theater

Sometimes fundraisers help to augment a nonprofit’s goals and projects, but that’s not quite the case for Batavia Players, Patrick Burk says.

Main St. 56 Theater, an ambitious downtown symbol of the arts in all their dramatic glory — up on a stage featuring the community’s own — is dependent on the funds raised during a final push for donations.

Titled “Be Our Guest,” the campaign is designed to offer folks an opportunity to give what they can — a little or a lot, Burk said. There was a kick-off at the theater-in-progress in late April, and Broadway actor John Bolton was a featured “Be Our Guest.”

“John is wonderful and so dedicated to keeping and maintaining the Batavia Players and the Main St. 56 Theater as a top notch performance space,” Burk said. “He was very gracious and giving to the actors and volunteers and provided some wonderful insights on the profession.  We thoroughly enjoyed having him here to help shine a light on our needs and the project in total.”

The project has received grant funding, however, due to COVID — yes everyone is tired of hearing about it, but the lasting effects are nonetheless real — prices of everything have gone up, Burk said. Delays, increased labor and raw material costs, have added to the total expense.

This fundraiser is for the purchase of new seating, and lighting and sound upgrades to provide a state-of-the-art facility “that is comfortable and inviting for our audiences,” the campaign material states.

“We need to raise these funds in order to complete the theater,” he said. “It’s that simple."

When might we expect to see a show at there? 

That depends on who you talk to, he said. The theater is about 80 percent complete.

“Our ability to move forward is directly attached to the 'Be Our Guest' campaign. I have no idea. I have been telling myself that it will be sometime after Sept. 1 of this year.  Maybe the Christmas show in December,” Burk said. “Again, all of this depends on when we can raise the funds as well as get the work done. We are looking for volunteers for a multi-day work session that will be announced soon.”

During a recent interview with Bolton, he spoke fondly of community theater and how it belongs in every city, including Batavia. 

What’s a community without live theater?

“A community without theater (or any of the arts for that matter) loses so much.  The arts of a community are a distinct part of that community.  It would be like losing your favorite or most known landmark.  Community theaters are an outlet for those that want to perform and do not have the resources or the ability to go far from home to achieve that,” Burk said.  “They are spaces that help talent develop and as we have seen from the past, we do develop great talent here that goes on to bigger and better things. We have past participants of the Batavia Players performing on Broadway, being on national tours and starring on the stage and screen. John Bolton is a great example of those that got exposed to the profession locally and then went on to perform professionally all over the United States. 

“The Batavia Players have been in existence for close to 93 years. When you look back at all that they have accomplished and all the people that we have touched and worked with it is amazing,” Burk said. “I feel that we are a great reflection of our community and the area in general and that we provide an excellence in the performing arts area with talented veterans and new people on a regular basis.”

Donations of certain levels will be placed on an engraved plaque in the theater lobby area. The goal is to raise $150,000. Make checks payable to Batavia Players Inc., P.O. Box 256, Batavia, NY, 14021-0256. For more information, email burk.patrick1956@gmail.com.

Photo of Main St. 56 Theater by Howard Owens.

After performing twice before in the same Batavia Players show, Heather Ferris is now taking the baton, so to speak, as director of what’s become a holiday favorite for the group each December.

This year’s “A Christmas Carole” has not only made Ferris attentive to the script, but also to every other aspect of production — from auditions early on to the finishing touches of dress rehearsal.

“I definitely enjoy the directing versus being on stage. I’m a little shy. Sometimes getting on stage for me is, it can be a little overwhelming. It can be a little scary. But being able to direct, I feel like I can let my creativity come to life through the actors that are on the stage. So it's more of a creative outlet for me than actually being on stage,” she said prior to rehearsal Tuesday. “I just start thinking about how far we’ve come. My youngest cast member is 3 years old, and then I've got cast members all the way up into their 70s. And just to see them kind of blossom, and just really bring characters to life, for me, it’s just so fun to watch that. And so I get really excited for them when they're bringing it all together.”

Scrooge and his ghosts debut at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, followed by shows at 7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday and 2 p.m. Sunday at the makeshift theater at Batavia City Centre.

This isn’t a first-time directing for Ferris, who is co-directing this one with her husband Richard; however, it is her first experience off-stage guiding the action for the beloved Christmas classic.

“It’s a fun show, it’s very family-friendly,” she said. “You expect the change that Scrooge comes through, and see the spirit of Christmas come alive through him. To see how the story that was written almost 200 years ago can be so much like what we deal with today … money doesn’t always make you happy. It’s a feel-good story, and you go from bah-humbug to a time where people are happy; it makes you feel good at the end.”

Written by Charles Dickens and published in 1843, the story features Ebenezer Scrooge, an elderly, penny-pinching curmudgeon whose ultimate life lessons come to him through ghosts of Jacob Marley and of Christmas past, present, and future. After learning about each phase and its impact on people and the community, Ebenezer’s moral compass and hardened heart are transformed.

Of course, before that idyllic ending takes place — just as with the storyline itself — there are the typical challenges with such shows, especially with a cast of 32 and half of which are youngsters, she said. School activities, sports practices and work schedules all must be juggled amidst a rehearsal timeline that began in October.

And even though the pandemic has rested in most everyone’s rearview mirror, there has been illness to deal with amongst the troupe, she said. But now, with a full dress rehearsal upon them for Wednesday night, it is, as they say, show time. And Batavia Players is ready to entertain, said Ferris, a retirement plan consultant.

“Tomorrow is really just making sure that our lighting is good, our sounds are good, that we have all the costuming in place and things like that,” she said. “So it's literally just the finishing touches, the little things that make the production a whole production.”

