Following last year’s destruction by fire, the Shepard Park Amphitheater project is underway.
LAKE GEORGE — The Shepard Park Amphitheater project is progressing with a goal to complete design and engineering work by early spring 2025, enabling the Village of Lake George to bid the project out for a fall 2025 construction start, and a spring 2026 completion.
A fire destroyed the popular Shepard Park amphitheater last June.
The transformative initiative aims to create a dynamic performance and community space, offering residents and visitors a premier venue for artistic performances, cultural events, and communal gatherings.
Additionally, the project includes broader improvements to the Shepard Park area, such as a new playground and enhanced accessibility features to ensure the park is welcoming to all.
Community input has been and continues to be a cornerstone of this project.
A workshop will take place 6 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 30 at The Carriage House – Fort William Henry, 48 Canada St. – that will provide an overview of the progress to date, present the design, gather feedback and discuss next steps and project timelines.
All are welcome to attend, and community members are encouraged to share their insights and ideas.
David Greenberger and the Huckleberries onstage at Universal Preservation Hall on Jan. 19, 2025. Photo by Thomas Dimopoulos.
SARATOGA SPRINGS — Area legend David Greenberger staged a performance at Universal Preservation Hall on Jan. 19, and he brought a quartet of musicians – collectively called The Huckleberries, along with him.
Perhaps best known for his 32 years of publishing The Duplex Planet – a periodical borne out of his Greenberger’s conversations with nursing home residents, the conversations have spawned a plethora of recordings and performances of monologues and music.
At UPH, attendees were treated to a 90-minute showcase during which Greenberger, wearing a black suit and blue suede shoes, spoke the snippets – word thoughts, conversations, and linguistic interactions of humans engaging with one another, many of them local to the Saratoga and Ballston Spa territories, and heard onstage for the first time. For the record, some of the monologues were based on conversations held specifically at the Senior Center, and Home of the Good Shepherd.
Backed by music and told in first-person style, by each song’s end one could imagine the spirit of the soul who first spoke them drifting up the vintage theater’s balcony staircase and taking refuge among the long wooden church-like pews, listening in succession to the next story in line, and greeting one another in the haze of the veranda’s mist.
The quartet of Huckleberries – Peter Davis, James Gascoyne, Chris Carey and Sam Zucchini – accompanied Greenberger in a variety of ways: keyboards, a drum kit, a stand-up bass with dual f-hole cutaways, electric guitar, electric bass, saxophone, and an assortment of string-and-strum noisemakers with odd shapes, among their arsenal.
“You may be wondering why they’re called the Huckleberries,” Greenberger told the crowd, in between pieces that related the storytelling standing of one person named Gilbert, and another named Jitterbug Frank, “Well as a kid I loved Huckleberry Hound,” he said, recalling the animated TV series with the protagonist dog. “I was in the fan club and everything.”
SARATOGA SPRINGS — The band Styx, and Kevin Cronin – the voice and writer behind REO Speedwagon’s greatest hits, join forces for their “Brotherhood of Rock” tour, that will kick off May 28 in South Carolina and stage a show at Saratoga Performing Arts Center Aug. 12.
Special guest Don Felder, a former lead guitarist for the Eagles, will also appear.
Styx and Kevin Cronin (as part of REO Speedwagon) first toured together in 2000 and in 2001.
Cronin can recall first seeing Styx singer Tommy Shaw performing with his seven-piece funk/rock band at the Rush Up club in Chicago during the the mid-‘70s REO hiatus, and subsequently bumping into him at O’Hare Airport a few weeks later.
“In no time I was back in REO Speedwagon and Tommy had become the newest member of Styx,” says Cronin, who began fronting REO Speedwagon in 1972. “REO and Styx dominated the Billboard charts in 1981 with “Hi Infidelity” and “Paradise Theatre,” but for reasons unknown we had never toured together. So, in the year 2000, Tommy and I decided to give it a shot…now, here we are 25 years later.”
For more information and tickets, go to: LiveNation.com.
