SARATOGA SPRINGTS — Zac Brown Band announced a new set of dates for their upcoming 2023 “From the Fire Tour,” including an Aug. 13 date at Saratoga Performing Arts Center.  

The tour, produced by Live Nation, arrives on the heels of 2022’s “Out in the Middle Tour” and the release of “The Comeback (Deluxe)” album, which features re-recorded tracks with Blake Shelton, James Taylor, Jimmy Buffett, and others. 

The “From the Fire Tour,” marks the band’s 10th North American tour, will kick off in Columbus, Ohio on June 30 and continue through November, and includes east coast shows at SPAC, Fenway Park, Jones Beach Theater, Bethel Woods Center for the Arts, and Hersheypark Stadium. 

At Saratoga, the band will be joined by opening bands Marcus King, and King Calaway.

Tickets go on sale Friday, Dec. 16. For tickets or more information visit ZacBrownBand.com. 

SARATOGA SPRINGS —Live Nation announced the return of “Lawn Pass,” giving fans access to some of next summer’s concerts at Saratoga Performing Arts Center. Live Nation is the pop concert promoter at SPAC.

With Lawn Pass, fans will have guaranteed general admission lawn seating and Fast Lane access all summer long for $199 plus a fee for 30+ shows in Saratoga Springs.

Thus far, Dermot Kennedy (June 19), Matchbox Twenty (July 30), Foreigner/ Loverboy (Aug. 1), Goo Goo Dolls/ O.A.R. (Aug. 8), Zac Brown Band (Aug. 13), and Lynyrd Skynyrd/ ZZ Top (Sept. 8) have announced single dates at Saratoga Performing Arts Center in 2023. Dead & Co. have announced a pair of dates – June 17-18, although tickets for those shows are sold out, and the applicability of “Lawn Pass” is unclear.    How To Purchase Lawn Pass

Lawn Pass is on sale beginning at lawnpass.livenation.com while supplies last. To purchase Lawn Pass, fans can visit the link above and use the dropdown menu to select their desired participating amphitheater. 

Each Lawn Pass holder will receive a custom personalized credential that will serve as their ticket on each show day. These credentials will be shipped directly to fans in spring 2023. 

For more information on Lawn Pass including restrictions, please visit lawnpass.livenation.com

SARATOGA SPRINGS — ZZ Top and Lynyrd Skynyrd have announced their first co-headlining tour – The Sharp Dressed Simple Man Tour – taking over 22 cities in North America next summer. 

Produced by Live Nation, the tour kicks off on Friday, July 21 in Florida, continues with stops in Fort Worth, Phoenix, Chicago, and more before wrapping up in Camden, New Jersey Sept. 17.

A show will be staged Sept. 8 at Saratoga Performing Arts Center.  Tickets go on sale Friday, Dec. 16 at LiveNation.com

ALBANY — Saratoga Springs Youth Ballet presents the Nutcracker, featuring more than 100 local dancers ages 5- 18 years old, and special guests Sarah MacGregor, Aram Hengen, and Aaron Moore. 

The choreography by Joan Kilgore Anderson and Cristiane Santos showcases the talent and hard work of SSYB’s dedicated young dancers.

Performances will be held at 1 and 7 p.m. on Saturday, Dec 17 and 2 p.m. Sunday, Dec 18 at the Performing Arts Center at the University at Albany. 

General Admission: $35; seniors and students: $28; children under 3: free. All ticket proceeds directly support the Saratoga Springs Youth Ballet, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. 

Tickets available at www.eventbrite.com. The Performing Arts Center at the University at Albany is located at 1400 Washington Ave. 

SARATOGA SPRINGS — A free show celebrating the birthday of Nippertown owner Jim Gilbert’s birthday will be staged Saturday, Dec. 17 at Putnam Place.

Doors open at 7 p.m., show starts at 8 and entertainment includes longtime Capital Region ensembles Super 400 and Sirsy. 

Putnam Place is located at 63A Putnam St., opposite the Saratoga Springs Public library. 

