ALBANY — The Theatre Program of the University at Albany’s Department of Music and Theatre announced its annual FRESH ACTS: Festival of New Plays, will be presented digitally this year with five presentations of new plays from April 7-10. 

The schedule includes 8 p.m. performances on Wednesday, Thursday and Saturday; 3 p.m. on Friday and 2 p.m. on Saturday. All of the performances will happen live via Zoom, allowing the Festival to potentially reach its largest audience ever. There will also be a digital manuscript of the plays, together with interviews with the writers and information on the directors’ visions for the plays, available after the productions. 

The festival will present readings of four one-act plays written, directed, stage managed and performed by students, under the mentorship of FRESH ACTS Artistic Director Kate Walat, associate professor and playwright-in-residence in the Theatre Program. It will also include a showcase of excerpts from student solo performance works-in-progress, presented by the writers, for the Friday, April 9 performance. 

The plays were chosen from a competitive, blind submission process. The final play selection was made by Brooklyn-based playwright Amina Henry whose own play Interstate will kick off the Festival with a Zoom reading and discussion 7:30 p.m. on Monday, March 22 as part of the Authors Theatre series, a free event open to the public and co-sponsored by the Jarka and Grayce Burian Endowment and the New York State Writers Institute.

This year’s FRESH ACTS festival includes two different programs of plays, presented by two ensemble student casts chosen by audition. The plays are: Brewed Kindred by Ryan Buchholz, Please Listen by Witnie Dupre, Hope by Christopher Guillaume and Face the Music by MJ Johnson. Directors are Natasha Daniels, Billy Feerick, Colin Gioia and Liv Larson, respectively.

A solo showcase will take place on Saturday, April 10 featuring work by Deborah Brannan, JadeElise Brown, Ryan Buchholz, Natasha Daniels, Claire Dell-Priscoli, Jordyn Drue, Witnie Dupre, Christopher Guillaume, Vyanna Hill and Ben Sinkora. 

Admission is free, donations are welcome. Registration is required at www.albany.edu/musicandtheatre/theatre-productions. For further information, contact the Theatre Program office at 518-442-4200 or theatre@albany.edu.

SARATOGA SPRINGS — Northshire Bookstore and co-partner Boulder Book Store present a virtual evening with Arianna Huffington on April 1. 

Huffington – founder and CEO of Thrive Global, joins Marina Khidekel – Thrive Global’s Head of Content Development and author of “Your Time to Thrive,” for a moderated conversation and Q&A at 7 p.m. on Thursday, April 1. 

Tickets are required and include a copy of Khidekel’s book, “Your Time to Thrive: End Burnout, Increase Well-being, and Unlock Your Full Potential with the New Science of Microsteps.” 

Tickets for access to the event for a household and a copy of “Your Time to Thrive” (which may be picked up at Northshire Bookstore’s Saratoga store) are $31. Event access and a request for a home-mailed copy of the book are $37. 

For more information, go to: northshire.com/event. 

SARATOGA SPRINGS — An 11-question survey requesting public input specifically regarding the annual jazz festival at Saratoga Performing Arts Center has been posted on survey monkey. For those interested in participating, the survey may be found at: www.surveymonkey.com/r/SPAC-JazzFest?fbclid=IwAR2XSBG9boBVDFNl4spG0NJPgA5n5AOCK54OUaF1NwnPcyZ_uTkdmbInPOc.

Due to the pandemic, the 2020 festival was re-imagined as a three-night virtual concert experience last June. 

ALBANY — David Alan Miller and the Albany Symphony secured a Grammy Award for Christopher Theofanidis’ “Concerto for Viola and Chamber Orchestra,” with Music Director David Alan Miller and Violist Richard O’Neill in the Best Classical Instrumental Solo category. 

The Albany Symphony world premiere was recorded on Jan.  8, 2018 at the Troy Savings Bank Music Hall and released by Albany Records. 

“It’s not every day that a viola concerto gets recognized, but this is arguably the finest concerto for the instrument written in many years,” said Music Director David Alan Miller. 

