The Harlem in Havana Story: Film Screening & Panel Discussion
Saturday, May 9, 2026 @ 1:00pm
New York Public Library for the Performing Arts, New York
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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.
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Schedule & Tickets
Saturday, May 9, 2026 @ 1:00pm · tickets local_activity ·
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2026-05-09 13:00:00
2026-05-09 16:00:00
America/New_York
The Harlem in Havana Story: Film Screening & Panel Discussion
https://harlemonestop.com/event/34519/the-harlem-in-havana-story-film-screening-panel-discussion
New York Public Library for the Performing Arts, Dorothy and Lewis B. Cullman Center, Reserve Film and Video Collection, 40 Lincoln Center Plaza, New York, NY, 10023 - 74
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New York Public Library for the Performing ArtsDorothy and Lewis B. Cullman Center, Reserve Film and Video Collection
40 Lincoln Center Plaza
New York, NY 10023 - 74
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