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Around Town With Amy Modesti Bi-Weekly Events for May 28-June 9, 2024
Happy Memorial Day week and welcome back to another edition of Around Town With Amy Modesti!! Thank you to all of the veterans, both past and present, for serving in the military. Thank you to those who had made the ultimate sacrifice to protect us from harm so we can have our freedom.
Around Town With Amy Modesti has been on location this past weekend at Charles R. Wood Park for the return of the 2024 Memorial Meltdown festival. The recap of Hair of the Dog’s performance at Ryan’s Wake is featured on Around Town as well so be sure to check that out!!
Got an event that you want to get the word out about? Is there something that needs reporting? Contact Amy on social media for more information. Thank you!
-Amy (5/29/2024)
Around Town With Amy Modesti Event Listings
Driving Miss Daisy at Albany Civic Theatre (ALBANY, NY) - Albany Civic Theatre is in its final week of showings of their fourth and final show of the 2024 season with the production of Driving Miss Daisy. The production will run through Sunday, June 2. The production, directed by Barbara Davis-Dickman and features Katherine Ambrosio (Daisy Werthen), Nellson Jacobs-Moore (Hoke Colburn), and Isaac Scranton (Boolie Werthen), is based in 1948 prior to the Civil Rights Movement. Daisy has to rely on a chauffeur to drive her around town. Over a 25-year span, she develops a strong friendship with her chauffeur, Hoke. The play will be held on Friday, May 31 and Saturday, June 1 at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday, June 2 at 3:00 p.m. For ticket information, go to https://www.tickettailor.com/events/albanycivictheaterinc/1196351.
(Event Poster Courtesy of Barbara Davis)
Shavuot Celebration Deluxe Dairy Buffet (LOUDONVILLE, NY) - The Colonie Chabad invites the public to celebrate Shavuot, hear the Ten Commandments, and enjoy dairy and non-dairy desserts and dinner at Rabbi Mordechai and Chana Rubin’s home, located at 401 Loudon Rd, Loudonville, Wednesday, June 12, 5:30 p.m. Reservations are required to attend the event and can be made by either calling (518)-368-7886 or emailing chaicentercolonie@gmail.com. The event is free to the public, and sponsors are welcome to make a money contribution.
(Poster Submitted by Colonie Chabad)
Funk Night at Twisted Fiddler Featuring Rob Compa and Mike Oehman (TROY, NY) - Twisted Fiddler, for its third year, brought back the return of “Funk Night”. This particular concert series will be held during the last Friday of the month during the downtown wide event, Troy Night Out, and will include both local musicians and bigger names in the funk and jam music scene. The first event will include Guitarist Rob Compa of the progressive jam band, Dopapod, along with special guest saxophonist, Mike Oehman of the band, Mihali. Other performers to join Compa and Oehman include Krystal Surgick (vocals), Beau Sasser (Keys/organ, of the group, Kung Fu), Justin Henricks (guitar, of the band Wuriday), and Colin Jalbert (drums). The show will be held Friday, May 31, with gates opening at 6 p.m. and show starts at 7 p.m. The show is free to the public. If the event is moved inside due to inclement weather, there might be a cover charge, due to limited space inside the venue. For more information, visit www.twistedfiddler.com.
The Lovestruck Balladeers (SPENCERTOWN, NY) - Spencertown Academy Arts Center will present The Lovestruck Balladeers, a band performing their repertoire of old-time jazz, swing, country, ragtime, and waltzes on Friday, May 31. Show begins at 8 p.m., $25 for Spencertown Academy members and $20 for general admission tickets. This group of talented musicians, who have traveled around the country and globe performing traditional style music, features Jake Sanders (guitar), Dennis Lichtman (clarinet, mandolin, violin), Sean Cronin (bass), Dalton Ridenhour (piano), and special guest Mike Davis (cornet). Tickets are on sale and can be purchased at www.spencertownacademy.networkforgood.com.
(Poster Courtesy of Spencertown Academy Arts Center)
The Return of Dale Watson at The Hangar (TROY, NY) - Returning to perform again at The Hangar on The Hudson is the Ameripolitican icon, Dale Watson. Born in Alabama and raised in Texas, the guitarist and singer has entertained crows on the Late Night With David Letterman and PBS’s Austin City Limits TV show. Watson, who founded his own genre of music, Ameripolitican, will perform at the Troy music venue Sunday, June 9, 8 p.m. Tickets are $25 in advance and $30 on the day of the show. For ticket information, go to www.eventbrite.com.
