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A lot of well-meaning adults around Evan Williams' life have a bit of advice in the form of a question:  "What's his backup plan?" 

"What is he going to do if it doesn’t work out?" they ask.

Musical theater is going to be what Evan Williams does, says his mother, Laura.  He might wait tables while building his career, but singing and acting, or perhaps some other career role in or around Broadway, is what he is going to do with his life.

She doesn't have any doubt about it.

“People ask all the time about his fallback plan, but I can’t see him doing anything else,” Laura said.

One of his inspirations and mentors, John Bolton, a Le Roy graduate who has made a career in musical theater, TV and movies, said he hates the term "backup plan." 

"Back-up plan means this is what you're going to settle for if things don't work out," Bolton said. "You should always have something else that interests you in life, but a backup plan always sounds second-rate. It's not going for your dreams."

Williams has his best chance yet to go after that dream.  He's one of 100 students from around the nation who has won a place in the Jimmy Awards in New York City.

He secured his spot last week by winning -- along with Hope Galloway (Brighton High School) -- the Rochester Broadway Theatre League's "Stars of Tomorrow" competition.

Judges from the league visited the musicals of dozens of high schools in the Finger Lakes region and selected 40 students to compete in "Stars of Tomorrow."  After a first round, those 40 competitors became 20, then 10, and then the final two.

Last year, Williams also made the final 10.  This year, he won.

"Evan was prepared and focused," said Bolton, who was an early round judge and then coach throughout the competition.  "He's got an amazing voice. He took our notes and worked at it, as did the entire Top 40.  He took very slight adjustments because he's well prepared. He owned the night, as did Hope Galloway.  Everybody was wonderful. If it had taken place on another night, maybe someone else would have won, but that night, Evan claimed it. He owned it."

It was an incredible experience, Williams said.

He said the weeks leading up to the competition were anxious days.

"I had a lot of pressure to take on," Williams said. "Everyone had been telling me that I was gonna be the one, but I wasn’t gonna take anyone’s word for it other than my own."

He had grown up watching the Jimmys, hoping for even a regional consideration.  

"I never had really thought of it as a reality until it became a reality," Williams said. "I knew it was possible, but I didn’t want to allow myself to think I didn’t have to work for it. I never want to do that for anything. Nothing should be handed to anyone. I had said to Nate Yauchzee on the way to the event that I remembered watching kids get picked to compete at NYC Bound and just being astounded, so even the fact that I was lucky enough to be part of the competition, not once but three times is crazy. On top of that, I think sixth-grade Evan would be incredibly proud of the fact that he is the first person from Le Roy to represent Rochester at the Jimmy Awards. I hope that there are some little Evans in the world who watch those videos and are inspired just the way I was."

Jacqueline McLean has directed the recent high school musicals at Le Roy and recognizes that Williams is a special talent.

"Evan has a heart of gold," McLean said. "Often, he's not thinking about himself. He's thinking for the better of the group, about a better musical, a better performance from the team. He's a team leader, and I'm a big believer that you're not going to get anywhere if you're not kind.  He shows that often."

She said Williams is magnetic, that he connects with audiences in a way that's unique, that she hasn't seen other students be able to do.

"I have no doubt that he's going to go to college, and he's going to make a career out of this," McLean said. "I always joke with him, 'Don't forget the little people, don't forget where you came from because we're going to be cheering for you for years to come.'"

She's proud of Williams, but she's also proud of the entire Le Roy Music Department.  Le Roy was represented in Rochester by not just one but five students, and three of them made the final 20.

Le Roy's musical this year was Les Miserables.  The production was honored in every category of the theatre league's awards for 2023. Recognized as leading cast members from Le Roy were Ashlyn Puccio, Aubry Puccio, Cooper Terry, Jackson Cain, Maureen Klaiber, and Nathan Yauchzee.  Among large schools, it was recognized for excellence in overall musical production, excellence in vocal ensemble, excellence in dance ensemble, excellence in production crew, and excellence in student orchestra.

"When you see kids over the years," she added, "you pick out the ones who have the 'it' factor.  We've had a lot of them in Le Roy.  We joke about it a lot -- that it must be something in the water.  There is so much talent in this town."

After graduation, Williams, in pursuit of his musical theater ambitions, will attend Point Park University in Pittsburgh.

Attending college for music theater puts him on a very different career path than Bolton, who also grew up in love with theater, who started out in regional theater and then took a chance and moved to New York City and happened to make the right connections to build a career.

It helped that he, too, is a nice guy, but he recognizes he might be the best guide for Evan's career.  Bolton's partner is a theatrical agent, so was able to offer Williams advice on universities to target.

Other than that, he's just a big believer that Williams should focus on what he loves.

"All signs are saying that Evan Williams can do this," Bolton said. "He's diving into a situation in New York in a few weeks with 100 other students from all over the country, and he will form friendships that will last a lifetime. He will form connections that will last a lifetime."

Bolton has known Evan's mother, Laura, since they were very young.  Bolton's mother and Laura's mother, Lynn Belluscio, the Le Roy historian, have been good friends. Social media helped Bolton and Laura reconnect, and so he's been able to watch Evan's passion for theater blossom.

Laura said the main advice Bolton has ever given her son, because Evan is taking just a different path in his career, is to embrace his passion.

“John is always in Evan’s corner but more along the lines of, ‘follow your dreams, sing the songs that make you happy, be true to yourself,’” Laura said.

She's extremely proud of her son.

"Not only does Evan work hard, but he’s also genuine," Laura said. "He lifts people up and celebrates everybody’s success.  In this career, he’s learned quickly that if he’s going to go places, he has to help other people. It’s far more than a kill-or-be-killed arena. That’s what I’ve noticed. Clearly, that’s a parent's answer, but that is what makes me proudest, and I know that makes Justin proud as well."

Williams has heard those well-meaning words about having a fallback plan, but he agrees with his mother. He can't see himself doing anything else.

He said he's listened to interviews with stars like John Meyer, who said he didn't necessarily get the best grades in school in mathematics. He was always a music guy. Williams said he's tried to do his best in school, even in mathematics, but those academic subjects, or even sports, have never been his focus.

"Some kids grind at science or they grind at mathematics. They go home and do their science homework or their math homework.  When I'm not in school, I spend my time with voice lessons, music lessons, rehearsals, or something like that.  That's my form of success," Williams said.

"This is something I want. If I keep pushing for it, I believe it can happen.  I’m a big if you can dream it, you can do it. I'm that kind of guy."

Press release:

The Ramble Team is once again partnering with the Genesee-Orleans Regional Arts Council (GO ART!) to bring a fun-filled event that has something for everyone, including 25+ bands performing on two stages, an Explore Art tent for kids, street performances, food and much more!  The event will take place in Jackson Square and on Jackson Street on Saturday,  July 1, from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.

“After last year’s successful return, this year’s Batavia Ramble Explore Art and Music Festival is shaping up to be the biggest and best one yet to date,”  said Stephen Kowalcyk. Ramble Event Coordinator 

The coordinators are seeking art vendors, food vendors, sponsors and musicians for the event.  For more information on being a food vendor, art vendor, or a sponsor of the event, contact Mary Jo at mjwhitman@goart.org.  For musician applications, contact Stephen at thebataviaramble@gmail.com.  

Batavia Players premier A Cabaret Showcase: Opposites Attract at 7:30 p.m. Friday at the Main St. 56 Theater in City Centre, Batavia.