The Concerto for Viola and Chamber Orchestra was originally written for Kim Kashkashian who sent Theofanidis a collection of Navajo poems that were wildly different in character but had in common a supernatural sense of nature and an extremely evocative vocabulary. Each of the four movements is serious in sentiment, in turns foreboding and volatile, melancholic and questioning, lyrical and dramatic. Theofanidis wrote this work during the tragedy and turmoil of 9/11, starting the piece before and finishing it afterward, and was influenced by being in midtown Manhattan that day. 

Previously, the Albany Symphony recording of John Corigliano’s Conjurer with percussionist Dame Evelyn Glennie won the 2013 Grammy for Best Classical Instrumental Solo. Founded in 1930 in New York’s Capital Region, the Albany Symphony serves a diverse regional audience covering more than seven counties and parts of three states.  It is led by David Alan Miller, who celebrates his 26th season as music director.

Theofanidis’ music has been performed by many of the world’s leading performing arts organizations, from the London Symphony, Philadelphia Orchestra, and New York Philharmonic to the San Francisco Opera, the Houston Grand Opera, and the American Ballet Theatre. He is currently on the faculties of Yale University and the Aspen Music Festival. 

The 63rd GRAMMY award ceremony was held on Jan. 31 and aired on the CBS network. 

ALBANY — Richard Lovrich: you know him, you love him, and if you’ve been out anywhere in the Spa City or beyond in the many years leading up to the pandemic, you have likely been a focus of the lens of his Leica. 

Lovrich – who among other things is known for his very short, short stories has authored a new book titled “Have A Very Bad Day.”   

From the man himself: “I am the author of this book comprised of nearly 300 dark, very short stories about unfortunate events and predominately awful people. I might have spent the same amount of time learning how to invest, or perhaps working a lucrative side-hustle, but no. So there you have it. My goals for HAVBD remain completely realistic. I expect that Hollywood will make a movie of each story and that Disney will create a HAVBD theme park to provide some respite for adults who are weary of fun. The world, spittle flecked with madness, has its book. Enjoy.”

A ZOOM reading and virtual after party to celebrate the book’s release is slated to take place March 15, the details of which will be announced on the website: www.haveaverybadday.com. 

SCHUYLERVILLE — Saratoga Clay Arts Center presents PLAYING WITH FIRE: Altered Atmospheres, a national juried exhibition of 68 functional and decorative works by 59 clay artists who play with fire. 

Juried by renown Massachusetts-based potter, Mark Shapiro, the selected works have been plucked from altered atmospheres – those changed by wood, smoke, salt or the like. 

The exhibition opens on Saturday, March 13 online and in person, with an opening reception from 5-7 p.m., and runs through April 24. A Juror’s Choice Prize and a Director’s Choice Prize will be selected at a live dialogue and virtual tour with the Juror on March 25.  Details for the exhibition and workshop can be found at: saratogaclayarts.org 

 Founded in 2011 by clay artist and educator Jill Kovachick, Saratoga Clay Arts Center is a ceramic art center located in Schuylerville, offering wheel throwing and handbuilding clay classes for youth and adults, studio space and residencies for artists, and exhibitions featuring emerging, mid-career and established clay artists. 

The Schacht Gallery is open daily from 11 a.m.–4 p.m. and by appointment and is located at 167 Hayes Road. Visit www.saratogaclayarts.org  call 518-581-2529 or email info@saratogaclayarts.org for more information.

SARATOGA SPRINGS — Home Made Theater (HMT) in Saratoga Springs presents On The Air: A Series of Radio Melodramas Online. The series of three radio plays have all been adapted by D. Burgoyne O’Neill and include Fleecing the Flock and The Cheesecake Factory by Beverly Baxter, and Magic Merle’s Miracle Makeover Mush by Shauna Ratapu.

The series features the talents of a repertory company of five local actors: Toni Anderson Sommo, Ryan Palmer, Jennie Sinnott, PJ Sommo, and Terri Storti. Barry Streifert will be the Foley artist.

The series will be online starting with Fleecing the Flock at 7 p.m. on Sunday, March 14, with new episodes on March 21 and 28. Each episode will be available on demand after its airdate and time.