SARATOGA SPRINGS — The eighth annual Saratoga Motorcar Auction, which took place last fall on the grounds of the Saratoga Casino & Raceway, grossed more than $7 million in sales of vehicles and memorabilia – a new record.
The auction’s handle was $7,223,586 with a sell-through rate of 73 percent.
Spotlight consignments included three collections that chose the Saratoga Motorcar Auction as their auction house. Collections were from philanthropists Ed and Lisa Mitzen as well as Harry Enea. Additionally, five select vehicles from federal court-approved lots from Kris Roglieri to benefit the debtors.
The auction set records for the highest priced car ever sold, a 2006 Ford GT, which sold for $647,350. This year’s auction also had the highest number of vehicles sold over $100,000, the highest average sale price in auction history, the most memorabilia available, and the largest number of bidders.
The ninth annual Saratoga Motorcar Auction will take place on Friday, Sept. 19, 2025 and Saturday, Sept. 20, 2025. For more information about the Saratoga Automobile Museum, visit saratogaautomuseum.org
ALBANY — Maggie Mancinelli-Cahill, the long-time Producing Artistic Director of Albany’s Capital Repertory Theatre, has announced her plans to step down at the end of 2025. She has been working with theREP’s board and staff at Proctors Collaborative in the search for her replacement and to ensure a smooth transition.
Mancinelli-Cahill joined Capital Repertory Theatre as its Producing Artistic Director in 1995 and has helped guide the organization through changes in leadership, the development of a new venue during a global pandemic, has helped launch scores of careers in the arts and introduced thousands of Capital Region residents to new productions and sparked a love for theatre for generations of Capital Region children.
A major driver of the Capital Region’s artistic and economic growth, theREP generates nearly $10 million in annual economic impact in addition to the value of community building and art creation.
During her tenure at theREP, Mancinelli-Cahill has directed more than 125 productions, workshops and readings; directed at least two plays or musicals each season; created plays for the On the Go touring program for 14 counties of upstate New York, reaching more than 15,000 students annually.
The Board of Directors is working on the next steps in the leadership transition and will make an announcement as decisions are finalized.
SARATOGA SPRINGS — A screening of the award-winning documentary “Four Winters” will take place at 6 p.m. on Jan. 27 at Skidmore College.
The film, directed by Julia Mintz, recalls the resistance displayed by Jewish people during the horrors of Hitler’s rage across eastern Europe.
“Four Winters” uses personal photographs, letters, journals, war records, and interviews with the last living partisans to tell the story of the brave Jewish men and women that fought for their lives and their people across Belarus, Ukraine, and eastern Europe. It also goes on to show the transformation of more than 25,000 people from peaceful residents of their nations to clever leaders fighting for their lives by recounting their escape into the forests, followed by their united acts of sabotage by blowing up train stations, burning electric stations, and attacking armed enemy headquarters.
A Q&A session will be held following the end of the film with Mintz, during which participants will be offered the opportunity to ask questions. There is no cost to attend the screening.
Registration is required for community members who wish to attend at: https://lp.constantcontactpages.com/sl/YEGSQgb/FourWinters. Those who register will receive the location on campus and other program information ahead of time. For more information about the film, go to: fourwintersfilm.com.
DakhaBrakha will perform at Spa Little Theater March 14.
SARATOGA SPRINGS —Kyiv, Ukraine “ethno-chaos” ensemble DakhaBrakha will make its Saratoga debut 7:30 p.m. on March 14 at the Spa Little Theater in a show co-resented by Saratoga Performing Arts Center and Caffè Lena.
The groundbreaking quartet is known for their hypnotic blend of folk traditions, dub, hip-hop and global influences.
“Caffè Lena has a long history of presenting not only American folk music, but Traditional music from other cultures, said Sarah Craig, executive director of Caffè Lena. “It’s a thrill to work with this band that has introduced so many people around the world to the roots of Ukrainian music with a contemporary twist that’s exciting and compelling,”
DakhaBrakha, meaning “give/take” in the old Ukrainian language, was created by avant-garde theater director Vladyslav Troitskyi at the Kyiv Center of Contemporary Art “DAKH” in 2004. Accompanied by Indian, Arabic, African, and Ukrainian traditional instrumentation, the quartet’s vocal range creates a trans-national sound rooted in Ukrainian culture.