The show is a smorgasbord of songs showcasing true opposites -- love and hate, dead and alive, in and out, big and small, and more.  All of the songs come from popular Broadway shows.

The show goes on again at 7:30 p.m. Saturday. 

Tickets are $18 for adults and $16 for seniors and students.

Photos by Howard Owens.

 

Press Release:

Officials from Batavia Downs Gaming and Hotel presented 2,000 complimentary tickets to William Joyce, Director of the Genesee County Veterans Service Agency.  250 Tickets from each of Batavia’s Summer Concert Series were included. 

“Batavia Downs has always supported our local Veterans," said Batavia Downs CEO and President Henry Wojtaszek.  “This is the fifth soncert series in a row that we’ve given tickets to the Genesee County Veterans Service Agency.  We happy to do anything we can to give back to our local Veterans for all they’ve done for our country.”

Tickets for the concert series can be purchased at BataviaConcerts.com.  Performances include: 

• June 23, Almost Queen (Queen Tribute)
• June 30, Get the Led Out (Led Zeppelin Tribute)
• July 7, Craig Morgan and Drake White
• July 14, Skid Row
• July 21, Marshall Tucker
• July 28, GrassRoots with Peter Noone
• Aug. 4, Don Felder
• Aug. 11, Mike DelGuidice

For someone who has starred in several TV shows and on Broadway in classics, including “Damn Yankees” and his most recent tour with “Wicked,” it wouldn’t seem at all surprising that actor John Bolton would be a name-dropper.

Yet, the names were all so locally familiar: Ben Mancuso, Don Iwanicki, Wanda Frank, Linda Blanchet. 

Bolton, who first dipped his toe in the theater waters by moving sets in a Batavia Rotary show, just kept walking in -- from ankle to calf to knee, as he put it -- until he’s been fully immersed — and successfully so — making a living as an affable and prolific actor while enjoying his life in midtown Manhattan.

His first 10 years growing up were in Rochester, followed by living in Le Roy.

"Because my dad's job was out here and was here until sophomore year of college. I went to GCC for first-year college, graduated from Le Roy High School and then went to St. John Fisher, which is now St. John Fisher University for Journalism,” Bolton said during an interview with The Batavian on the new stage-in-progress at Theater 56. 

“And once a year, my dad's company would have a thing in New York, and we would see a Broadway show, he would get to bring my mom and me. And occasionally, I could drag a lot of friends, and we would see a Broadway show as part of the trip to New York. And it was my introduction to it, and there was no other theater in Le Roy … but eight miles down the road, there was Batavia Players doing two shows a year and Batavia Rotary doing a big Broadway scale musical with a full orchestra and big sets and costumes and great, amazing, talented performers. And so I sort of dove into that.”

And dove he did. Bolton saved the playbills, memorized the names, and, as a senior in high school, learned how connections can get you places. In his case, his dad knew a Rotary director and mentioned that John “would love to become a part of the show.” So, Ben Mancuso, well known for his boisterous lead in “Fiddler on the Roof” and many other Rotary performances, asked if the young Bolton would want to move sets.

“So I moved sets for Batavia Players’ production of ‘Bells are Ringing,’ and I thought I'd hit the big time. I would kneel offstage and just watch shows. So, because I was a senior in high school, I turned 17, my senior year, and kneeling in the wings, waiting for my cue to come out and move this massive set. And I would just get so lost in these amazing local performers, who to me were just stars … they did full-scale Golden Age musicals, ‘Fiddler on the Roof,’ ‘King and I,’ and I knew Ben Mancuso.

"So that was like knowing a star because he was Tevye. And I remember being at the mall here and saying to my mom, ‘Look, it's the king. And it was Don Iwanicki who played the king in The  King and I, and these were stars to me," Boltons said. "And then all of a sudden, I'm working with them, and not calling them Mr. Mancuso or Mr. Iwanicki, I’m beginning to call them Don and Ben. It was just such a great, great crew of talented welcoming adults.”

Fast forward a bit from this awestruck teenager to a star on Broadway and TV in his own right, having played Horace Vandergelder in “Hello, Dolly!” in 17 cities across the country; completing a two-year run as Vlad in Broadway’s “Anastasia” and in the original cast of the three Tony Award-winning Best Musicals: “Monty Python’s Spamalot,” “Contact,” and “Titanic.”

He played alongside Jerry Lewis in “Damn Yankees” and received impressive nominations for his acting and dancing talents, capturing three Outstanding Featured Actor in a Musical awards for his roles in “Anastasia,” and “A Christmas Story.” As for his television credits, Bolton has been on “Madam Secretary,” “Blue Bloods,” “Law and Order: Criminal Intent,” “The Good Wife,” “Gossip Girl” and others, plus he headlined for the NY Pops and NY Philharmonic.

So it’s safe to say that he can do more than move sets. He made great friends and mentors of sorts during those virgin theater years, and was proud to be part of a show, he said.

“And I went from moving the set, I did props for a show. And then I was in one, and then I was in the one the next summer, and in between, I'm in the Rotary shows, and I just felt like I'd hit the big time. I'd never considered it as a career. It was just like something I love to do. And once I was at Fisher, I really dove into Rochester community theater, Pittsford musicals, Brighton Theatre Guild, Webster Theatre Guild, Geva Theater would hire me for small roles, and I got my equity card there a few years later, and then it became an option of well, maybe I move to New York and or at least visit New York and audition and see how it goes,” he said. “And I booked a summer gig, a summer theatre gig in the Atlantic near Atlantic City. And that led to working with a director that led to working with who recommended me for another show who read, then someone in that show recommended me for this show where an agent saw me, so one thing just sort of led to another in a freakishly lucky, wonderful serendipitous way, and now it's 40 years later.”

What brought him to Batavia?
Bolton was invited to stop into a fundraising event for Batavia Players if he happened to be in the area. He knows a lot of people and stayed with some friends in Stafford for a few days and then went to Rochester to visit with his brother. In between, he made a stop for the fundraiser event, and returned to teach a master actors class and for an interview with The Batavian.

So what does he teach actors that are just dipping their toes in the water?
"I would tell them to follow your heart. As long as it's something you love, it has become much more of a viable career. There are many, many good universities that offer degrees. And if you don't wind up on stage, there are so many positions to be in, from producing, to designing, to musicians, to publicity to agents to managers, that it's a huge industry, and it is based right here in New York State,” he said.

If he hasn’t made it clear enough yet, Bolton has a warm feeling about community theater, from how it draws in folks you may not otherwise connect to the stage — “Look, the history teacher can sing, the dentist can design sets, look, your babysitter is an amazing dancer,” he said as examples.

“It’s just that’s what community theater is. And you’re all working for one thing, and you usually put on a very good show,” he said. “And the behind-the-scenes is just as important. And they're having a blast, and we'd all go on about that. We'd go out for drinks at Sunny's afterward, and it was all just family and no judgments. And everyone's welcome. And I was just this kid being welcomed, and just discovering a new family and a new thing I love to do

"It's the best team sport. I grew up around team sports, and I was like, Oh no, this is a team sport. It takes athleticism and cooperation and plans and, you know, respect for each other and camaraderie,” he said.

What has been his favorite role so far?  
“I always say my favorite role is the next one. What has surprised me the most is, and then I'm so proud of myself as longevity that I'm still here and that they're still calling me to do this. And I'm like, okay, and TV's calling me more and more. That's something I never thought I'd do," he said. "The residuals that resulted from that really got us through a lot of COVID, you know, because people were locked in their homes, and all of a sudden they're streaming my seven episodes of this show or that six episodes of that show, and all of a sudden the checks are coming in. It's like, thank you, people. Thank you, TV."

