tuesday

four film fests:

► tues-weds: new york no limits film summit: the wild project (east village), $11. >>

► weds thru 1/28: new york jewish film festival 2026: lincoln center’s walter reade theatre (uws), $19 general, $16 seniors/students. >>

► thurs 7pm: sideworld underground video festival: life world (bushwick), $8 (notaflof). >>

► thurs thru sun: dances with films: indie fest: regal union square, $20-24. >>

tues 7pm: the vinyl word music book club: dive into the 33 1/3 book series at this music-minded book club, where each session spotlights a classic album and the short book written about it. tonight’s pick is talking heads’ fear of music with a full album listen followed by themed vinyl dj sets. arlene’s grocery (les), free admission. >>

tues 7pm (tuesdays thru 2/24): union pool’s fouth annual free tuesdays: union pool’s annual free tuesday concert series is back for another winter season, continuing tonight with dark thoughts, ballistix, and blue 100.. >>

tues 8pm: un-topical comedy: see outdated topical comedy, performed for the very last time, as comedy writers toss out their favorite old topical material about pop culture, politics, and more. featuring: vannessa jackson (snl), ginny hogan (the new yorker), richard sarvate (siriusxm), laura merli (mcsweeney’s), and humzah choudry. hosted by rebecca kaplan and arielle dundas. empire stage (prospect lefferts garden), $10. >>

sponsored – giveaway

Twelve months of sperm donation. Twenty years later, dozens of kids. One surprising love story. Zero roadmap.

Dad Genes is a documentary about a former sperm donor who discovers he may have fathered dozens of biological children — and unexpectedly falls in love with one of their mothers. The film offers a behind-the-scenes look at a story that captured worldwide media attention.

We’re giving away 5 pairs of tickets to the world premiere in NYC! To enter to win, fill out this entry form by 12:00pm Wednesday, January 14. Winners will be picked at random and notified via email by 6pm on the 14th. Good luck!

Dad Genes
Part of Dances With Films: New York
Friday, January 16, 5pm
Regal Union Square
850 Broadway, New York, NY
ENTER TO WIN | BUY TICKETS

wednesday

weds 7pm (monthly): fantastic fiction at kgb: this monthly speculative-fiction reading series, hosted by editor ellen datlow and writer matthew kressel at kgb bar (east village), welcomes writers rachel harrison (play nice) and robert p. ottone (the vile thing we created) for a night of readings and discussion. free admission. >>

weds 7pm: peer revue: ted talks with a twist. peer revue returns with real experts giving real talks on big ideas—like quarks or the fall of rome—while comedians wing it while trying to make sense of slides they’ve never seen before. hosted by ben lillie, with talks by lina zikas, reed kavner, jerzy gwiazdowski, and noah guiberson, and comedy by shyaporn theerakulstit, chandler dean, brielle demirjian, and jonathan van halem. caveat (les), $13.61 with promo code ‘skintrevue’ (reg. $18.76-20) >>

weds 7:30pm: we have fun: a stand-up show: hosts zach sims and dan wilbur team up to bring the fun-ny to young ethel’s (south slope), with stand-up by doug smith (conan), rebecca kaplan (npr), rachel mccartney (pbs), peter liu (don’t tell comedy), and kendall allison. free admission. >>

weds 7:30pm: central chamber series: ‘baroque festival’: the central chamber series at central presbyterian church (ues) continues its ninth season with an evening concert featuring works by bach and vivaldi. $20 general, free for students with id. >>

weds 8:30pm: my kinda night! a queer variety show: billie bullock and sarah creamin’ onion host an evening filled with drag, cabaret, comedy, and more at medusa bar brooklyn (east williamsburg). tonight’s show features snl molly kearney. free admission (bring $ to tip the performers). >>

thursday

thurs thru 2/21: dan flavin: grids: david zwirner gallery hosts an exhibition of works by minimalist artist dan flavin (1933–1996). david zwirner gallery w 20th street, free admission. >>

