Shades Repertory Theater Presents: Dinner & A Movie – “Basquiat”

Friday night, August 2, Shades Repertory Theatre at 64 New Main St., Haverstraw and Director Tamra Davis pay homage to her friend in the definitive documentary “Basquiat.”

“Basquiat” tells the story of the meteoric rise of youthful artist Jean-Michel Basquiat. Starting out as a street artist, living in Thompkins Square Park in a cardboard box, Jean-Michel is “discovered” and becomes a star. But success has a high price, and Basquiat pays with friendship, love, and eventually, his life. Basquiat’s dense, bebop-influenced neo-expressionist work emerged while minimalist, conceptual art was the fad; as a successful black artist, he was constantly confronted by racism and misconceptions. Much can be gleaned from insider interviews and archival footage, but it is Basquiat’s own words and work that powerfully convey the mystique and allure of both the artist and the man.

Directed by Julian Schnabel. Starring by Jeffrey Wright, Michael Wincott, Benicio Del Toro, Claire Forlani and David Bowie. Tickets cost $28, $20 for students and seniors. Hors d’ourves and desserts by Antoine McGuire’s.

  Basquiat, shades repertory theatre, Thompkins Square Park