And what does it take to get those recurring calls for roles?
When he performed in "Damn Yankees," he worked with "great stars Victor Garber, Bebe Neuwirth and Jerry Lewis," who knew everyone's names the first day of rehearsal. That was like "Wow," he said. 

"I'm part of this, I get to be one of the guys up here. And I think that was a moment where I was like, I'm in a Broadway show. I'm so lucky right now. And I teach my students this: being talented and lucky, extremely lucky, will get you hired. Being talented and nice to work with will keep you hired. Because work begets work. If you are good to work with, they'll remember you, and they'll call you in for this."

He seems comfortably settled into Manhattan, living with partner Sean McKnight, tending to a garden and enjoying his dogs during those precious free moments in between gigs. Bolton just shot a TV show that, by contract, he could not disclose, he said. Boo. It would be fun to see him after he graced Batavia with a visit, so keep your eyes open. 

He remembers his early years fondly.

“And with such affection, that I came here to do this, and because I'm such a believer in community theater. We're not all going to go into this industry, but it's a great outlet,” he said. “And look at the best of the greatest cities in the world: New York, Chicago, Paris, London, they're loaded with the arts. The arts are a key part to the success of any city, and even the city the size of Batavia, and let's bring it back."

Broadway and TV actor John Bolton talks about his career, growing up in Genesee County from age 10 until he went to college, his memories of Batavia Players and Rotary shows, and what he shares with novice actors looking for success in the industry during an exclusive interview with The Batavian. Photos by Howard Owens. 

There was a polka party featuring the Jimmy Sturr Orchestra at Batavia Downs Thursday night while WBBZ taped four segments of the station's weekly show, Polka Buzz, for broadcast in May.

Sturr has won 18 Grammys for his polka albums and is the undisputed King of Polka.  

Previously: Jimmy Sturr coming to Batavia to spread the love for Polka

Photos by Howard Owens.

Besides playing with Jimmy Sturr, Chris Caffery's other gig as lead guitarist for the Trans-Siberian Orchestra.

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Joyce and Bob Spamer fell in love with the soulful sounds of southern gospel music over a decade ago. In an effort to share that love with others, they embarked on booking concerts for their fellow Western New Yorkers.

Through their foundation, Southern Gospel New York, the Spamers seek out Southern gospel talent from all over the South and invite them north for concerts.

Now, the pair is hosting a concert featuring the hometown southern gospel band, the Needhams.

With over two decades under their belts touring and singing together, the Needhams will return to their hometown of Batavia to perform a homecoming concert.

The band has written and recorded seven albums, including their latest: "Legacy."

This album features 10 new songs and commemorates the group's 25th anniversary.

The Needhams is a family band. Formed by Sr. David Needham, the band is comprised of Dave Needham (his son), Diane Needham (his daughter), and her husband Steve Mummert.

Being big fans of the storytelling and talent of the band, the Spamers wanted to ensure that the Needhams felt loved and honored by their hometown.

“We wanted to make it big this year because they’re celebrating their anniversary in singing. The dad, Dave Sr. has been singing for 60 years, he started the Needhams,” Joyce Spamer said. “It’s encouraging. They need the encouragement to know that people are excited about what they do. They are putting us on the map.”

The family gravitated to gospel, Bob Spamer said, and to music's personal meanings.

“We’ve always loved gospel music. There’s a message in the music,” Spamer said. “These gospel songs tell a story. A lot of people write from the experiences they’ve had.”

All who wish to attend the event on May 26 are invited to go to Batavia First Methodist Church at 8221 Lewiston Road, Batavia. The concert begins at 7 p.m. No tickets are required, however, a love offering will be taken to help support the ministry of the Needhams.

Submitted photo

Not many legends play concerts in Batavia, but this Thursday, Batavia Downs will host Jimmy Sturr -- winner of 18 Grammy Awards, leader of a polka band since age 11, and musical artist who has recorded 152 records.

His first recording in 1964, in the midst of Beatlemania, was a 45 -- the A-side was a song Sturr wrote, "Hepsa Polka" -- and he's been touring and recording since, building a reputation as the King of Polka.

"I fell in love with it (Polka) at an early age," Sturr said during an interview with The Batavian. 

That won't be hard to understand once you know a bit about where he grew up.

Sturr was born in 1941 and raised in Florida, NY, and even with international success, he's never left Florida, NY.

He's perhaps as proud of his hometown as he is of Polka.

"It's funny, but Florida, New York is known as -- now don't get upset when I tell you this because I know you think your part of the state is the Onion capital of the country -- well, Florida, New York is supposedly the onion capital of the country. We grow, I guess they say, approximately 30 percent of the nation's onions."

Sturr is Irish, but Florida, NY, was 85 percent Polish when he was growing up.

"A lot of the people came over from Poland and Germany working in the black dirt, and they brought all their traditions with them, one of which was their music," Sturr said. "That's how I fell in love with the music. My high school dances all had Polka bands. The local radio station had a Polka show every day. And of course, we had those three-day Polish weddings. So you know, I just fell in love with Polka."

If you were coming of age as a musician in the 1940s and 1950s, it wasn't a bad time to fall in love with Polka.  Some of the genre's most influential musicians -- such as Frankie Yankovic, Walt Solek, Larry Chesky, and Myron Floren -- were cutting popular albums. Myron Floren became a regular on the "Lawrence Welk Show," playing a Polka segment that a young Jimmy Sturr never missed.

He quickly became a proficient musician and, by 1952, was leading his own band. In one interview, Sturr said his band was the third call band because he was so young.  If the more established bands in town were booked, Sturr got the call, which still led to plenty of performance experience and helped launch his career.

Sturr said he was also influenced by the Big Bands of the East Coast that occasionally passed through his hometown. 

"For some reason, most of the bands that came here were from New England, from Massachusetts, and some were from New Jersey and New York," Sturr said. "That's the kind of music I grew up on with bands that came from that area. I sort of molded my band in that direction. That's why we have such a big band."

And it's a good band.  There are dozens of live recordings of the Jimmy Sturr Orchestra on YouTube that demonstrate how well the band plays together, their dynamic performances, and individual musicianship.

Sturr, from early in his career, wanted to be an ambassador for Polka.

He realizes there is a bit of a stigma attached to Polka.  That it's grandma and grandpa's music, but he's seen for himself how young people can enjoy the music -- which is really party music -- as much as anybody.

"You know, once we can get them to hear the music -- just like last week in Buffalo (for a Dyngus Day celebration) -- there were a lot of people who weren't Polka fans, but they were there for the party," Sturr said. "Once they heard it, they were hooked. I had them hooked. They stayed the whole night."

Spreading the love for Polka is one reason Sturr has recorded with so many other artists who aren't usually associated with Polka, such as Arlo Guthrie, Mel Tillis, Bela Fleck, Brenda Lee, Charlie Daniels, Bobby Vinton, Porter Wagner, Ray Price, the Oak Ridge Boys, Bill Anderson, and Allison Krauss.

Willie Nelson has appeared on five Sturr LPs.