thurs thru 1/25 (thurs-sun): gallery players 29th annual black box new play festival: gallery players’ annual playwright-focused festival returns with seven new short plays across two programs. a talk back with the artists will follow the sunday performances. gallery players (south slope), $25 general, $20 seniors. >>

thurs 6pm: placeless: homelessness in the new gilded age with patrick markee: patrick markee, former deputy executive director for advocacy of the coalition for the homeless and former member of the board of directors of the national coalition for the homeless, discusses placeless: homelessness in the new gilded age, his new myth-breaking book on why homelessness endures in contemporary america. in conversation with two-time pulitzer-winning journalist andrea elliott. macon library (bed-stuy), free admission. >>

thurs 7pm: how to know your self: the art + science of discovering who you really are with eric oliver: university of chicago professor eric oliver comes to nyc for a conversation with author and mental health advocate amanda stern about his new book, how to know your self, that draws on insights from neuroscience, psychology, physics, and ancient philosophy to explore the mystery of the self. mcnally jackson (soho), $5 admission, $31.99 ticket option includes a copy of the book. >>

thurs 7pm (monthly): facts machine: science, comedy + trivia: scientists and comedians share the stories behind their favorite facts, ‘conduct experiments’ (i.e. play drinking games), and test their knowledge with a trivia challenge loosely inspired by this month’s theme: astronomy + spaceflight. hosted by scientists and pub trivia hosts em costa, noah guiberson, and rob frawley. caveat (les), $13.61 with promo code ‘theskint’ (reg. $24-$25). >>

thurs 7:30pm (monthly): pete’s reading series: hear from literary icons and newcomers alike at this long-running reading series, hosted by temim fruchter and brian gresko. tonight’s event features jaquira diaz (the only kingdom), deena elgenaidi (dust settles north), melissa lozada-oliva (beyond all reasonable doubt, jesus is alive!), and jen percy (girls play dead). pete’s candy store (williamsburg), free admission. >>

thurs 7:30pm: brooklyn talent slamdown supreme: ten performers. five minutes each. this fast-paced variety showdown welcomes all kinds of live acts (no full bands) to be judged by randomly-selected audience members for the chance to win $50 cash and a bar tab. friends and lovers (crown heights), $5 admission. >>

thurs 8pm (monthly): the hunger games entirely from memory: watch as blindly-cast ten bones theatre company performers attempt to recreate the hunger games on stage—without the aid of scripts or rehearsals. as chaos ensues, drinks are drunk while the players are challenged to incorporate lines written by the audience and create ‘deleted’ scenes. littlefield (gowanus), $12 adv, $14 day of. >>

thurs 8:30pm (monthly thru 4/16): i love you… but: married comedian couple courtney maginnis and casey james salengo present a comedy show about the highs and lows of being in love in the modern age. pine box rock shop (bushwick), free admission. >>

ongoing

our roundup of 30+ ongoing events: nyc winter outing reservations (restaurant week, broadway week, nyc must-see week), janartsnyc, ice skating, art shows, and more. >>

stay safe and healthy
– the skint

Twelve months of sperm donation. Twenty years later, dozens of kids. One surprising love story. Zero roadmap.

Dad Genes is a documentary about a former sperm donor who discovers he may have fathered dozens of biological children — and unexpectedly falls in love with one of their mothers. The film offers a behind-the-scenes look at a story that captured worldwide media attention.

We’re giving away 5 pairs of tickets to the world premiere in NYC! To enter to win, fill out this entry form by 12:00pm Wednesday, January 14. Winners will be picked at random and notified via email by 6pm on the 14th. Good luck!

