Fall Arts Preview: 46 things to do this fall

The best in theater, music, art and more this autumn in New York City.

September

1. David Guetta, Steve Aoki and Axwell are among those getting their electronic-music vibe on at the annual outdoor festival Electric Zoo. (Randall's Island, 11 a.m., $155-$299; also Sept. 2)

6. Get those credit cards ready - the fourth annual Fashion's Night Out takes over the city, with shops in all five boroughs throwing parties, having meet-and-greets with celebs and designers, offering discounts and selling exclusive merch. (fashionsnightout.com)

7. The Generations In Jazz Festival, held at Lincoln Center, celebrates collabs between jazz greats and up-and-comers. (Dizzy's Club Coca-Cola, 33 W. 60th St., through Oct. 10, $10-$35)

8. Madonna's latest tour, MDNA, has shown that her Madgesty is still as controversial as ever - tonight, she takes on NYC. (Yankee Stadium, 8 p.m., $139.50- $359.50; also Sept. 12 at Madison Square Garden)

10. Katie Couric's talk-show "Katie" hits the airwaves today - and it's taping right here in New York. Get your tix. (katiecouric.com)

12. Starlet-designer-"Fashion Star" mentor Nicole Richie is building upon her style cred, collaborating with Macy's and launching her '70s-inspired capsule collection for the department megastore's Impulse department priced from $49 to $149. (Macy's, 151 W. 34th St.)

14. "The Dark Knight," "Memento," "Following" and a bevy of director Christopher Nolan's other movies are screening during the Film Society of Lincoln Center's series "Mind Over Matter: The Films of Christopher Nolan." (Howard Gilman Theater, 144 W. 65th St., through Sept. 18, $7.50-$13)

15. The "Dog Days" of summer are over, but Florence + the Machine is revving things up with an outdoor concert. (Nikon at Jones Beach Theater, 7:30 p.m., $59.50-$85)

18. At the Met's exhibit "Regarding Warhol: Sixty Artists, Fifty Years," check out works by the pop art icon Andy Warhol alongside pieces by artists who have reinterpreted, responded to or reacted to Warhol's art (Metropolitan Museum of Art, 1000 Fifth Ave., through Dec. 31, FREE-$25)

19. The Boss himself, Bruce Springsteen, rocks out with his E Street Band. (MetLife Stadium, 7:30 p.m., $98; also Sept. 20 and 21)

20. Film, art and music join forces at the Williamsburg International Film Festival, held, appropriately, in various venues in Billysburg. (Through Sept. 23, willifest.com)

23. Attention, book lovers! The Brooklyn Book Festival - NYC's largest free literary event - is sure to be buzzing, with screenings and author appearances. (Brooklyn Borough Hall and Plaza, 209 Joralemon St., Brooklyn Heights, 10 a.m.)

25. "Somebody That You Used to Know" is no stranger on the airwaves, and neither is the hit's singer, Gotye. See him perform that tune and more from the album "Making Mirrors." (Radio City Music Hall, 1260 Sixth Ave., 8 p.m., $50)

27. See some amazing moves at the ninth annual New York Burlesque Festival, featuring various acts in Manhattan and Brooklyn. (Through Sept. 30, thenewyorkburlesquefestival.com)

28. Say "Hello Brooklyn" as Jay-Z opens up the highly anticipated Barclays Center (also home of the Nets, which Jay-Z co-owns) with eight nights of concerts on his home turf. (Barclays Center, 620 Atlantic Ave., Prospect Heights, 8 p.m., $29.50-$254.50; also Sept. 29, 30 and Oct. 1, 3, 4, 5, 6)

29. Neil Young with Crazy Horse, the Foo Fighters, the Black Keys and more join forces for Global Festival, a massive free ticketed music festival to help end extreme poverty. (Central Park Great Lawn, 5 p.m., FREE)

30. Jimmy Kimmel comes home to Brooklyn from the West Coast, taping "Jimmy Kimmel Live!" from his home boro for a stint. (Brooklyn Academy of Music Harvey Theater, 651 Fulton St., Fort Greene, through Nov. 2)

OCTOBER

3. Whether you love him for his stand-up, longtime stint on "Law & Order: SVU" or his outspoken personality (or all of the above), Richard Belzer reads from his new book "Dead Wrong: Straight Facts on the Country's Most Controversial Cover-Ups." (Barnes & Noble TriBeCa, 97 Warren St., 6 p.m., FREE)

4. What's the deal with Jerry Seinfeld performing one show in each borough? Who cares?! Just see him. (Beacon Theatre, 2124 Broadway, 8 p.m., $76-$89; also Oct. 11 at Lehman Center for the Performing Arts, Oct. 18 at Colden Center for Performing Arts at Queens College, Nov. 1 at St. George Theatre, and Nov. 8 at Brooklyn Center for the Performing Arts)

5. See some of the top names in entertainment and the arts discuss their works and more at the annual New Yorker Festival. (Through Oct. 7, newyorker.com)

6. This is an annual must-see at the American Museum of Natural History: "The Butterfly Conservatory: Tropical Butterflies Alive in Winter," where you can view 500 live, free-flying tropical butterflies from the Americas, Africa, and Asia. (American Museum of Natural History, Central Park West at 79th St., through May 27, $14.50-$25)