"I read a book one time on Willie Nelson, and that's how this whole thing sort of started," Sturr said. "I read that Willie Nelson started in a Polka band back in his home state of Texas. So I thought, 'Well if I ever get the opportunity to meet Willie, I'm going to ask him if he would record with me.' Well, sure enough, not long after that, I had the opportunity to perform with Willie on the same show. After the show, I snuck around and said, 'Willie, would you be interested in recording some polkas with our band?' And he said, 'I'd love to do that. And we did. That was back in around 1998."

By then, Sturr was already a big star, thanks to the Grammy Awards. 

The Recording Academy didn't get around to declaring Polka a genre worthy of its own award until 1986, when Frankie Yankovic won that first award.  The next year, Sturr won the first of his Grammys, starting a string of six consecutive Grammys for best Polka album.  He would win 12 more before the category was eliminated in 2009.  Since 2011, Polka artists have been eligible for awards in the Regional Roots Music category, but so far, no Polka act has won that award.

"If we had not won 18 Grammys, I think we would be just another, quote, polka band," Sturr said. "But the Grammys meant so much. You get to meet a lot of people, people like Willie Nelson. I mean, from that, we got to play Farm Aid. I'm sure we wouldn't be doing that If we hadn't won those Grammys."

In his effort to appeal to younger music fans, Sturr has always welcomed a variety of musicians into his band.  His current guitarist is Chris Caffery, lead guitarist for the Trans-Siberian Orchestra.

"That's one reason I like to tour with Chris Caffery," Sturr said, explaining his desire to reach young fans. "He comes out with the long hair, and he does rock guitar with the horns, and it sounds quite good. It's a good mix. And, of course, the young kids all of a sudden, they're right into it. And the next song I play would probably be a Polka. And those kids are still getting into it. They'll get into the polka." 

Sturr's performance at Batavia Downs on Thursday is part of WBBZ's Polka Buzz broadcast from Batavia Downs.

Tickets are $20 and can be purchased on the Batavia Downs official tickets website, BataviaConcerts.com.   Tickets can also be purchased at the Lucky Treasures Gift Shop. Tickets can be redeemed for $20 in Free Play on the day of the show.

GO ART! hosted a steel drum band concert in the City Centre concourse on Saturday.

The featured bands were: 

• Ithaca College, “I C Steel” 
• Steel Alchemy Community Steelband from Geneseo
• Rochester Institute of Technology’s “Tiger Steel” 
• Lancaster High School, “Carnival Kids Steel Orchestra”  

Photos by Howard Owens

Press Release:

Batavia Downs Gaming & Hotel has announced the onsale dates for two upcoming concerts taking place at Batavia Downs Gaming & Hotel’s Park Place Room along with the facility’s first “Silent Disco.”

22K Magic – a Tribute to Taylor Swift and Bruno Mars makes it’s Batavia Downs debut on Saturday, September 2nd.  Hailing from Canada, music talents Carla and Joshua bring the spirit and energy of Taylor and Bruno to their performances.  Together, they put on a show with all your favorite songs, clean lyrics and a whole lot of fun.  Tickets are $15 and attendees receive $10 in Free Play on the day of the show.

Also making his first appearance at Batavia Downs is Rick Alviti’s Tribute to Elvis “That’s the Way it Was.” This Elvis tribute is high-energy and full of audience interaction.  Rick has performed all over the country and in many parts of the world including the Wynn Resort in Las Vegas.   This tribute to Elvis show is truly the closest thing to a live Elvis performance you will ever see or hear.  The event is happening on Saturday, September 9.  Tickets are $30 for VIP, $20 for General Admission and attendees receive $15 in Free Play on the day of the show.

For the first time ever, Batavia Downs will be hosting a “Silent Disco” on Saturday, September 16.  A Silent Disco is an event where people dance to music listened to on wireless headphones rather than on speakers. Several types of music will be broadcast to attendees who are wearing those headphones, so party goers could be listening to several different types of music at a given time.  Since those without the headphones hear no music, the effect is a room full of people dancing to no sound.  Tickets for this event are $20 and include $10 in Free Play. 

Tickets for these events will be available at www.BataviaConcerts.com beginning on Tuesday at 10 a.m.

“We are thrilled to welcome these new and exciting events to Batavia Downs this fall,” said Henry Wojtaszek, President and CEO for Batavia Downs Gaming & Hotel. “Tribute concerts featuring modern pop stars have proven to be a huge draw to attract new guests into our facility.  We know there are many Elvis fans out there and WNY’s own Rick Alviti is one of the best at preserving the King’s music for all his fans.  With so many of our own employees enjoying Silent Discos at other entertainment venues, we knew it was time to do one here.”

Press Release:

"The Last of the Dragons" by Kristin Walter, adapted from the story by Edith Nesbit, will be performed by Genesee Community College's Children's Theatre class for local schools on April 20 & 21 at 10:30 a.m. The children will have the opportunity to talk to the cast and ask questions after the performance. If you would like more information about this, please email boxoffice@genesee.edu.

Performances that are open to the public will be held on April 20 at 12:30 p.m., April 21 at 7 p.m. and April 22 at 2 p.m. The show runs roughly an hour long and are free of charge. All are welcome to attend.

"In the kingdom of Middlefield, there is a tradition. On a princess' sixteenth birthday, she is tied to a rock, kidnapped by a dragon, rescued by a prince and lives happily ever after. But what happens when the prince is too afraid to fight, the princess wants to do the rescuing by herself, and the dragon is nowhere to be found? Adapted from the story by Edith Nesbit, The Last of the Dragons tells a tale of bravery, intelligence and unexpected friendship." - summary by Concord Theatricals.

"The Last of the Dragons" was originally produced in 2006 by the celebrated and critically-acclaimed Manhattan Children's Theatre. The show focuses on two main themes. First, it empowers girls to know they can do anything as well as boys and they should let nothing stop them from following their dreams. The Princess rejects the notion of being a damsel in distress and wants to avoid fighting the dragon all together. She hatches a plan with the Prince to avoid conflict so no one has to perish. Second, it's about not judging. It is assumed that the dragon is scary and bad just because he is a dragon. But through patience and compassion, the dragon's true nature and desires are revealed. The story challenges the notion of tradition for traditions sake, and demonstrates how the world can be vastly improved through kindness.

The script follows the original story closely while infusing contemporary humor into the dialogue. The show is directed by Rob Reiss with Maryanne Arena serving as the acting, voice, and movement coach, and Brodie McPherson as the production designer.

Children's Theatre (THE221) is a course held once a year. Students participate in auditions, rehearsals and production of a Children's Theatre play. It includes reading, analysis and interpretation of children's theatre literature. The goal of the class is to have a play to present on GCC's campus to area schools. Sometimes the show will tour the area and play at local schools and recreational sites. The students are able to explain the way children's theatre differs from other forms, analyze the design aspects of a given script and to implement experimental learning. Our college students have learned new and creative storytelling techniques that they can't wait to share with the community.

For more information contact Vice President, Development and External Affairs Justin Johnston at (585) 345-6809, or via email: jmjohnston@genesee.edu.

By 5:45 p.m. Friday, the dense heat was broken up by intermittent breezes, which provided some cool comfort for a group of students in the back of Le Roy Junior-Senior High School.

They weren’t playing baseball or having a picnic, or goofing around at all. Students and music teachers were at the tail end of a three-hour practice in prep for Saturday’s Genesee-Wyoming Music Educators Association All-County chorus and band concerts. The band room doors were wide open, leaking out a steady rhythm of brass, woodwinds and percussion.