‘Come Dance With Me’ Country Line Dance Cruise (Capital Region, NY) - Do you want to country line dance on the Carnival Freedom cruise ship in Cape Canaveral, Fl?! Country line dance friends can line dance with Kevin Richards, The Country Kickers, Guest Instructors, and music from country singer Nancy Hays next year, February 24-March 1, 2025. The cruise will begin at Cape Canaveral, Fl and will go to Orlando, Fl and to the eastern Caribbean. There will be line dance parties, lessons, and concerts, and all levels of line dancers, including non-dancers and friends are welcome. Limited inside cabins start at $397, plus $124.65 port tax, gratuity, and 100 program fee due at final payment. Limited balcony cabins start at $657 plus $124.65 port tax, and gratuity and 100 program fee due at final payment. Rates and availability not guaranteed after May 27, 2024. There is a $150 deposit needed to secure your spot for the cruise. Group booking number is J8RF92. For cruise details, go to www.kevinrichards.com or call 1-(800)-327-5782.
Home Made Theater to Present The Secret Garden (SARATOGA SPRINGS, NY) - Home Made Theater will soon present the musical, The Secret Garden, based on the 1911 novel written by Frances Hodgson Burnett. The production will debut on Friday, June 7 at the Pitney Meadows Community Farm, located at 223 West Avenue in Saratoga Springs, at 7 p.m. and will run through Sunday, June 16. The cast of The Secret Garden will feature both child and adult actors and actresses including Travis Brunell, Maleri Davis, Marilyn Detmer, Doug Gladstone, Jack Holick, Claire O’Donnell, Lesley O’Donnell, Eric Rudy, Sonya Sidhu-Izzo, and Olivia Wilkerson, among others. Tickets are $35 and can be purchased online on the Home Made Theater’s website, www.homemadetheater.org or by calling the box office: (518)-587-4427 on Monday through Friday from 12-4 p.m.
Golden Days Exhibition at Collar Works (TROY, NY) - The Golden Days art exhibition is well underway over at Collar Works, located at the corner of Fourth and Congress Street in Troy. The exhibition, opened on Wednesday, May 8, features the artworks made by the Kingston painter, Kelsey Ranko. Ranko, who received her MFA from the University of Albany in 2023, as well as the Terri Boor Graduate Scholarship, spent her younger years living in the City of Troy from 2011-2022. Her time spent living in Troy helped Ranko gain inspiration to create her mixed media paintings. The exhibit will remain on view until October. For more information, go to www.colarworks.org.
YWCA NorthEastern NY to Debut Together in Color Celebrating Diversity in Art (SCHENECTADY, NY) - The YWCA NorthEastern NY and C.R.E.A.T.E. Community Studios have teamed up to put on their annual art exhibition. This particular exhibition, Together in Color Celebrating Diversity in Art, will hold its opening reception on Thursday, May 30 at 5:30 p.m. and will officially open on Friday, June 1. The exhibit will be on view through June 30. The annual exhibition, previously known as the “Inspiring Women Project”, will highlight unity and diversity beyond gender amongst the Capital Region artist community. YWCA NorthEastern NY is located at 44 Washington Ave., Schenectady.
Pop Up Beer Garden and Neighborhood Block Party Alley Action! Event Series Kickoff (TROY, NY) - The Arts Center of the Capital Region will officially kick off its Alley Action! Event Series Saturday, June 1 from 1-7 p.m. inside the Church Street Alley located between Congress and Ferry Streets in Downtown Troy. This event will highlight the painted art murals and installations along the Church Street Alley. The event will feature live music by Architrave, Pony in The Pancake, Nathan Meltz and The House of Tomorrow, Rabid Children, and The Abyssmals, artist meet and greets, a circus performance by the Contemporary Circus and Immersive Arts Center (CCiAC), and food and beverage pop up vendors. The event will also coincide with the 10th Anniversary of Rare Form Brewing opening their doors. The outdoor event is free. For more information, go to www.troyartscenter.org.
(A scene of murals from the 2023 Troy Art Block. Photo by Amy L. Modesti/Around Town With Amy Modesti)
Colonie Chabad Jewish Center Presents: YID Talks (LOUDONVILLE, NY) - Colonie Chabad Jewish Center presents the 4th Annual YID Talks, Jewish ideas worth sharing Monday, June 17, starting at 6 p.m. The discussions will be presented by guest scholar Rabbi Yossi Rubin of Clifton Park, Phil Chandler of NYS Fire and Safety, Artist, Author and Poet Leslie Neustadt, financial advisor Ben Waldman, and Peter Zaas, professor at Siena College. The free event will occur after the Shavuot holiday when the Jewish community celebrates the giving of the Torah at Sinai, a time to celebrate powerful and inspirational Jewish ideas that are locally grown. Reservations to attend the presentation are encouraged and need to be sent in before Wednesday, June 12. For more information, contact the Rabbi via email chaicentercolonie@gmail.com or by calling (518)-368-7886.