This series of plays follows the format of classic radio melodramas. They are chock full of the key elements of Melodrama like word play and classic stock characters, such as dastardly villains, damsels in distress and dashing heroes. They will be presented in an online format rather than audio only, which opens a window into the creative process of these old-time classics.

“We have all been craving the revival of theater and being part of the creative process once again. This event allows us to remind our audiences that we are still here, trying to find ways to safely get back to you, and we really need and miss you” said Eric Rudy, the General Manager for Home Made Theater, in a statement.

Home Made Theater is a non-profit Community Theater based in Saratoga Springs whose goal is to enrich the cultural life of the Capital Region and beyond by offering a range of programming created by professionally minded artists, providing the opportunity for exciting and rewarding participation in all aspects of theater created by and for the diverse community in which we live.

This is a virtual event that you can log into from the comfort of your own home on your schedule. The suggested minimum donation is $10 per episode or $25 for all three. For more information on how to access this online event visit www.homemadetheater.org or call 518-587-4427. 

SARATOGA SPRINGS — One year after battening down the hatches in response to the oncoming 2020 pandemic, area performance venues are starting to piece together their plans for reopening. 

“The one-year anniversary of shuttering the venue, with no clear end in sight – but then came the sudden news that performing arts venues in New York State are allowed to re-open at 33% capacity on April 2,” said Caffè Lena Executive Director Sarah Craig, in a posting on the venue’s website. “It means we can stop treading water and we can start swimming toward a goal.” 

The café plan is to reopen April 2 with safety protocols in place. While guidance would allow 35 people at the venue, the capacity will be limited to an audience of 24. 

“We won’t serve food and drink yet. That means masks can (must) stay on from entry to exit,” Craig said. “We’re getting the air filter systems that we didn’t think we’d need ’til September. Even so, we’ll keep the windows open a little. Wear a sweater.”

 Caffè Lena first opened in May 1960 as a small beatnik coffeehouse, Bob Dylan first visited the club in 1961 and played a full weekend of shows for which he was paid a total of $50. Appearances by Rosalie Sorrels brought admirers like Hunter S. Thompson and William Kennedy to the venue, and in the fall of 1965, Don McLean made his first of his many appearances at the café.

In the 12 months since everything shut down, the café counts 209 livestreams it had broadcast and $100,000 raised for musicians.    

In the meantime, Lenas continues to broadcast a slew of productions via its online platforms. For more information, go to: caffelena.org. 

“We’re at the beginning of the end,” Gov. Andrew Cuomo said, during his March 9 presser. “The end is the vaccine. The vaccine is the weapon that wins the war. It’s going to still be an annoying few months, but we’re getting there.”   

Plans are also underway at the 700-seat theater-in-the-round space at Universal Preservation Hall (UPH).

“We will open the hall in July for the School of the Performing Arts for Kids – a rock music camp for middle-schoolers, and our goal is to become an exhibit hall in the summer,” says Teddy Foster, campaign director at UPH. 

“I don’t know what April will bring, so right now we are holding tight, but we will be doing another exhibit this summer – which was our plan all along, to become an exhibit hall in the summer and put on really cool, family-friendly exhibits which will also help draw people downtown.”

Last year’s interactive summerlong exhibition featured music-themed pinball machines and memorabilia from the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame that featured artifacts used by everyone from Dolly Parton to Alice Cooper.   

“Even in the middle of the pandemic last summer our pinball exhibit brought in 2,000 people,” Foster says. In “normal” times, UPH anticipates it will serve an estimated 65,000 visitors per year, with a $3.5 million annual economic impact as a year-round venue space, according to a statement issued in 2018, 

The building was erected in 1871 and served as a Methodist church for its first 100 years, as well as playing a role in the city’s civic life by providing a venue for visiting statesmen including Teddy Roosevelt, William Howard Taft, William Jennings Bryan and Frederick Douglass. But by the 1960s, it had fallen on hard times. Local preservationists organized a nonprofit group and helped save the structure. More recently, Foster oversaw an operating alliance created with Proctors, and a $13.5 million renovation project that followed was celebrated with a fabulous opening night performance featuring Rosanne Cash last Feb. 29 to re-christen the grand hall.