This is Kiptyn Cone’s first all-county event, and he’s enjoying it, he said. His favorite performance piece is “Metal Heads,” which, as the name implies, features a lot of heavy metal style and metal sounds, including cowbells and brake drums. A fifth-grader from Le Roy, Kiptyn is a percussionist who really appreciates the full drum set.

“With all the toms and the snare drum and bass drum with the foot pedal and high hat and splendid cymbal,” he said during a quick break.

The 10-year-old is following in his older brother’s footsteps, but he also believes the drums have an important role in a band.

“They’re keeping the beat, kind of the rest of the band depends on the percussion, the drums in particular. And because we’re the ones like, boom, boom, boom, keeping the beat so they know what to follow,” he said, sharing how he feels about Saturday’s concert. “I’m actually not feeling nervous. I feel pretty prepared. I feel like I know my stuff.”

Kiptyn is far from alone in this being his first all-county music festival. With COVID-19 and the shutdown of schools and most everything, the festival was swept up in that as well. Kids missed out on those opportunities for four years.

Dan Klinczar, vice president of the GW Music Educators Association, is not even sure if 10th graders ever had the chance to participate in all-county. The festival involves all school districts in Genesee County, plus Attica from Wyoming County.

“So for most of the students and all the junior high, and all of the elementary, this is their first all-county experience. So they get to work with a guest conductor, and they get to work for a long time. It's a long practice. So it's a really good opportunity for them to make music with other really strong and dedicated musicians across the county, which is the really cool thing,” Klinczar said. “That's the pinnacle of what musicians want to do -- make music with others. “It’s getting together today and tomorrow before the concert. They'll rehearse tomorrow from nine to 1:30 back in the same spot before they do a concert.

"And like I said, it’s a culminating event for them, you know, and this is supposed to be a mountain experience for kids because it's the opportunity for them to make music with others, and see that people across the county and outside of their small little niche of their own school who can make music and have fun together," he said. "And we’ll be awarding a couple of awards tomorrow. “

The John Mikalski Memorial Career Scholarship will be presented to seniors Evan Williams and Jackson Cain, both of Le Roy.

At 18 and about to graduate, Cain is debating which college to attend. It’s an 80-20 split, with Fredonia State College carrying more weight than Nazareth, he said, to pursue a degree in music education. He’s on a career track to teach music and, hopefully, right in his own hometown.

He is eight years older than Kiptyn and every bit as passionate about the percussion section.

“I think, with all the other tonic instruments, like the ones that have the pitches and all that, it's very easy to express yourself. And I liked that. But with something like a snare drum or a drum set, it's more difficult to bring that out. And I think that's really cool that you can, you know, if you hear someone play a snare drum, you're expecting like, oh … military,” he said. “And then if they come out, and they play the solo that's like, oh, wow, I get expression through this, even though it's just one pitch, I still get that story, and I get what is happening. So I think that's really cool. That you can take something almost one dimensional as a snare drum and turn it into something that's like, artistic and beautiful like that.”

He admitted that, at first, he wasn’t looking forward to a three-hour after-school practice. But then there’s something about several strangers coming together to create something brand new together.

“And then just like, instantly, it all comes together, because we're all practiced, and we all know what we're doing. And it's like, wow, it's like, it's just super fun that, off the ground floor, we all have a very strong understanding of the pieces,” he said. “And we really get to hear these, you know, live, and it's like, we get to watch them grow and build, it's really, really cool. I love every bit of it.”

Cain credits music teacher “Mr. N" (Nordhausen), who first taught him in fourth-grade band, has a sense of humor and other similarities that Cain can relate to, and is a fifth and sixth-grade band teacher; and Miss Dotts, “an incredible band teacher” for grades seven through 12.

The future high school graduate also described a pivotal moment that validated what he wanted to do in life. When a band director was out sick, Cain was picked to fill in, and he worked with students in band camp. He taught drumline and how to march, and afterward realized that he helped those kids.

“And even from then on, it's like, it's helped me realize a lot of things about myself, like marching band specifically was one where I realized if I apply myself, I will see the results that I want. If I really work hard, and I really focus on something that, if I'm passionate about it, I'll see the results that I want,” he said. “And then, of course, the no-brainer’s music education, and then, finding that this is a huge passion for me, and I love doing this and … this is what I want to do for the rest of my life. I want to cultivate this experience for other kids.”

Photos by Howard Owens

It was sun, sand and crashing waves in Batavia Downs' Park Place Event Center on Saturday night, where the Beach Party Boys, a tribute band honoring the legacy of the quintessential Southern California surf band, The Beach Boys, put on a rocking show.

 The Beach Party Boys ran through all the Beach Boys' biggest hits for a near-capacity crowd.

Previously: 'Good Vibrations' expected at Batavia Downs on Saturday with Beach Party Boys in concert

Photos by Howard Owens

How do you get through a play with nearly 4,000 lines of script and requires just under double the amount of actors that you have?

“It’s a long play. We did a play review, we went line by line and chose what lines to keep and what we could cut,” Director Jane Burk said of the Shakespeare in Springtime debut production. “We cut a lot. One act has 13 scenes, act four has 15 or 16 scenes. We had to pick and choose what scenes to cut or combine.”

Not the glamorous side of theater, perhaps, but important all the same. Reviewing words to be spoken — William Shakespeare’s words, no less — is nothing to dismiss as an idle task. Burk has been trading off the director’s role for the Batavia Players Shakespeare in Springtime series every other year, and this time it's her turn.

The play is “Antony and Cleopatra,” the second longest of Shakespeare’s works, and set in late B.C. Considered part comedy, romance, and tragedy, it hits the stage at 7:30 p.m. Friday at Batavia City Centre’s concourse.

Major characters are, of course, Mark Antony, a Roman general and one of the three joint leaders known as triumvirs who rule the Roman Republic after the assassination of Julius Caesar; Octavius Caesar, adopted son of Julius; Lepidus; Cleopatra, queen of Egypt who follows six Cleopatras before her; and Sextus Pompey, a rebel against the triumvirate and son of the late Pompey.

Mark Antony—one of the triumvirs of the Roman Republic, along with Octavius and Lepidus—has neglected his soldierly duties after being beguiled by Egypt's Queen, Cleopatra. He ignores Rome's domestic problems, including the fact that his third wife, Fulvia, rebelled against Octavius and then died.

Octavius calls Antony back to Rome from Alexandria to help him fight against Sextus Pompey, Menecrates, and Menas, three notorious pirates of the Mediterranean. At Alexandria, Cleopatra begs Antony not to go, and though he repeatedly affirms his deep passionate love for her, he eventually leaves.

The triumvirs meet in Rome, where Antony and Octavius put to rest, for now, their disagreements. Octavius' general, Agrippa, suggests that Antony should marry Octavius's sister, Octavia, in order to cement the friendly bond between the two men. Antony accepts. Antony's lieutenant Enobarbus, though, knows that Octavia can never satisfy him after Cleopatra. In a famous passage, he describes Cleopatra's charms: "Age cannot wither her, nor custom stale / Her infinite variety: other women cloy / The appetites they feed, but she makes hungry / Where most she satisfies."

Burk saw a stage production a “very, very, very long time ago,” she said and has gotten up to speed on the show and how she has wanted to put her own twist on it.