7. More than 100 paintings, sculptures and works on paper make up the Guggenheim's "Picasso Black and White" exhibition, exploring the famed artist's black-and-white palette. (Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, 1071 Fifth Ave., through Jan. 23, FREE-$22)

9. We're sure that Lewis Black's sarcastic, politically charged jibes won't be "Running on Empty" - as his one-man B'way show is titled. (Richard Rodgers Theatre, 226 W. 46th St., through Oct. 14)

10. This is sure to be a lovely, peaceful night of music: Join Grammy-Award winning artist Ben Harper for "An Acoustic Evening." (Carnegie Hall Stern Auditorium, 881 Seventh Ave., 8 p.m., $70 and up)

11. Babs is back in Brooklyn: Barbra Streisand (an Erasmus Hall High School grad) shows off those famous chops for the first time publicly in her home borough. (Barclays Center, 620 Atlantic Ave., Prospect Heights, 8 p.m.,$90-$650; also Oct. 13)

12. The New York Pops opens its 30th anniversary season with "Some Enchanted Evening: The Music of Rodgers and Hammerstein." (8 p.m., Carnegie Hall Stern Auditorium, 881 Seventh Ave., 8 p.m., $37-$108; season runs through April 29, 2013)

13. Attention, pop culture lovers! Throw on a costume and check out New York Comic-Con this weekend for the newest and best in comics, graphic novels, movies, TV and more. (Jacob K. Javits Center 655 W. 35th St., through Oct. 14, $35-$85)

16. The five-day CMJ Music Marathon packs more than 80 NYC venues with more than 1,300 performances from up-and-coming artists, parties, panels and more. (Through Oct. 20, cmj.com)

17. Broadway junkies won't want to miss "Broadway Musicals: From the pages of The New York Times": a discussion with Ben Brantley, the Times' chief theater critic. (92YTribeca, 200 Hudson St., noon, $21)

22. Get your hand out of that pocket - with some moola of course, and cough it up for a ticket to Alanis Morissette's concert in support of her album "Havoc and Bright Lights." (Terminal 5, 610 W. 56th St., 7:30 p.m., $49.50-$55)

23. Comedian Louis CK tickles NYC's funny bone. (New York City Center, 131 W. 55th St., 7 and 10 p.m., $45; also Oct. 23-28)

25. Get in another night of laughs with the always-funny Tom Green. (Carolines on Broadway, 1626 Broadway, 8 p.m., $35; also Oct. 26-29)

26. Grammy winner Esperanza Spalding performs her new release, "Radio Music Society" with a 12-piece world-class band. (Apollo Theater, 253 W. 125th St., 8 p.m., $40-$65)

28. Celebrate the one-year anniversary of Bare! - which brings together storytellers, comedians and others to share true tales of sex, desire and romance. (The Bell House, 149 Seventh Ave., Gowanus, 8 p.m., $10)

29. "Save Room" to see nine-time Grammy-Award winner John Legend. (Barclays Center, 620 Atlantic Ave., Prospect Heights, 8 p.m., $59.50-$110)

31. Get creative with your costume-making and head down to the can't-be-missed annual Village Halloween Parade.

NOVEMBER

1. Film actress Jessica Chastain ("The Help") makes her Broadway debut in "The Heiress," a drama set in the 1850s. Directed by Moisés Kaufman. (Walter Kerr Theatre, 219 West 48th St., through Feb. 10)

7. The city that never sleeps never stops laughing when the New York Comedy Festival hits town. This year's lineup includes Ricky Gervais, Aziz Ansari, Bill Maher, Robin Williams, Patton Oswalt, Marlon and Shawn Wayans and more. (Through Nov. 11, nycomedyfestival.com)

8. The adorable little redheaded orphan is back in this new Broadway production of the classic show "Annie." (Palace Theater, open run)

9. Holiday season is officially here: The Radio City Christmas Spectacular kicks things off. (Radio City Musical Hall, 1260 Sixth Ave., 46-$150, radiocitychristmas.com)

11. David Mamet's Pulitzer Prize-winning drama "Glengarry Glen Ross" returns to Broadway with the star power of Al Pacino, who starred in the film version of the play, and Bobby Cannavale. (Schoenfeld Theatre, 236 W. 45th St., open run)

12. If you're a tween or teen (or love one), start jumping up and down right now: Justin Bieber is performing. (Barclays Center, 620 Atlantic Ave., Prospect Heights, 7 p.m., $79.50-$89.50; also Nov. 28-29 at Madison Square Garden)

14. Porn stars on Broadway?! Well, kinda: Henry Winkler (aka The Fonz) and Cheyenne Jackson star in "The Performers," a comedy about the adult film industry. (Longacre Theatre, 220 W. 48th St., open run)

15. If you're a fan of the fourth hour of the "Today" show, you've heard Kathie Lee Gifford talk about the musical she wrote: "Scandalous: The Life and Trials of Aimee Semple McPherson." Well, the show - about the real-life 1920s evangelist Semple - has hit Broadway after a run out West. (Neil Simon Theater, 250 West 52nd St., open run)

16. "Righteous Babe" Ani DiFranco brings her music stylings to Brooklyn. (66 N. Sixth St., Williamsburg, 7 p.m., $48)

17. Martha Rosler is putting together her "Meta-Monumental Garage Sale" - a multimedia installation that's an actual garage sale, made up of items people can donate before the exhibition opens. (Museum of Modern Art, 11 W. 53rd St., through Nov. 30, FREE-$25)