DhakaBraka has performed at major festivals across Europe, Asia, Australia, and North America. The ensemble features Marko Halanevych (vocals, darbuka, table, accordion), Iryna Kovalenko (vocals, djembe, bass drums, accordion, percussion, bugay, zgaleyka, piano), Olena Tsybulska (vocals, bass drums, percussion, garmoshka), and Nina Garenetska (vocals, cello, bass drum).
“It’s important to show the world Ukraine, and to show Ukrainians that we don’t need to have an inferiority complex, Halanevych said in a statement. “There are a lot of wonderful, creative people here, people who are now striving for freedom, for a more civilized way of life, and are ready to stand up for it.”
DakhaBrakha’s appearance at Spa Little Theater is part of a unique and ongoing collaboration between SPAC and Caffè Lena first launched in 2017 and encompassing jointly curated and presented programs at both venues, highlighted by their annual “Caffè Lena @ SPAC” fall festival. To sample live clips of the ensemble in vision and sound, go to: https://www.dakhabrakha.com.ua/en/video/.
Tickets for DakhaBrakha at Spa Little Theater cost $40-$55. Visit spac.org for details.
Trombone Shorty will perform Sunday June 29 during the two-day Saratoga Jazz Fest at SPAC. Photo provided.
SARATOGA SPRINGS — The 48th Annual Saratoga Jazz Festival, presented by GE Vernova will return for a full two-day and two-stage weekend experience on Saturday, June 28 and Sunday, June 29 at Saratoga Performing Arts Center.
Featuring a roster of 22 musical groups and 10 festival debuts, the line-up is headlined by magnetic performers Gary Clark Jr. and Trombone Shorty & Orleans Avenue, alongside beloved jazz vocalists Gregory Porter and Cassandra Wilson, and the next generation of jazz, funk and rock stars Cory Wong, Lettuce, DJ Logic & Friends and Veronica Swift.
The festival will also see the return of jazz icons such as Al Di Meola, Michel Camilo and Kenny Garrett in addition to new, emerging artists on the scene like Nicole Zuraitis, Brandee Younger, and Julius Rodriguez.
Founded in 1978 by jazz impresario George Wein, Saratoga Jazz Festival is the fifth longest-consecutive-running jazz festival in North America. Initially founded as “the Newport Jazz Festival at Saratoga” the weekend event was renamed Freihofer’s Saratoga Jazz Festival in 1998.
The 2025 festival marks the beginning of SPAC’s new partnership with lead festival sponsor GE Vernova. The two organizations embark on a five-year partnership, with $200,000 committed from GE Vernova for each year, ensuring the vibrancy and longevity of Saratoga Jazz Festival, one of the largest jazz events in North America.
Making his SPAC debut to headline the festival on Saturday is four-time Grammy award-winner, multi-instrumentalist, songwriter and performer Gary Clark Jr. Heralded for his bold and expressive guitar playing, his music fuses blues, rock, R&B, soul and hip hop with influences and collaborations ranging from B.B. King, the Jackson 5 and Muddy Waters to Alicia Keys, Dave Grohl and Childish Gambino. His most recent album JPEG RAW, released in 2024, represents a quantum leap displaying his versatility and demonstrating the fresh new directions he can take with his music.
Back by popular demand to headline the festival on Sunday is Trombone Shorty & Orleans Avenue. Since 2010, Shorty has released five chart topping studio albums (his most recent being 2022’s Lifted); toured with everyone from Jeff Beck to the Red Hot Chili Peppers, and has collaborated across genres with Pharrell, Bruno Mars, Mark Ronson, Foo Fighters, ZHU, Zac Brown, Normani, Ringo Starr, and countless more. Beloved for his onstage charisma, Shorty’s appearance marks his fourth Saratoga Jazz Festival performance.
