Performance Venues
Large Venues • Small Venues

Please note: Clubs with live entertainment are listed under “Bars & Clubs.” In addition to the information below, keep in mind that area churches often host classical-music concerts, and that clubs and coffeehouses present poetry readings and, on occasion, theater. The Capital Region also boasts a number of community theaters, including Albany Civic Theater (462-1297), the Schen-
ectady Civic Players (382-2081), the Schenectady Light Opera Company (393-5732) and Saratoga’s Home Made Theatre (587-4427). Finally, a major attraction each summer is the free Park Playhouse (434-0776) musical production that takes place in Albany’s Washington Park. (Boldface type indicates that a venue is home to a significant local orchestra, theater company, dance troupe, or other performance organization.)

Large venues

Calvin Theatre
19 King St., Northampton, Mass., (800) THE-TICK. A beautifully restored theater in downtown Northampton, the Calvin complements the Iron Horse Music Hall and Pearl Street, which are managed by the same firm; the Calvin offers an eclectic season of concerts, theater, ballet and kids’ shows.

The Egg
Empire State Plaza, Albany, 473-1845. Home of the Empire Center, a state-funded presenting organization. The Empire Center presents an impressive and varied schedule of music, dance, theater and children’s performances from touring artists and companies. Also home to resident companies the Ellen Sinopoli Dance Company and Actors’ Collaborative Inc.

Glens Falls Civic Center
1 Civic Center Plaza, Glens Falls, 798-0366. This versatile sports and entertainment complex, home to the Adirondack IceHawks hockey team, boasts a seating capacity of up to 7800. The civic center hosts everything from the Ice Capades to rock acts, and offers banquet facilities as well.

Palace Theatre
19 Clinton Ave., Albany, 465-3334. Plans for major renovations are still in the works for Albany’s prized old hall, a beautiful former movie house with a capacity of about 2,900. It’s home to the Albany Symphony Orchestra and the Albany Berkshire Ballet, as well as music and comedy concerts.

Pepsi Arena
51 S. Pearl St., Albany, 487-2000. This 15,000-seat facility is the largest Capital Region venue by far. In addition to sports (see Sports Venues), the Pepsi Arena hosts such events as kids’ shows, circuses, ice shows and some of the largest pop-music tours to pass through these parts.

Pines Theatre
Look Park, Northampton, (800) THE-TICK. Yet another project of the folks at Iron Horse Entertainment Group, this outdoor venue features concerts by big-name music performers every summer, often in conjunction with all-day festivals.

Proctor’s Theatre
432 State St., Schenectady, 382-3884. This 2,700-seat theater-in-the-grand-manner hosts one of the area’s most substantial and eclectic seasons of theater, dance, music and comedy. This is where the Broadway touring shows stop, where classical and Cajun music come to the big stage and where the Schenectady Symphony Orchestra hangs its hat. Home of Goldie, “the Mighty Wurlitzer” (organ), and Northeast Ballet’s annual productions of The Nutcracker. The venue, which occasionally hosts pop, country and oldies concerts, also has an ongoing second-run film series.

RPI’s Houston Field House
Peoples and Burdett avenues, Troy, 276-6262. Best known as the home of RPI’s Division I ECAC hockey team (see Sports Venues), the Field House is also a popular midsize (seats 6,500) venue for pop and rock shows. RPI also books pop music shows into the MacNeil Room, Mother’s Wine Emporium and (occasionally) West Hall.

Saratoga Performing Arts Center
Saratoga Spa State Park, Route 9, Saratoga Springs. 587-3330. This indoor-outdoor amphitheater is the summer home of the New York City Ballet and Philadelphia Orchestra. And there’s always a full schedule of Special Events—concerts by top jazz, pop and rock & roll artists.

Tanglewood
West Street, Lenox, Mass., (413) 637-1600. The summer home of the Boston Symphony Orchestra, this revered indoor-outdoor amphitheater features a comprehensive schedule of classical concerts, as well as occasional jazz and pop shows, during the warm-weather months.

Troy Savings Bank Music Hall
Second Avenue and Fourth Street, Troy, 273-0038. From symphony orchestras to jazz greats, this hall, renowned for its acoustic splendor, is the first choice of many artists for performance and recordings. It regularly presents subscription concerts by the Albany Symphony Orchestra. The annual season boasts a classical music series, a jazz series and an acoustic music series, plus an assortment of acoustic, folk and world music events.