Dad Genes
Part of Dances With Films: New York
Friday, January 16, 5pm
Regal Union Square
850 Broadway, New York, NY
ENTER TO WIN | BUY TICKETS

sponsored post

friday

sponsored: thru 1/25: juxtapose | a theatrical shadow box at 59e59 theaters: inspired by the shadow boxes of joseph cornell, the films of jean-pierre jeunet (amélie), and mon oncle by jacques tati. eccentric characters trying to coexist in a magical-realist tenement building during the sixth mass extinction have their lives interrupted and illuminated by a human shooting star who crash-lands through their roof. as humanity teeters on the edge of the frame, we remember that our shared mortality, the ability to laugh at fear, and the limitless hope of imagination might save us from the despair of ending. use code ‘skint’ to snag $19 tickets (reg. $44). >>

fri + sat (various times): david bowie parties: honor the starman at these parties celebrating the music and legacy of david bowie:

► fri 10pm: let’s dance bowie party: baker falls (les), $10-15. >>

► sat 7pm ’til late: the 21st annual bowiemas: tv eye (ridgewood), $13.04. >>

► sat 7:30-10pm: the occasionalists present: bowie-oke live band karaoke: littlefield (gowanus), $9.73 with promo code ‘bowie7’ (reg. $18.71). ticket includes free entry to wham! bam! thank you ma’am! a bowie dance party at 10:30pm. >>

► sat 10:30pm-2am: wham! bam! thank you ma’am! a bowie dance party: littlefield (gowanus), $6.65 with promo code ‘bowie5’ (reg. $10+). >>

fri + sat (7pm): 20 years of the afro latin jazz orchestra with a tribute to chilo cajigas: belongó | afro latin jazz kicks off a six-concert residency at el museo del barrio with arturo o’farrill and the grammy award-winning afro latin jazz orchestra. the evening honors the life and music of late spoken word artist christopher ‘chilo’ cajigas alongside some of his frequent collaborators, artist baba israel, turntablist dj logic, and poet caridad de la luz. el museo del barrio (east harlem), free admission (rsvp required). >>

fri + sat (8pm): the chelsea symphony: ‘brahms’s fourth’: the chelsea symphony continues its 20th anniversary season with a pair of concerts that include works by johannes brahms, sergei prokofiev, william dawson, and grace williams. the dimenna center for classical music (midtown), $20 suggested donation at the door, or $30 adv for premium seating. >>

fri 7pm: molière in the park – don juan: molière in the park is back with a staged readings of molière’s tragicomedy don juan, starring keshav moodliar and featuring a cello by johnathan moore. brooklyn public library’s main branch. free admission. >>

fri 7pm (monthly): immigrant jam comedy: german-born, nyc-raised comedian and actor lucie pohl (overwatch) celebrates all things cross-cultural, international, and delightfully different at the immigrant jam stand-up show, featuring immigrant and first generation comedians. tonight’s lineup reps canada, colombia, haiti, germany, kenya, romania, south korea with performers alexis carabaño, orli matlow, alex kim, idris alton, and marcela onyango. a portion of the proceeds will go to new women new yorkers. caveat (les), $15.67 with promo code ‘skint’ (reg. $24-25). >>

fri 7pm, 8:15pm (monthly): nerd nite: nerd is the word at nerd nite nyc, where you’ll hear fun-yet-informative presentations on a wide range of subjects. tonight’s topics: obsessive julius caesar fans, a diy sword restoration gone awry, and amazon is watching you. hosted by matt wasowski. littlefield (gowanus), $12 for the presentations at 8:15pm, $16 for the presentations plus pre-show trivia at 7pm. >>

sponsored: fri 8pm: sunny jain’s love force – world premiere at symphony space: don’t miss this bold, new, multimedia work and musical memoir by sunny jain (trailblazing percussionist, composer, and bandleader of the electrifying band red baraat). joined by an ensemble of dynamic musicians, this evening weaves together powerful music, ancestral stories, and intimate monologues to explore jain’s family history across pakistan and india, and his journey toward music as a tool for healing and change. satyagraha—gandhi’s philosophy of nonviolent resistance—echoes throughout the piece as a call for love, unity, and justice in a fractured world. presented in partnership with under the radar festival. use code ‘skint10’ for $10 off full-price tickets. >>