This coming summer’s exhibition, which Foster didn’t identify by name, is currently being negotiated and anticipated to open in late July for a display that will be active for a number of months. When the venue does reopen to the public, everything will be staged in a safe manner, Foster says. “One of the things that makes UPH so safe to be in is we have an extremely high-tech HVAC system and we clean like maniacs, so people will be able to come into our building with confidence because it’s safe.”    

For more information about UPH, go to universalpreservationhall.org. 

SARATOGA SPRINGS — An online town hall style discussion with arts leaders will be held at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, March 9. The topic will be Performing Arts, and the conversation will address community impact, accessibility, and new ideas for Saratoga. Free and open for community participation. The Zoom link is: skidmore.zoom.us/j/97421919818.

BOLTON LANDING — The Sembrich has announced the schedule for “Nature & Music,” its all-outdoor 2021 Summer Festival. 

This year, visitors will gather under a performance tent on The Sembrich’s beautiful lakeside property to explore the enchanting mix of nature and music in an all-outdoor series. Events include a variety of musical and artistic traditions, including opera, chamber music, folk music, and Shakespearean theater, all performed against the backdrop of Lake George and the Adirondack Mountains. 

“A year without live music – this past year has been like no other,” says Suzanna M. Bernd, The Sembrich’s Executive Director, in a statement. “The Sembrich is looking forward to hosting the return of live music to Bolton Landing.  Audience members’ and performers’ safety is paramount in our hearts and minds, so we will have social distancing and other protections in place.” 

Concertgoers are welcome to bring their own portable folding chairs or use those provided by The Sembrich. Health and safety regulations prescribed by the CDC and the State of New York will be strictly enforced. 

Highlights of the outdoor 2021 Summer Festival include: The Alfred Z. Solomon Masterwork Series, The Touba Family Foundation World Music Wednesday Concerts, A Beethoven Gala, Music for the Great Outdoors, and Rowing by Moonlight, among others. 

 The Sembrich is located at 4800 Lake Shore Drive, Bolton Landing. For more information, visit www.TheSembrich.org call 518-644-2431 or email: Office@TheSembrich.org.

Nature & Music Calendar of Events

Sunday, June 13 @ 3 p.m. Young Performers’ Showcase
Monday, June 21 @ 7:30 p.m. Film: Crescendo (2019)
Monday, July 5 @ 7:30 p.m. Film: Brasslands (2013)
Wednesday, July 7 @ 2 p.m. Zlatne Uste Balkan Brass Band
Saturday, July 10 @ 6 p.m. The Lark Ascending: Violin and Nature
Saturday, July 17 @ 2 p.m. Rowing by Moonlight with Composer Peter M Wyer
Monday, July 19 @ 7:30 p.m. The Cunning Little Vixen (2003) 
Wednesday, July 21 @ 10 a.m. & 2 p.m. Seagle Festival Children’s Opera: The Three Bears
Saturday, July 24 @ 6 p.m. Front Porch: The Living Earth
Wednesday, July 28 @ 2 p.m. Moscow Nights
Monday, Aug. 2 @ 7:30 p.m. Film: The Maestro (2018)
Wednesday, Aug. 4 @ 6 p.m. Under the Mulberry Tree
Saturday, Aug. 7 @ 6 p.m. Music for the Great Outdoors
Wednesday, Aug. 11 @ 2 p.m. Nature, Our Gentlest Mother
Sunday, Aug. 15 @ 6 p.m. Call of the Wild: Horns of The Philadelphia Orchestra
Monday, Aug. 16 @ 7:30 p.m. Film: Fiddler: A Miracle of Miracles (2019)
Wednesday, Aug. 18 @ 2 p.m. The Nordic Fiddlers Bloc
Saturday. Aug. 21 @ 6 p.m. Songs to the Moon: Mad Scenes, Love Songs and Other Lunar Events

Wednesday, Aug. 25 @ 2 p.m. & 3 p.m. Under the Greenwood Tree: Shakespeare in Nature

Saturday, Aug. 28 @ 6 p.m. A Beethoven Gala

Monday, Aug. 30 @ 7:30 p.m. Film: Blinded by the Light (2019)