Smaller Venues

The Arts Center of the Capital Region
265 River St., Troy, 273-0552. This versatile facility boasts a state-of-the-art black-box theater that’s suited to all-manner of intimate performances.

Capital Repertory Theatre
111 N. Pearl St., Albany, 462-4534. Home of Capital Repertory Company, the Capital Region’s Equity theater company.

Cohoes Music Hall
28 Remsen St., Cohoes, 235-7969. The new home of the Eighth Step, one of area’s most venerable folk-music organizations, the Hall is one of the most charming venues in the area, and also the regular performance space of the Clifton Park Players.

Curtain Call Theatre
210 Old Loudon Road, Latham. 877-PLAY (7529). This former church is named after its year-round tenant, a professional theater company.

Dance Theater, Filene Recital Hall and Bernhard Theater
Skidmore College, Saratoga Springs, 584-5000. As the name indicates, Skidmore’s Dance Theater regularly hosts performances of dance—by students and national troupes and artists. The recital hall features faculty showcase concerts as well as an interesting mix of classical, jazz and avant-garde music. The Bernhard Theater hosts mostly campus productions.

eba Dance Theatre
351 Hudson Ave., Albany, 465-9916. Home of Maude Baum & Company Dance Theatre.

Foy Campus Center Theater, St. Mary of the Angels Chapel and Alumni Recreation Center
Siena College, 515 Loudon Road (Route 9), Loudonville, 783-2527. The theater often hosts a slate of performances by the drama department, while many a classical ensemble fills the chapel with heavenly sounds. Look for the occasional pop-music concert in the ARC.

Hudson Opera House
333 Union St., Hudson, 822-1438. Lately home to a reading series. This space hosts photo exhibitions, concerts, readings and other events.

Kiggins Hall
Emma Willard School, 285 Pawling Ave., Troy, 274-4440. Troy’s Friends of Chamber Music presents a first-rate classical concert series here.

Mini-Mall Theater at the Hilton Art Center
40 Russell Road, Albany (near Westgate shopping center), 453-1048. This small theater presents occasional events, ranging from theatrical productions to music performances.

North Pointe Cultural Arts Center
Route 9, Kinderhook, 758-9234. A pleasant space that presents musical offerings, theater productions (StageWorks makes its home here) and the like.

Page Hall
135 Western Ave., downtown University at Albany campus, Albany; and the University at Albany Performing Arts Center 1400 Washington Ave., uptown UAlbany campus, Albany, 442-3995. Both locations concentrate on campus-related music, theater, readings and more. Several pop concerts are usually presented at Page Hall annually, as is the New York State Writers Institute Film Series. In addition, the UAlbany Concert Board often books popular musical acts into the Recreation and Convocation Center, also at the uptown campus.

Schacht Fine Arts Center Theater
Russell Sage College, Troy. Home to the New York State Theater Institute (274-3256), a professional company presenting theater for family audiences. Also at Sage, the Meader Little Theater.

Spa Little Theatre
Saratoga Spa State Park, Route 9, Saratoga Springs. This intimate space hosts seasons by community theater troupe Home Made Theatre, the Saratoga Chamber Music Festival and more recently, the Lake George Opera Festival.

Steamer No. 10 Theatre
500 Western Ave. (near intersection of Madison and Western avenues), Albany, 438-5503. The restored firehouse is home to Kids’ Fare, an annual series of performances—from puppet shows to magicians to theater—for kids, plus plenty of stuff for an older crowd, too (theater and short film festivals, among other offerings).

Time & Space Limited Warehouse
434 Columbia St., Hudson, 822-8448. It’s a theater, it’s a gallery, it’s a movie house. This neat space is home to avant-garde theatrical productions, screenings of classic films, art shows and more.

Union College Memorial Chapel
Union College, Union Street, Schenectady, 388-6000. Regularly features an impressive classical music series sponsored by the college and the Schenectady Museum, and though it’s been a while, pop and rock bands have performed there in the past as well. Union also boasts the Yulman Theater, which is home to college theater productions as well as Proctor’s Too, an avant-garde performance series presented in conjunction with Proctor’s Theatre.

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Metroland's Dining Guide 2001
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