GLENS FALLS —The Park Theater Foundation will present a variety of shows throughout December as part of their 2022/23 season. 

Upcoming events include: 

Dec. 15 – ‘Third Thursday Jazz’ with The Matt Niedbalski Trio featuring the GNP Trio. Experience some of the best jazz music in the Capital Region. Tickets: $10. 7:30 p.m. 

Dec. 30 – Chestnut Grove & Friends featuring Precious Metals and Grape Juice. High-energy rock ‘n roll. Tickets: Early Bird – $15, Day Of Show – $20. Doors: 7:15 pm | Showtime: 8 pm.

Dec. 31 – ‘New Year’s Eve Dinner & Comedy Show’ featuring a performance by acclaimed comedian, Mike Lebovitz. This event will include a three-course prix-fixe menu, a champagne greeting station and cocktail hour from 6-7 p.m. Tickets: $99. Doors: 6 p.m., dinner 7 p.m., showtime 8:15 p.m. 

Located at 14 Park Street, Glens Falls. For further information and to purchase tickets, visit parktheatergf.com/events or phone 518-792-1150.

SARATOGA SPRINGS — The Goo Goo Dolls this week announced details for their summer 2023 Big Night Out Tour with O.A.R. 

The band, formed in Buffalo in 1986, kicks off the tour July 24 in Florida, and will stage a show at Saratoga Performing Arts Center on Aug. 8.  

Tickets go on-sale Friday, Dec. 9 at www.googoodolls.com/tour. 

Goo Goo Dolls will be partnering with Joe Torre Safe At Home for the tour, a nonprofit founded in 2002 by Ali and Joe Torre to provide healing and education services to youth who have been traumatized by exposure to violence including domestic violence, child abuse, teen dating abuse, and sexual assault to help break the cycle of violence. 

O.A.R. will also perform.

SARATOGA SPRINGS — Home Made Theater announces open auditions for their March/April production of ‘night, Mother*, written by Marsha Norman. This production will be directed by Jonathan Hefter.

The auditions will be held on Monday, Dec. 12 and Tuesday, Dec. 13 starting at 6:30 p.m.  at Home Made Theater’s headquarters at the Wilton Mall (near JCPenney).

The cast consists of two woman, ages approximately 30s-40s, and 50s-60s.

On a seemingly normal evening in a small house on an isolated country road, we meet Thelma Cates (Mama), an aging mother and widow who lives with her daughter, Jessie. Unsatisfied and depressed, Jessie struggles with life as an unemployed epileptic. Jessie’s father is dead. Her loveless marriage ended in divorce. Her absent son is a petty thief and ne’er-do-well. Her last job didn’t work out. In general, her life is stale and unprofitable. As the play begins, Jessie announces nonchalantly to her mother that she plans to commit suicide that night. Over the course of the evening, the two reveal long-hidden truths to one another, building towards a stunning and deeply disturbing moment—a moment never to be forgotten by those who have witnessed and come to understand Jessie’s plight. Mirrored in the intensity of the house’s living room and kitchen, the play takes place in real time in an urgent and desperate exploration of loneliness, secrets, and honesty. ‘night, Mother is the Winner of the 1983 Pulitzer Prize for Drama and the Susan Smith Blackburn Prize, and was nominated for the Tony Award for Best Play.

Actors should prepare a brief monologue of their choice.  Actors will also be provided excerpts from the script upon arrival. Please bring a current photo (cannot be returned) and resume. No appointment necessary.

BALLSTON SPA — The Village of Ballston Spa kicks-off the holiday season with its annual Holiday Parade and Tree Lighting. 

The event, presented by the Ballston Spa Business and Professional Association, takes place Friday, Dec. 2 on Milton Ave.

The parade steps-off at 6:30 p.m. on the north side of Milton Ave. and proceeds to West High St. Following the parade, Mr. and Mrs. Claus will arrive on the back of an Eagle-Matt Lee Fire Company truck to light the tree in Wiswall Park.  

Many businesses and shops will be open during the parade, offering a variety of treats and activities such as hot cocoa bar, hot chowder, free parking and more.