fri 8pm (monthly): a drinking game nyc: legally blonde: a drinking game nyc comedy troupe lovingly (and drunkenly) reenacts an 80s/90s/00s movie and turns the whole thing into a drinking game. join them tonight as they stumble through legally blonde (2001) at the bell house (gowanus). $25.05. >>

fri 8pm (monthly): boyz in the woods comedy: tawanda gona, joshua stokes, and jeff wright host this standup-meets-trivia show, where audience members can win free drinks by answering pop culture and hip-hop trivia questions between sets. featuring zae jordan (adult swim), eeland stribling (don’t tell comedy), liam mcgurk, and shari diaz. friends and lovers (crown heights), $12 adv, $15 door. >>

fri 8:30pm: bitches brew comedy show: this women-produced and-hosted comedy show conjures up big laughs in the back room of halyards (gowanus). tonight’s performers include isabel hagen (fallon), caitlin reese (hbo), rebecca weiser (reductress), andrea allan, and liam mcgurk. free admission (a tip jar will be passed around at the end of the show). >>

fri 10pm: hot gossip comedy show: comedian jonathan van halem (clickhole) hosts an evening of stand up comedy featuring jaboukie young white, julia shiplett, audrey black, and hotel art thief. union hall (park slope), $12. >>

sponsored

Performances begin TONIGHT!

THE DISAPPEAR
Written and Directed by Erica Schmidt

Don’t miss an all-star cast in a new comedy about love, art and other endangered species at Audible’s Minetta Lane Theatre.

Power couple Benjamin Braxton (Midnight Mass‘ Hamish Linklater) and Mira Blair (Tony winner Miriam Silverman) see their picture-perfect life go gloriously off script—taking their friends, flings, and daughter along for the ride. Featuring an ensemble cast that includes Emmy nominee Dylan Baker (The Good Wife), Emmy nominee Madeline Brewer (The Handmaid’s Tale), Kelvin Harrison Jr. (Elvis) and Anna Mirodin (Priscilla), don’t miss this smoldering new comedy from writer/director Erica Schmidt (Lucy)!

Book now for special discounted prices.

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WATCH: HAMISH LINKLATER AND MIRIAM SILVERMAN ON WHAT TO EXPECT IN THE DISAPPEAR

saturday

sat 2-4pm: make a wishing pinwheel at moca: set 2026 in motion and make a pinwheel with your goals, dreams, and wishes written on it at today’s edition of the museum of chinese in america’s mocacreate series. moca (little italy), free with museum admission ($10 general, $5 seniors/students). >>

sat 4pm: modern whitney: where comedians interpret art: a panel of comedians give their own unique takes on interpreting a piece of art—before a professional expert swoops in to set the record straight. caveat (les), $9.49 with promo code ‘hopper’ (reg. $20-23). >>

sat 6:30pm: funny pages: an evening of humorous readings: comedy writers, authors, essayists, comics, and cartoonists share new things to make you laugh at the funny pages show. hosted by zach zimmerman (is it hot in here?) and blythe roberson (america the beautiful?), tonight’s debut show features readings by halcyon person (head writer, sesame street), alison lieby (oh god, a show about abortion), and colin stokes (the new yorker). p+t knitwear bookstore (les), $10. >>

sat 7:30pm (monthly): flopsauce comedy show: the monthly stand-up showcase where comedians dish out their latest failures (flops) and successes (sauces) returns for more servings. featuring lee robinson, eric lavelle, will purpura, marcella denby, meredith johnson, and ellis durand. hosted by kayla kirk and emily baker. secret pour (bushwick / bed-stuy), free admission. >>

