A screening of JIG SHOW | Leon Claxton’s Harlem in Havana followed by a talk and a burlesque performance.

Step behind the velvet curtain for the New York premiere of JIG SHOW | Leon Claxton’s Harlem in Havana, a documentary by filmmaker Leslie Cunningham. Dive into a sizzling, untold chapter of American entertainment—where Black brilliance, Cuban rhythm, and early burlesque lit up the big top and defied segregation. This three-part documentary takes viewers inside the legendary Harlem in Havana Revue, featuring Cunningham’s grandmother Shirley Bates, former lead exotic dancer, and her father John Cunningham, a San Diego musician raised on the show. Rare footage, never-before-digitized show photos, archival clips, and vibrant performances illuminate the rise and fall of Claxton’s troupe, while historians, burlesque artists, and musicians provide cultural context.