“So many things happened, basically, all within a relatively short time, that brought about the downfall of all of these people. And it was a tragedy, with the one exception of Octavius Caesar, who survived. There were military battles, there were sea battles that occurred in northern Egypt, in the Roman area of Italy, and throughout the area of the Eastern Mediterranean. I mean, historically, this was a very volatile period of time. Shakespeare was writing a play, so he made mention of many of these different activities that were happening and how they were reflected in the time period. But his main focus, because he was a playwright, was the actual personal relationship between Mark Antony and the other two members of the triumvirate,” Burk said. “And then, on the other hand, between Mark Antony and Cleopatra, who was a ruler and a queen in her own right. She lived from approximately 51 BC until she died by suicide in 30 BC. Mark Antony, he was a little bit older than her, his birth date was somewhere around the mid-80s, 82 or 83 BC. But his death was also by suicide in 30 BC, which was technically the end of the issue of the Roman dynasty, and of the Egyptian dynasty and how they related to each other, militarily and politically.

“Realistically, you could almost point the finger at what happened between Mark Antony and Cleopatra and their downfall. And what happened to the countries where they lived in that time period,” she said. “And the military issues that arose. That all played into that, that final thing of being left with one specific Emperor, who was Augustus Caesar, and the head of the Roman Empire.”

One-half of the City Centre stage will be dressed in traditional B.C. scenery and costuming and dialogue, while the other half will sport a contemporary look, she said. While the historic views may not seem relevant today, might they be?

“And so there's a juxtaposition between how the two who are contemporary and are so not contemporary, are they contemporary? Are things that happened in the long ago time of Egypt, are they still relevant today? And those that have some impact on what is happening in the Roman place, and vice versa?” she said.

All of the action is on stage, and that means all of the action — actors and audience. There is seating for 60. Placing spectators around the stage at ground level with a split stage of time periods just would not have worked, Burk said.

And “lighting is very important.”

“It’s going up on one side while going down on the other,” she said. “It’s a truly amazing cast, I could not be more proud of them. I was so relieved to have them try out. We have an extraordinarily talented cast.”

The show is 2 1/2 hours, plus intermission, and debuts at 7:30 p.m. Friday and continues at 7:30 p.m. Saturday and 2 p.m. Sunday at Main St. 56 Theater, Batavia City Centre. Enter through the purple door next to Batavia Family Dental.

Tickets are $16 for adults and $14 for students and seniors. To purchase tickets, go HERE. 

Top Photo, left to right, Cynthia Nelson as Caesar, Shaun Coburn as Dollabella, James Barcomb as Lepidus and Jacqueline Morrison as Pompey; Erin Stamp as Menas and Elijah Van Epps as Enobarbus; Erin Stamp as Menas, Jacqueline Morrison as Pompey, Steve Coburn as Marc Antony, Shaun Coburn as Dollabella, Cynthia Nelson as Caesar, James Barcomb as Lepidus and Elijah Van Epps as Enobarbus; Steve Coburn as Marc Antony and Jaqueline Morrison as Pompey; and Kendra Morrison as Alexis, Emily Crawford as Cleopatra, Shellene Bailey as Charmian and Patrick Burk as Mardian. Photos by Howard Owens.

At 10 years old in June 1963, Fernando Curcione was walking down a street in his Toronto neighborhood when he saw two girls dancing to a Beach Boys record on a veranda. They invited him to come on up and listen to the music.

That's the first time Curcione heard the Beach Boys, and 60 years later, he still loves their music for all the same reasons -- the harmonies and the happiness.

Curcione will bring his "Endless Summer" enthusiasm for the Beach Boys to Batavia Downs on Saturday night with the tribute band Beach Party Boys.

"It was just feel-good, uptempo music," Curcione said to The Batavian. "Years later, when I thought about everything in retrospect, of all the music that came out in the 60s, the Beach Boys, out of everything that happened -- the psychedelic era, and Motown, and R&B, in the British Invasion, everything that happened in the 60s -- it seemed to me that the Beach Boys had a wholesome kind of sound that rang with me. It just was fun music. It appeals to audiences, family audiences, and that's basically where I wanted to go, and the guys that are part of the show are the same type of chemistry."

The Beach Boys came out of the surf music scene in Southern California, adding vocal harmonies to what had been purely instrumental music -- first crafted by Dick Dale and quickly followed by bands like The Safaries, The Bel-Airs, and The Chantays -- and helped revolutionize rock and roll.  Before the Beach Boys, surf music had largely been a regional phenomenon.  But as Curcione's experience shows, the appeal of the Beach Boys (and all surf music after them) exploded beyond the California coastline and endures well into the 21st Century.

Who hasn't heard, even among the young, songs such as "Let's Go Surfin'," "California Girls," "I Get Around," "Surfin' USA," "Fun, Fun, Fun," "Help Me, Rhonda," and, of course, "Good Vibrations," Brian's Wilson's three-minute, 35-second pop song symphony.

Beach Party Boys formed in 2010 and is comprised of four guys who worked in previous Beach Boys tribute bands -- Kokomo and Endless Summer -- and a drummer who worked the long-running Collingwood Elvis Festival, which was a celebration of Elvis Presley tribute acts.

The band's lineup is Curcione on rhythm guitar and the Mike Love vocal parts, Guy Schryer on keyboards and the Brian Wilson vocal parts, Marco Spadafora drums, Andrew Canning, bass, and Jeff Scott, lead guitar.

Not too many bands last 13 years, Curcione noted.

On Saturday, Curcione said Beach Boys fans can hear all of the classics, including the band's last #1 hit, "Kokomo" (1988). Beach Party Boys even tackle some of the trickier tracks laid down by the Beach Boys when Brian Wilson became experimental in the studio after he stopped touring with the band -- starting with "Pet Sounds" -- and setting the bar higher for The Beatles to produce ever more complex and intriguing pop songs.

"It's absolutely impossible to do what they did in the studio," Curcione said. "For example, the biggest challenge is 'Good Vibrations.' It was recorded in three different studios with three different sections of the song. So when we're playing it as a five-piece band, we are taking liberties to use the instruments that we have in relation to the notes that were created by other instruments. For example, at the end of 'Good Vibrations,' you will hear a cello doing this staccato kind of thing. What I do is I turn up my Stratocaster, and I'll do exactly the same notes in the bass section of the guitar to try to emulate that sound. In terms of the harmonies, there's nothing missing from the four-part and five-part harmonies. They are completely covered. So whatever you hear on those records in the studio, we are able to reproduce it live."

As for the Theremin used in "Good Vibrations,"? Well, now bands such as Beach Party Boys have synthesizers (barely even a thing in 1966), and Curcione said it reproduces that wavy, psychedelic sound that is so recognizable in "Good Vibrations" just fine.

"Pet Sounds" -- generally considered by critics as one of the greatest LPs ever recorded -- is well represented in the Beach Party Boys set, Curcione said. They perform "Sloop John B," "Wouldn't It Be Nice," and, of course, "God Only Knows."

"I can put the 'Pet Sounds' CD on in my car, and I never get tired of it," Curcione said. "I mean, 'God Only Knows' is Paul McCartney's favorite song of all time, so that's a testament right there. I mean, Paul is an absolute genius with some of the melodies that he has come up with."

The set isn't limited to the Beach Boys catalog. They also perform other classics of the period and genre, such as Jan and Dean's "Surf City" and "GTO" by Ronnie and the Daytonas.

While the Beach Boys had a big impact on Curcione's musical life and career, his musical interests go well beyond just one band. He was a DJ for 30 years. He's an agent for Booking House, a company that specializes in booking tribute bands, including Beach Party Boys. In 2008, he released a CD of original music. He has played in and plays in other tribute bands, such as ones for the Four Seasons and, most recently, Elvis Presley. 

