figure is available for view at The Edge, the 100-story-high, glass-floored observation deck at Hudson Yards, the highest outdoor sky deck in the Western Hemisphere. It’s a fitting spot for someone whose success is as towering as Beyoncé’s. (The artist has sold over 200 million records worldwide and holds 32 Grammy Awards, the highest of any musician.) 

“As one of the most significant, influential performers of the 21st century, we wanted to capture one of Beyoncé’s most impactful moments in her inspiring career,” said Tiago Mogadouro, Head of Marketing at Madame Tussauds New York. “She’s a visionary in music, art and fashion and we felt her look at Coachella 2018 was an embodiment of her spirit as the ultimate entertainer. What better way to celebrate Beyoncé than to immortalize that moment in wax for fans to enjoy for years to come?”

* This article was originally published here

A new WalletHub analysis found that New Jersey has the United States’ third best school system. In a survey that looked at “performance, funding, safety, class size and instructor credentials,” the personal finance website found that New Jersey has the fourth lowest dropout rate, its students post the second highest reading scores, and the state has the fifth best pupil-to-teacher ratio.

Tyrone C. Howard, the director of UCLA’s School of Education & Information Studies, told WalletHub that “per-pupil spending is a factor, but not the biggest factor in defining school quality.

“I think taking a closer look at how funding is being spent matters. It is also important to look at larger contextual factors within a given community to determine school quality,” continued Howard.. “Access to resources, affordable housing, transportation, and environmental factors all influence school quality.”

The post NJ schools rank No. 3 in nation appeared first on New York Amsterdam News.

* This article was originally published here

The federal energy assistance program that helps New Yorkers with low incomes stay cool in the summer has run out of funds, just 24 days into what’s projected to be a record-breaking summer season.

The program, known as the Low-income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP), is administered by the state and city and provides emergency and non-emergency cooling services for years to tens of thousands of seniors and households with low incomes. However, on July 14, the New York State Office of Temporary Disability Assistance (OTDA) stated that it would not be accepting new applications for assistance this summer due to the exhaustion of cooling assistance funds.

“We’re frustrated because we’ve been saying that the cooling assistance program has needed more money for a very long time, and the cooling assistance funding has run out before,” says Sonal Jessel, director of Policy for WE ACT for Environmental Justice, a nonprofit advocacy organization. “And so, how come we’re not learning from mistakes?”

The funding for LIHEAP had been instrumental in providing eligible low-income New Yorkers and seniors and people with documented medical conditions, who are particularly vulnerable to extreme heat, with a one-time installation of an air conditioner or fan. Many community organizations and city agencies have advocated for the program to go further by providing additional support for paying energy bills during the summer.

“One A/C often isn’t enough for a family of four, for example,” Jessel says. “You’re picking the room to be cool in.” New Jersey, by comparison, provides a $300 subsidy for LIHEAP participants to pay utility bills, “so we know it can be done,” she adds.

Extreme heat poses a significant health risk, particularly to people in marginalized communities. Heat-related illnesses are deadlier than extreme floods, hurricanes, and storms combined — with mortality rates more than twice as high among Black New Yorkers and an estimated 350 New Yorkers dying prematurely because of hot weather each year. Neighborhoods that are predominantly Black, brown or poor tend to experience higher temperatures and the least shielding from heat. 

To stay safe during the summer, it is important to recognize the symptoms of heat-related illnesses and take prompt action. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends staying hydrated, wearing lightweight, loose-fitting and breathable clothing, and avoiding direct sun exposure during peak hours in the early afternoons. Taking frequent breaks in shaded or air-conditioned areas and being mindful of the signs of heat-related illness symptoms is essential for everyone’s well-being during hot weather. 

In the last fiscal year, $23 million was allocated to assist 23,936 New York households with cooling, with 8,860 of those households in NYC. This year’s allocation of just $15 million has so far reached 9,722 households, including 3,293 in the city. The decrease in funding has raised concerns among some advocates who argue that more financial support is needed to ensure that vulnerable communities are adequately protected from the dangers of extreme heat.

The cooling component of LIHEAP’s budget makes up just 4% of the program’s total, compared to 50% allocated for heating assistance in cooler months. Efforts by environmental and community advocacy organizations, along with New York City agencies, have been ongoing to increase funding for cooling assistance programs. They have pushed for expanded benefits during the summer, such as providing a small monthly subsidy of $40 from May to September to help low-income New Yorkers better afford air conditioning bills. The city’s health department, among others, has also pushed for the health condition stipulation to be dropped, a requirement that was waived during the pandemic. 

Despite efforts to secure additional funding, legislative progress has been slow. Last October, the program received $1 billion in temporary funding, which benefited thousands of New York households. Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-NY) said at the time that he sought to get an additional $4 billion for the final budget. A bill re-introduced by Congressman Jamaal Bowman (D-NY) and Sen. Edward Markey (D-MA) earlier this year to provide more support for the program remains stalled in the Senate.

“It is unacceptable that New York has already run out of funds for cooling this summer, the hottest on record,” Congressman Bowman told the Amsterdam News. “Funding for LIHEAP is an economic and racial justice issue. Failure to sufficiently fund it will disproportionately impact Black, Latino, and Indigenous households, all of whom already experience higher energy burdens. We hear from constituents in my district every day about their struggle to pay their energy bills, and they deserve relief.”

Jessel says that this isn’t the first time that cooling assistance funds have run out before the end of summer, and the city and state are responsible for stepping in when federal funds aren’t enough to ensure that New Yorkers who need the program are able to stay cool.

“The state has not learned over the years of the money running out that we need more money to support people,” she says. “If it’s running out, that means there’s a need.”

Correction: The story has been corrected to say that those eligible for energy assistance include seniors and people with documented medical conditions exacerbated by high temperatures. The original story stated that eligibility included seniors who have documented medical conditions exacerbated by high temperatures.

The post Rising Temps and Falling Support: State Cooling Assistance Funds Already Spent appeared first on New York Amsterdam News.

* This article was originally published here