(Poster provided by Colonie Chabad)
Stryper’s To Hell With The Amps - The Unplugged Tour (COHOES, NY) - E1 Presents will present its upcoming show: Stryper’s to Hell With The Amps - The Unplugged Tour, at The Cohoes Music Hall, Tuesday, June 11, starting at 6:30 p.m. Opening up the show will be John Warchol. Stryper, who has celebrated 40 years of recording and releasing music, had released their new, first-ever 11- track acoustic album, Acousticyzed, on Feb. 16. The band will perform the entirety of their acoustic album during their show. Ticket prices range from $49-$79, depending on seating choice. For more information, contact the music hall box office (518)-434-0776 or go online to www.thecohoesmusichall.org. The Cohoes Music Hall is located at 58 Remsen St, Cohoes.
(Poster provided by E1 Presents)
The Great Art Swap of Troy, NY at Collar Works (TROY, NY) - Collar Works will be bringing back The Great Art Swap, an art game where local artists can bring one to two pieces of art from their own art studio and exchange the art with other artists to acquire new works of art for their home, work office, or studios. The event is a great way for other artists to network with other artists and add more art to their collection. The event will be held Saturday, June 8, 6-8 p.m. at Collar Works. Artists are encouraged to submit their work first online: https://www.collarworks.org/the-great-art-swap.
(Poster provided by Collar Works)
Something Amazing Is Still Poppin’ Up (EAST GREENBUSH, NY) - Join Kettle Corn NYC at the East Greenbush Bowling Center as Kettle Corn NYC celebrates their 20th anniversary of business and one million bags of popcorn popped, Saturday, June 8, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. East Greenbush Bowling Center, located at 570 Columbia Turnpike, East Greenbush, will also be holding their $100 gift card raffle. In addition, there will be plenty of things to do for the entire family including a bouncy house, corn hole, giant Jenga and a giant Connect Four, and popcorn giveaways. Customers who purchase a $4 20th Anniversary shopping bag will receive a free small bag of kettle corn. Twenty percent of sales will go directly towards the Casey Frankoski Memorial Scholarship Fund. For more information, go to www.egbowl.com or call (518)-477-9306.
(Poster Courtesy of Kettle Corn NYC)
“Native Gardens” to conclude June 9 (LATHAM, NY) - “Native Gardens” is in its final week of showings at the Curtain Call Theatre, located at 1 Jeanne Jugan Lane, Latham. The play, opened on Thursday, May 23, will conclude on Sunday, June 9. The play, written by Karen Zacarias, is based on the story of an accountant and his pregnant wife who at first are welcomed into the neighborhood by their new neighbors but over time, soon get into a friendly disagreement, which quickly spirals into a war of taste, class, and entitlement. Performances will be held Thursday, June 6 (7:30 p.m.), Friday, June 7 and Saturday, June 8 (8 p.m.), and Sunday, June 9 (2 p.m.). Individual tickets are $30 each. For more information, contact Carol Max by phone (518)-877-7529 or email theatre.curtaincall@gmail.com, or by going to www.curtaincalltheatre.com.
(Photo Credit: David Quinones Jr.)
Art of The Bottle VII Opens (BALLSTON SPA, NY) - The National Bottle Museum of Art has officially opened its current exhibition show, The Art of the Bottle VII. The annual exhibit, opened May 31, will feature bottle-related artwork of all art mediums. The artwork will remain on view through Saturday, June 29. For more information about the exhibit, contact Fred Neudoerffer, volunteer director of The Artists’ Space at The National Bottle Museum at fred@neustudios.com.
Bird Walk with the Audubon Society of the Capital Region (SLINGERLANDS, NY) - Do you want to go on a bird walk in June? The Audubon Society of the Capital Region will be putting together a bird walk at the Pine Hollow Arboretum, located at 34 Pine Hollow Road, Slingerlands, Saturday, June 8 at 9 a.m. To register for the walk, please send an email to pinehollowarb@gmail.com.
(Poster courtesy of the Pine Hollow Arboretum)