"We have a tribute to Elvis because of the movie that just came out," Curcione said. "There's been a resurgence of an appeal for Elvis Presley, and it seems that because Austin Butler is 23 years old. He's attracted fans that are as young as 16, 17 years old. That whole world has opened up. It's not just the baby boomers that are going to Elvis shows now."

With all this experience booking and playing in tribute bands, you might expect Curcione to have some idea why tribute bands have exploded in popularity in recent years.  And he does.

First, there are certain bands you can't see any more because key members (or all the members) are dead.  It's impossible to see The Beatles or the BeeGees, for example.

Also, he said, ticket prices are through the roof.

"With some of the international acts like Bruce Springsteen, I couldn't believe that I saw ticket prices up to $1,000. I said, 'What the heck is going on?' Curcione said. "When I was a kid, we'd buy a concert ticket for $3.50 or, at the most, 10 bucks, but it's gone insane. So, if you're a fan of, for example, the Eagles, and you can't afford $300 for a seat, you can go see Hotel California for 40 bucks. I think that's among what appeals to fans."

Show time on Saturday is 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $15, and VIP seats (the first two rows) are $25.  Tickets include $10 in free play in the casino. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. Tickets for this show, as well as others, are always available at www.bataviaconcerts.com or at the Lucky Treasures Gift Shop in the Batavia Down's lobby.

Video: Promotional video by Booking House Inc.

Batavia Downs Gaming & Hotel has announced that WBBZ’s popular show, Polka Buzz, will return on Thursday, April 27th, bringing with them this time the 18-time grammy award-winning Jimmy Sturr and his Orchestra. 

Jimmy Sturr and his Orchestra have won 18 out of the 24 Grammy Awards given for Best Polka Album. Sturr's orchestra is on the Top Ten List of the All-Time Grammy Awards and has acquired more Grammy nominations than anyone in the history of musical polka awards.

WBBZ will tape several shows inside the Park Place Room with doors at 6 p.m. and taping with music to begin at 7 p.m.

Tickets are $20 and can be purchased on the Batavia Downs official tickets website, BataviaConcerts.com, now.   Tickets can also be purchased at the Lucky Treasures Gift Shop. Tickets can be redeemed for $20 in Free Play on the day of the show.

Those wishing to spend the night can take advantage of a $69 Hotel Special, which includes $20 in Free Play ($10 per person, based on double occupancy) and includes two tickets to the show.  Check out the Batavia Downs Facebook Page for info on booking a hotel room to receive these perks.

“Polka Buzz” celebrates Polka music as a recorded dance party program featuring the top Polka Bands in the country.  Local Media Personality Ron Dombrowski hosts the show and brings his knowledge of Polka music to the television screen. Dombrowski has been broadcasting polka programs since 1979 on both radio and television.

“The Polka Buzz tapings have become an anticipated event here on site,” said Henry Wojtaszek, President and CEO at Batavia Downs.  “We are confident that by bringing in a Polka Legend like Jimmy and his Orchestra, even more, Western New Yorkers will come out and enjoy good music, food and company!”

The Homestretch Grill, located adjacent to the Park Place Room, will feature food and drink specials for those attending the event.  Several specials, including Tyskie Beer, Krupnik Vodka and a Polish Platter, will be available.

With all the flash and bang of the real thing, tribute band KISS This entertained a packed room at Batavia Downs on Friday night.

Photos by Angelina Miconi for Batavia Downs.

The ideals of courage and love, the life lessons of heartbreak and passion, the resilience of the human spirit, these are the themes that play out in the musical "Les Miserables," said Jacqueline McLean, the artistic director of the Le Roy High School production of the classic Broadway show.

Le Roy will perform a version adopted for high schools next weekend.

"The most important theme, in my opinion, is the importance of standing up for the dignity of the human person," McLean said. "Victor Hugo wrote the novel Les Misérables to exploit and criticize the injustice of 19th century France. This novel transcends time and still speaks of ideals that are important today, such as the rights of women, intergenerational conflict, and conflict with the government. This show is meant to renew the human spirit.

"We hope that this show and these amazing students will help you to reflect on how precious life is and how beautiful it can be even in the darkest of days and nights," she added. 

Jean Valjean is played by Evan Williams.  Williams starred in last year's production of "Newsies" and was a finalist in "Stars of Tomorrow" in Rochester in 2022.

Additional roles:

• Inspector Javert, Nathan Yauchzee  
• The Bishop of Digne, Alex Doty  
• The Factory Foreman, Cooper Terry  
• Fantine, Ashlyn Puccio  
• Bamatabois, Jackson Cain  
• Fauchelevent, Carter Fix  
• Young Cosette, Leah Cashin
• Madame Thénardier, Aubrey Puccio  
• Young Éponine, Madelyn Emke  

For more information on the production and full cast, click here.

The play is being performed in the Le Roy Jr.-Sr. High Auditorium, 9300 South Street Road, Le Roy.

In-person show times:

• Thursday, March 9 at  7 p.m.
• Friday, March 10 at 7 p.m.
• Saturday, March 11 at 7 p.m.

Tickets: Pre-sale Student/Senior Citizen: $10 Pre-sale Adult: $12. For pre-sale tickets, click here.

At the Door Student/Senior Citizen: $12; At the Door Adult: $15.

There are also two virtual performances: 

• Friday, March 17 at 7 p.m.
• Saturday, March 18 at 7 p.m.

Ticket prices are $10 for one viewer and $30 for family viewing.

To purchase virtual performance tickets, click here.

In his last year at Batavia High School, Paul Daniszewski — aka Jean Valjean — verbally painted an end to his senior year with sad hues washed in bright swaths of excitement about what’s ahead.

“It’s very bittersweet because it's like, yes, the final show, the final hurrah. But also, Oh God, the final show, the final hurrah. It's very much a sense of like going out with a bang and with a pop,” he said of this weekend’s production of “Les Misérables.”  

His future plans include being an acting major at Genesee Community College, transferring to a four-year college to continue that pursuit, and then “just see where the wind takes me” while hanging onto his vision of being a professional actor.

At present, he’s just trying to follow show Director Caryn Wood’s advice for all 36 cast members: take care of yourselves, eat, sleep, and get ready for some grueling run-throughs over the next two days.

After that, it’s showtime: Les Mis (that’s what everybody seems to call it) goes on at 7 p.m. Friday and Saturday and at 2 p.m. Sunday at Batavia High School, 260 State St., Batavia.

Most everyone has at least heard of Les Mis, even if not having seen it or read the book. Set in early 19th Century France, it is a story of Paul’s character Jean Valjean, a French peasant, and his desire for redemption after serving 19 years in jail for stealing — not a suitcase of cash or anything quite so tangibly valuable — but a loaf of bread for his sister’s starving child.

Priceless indeed. Yet he serves jail time and then decides to break parole and begin a new life with some inspiration from a bishop.

The 17-year-old actor auditioned for the role after some prodding from the show director.

“Miss Wood guided me on who I wanted to be,” Paul said. “Jean Valjean, he’s my guy. He is just an emotionally challenging character for me to portray because a lot of the characters that I've played in the past have been very upbeat, the first person I ever did was with Shrek, Lord Farquaad. And he's a very, flamboyant and very over the top … and the last one I did was Bill, and he was also very outgoing,” the actor said. “But Jean Valjean, he's so emotionally deep, that it was very hard for me for a while to embody that character. And show me the way essentially.”

