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Performance
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 Schenectady 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.)
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| Photo:
Joe Putrock |
Large
venues
Calvin
Theatre 19 King St., Northampton, Mass., (413) 586-8686,
iheg.com. A beautifully restored theater in downtown Northampton,
the Calvin offers an eclectic season of concerts, theater,
ballet and kids’ shows.
The Egg Empire State Plaza, Albany, 473-1845, theegg.org.
Home of the Empire Center, the Egg presents an impressive
and varied schedule of music, dance, theater and children’s
performances from touring artists and companies. Also home
to resident company the Ellen Sinopoli Dance Company.
Glens Falls Civic Center 1 Civic Center Plaza, Glens Falls,
798-0366, glensfallscc.com. This versatile sports and entertainment
complex boasts a seating capacity of up to 7,800. The civic
center hosts everything from the Ice Capades to giant rock
acts, and offers banquet facilities as well.
Palace
Theatre 19 Clinton Ave., Albany, 465-3334, palacealbany.com.
One of Albany’s prized downtown venues, a beautiful former
movie house with a capacity of about 2,900. It’s home to the
Albany Symphony Orchestra as well as music and comedy
concerts.
Times Union Center 51 S. Pearl St., Albany, 487-2000,
timesunioncenter-albany.com. This 15,000-seat facility is
the largest Capital Region venue by far. In addition to sports
(see “Sports Venues”), the Times Union Center (formerly known
as Pepsi Arena, and Knickerbocker Arena before that) hosts
such events as kids’ shows, circuses, ice shows and some of
the largest pop-music tours to pass through these parts.
Proctors
Theatre 432 State St., Schenectady, 382-3884, proctors.org.
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. Fall 2005 will see Proctor’s reopen with
their new, expanded stage area. 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 excellent, 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
and Mother’s.
Saratoga
Performing Arts Center Saratoga Spa State Park, Route
9, Saratoga Springs, 587-3330, spac.org. Each and every summer,
this indoor-outdoor amphitheater becomes the 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 2nd Avenue and State Street, Troy,
273-0038, troymusichall.org. From symphony orchestras to jazz
greats, this hall, renowned for its acoustic splendor, is
the first choice of many artists for performance and recordings.
Regularly presents subscription concerts by the Albany
Symphony Orchestra. The annual season boasts the Troy
Chromatics Concerts (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 suited to all-manner of intimate performances.
Capital
Repertory Theatre 111 N. Pearl St., Albany, 445-7469,
capitalrep.org. Home of Capital Repertory Company,
the Capital Region’s equity theater company.
Cohoes
Music Hall 58 Remsen St., Cohoes, 237-7999, c-rproductions.com.
Resident theatre company C-R Productions produces family-oriented
musicals and plays.
Colonial
Theatre 111 South St., Pittsfield, Mass., (413) 997-4444.
Go to see anything here, but leave ample time to have your
breath quietly stolen as the meticulously restored theater
transports you back to the 19th century in all of its architectural
splendor, gilt elegance and artisan’s pride.
Curtain
Call Theatre 210 Old Loudon Road, Latham, 877-7529, curtaincalltheatre.com.
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, 580-5000, skidmore.edu.
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, eba-arts.org..
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.
Hilton
Center for the Performing Arts Music Conservatory and Theater
40 Russell Road, Albany (near Westgate shopping center), 453-1048.
hiltoncenter.com. This small theater presents occasional events,
ranging from theatrical productions to music performances.
Hudson Opera House 327 Warren St., Hudson, 822-1438,
hudsonoperahouse.org. This space hosts art exhibitions, concerts,
readings, workshops and other events.
Kiggins Hall Emma Willard School, 285 Pawling Ave., Troy,
833-1300, emmawillard.org. Troy’s Friends of Chamber Music
presents a first-rate classical concert series here.
MASS MoCA 87 Marshall St., North Adams, Mass., (413) 664-4481,
massmoca.org. In addition to gallery space, this sprawling
former factory complex includes performances spaces for music,
dance and film. They have recently hosted everything from
avant-garde opera and modern dance to silent film.
North
Pointe Cultural Arts Center Route 9, Kinderhook, 758-9234.
A pleasant space that presents musical offerings, theater
productions 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 campus, Albany, 442-3995, albany.edu/pac.
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, 274-3256,
nysti.org. Home to the New York State Theater Institute,
a professional company presenting theater for family audiences.
Also at Sage, the James L. Meader Little Theater.
Spa
Little Theater Saratoga Spa State Park, Route 9, Saratoga
Springs, 587-4427. 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, steamer10theatre.org.
The restored firehouse is home to acclaimed productions of
children’s theater, as well as special events—puppet shows,
storytellers, magicians—throughout the year.
Time
& Space Limited 434 Columbia St., Hudson, 822-8448,
timeandspace.org. Theater, film, art, and literary events
are all presented in this one neat space. There are premieres
as well as classics in their movie series, and the live performances
range from avant garde to children’s fare.
Union
College Memorial Chapel Union College, Union Street, Schenectady,
388-6000. Regularly features an impressive classical music
series, 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.
WAMC
Performing Arts Studio and Linda Norris Auditorium
339 Central Ave., Albany, 465-5233, ext. 4. Renovated
former bank building hosts classical, jazz, pop, and folk
performances. Many of these shows are broadcast on public
radio station WAMC. Also, movies.
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