Open Streets | New York City is opening 40 miles of streets to allow for greater social distancing during the COVID-19 crisis, with a plan to expand to a total of 100 miles. Open Streets are available daily, 8am to 8pm (unless otherwise noted) for pedestrians and cyclists to use the roadbed of the street while maintaining social distancing. Opening hours may vary by location due to NYPD staffing. For info on the Open Streets program, click here, and see the below flyer. Designated Chelsea areas include W. 22nd St. btw. Seventh & Eighth Aves., and W. 21st St. btw. Ninth & 10th Aves.

New York City Children’s Theater Goes Online, with “Creative Clubhouse” | Although COVID-19 has drastically impacted this non-profit organization, they’re forging ahead, and availing themselves, via online content. Their new spring musical, which was set to play Theater Row, has been cancelled, as has their Toddler Theater at Tribeca’s The Flea, and plans to tour NYC schools and the tri-state area via in-school theater arts programs for K-8th grade students (not to mention, not for nothing, their annual Gala in April at The Edison Ballroom (at least 30% of their largest donation revenue for the year)—but through it all, NYCCT is committed to serving children/family audiences with their newly launched, family-friendly, Creative Clubhouse online digital program.

While most of the programming is available to all free of charge, they are offering essential workers as well as any family that has been deeply affected by this crisis to have free access to all paid content. This digital, interactive, and accessible storytime class mixes books you love with theater games the little ones will love—without having to leave home.

“When picking books for Creative Clubhouse stories with Caitlyn,” they note, “we picked stories that teach emotional intelligence, community building and responsible decision-making in service of our mission to promote children’s literacy, and social development through arts-in-education programming and professional theater productions.  Thursday, May 21 | Jack’s Worry

Thursday, May 28 | Be Brave, Little Penguin 

Thursday, June 4 | The Rabbit Listened

All classes take place at 11:30am via Zoom. $10 | Free for Essential Workers. For more info, visit nycchildrenstheater.org.

Weekly Zoom Sunday Services from Chelsea Community Church | During the current social distancing, Chelsea Community Church is providing a Zoom service every Sunday at noon. The church is nondenominational, and has guest speakers as well as lay-led services that include traditional music. To receive an invitation, you can send an email to info@chelseachurch.org.

Chelsea Community Church is an inclusive, independent, lay-led and non-denominational Christian community. Due to COVID-19 concerns and recommendations, they will not hold in-person services until further notice.  However, the Church is currently holding virtual services via Zoom.  Visit chelseacommunitychurch.org.

On May 31, the special guest is the Rev. Joseph J. Nicholson (American Fellowship Church) is Chelsea Community Church’s pastoral counselor. He is also a chaplain with the EMS division of the New York City Fire Department. Ordained by the American Fellowship Church, a nondenominational Protestant church in 2017, Rev. Nicholson remains active in the Episcopal church. He is a licensed lay Eucharistic minister in the Episcopal diocese of New York and has been a lay service leader at St. Peter’s since 2014. He received his master of divinity degree from Union Theological Seminary in 2016 and is currently enrolled in the master of sacred theology program there. He expects to receive that degree in 2020. Before beginning his seminary studies, he was an entrepreneur who developed several financial services enterprises and an apparel company that sold its products via the Internet.

—Compiled by Scott Stiffler

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