Javert, the police inspector played by junior Peyton Woeller, seemed like an atypical character from what he’s usually played in shows, he said.

“But there's just something about him, I felt like he would be a fun character to play, especially because he contrasts a lot of other characters I've played before, because, like, this is the main antagonistic role. And normally I'm not a main antagonistic role, like last time in Mamma Mia. I was Harry, who was just one of the dads. So it was really fun. It was a change, which drew me to him,” Peyton said. “I actually was not all that familiar. When I've always heard of it, I never got around to watching it. But once we learned that, that was the show we were doing, I watched the Netflix one. And then I ended up watching a bunch of different stage productions on YouTube. But now I'm very familiar with the show. It’s a show based on hope for tomorrow. That's the main message behind it. It's got all of these different intertwining characters, and all of these different relationships that blend together and create just a wonderful, wonderful, complex story. And there's so many different aspects that all get thrown together in different areas. And it's just so beautifully written with the music as well.”

It’s fair to say that Javert is no nice guy. He refuses to let Jean Valjean escape justice and pursues him during most of the play. Meanwhile, Valjean and a host of characters are swept into a revolutionary period in France, where a group of young idealists attempts to overthrow the government at a street barricade in Paris.

After Valjean is humbled by compassion from a bishop, he resolves to redeem himself and turn his life around to live for God. Just where does Fantine, Abi Hoerbelt’s character, come into the story? Fantine has a young daughter named Cosette, who is later adopted by a central character.

Abi has been involved in theater since fifth grade, making this her 15th show — and last one in her high school career. Uncertain yet where she will go after graduation this year,  the senior plans to pursue theater and English education to become a teacher.

So, out of 15 shows, which one has been a favorite?

“I would by far say that this show is my favorite show I've been in. I've been in shows since I was about seven. But this is probably the biggest role I've played. And also, I just, I love the music, and I love the community and family we've built with the cast,” she said. “So I've been in shows all four years of high school, and they were all amazing. I love them, but this one was probably my favorite. I think it kind of has something to do with it being my last show. I'm really savoring it.”

Fantine is an impoverished factory worker who loses her job and has to turn to less ideal work so that she can pay a couple to continue caring for her daughter. Aside from absorbing the role of a strong character, Abi has also enjoyed building relationships with fellow cast members. The experience makes for a reluctant curtain call.

“It's really sad. As I said, I've been in the shows all four years of high school. So this coming to an end is really, like, heartbreaking, but I know that I will come back and see the shows, and I'll be doing more shows in my future,” she said.

Director Caryn Wood felt good about this choice of show, as if the students were “eager to take on a challenge.” They have put their “heart and soul” into preparations, and all have been researching their roles, watching the show, and reading reference materials “to build their characters,” she said.

“To begin with, Les Mis is difficult content, the music itself is difficult, it's challenging. The only difference between the full adult version or the standard Broadway version and the student version is that they've abridged some of it, they've shortened some of the songs for length, for time. But otherwise, all of the language is the same. Some of the keys have been adjusted for younger voices, but it's very much the same,” she said. “So that one is right off the bat, it's hard material. But then technically, I mean, there's a ton to incorporate: microphones, gunfire for the battle scenes, you know, there's just a lot to fully, in order to fully embody the tone of the show, you have to really support that you want it to visually be pleasing and to the level that it should be.

“You know, there's a standard, and we have to try to live up to it. People have expectations, and we want to reach those and hopefully exceed those expectations,” Wood said. “So just the show itself is challenging, and lots of costumes, lots of technical needs, lots of lighting design, in order to bring a well-rounded and beautiful show altogether.”

Tickets are $10 in advance and available online or $12 for adults and $10 for students/seniors at the door.  

Sunset has expanded to 5:45 p.m. now, have you noticed? And local organizers are taking every minute of daylight for inspiration to plan beer walks, cookouts, an outreach, trail run, and music in the parks.

First up is Febrewary — no, that’s not a typo, though the computer keeps wanting to edit. With 21 stops throughout downtown Batavia, this event promises a nice sampling of craft brews, ciders and meads, according to Shannon Maute, executive director the Business Improvement District-sponsored event.

The event, set for 4 to 8 p.m. Feb. 25, was just picking up steam for a few years when COVID hit, and it was derailed in 2021, resuming the crafty beer fun walk last year.

A close replica to the BID’s popular fall wine walk, Febrewary features tastings at various downtown merchants, many of which will have specials, drawings, and giveaways, Maute said.

Of the featured brewmeisters, 810 Meadworks of Medina, Windy Brew from Sheldon and OSB Ciderworks from Buffalo have been confirmed. Not familiar with a mead? This libation is made with honey, and dates back to Biblical times as “probably the first fermented beverage,” the company’s website states.

“More versatile than liquor, wine, or beer, mead can taste like a refreshing summer shandy, a hoppy IPA, a full-bodied Cabernet, or a fine dessert wine,” it states.

Windy Brew is a Wyoming County-based brewery of craft beers, and OSB’s lineup of ciders will be featuring anything from the crispy bite of homegrown concord grapes from along the Finger Lakes, and Intergalactic Raspberry combined with hibiscus flower, to the Scotch Bonnet Bomber, described as “apple forward with a throat chop of spicy.”

Of course, brewmasters such as Eli Fish of Batavia are also expected to participate, as Maute is seeking out a sour, Belgian witbier, stout, lager and other varieties of craft brew.

General admission tickets are $30 and include a collectible snifter glass, snacks along the way, raffles and giveaways and tastings. VIP tickets are $40 and include all of the regular features plus an extra hour, from 4 to 8 p.m., an exclusive tasting and a food station.

Designated drivers will be able to partake of the specials, raffles, snacks and non-alcoholic tastings for $10.

There were a total of 600 tickets available and 25 for designated drivers. They may be purchased at Event Brite, and there will be a limited number of paper tickets available at Adam Miller Toy & Bicycle shop on Center Street and Yngodess on Main Street, Batavia. For more information, go to BID Febrewary.     

Care-A-Van Ministries is planning to have a series of cookouts at 5 p.m. every Thursday at Austin Park in Batavia. The event, led by Paul Ohlson, is set to run in June, July and August, and include a cookout of hotdogs, hamburgers, a variety of sides and live music each week. This is event is free to the public.

Living Waters Apostolic Ministries has also mapped out an event at Austin Park, to run from 10:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. on July 16. Organized by Pastor Timothy Young, the community outreach is to include games, food, music, a sermon, prayer, and “showing love to the community.” This event is free to the public.

Beginning the last Wednesday in June, music lovers will find live music at Centennial Park for several Wednesdays throughout the summer. Batavia Concert Band is set to take the grassy stage at 7 p.m. on June 28; July 5, 12, 19, and 25; and Aug. 2 and 9. These concerts are free and open to the public. Patrons are encouraged to bring a lawn chair and or blanket.

The Association for Conservation Of Recreational and Natural Spaces (better known as the ACORNS), a county parks volunteer organization, is planning its third annual music in the park event, however, has requested to use DeWitt Park this year to make it more accessible to folks. Batavia Concert Band is slated for a performance on Aug. 5 at the park on Cedar Street, Batavia. 

The ACORNS have also asked to use the Genesee County Park and Forest for its 11th annual 5K/10K trail run and walk fundraiser, set for Oct. 1. The event is expected to be approved by the county Legislature at a future meeting.

File Photo of Acorn run at Genesee County Park by Howard Owens.