In addition to two non-stop days of great music on two stages, fans can also enjoy a host of amenities including new and diverse food offerings, a fine arts and crafts fair, and artist merchandise signings. Guests are welcome to bring in their own food and beverages, as well as lawn chairs, blankets, tents and lawn umbrellas. Parking for the event is free. Performances will begin at 11 a.m. on Saturday, June 28 and at 11:45 a.m. on Sunday, June 29.
Tickets go on sale beginning on Jan. 21 to SPAC members (tiered by level) and on Jan. 24 to the general public.
Tickets for the festival start at $85. Members will also receive a discount of 15-20% (depending on level) on their ticket purchase. Two-day passes are also available. Children 12 and under receive 50% off tickets in the amphitheater and are free on the lawn. Full-time students with a school issued ID receive 25% off tickets in the amphitheater, or $28 on the lawn (student ID must be presented at will call).
Visit spac.org for more details.
2025 SARATOGA JAZZ FESTIVAL LINEUP:
SATURDAY, JUNE 28
Amphitheater: Gary Clark Jr., Gregory Porter, Lettuce, Veronica Swift, Michel Camilo Trio, Kenny Garrett.
Charles R. Wood “Discovery” Stage: Artemis, Nicole Zuraitis, Keyon Harrold, Julius Rodriguez, C.J. Chenier & The Red Hot Louisiana Band, The String Queens.
SUNDAY, JUNE 29
Amphitheater: Trombone Shorty & Orleans Avenue, Cory Wong, Cassandra Wilson, Al Di Meola Acoustic Band, DJ Logic & Friends featuring Vernon Reid, Cyro Baptista, Emilio Modeste, James Hurt, Felix Pastorius & Terreon Gully.
Charles R. Wood “Discovery” Stage: Gary Bartz, Bria Skonberg Quintet, Brandee Younger Trio, La Excelencia, Skidmore Jazz Institute Faculty All-Stars Celebrate their Heroes feat. Clay Jenkins, Jimmy Greene, Steve Davis, Dave Stryker, Bill Cunliffe, Todd Coolman & Dennis Mackrel.
SARATOGA SPRINGS —Area legend David Greenberger will be appearing with The Huckleberries at 3 p.m. on Sunday, Jan. 19 in an exclusive event at Universal Preservation Hall in Saratoga Springs.
Greenberger, perhaps best known for 32 years of publishing his periodical – The Duplex Planet – which was borne out of his conversations with nursing home residents, beginning in 1979. The magazine led to a plethora of recordings and performances of monologues and music.
Greenberger’s new release, “My Autobiography Vol. 1,” features music and monologues culled from Greenberger’s own life and observations, voiced by more than two dozen participants.
At Universal Preservation Hall on Jan. 19, attendees will be treated to a showcase of the magic that lies in the art of conversation. With a specialty in sparking lively and spontaneous dialogue with all whom he meets, Greenberger’s latest artistic venture is a playground of conversation filled with knock-knock jokes, not-so-rhetorical questions and observations about the world akin to that of a child’s imagination and wonder.
For more information and tickets, go to: https://atuph.org/event/david-greenberger-the-huckleberries-celebrate-universal-preservation/.
SARATOGA SPRINGS — Fred Astaire Dance Studios (FADS) in Albany and Saratoga Springs host their annual student showcase, this year themed “Everybody Dance Now,” at noon on Sunday, Jan. 26, at the Albany Marriott on Wolf Road.
The event celebrates the achievements of FADS students while sharing the joy of dance with the community— and this year’s showcase will benefit the Alzheimer’s Association, with partial proceeds supporting the organization’s efforts to combat Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias.
The theme, “Everybody Dance Now,” underscores the transformative power of dance— as an art form and a scientifically proven way to enhance cognitive function, improve memory, and delay the effects of Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia.
The Fred Astaire Dance Studios are located in Latham and Saratoga Springs. A short speaking program preceding the performances feature representatives from the Fred Astaire Dance Studios and the Alzheimer’s Association.
For ticket information and event details, visit the event page- Everybody Dance Now – at Eventbrite. For more information about Fred Astaire Dance Studios Saratoga Springs, visit fredastaire.com/saratoga-springs.
