Agenda Newsletter - August 17, 2007

We saw it, and it lives up to the hype
Superbad

Untitled Document

Cera profile; Review; Trailer; Showtimes
Having utterly “knocked up” the general populace with his special brand of man humor, onetime cult dude Judd Apatow has us all hot and bothered for this pass at boy humor. And it’s a winner, through and through: Jonah Hill and Michael Cera nail their roles as painfully uncool high schoolers who dare dream; as David Edelstein puts it, teens will “feel the compulsion to talk dirty, drink, fuck, and learn the lesson for themselves—as well they should.”

NFL blog already trumps MLB
Kissing Suzy Kolber Only the MLB is active in August, but late-season Yanks-Royals games make our eyelids droop, and this oft-profane, usually hilarious NFL blog—its name derives from an incident involving booze, sideline reporter Suzy Kolber, and an overly friendly Joe Namath—is now, as preseason kicks off, running at full tilt. Come for the bashing of ESPN’s Peter King; stay for the interactive “suicide pool.” Read » More weekend picks

Keyshia Cole debuts Kanye tunes.

Behind the scenes of Everybody Loves Raymond!

Go ahead, pray for rain
The National You can officially stop kicking yourself for missing out on these newly minted rock stars’ sold-out Bowery Ballroom residence. The moody Brooklynites might seem an odd fit for an outdoor summer gig, considering their temperament. Personally, we think a little autumn-centric, National-style gloom is the perfect antidote to this time of year, when you shed a pound in sweat just waiting on the subway platform. South Street Seaport
August 17
7 p.m.
Show review » More info » More weekend picks

Burning Man photog survives, tells tale.

Poppy D.J. spins for ladies who like ladies.

Head to the Berkshires for Raúl Esparza
Our Town Before Raúl Esparza dazzled Broadway as Bobby in Company, he specialized in characters with sly charisma: He always seemed to know more than he was letting on, and the secret was probably a dark one. So casting him as the Stage Manager in a reading of Our Town isn’t as weird as it might seem. Though he’s awfully young for such an avuncular role, the world-wise Esparza might be just the actor to find the overlooked shadows in Thornton Wilder’s classic. Williamstown Theatre Festival
Williams College
Williamstown, Mass.
3 p.m.
$5
Tickets » More weekend picks

Shakespeare in the Park! A Midsummer Night’s Dream!.

Rupert Thomson discusses new book with lit blogger.

What would Mozart do? Not this.
La pasión segun San Marcos Composer Osvaldo Golijov has said he sometimes thinks, “What would Mozart do?” but it’s hard to believe even the renowned boy genius would have thought of this: a multi-faith interpretation of the St. Mark Passion, complete with dancers, vocalists, orchestra, and Latin American drummers. Like most Golijov works, it makes a typically sleepy orchestra audience sit up and take note with a combo of Argentine, Eastern European, and uniquely Golijov sounds (birdcalls? Hyperaccordion?). Osvaldo Golijov
Mostly Mozart
Avery Fisher Hall
August 18, 5 p.m. and 19, 8 p.m.
$40–$90
Tickets » More weekend picks

Henry James gets the French New Wave treatment.

Last chance: Irritated artists in “Agitation & Repose.”

Take them out of the city (kind of)
Water, Water Everywhere During the summer, this park turned cultural center’s messy, dreamy arts-and-nature activities make it a kind of kids’ paradise. This weekend, let the children get soaked in the sprinklers; their suits will dry while they sketch the aquatic garden and make very wet watercolors. If you want to up the art quotient, take a stroll through the galleries—a group of artists have made site-specific video, audio, and paintings inspired by Thoreau’s writings. Wave Hill Cultural Center August 18–19
1 p.m.
$4
More info » More weekend picks

Mini Magellans map city’s shores.

Could it be? Their last chance to “Moon Bounce.”