Notes From The Neighborhood

By Maya Guimaraes & Amanda Woods & Adel Manoukian BLOOMSDAY ON BROADWAY The 31st annual Bloomsday on Broadway event will celebrate with the theme "Music in Bloom" this Saturday, June 16 at 7 p.m. at Symphony Space, featuring music and readings of James Joyce's Ulysses. Ulysses tells the story of hero Leopold Bloom's journey through Dublin back to his wife, Molly Bloom. Every year on June 16, the date on which the novel is set in 1904, literature lovers honor Joyce's life and work with readings of Ulysses. This year's "Bloomsday on Broadway" was inspired to highlight the musical elements of the tale. "Joyce was a poet of sound; he wasn't a visual person," said organizer, curator and narrator Isaiah Sheffer. "It's meant to be read aloud. The big discovery is that it's funny." The evening will include a reading of the entire text of the "Sirens" episode, along with musical selections from within the novel curated by musical director Lanny Meyers and soprano Lisa Flanagan. Fionnula Flanagan, who played Gerty MacDowell in the 1967 British-American film version of Ulysses, will read the final sexually charged "Penelope" episode as Molly Bloom. This year's performers also include Broadway star David Margulies, who will read as Leopold Bloom, and performance artist Adam Harvey, who will read the first three pages of the "Sirens" episode. Tickets are $25 or $15 for those under 30. The event will also be streamed live on symphonyspace.org. LOCAL HEALTH FAIR The Cathedral Community Cares seventh annual health fair will take place Saturday, June 23 at the Cathedral of St. John the Divine at 1047 Amsterdam Ave. from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. The fair will host free screenings for HIV, hepatitis C, prostate cancer, cholesterol and blood pressure, along with informational booths for community supported agriculture, low-cost and free health clinics, food benefits access and other services in the city. For more information, visit bit.ly/Lt5ZHd. OVER $375,000 RAISED AT SPIRIT OF THE CITY GALA On Wednesday, May 30, the Cathedral of St. John the Divine raised over $375,000 at its 32nd annual Spirit of the City Gala. With more than 350 guests, the event honored philanthropists Ellen and James Marcus, Prema and Wallace Mathai-Davis and Zarin Mehta, who have constantly dedicated their efforts to the city. Singer and actress KT Sullivan performed hits by Cole Porter. The funds raised at the event will help outreach programs, civic forums and cultural events, as well as the care and maintenance of St. John the Divine Cathedral.