SARATOGA SPRINGS — The Frances Young Tang Teaching Museum and Art Gallery at Skidmore College Family Saturday series continues April 29 at 2 p.m. with Family Saturday: Face to Face.

After learning about the exhibition Face to Face from the student curators in Associate Professor and Chair of Art History Saleema Waraich’s course “(De)Colonizing the Museum: Addressing Systemic Racism and Promoting Social Justice,” participants will create their own mixed-media portraits in response to Martine Gutierrez’s Demons, Chin ‘Demon of Lust,’ p93 from Indigenous Woman.

Family Saturdays, which are suitable for children 5 and older accompanied by an adult, aim to foster multigenerational creative cooperation through looking at artwork, discussing it, and engaging in a hands-on art-making activity. The programs run from 2 to 3:30 pm and are free and open to the public. No registration required; supplies provided on a first-come, first-served basis.

The spring season’s Family Saturdays conclude on May 13. Summer dates include June 24, July 29, August 12, and August 26, with details to be announced later. For more information, visit the Tang website at https://tang.skidmore.edu or contact the Tang Visitors Services Desk at 518-580-8080.

SCHENECTADY —The Schenectady premiere of “Jagged Little Pill” will be opening at on Tuesday, May 2. 

The musical is inspired by the seminal rock album of the same name by seven-time Grammy Award winner Alanis Morissette.

Ignited by Morissette’s groundbreaking lyrics and music – from beloved hits such as “You Oughta Know,” “Head Over Feet,” “Hand In My Pocket,” and “Ironic”, to brand new songs written for the show – Jagged Little Pill  features explosive choreography by Tony Award nominee and frequent Beyoncé collaborator Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui, and the raw power of an onstage band under the Musical Supervision, Orchestrations & Arrangements of Grammy, Tony and Pulitzer Prize winner Tom Kitt.   

Jagged Little Pill officially opened on Broadway Dec. 5, 2019 at the Broadhurst Theatre after beginning previews Nov. 3. Prior to Broadway, JAGGED LITTLE PILL completed a record-breaking, sold-out run at American Repertory Theater (A.R.T.) in Cambridge, Massachusetts. 

Tickets to the Tony and Grammy award-winning production are available through the Box Office at Proctors, in person or via phone at 518-346-6204 Monday–Saturday 10 a.m.-6 p.m. or online at proctors.org. Groups of 10 or more can get their tickets by calling 518-382-3884, ext. 139. 

SARATOGA SPRINGS — Banda Magda will return to the Saratoga Performing Arts Center on Thursday, May 4. Showtime is 7 p.m.

Led by performer, composer, and multi-instrumentalist Magda Giannikou, Banda Magda comprises a diverse group of musicians from Greece, Japan, Argentina, USA, Colombia, Brazil, Turkey, Israel and the UK. Their all-new program of global music since they last played SPAC in 2019 will range from samba to French chanson, from Greek folk tunes to Colombian cumbia and Afro-Peruvian lando. 

Tickets are $33 and are all general admission. Performance is at the Spa Little Theater. Visit SPAC.org or call 518-584-9330. 

SARATOGA SPRINGS — The songs of Mississippi John Hurt have been covered by everyone from Ramblin’ Jack Elliott and Dave Van Ronk, to Donovan, Jerry Garcia, and Jorma Kaukonen – both as a soloist and with his band Hot Tuna – and he famously performed at Caffe Lena shortly before his death in the mid-1960s. 

On Saturday, April 29 a bevy of entertainers will perform atop the Caffe Lena stage in tribute to the singer and songwriter who has influenced a world of musicians with his unique fingerpicking style.  

The fundraiser features four duos playing the music by and inspired by Mississippi John Hurt.  Performers include the Piedmont Bluz Duo of Valerie and Benedict Turner, Annie & Jonny Rosen of Annie and the Hedonists, Erin Harpe & Jim Countryman and Mark Tolstrup & Jill Burnham of Mark & Jill.

Monies raised will benefit the Mississippi John Hurt Foundation, established by Hurt’s granddaughter, Mary Frances Hurt. The Foundation is a non-profit organization devoted primarily to preserving the musical legacy and history of Mississippi John Hurt, while providing musical and educational opportunities to disadvantaged youth. Through the music of John Hurt, children and adult music fans alike are exposed to the rich oral, musical, and literary traditions of the Mississippi Delta and surrounding areas. 

Funds raised will also support a film, currently in production, about his life and legacy.

For tickets and more information, go to: caffelena.org. 

ALBANY — The NYS Writers Institute and the UAlbany Performing Arts Center, both based at the University at Albany, present a slate of actors who will participate in Selected Shorts, the hit public radio and podcast series featuring readings of classic and new works of short fiction by acclaimed actors. 

The program will be held at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday, April 29 at the UAlbany Performing Arts Center on the uptown University at Albany campus located at 1400 Washington Ave. in Albany.  

Actor/comedian Jane Curtin will perform in the program. She will be joined by Teagle F. Bougere from Queen America and New Amsterdam’s Mike Doyle.  The trio of thespians will perform selections from books by Ann Tyler, Ray Bradbury, Meron Hadero and Robin Hemley.  

Selected Shorts is produced by Symphony Space in New York City and broadcast on more than 150 stations to about 300,000 listeners around the country. The Selected Shorts podcast consistently ranks as one of the most popular podcasts on iTunes, with more than 100,000 downloads each week. 

Advance tickets are $15 for the general public and $10 for students, seniors and UAlbany faculty-staff.  Tickets purchased on the day of the show (pending availability) are $20 for the general public and $15 for students, seniors and UAlbany faculty-staff.  All tickets must be purchased on-line from the UAlbany Performing Arts Center’s website at www.albany.edu/pac.  

SARATOGA SPRINGS — House of Hamill will appear at Caffé Lena on Friday, April 21 for a spring return engagement. Showtime is 8 p.m.

House of Hamill’s music has been described as sophisticated, independent Celtic-folk. The band includes Rose Baldino (fiddle and vocals), Brian Buchanan (fiddle, vocals, and guitar), and Caroline Browning (bass, mandolin and piano). The trio tours nationally, performing at Celtic festivals and established folk venues.

All three musicians also tour with the band, Enter the Haggis. Their 2023 schedule will lead them to at least 28 states and 3 countries, including hosting a sold-out musical bus tour through the west of Ireland in October. Their third album, “Folk Hero,” received strong support on the 2022 Folk-DJ charts, as well as from Celtic music podcasters. A new album release is planned for later this year. 

For tickets and more information, see www.caffelena.org or call 518-583-0022.

SARATOGA SPRINGS — New York Times bestselling author V. E. Schwab will be visiting the Spa City this weekend as a stopover of a monthlong nationwide tour.   

Schwab has authored more than 20 books, including the acclaimed Shades of Magic series, Villains series, Monster of Verity duology, Cassidy Blake series and The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue. 

Tor Books published the trade paperback of Schwab’s “The Invisible Life Of Addie Larue” on April 11. 

Described as a genre-defying breakout novel, it is a sweeping story about a woman who lives forever, but is destined to be forgotten. More than 1.4 million copies have been sold and the book spent over 40 weeks on the New York Times bestseller list. 

The event, In conversation with Jennifer Dugan, is presented by Northshire Bookstore and will take place 7 p.m. Saturday, April 15 at Presbyterian New England Congregational Church, 24 Circular St. in Saratoga Springs. For ticket information, go to: northshire.com.