sat 7:30pm: washington heights chamber orchestra: washington heights chamber orchestra continues its 11th season with ‘the people that inspire us,’ a program that features works by valerie coleman, clara schumann, and louise farrenc. our saviour’s atonement lutheran church (washington heights), $20 general, $15 seniors. >>

sat 8pm: bad movie night brooklyn: the apple: sip a cold one and revel in the badness of 1980 sci-fi/disco flop the apple at wild east brewing (gowanus). free admission. >>

sat 8:30pm: improvised buddy comedy: improv group help me i’m drowning performs an hour-long family buddy comedy based on audience suggestions. brooklyn comedy collective pig pen (williamsburg), $10 adv, $15 day of. >>

sunday

sun (various times): 83rd golden globe awards watch parties:
► brooklyn art haus (williamsburg). $10 admission will go towards your bar/food tab. >>
► syndicated (bushwick): free admission. >>

sun 1-4pm: strong rope brewery’s annual chili cook-off: beat the chill at strong rope brewery’s chili cook-off. this year’s competition will be held at the red hook taproom, and $10-15 admission includes tasting samples and a 10-ounce strong rope beer made with 100% new york ingredients. >>

sun 2pm (monthly thru april): schneider concerts chamber music series at the new school: the new school’s annual chamber music series showcasing emerging ensembles returns for the 2025-26 season. celebrating the nation’s 250th anniversary, the season honors abigail adams’ 1776 call to ‘remember the ladies’ with works by women composers paired with traditional works. today’s concert features ulysses quartet performing pieces by claude debussy, felix mendelssohn, and tina davidson, plus arrangements of folks songs from the members’ heritage. the new school’s auditorium (greenwich village), $20 general, $17 seniors, $5 students standby. >>

sun 3pm: infinite good times movie club: the neverending story: infinite good times movie club returns with a screening of the neverending story (1984) at gowanus metal bar lucky 13 saloon, with pre-show trivia and free popcorn. best falkor impersonation gets a free drink. free admission with rsvp ($5 suggested donation). >>

sun 5:15pm: stretch and bobbito: radio that changed lives10th anniversary screening: roxy cinema (tribeca) hosts a screening of stretch and bobbito: radio that changed lives, a 2015 documentary about the influential 1990s hip hop radio show, the stretch armstrong and bobbito show. q+a with stretch armstrong (in person) and bobbito garcia (virtual) will follow. $19. >>

sun 6pm (monthly): public victories: from running the dishwasher to running a marathon, four performers—and one audience member—share true stories of personal triumphs, big or small, at the public victories storytelling show. featuring shantel moses, angela sawyer, andrea coleman, and brittany cardwell. hosted by mary-alice mcnab. young ethel’s (south slope), free admission (donations welcome). >>

sun 6pm: character night: discover new, unusual, and funny characters, impressions, and bits created by a lineup of imaginative performers. hosted by russ feder. magnet theater (chelsea), $10. >>

sun 8:30pm: improv with my friends from work: ceara jane o’sullivan (snl) hosts a long-form improv show with cast and writers from saturday night live. ucb (east village), $15 adv, $20 day of. >>

monday

mon 8pm (monthly): franklin park reading series: the crown heights bar and beer garden’s reading series kicks off the new year with an evening of readings from authors justin taylor (reboot), kevin nguyen (my documents), melissa lozada-oliva (beyond all reasonable doubt, jesus is alive!), heather mccalden (the observable universe), and ali kriegsman (the raise). books will be available for purchase from indie bookseller unnameable books. free admission. >>

mon 8pm: unregistered hypercam: tales from the aughts: seven comedians share their fave amateur, obscure, wonderfully low-res internet content from the early 2000s. a 2000s dj set follows. wonderville (bushwick), $10 suggested donation. >>

ongoing

our roundup of 30+ ongoing events: nyc winter outing reservations (restaurant week, broadway week, nyc must-see week), janartsnyc, ice skating, art shows, and more. >>

stay safe and healthy
– the skint