Although by day she crunches numbers and deals with accounting for clients, Ferris, a resident of Medina, can let her innovational nature flow in the after-hours of theater.

“It really allows me to have that creative outlet,” she said. “It’s a way to get away from my everyday challenges, and let that stress melt away.”

Filled with familiar music and traditional Christmas carols, the show is also augmented with pianist Kathy White and Kristin Gelia on violin.

Tickets are going fast, and folks are encouraged to get them sooner than later, said Patrick Burk, aka Ghost of Christmas Future. Tickets are $16 for adults, $14 for students and seniors, and may be purchased at showtix4u.com or possibly at the door for some dates, Burk said.

Photos of rehearsal Monday for "A Christmas Carole" by Batavia Players at Batavia City Centre. Photos by Howard Owens.

Press release:

The Forum Players will be presenting Alice In Wonderland by Brainerd Duffield, an adaption of the classic tale written by Lewis Carroll. Performances will be held on April 21, 22 and 23 at 7:30 p.m. in the Stuart Steiner Theatre at Genesee Community College.

After a chance meeting with the White Rabbit, Alice finds herself tumbling down a seemingly endless rabbit hole. Once she reaches the bottom, she finds her world has been turned upside-down. She meets the tempestuous Queen of Hearts who invites her to play a game of croquet. Things only get more peculiar from there. From dangerous encounters with vengeful queens, to new companions who may not have Alice's best interests in mind, Wonderland soon loses its luster. If Alice has any hope of getting home to her cat Dinah, she must traverse through Wonderland to the border of Looking-Glass Land. From there she'll have to travel square by square on a giant chessboard. Only once she reaches the eighth row and becomes a Queen herself can she be free to go home.

Brainerd Duffield's adaption of Lewis Carroll's classic tale takes on a much darker tone. Alice and her adventures through Wonderland become an allegory for a child facing the nightmare of growing up. It's a coming of age story where the dream becomes a nightmare. Take an expedition into Wonderland and see a fresh look at the horror of the journey to adulthood.

This show features themes of abuse, bullying, drug addiction, alcoholism, narcissism, peer pressure and selfishness. It is not suitable for young children. There are some scenes that may be too intense for children under 16. This is not a children's theatre production. No child will be permitted without an adult.

Alice in Wonderland by Brainerd Duffield features an international cast of GCC students. Audiences will enjoy the many talents of the following Forum Players:

• Jillian Curtis, LeRoy NY as Alice
• Gyandro Marselia, Willemstad, Curacao as The White Rabbit
• Mya Thomas, Akron NY as the Queen of Hearts
• Rob Reiss, Elba NY as the Mad Hatter, The Executioner
• Haylea-Ann Self, Brocton NY as the Caterpillar, The March Hare
• James Barcomb, Batavia, NY as the Duchess, Cheshire Cat, Gryphon
• Francesca Pieter, Willemstad, Antilles, Netherlands as the Red/White Queens
• Reina Fujikawa, Sakaide, Kagawa as the Mouse, Dormouse
• Jessie Pierce, Batavia, NY as the Mock Turtle
• Raylynn Ryan, Fillmore NY as Tweedledee, Knave of Hearts
• Celeste T. Dzielski, Rochester NY as Tweedledum, Humpty Dumpty, King of Hearts
• Crimson Allis, Gasport, NY as the Fish Footman
• Cheri Pekurny, Binghamton NY as the Frog Footman
• Cheri Pekurny, Crimson Allis, Belancia Joseph (Jamaica, NY) as the Cards
• Ayaka Nakamura (Osaka, Japan), Tiffanie Drum, Tiffany Smith (Arkport NY) as the Flowers
• Ayaka Nakamura, Tiffanie Drum (Cohocton, NY), Tiffany Smith, Cheri Pekurny, Crimson Allis as the Dance Ensemble
• Rob Reiss Special Sequences

Director Maryanne Arena shares, "This beloved tale is what nightmares are made of, and being a teenager is a nightmare! We are not telling this tale to play to children, using fun, one dimensional characters. Rather, we are exploring the expectations and circumstances or growing up in a world where you feel you don't belong. A world of monsters, bullies, and questions with no answers. Alice In Wonderland by Brainerd Duffield can be told with a variety of themes in mind. We wanted to explore the pains of middle years of growth and not knowing where one belongs. Not a child, yet, not an adult; Alice fights for survival and the strength to overcome the many nightmares of youth. Please enjoy this interesting tale of youth. Maybe you can find yourself and the monsters that pursued you in your youth."

Production Staff

• Directed and Staged by: Maryanne Arena
• Production Designer: Brodie McPherson
• Musical Director: Lauren Picarro-Hoerbelt
• Choreographer: Tara Freitag
• Assistant Director: Rob Reiss
• Stage Manager : Hayley Jo Denaro
• Audio Engineer: Chris Stawiasz
• Light Board Operator: Yuina Otsuka
• Run Crew: Trevor Clark, Kaine D'eredita, Lindsey Windham
• Costume Run Crew: Julianna Turoldo
• Costume Designer: Beth Ohman
• Wardrobe Supervisor: Loy Gross
• Posters: GCC Digital Arts and Pam Swarts
• PR, Photos: GCC Marketing Communications
• Arts Center Assistant/Box Office Attendant: Jessica Skehan
• Promotional Materials: GCC Marketing Communications & Jessica Skehan

You may contact the Stuart Steiner Theatre box office for more information and ticket sales. They can be reached by phone at (585) 343-0055 x6490, or by sending an email to jeskehan@genesee.edu. Seating is limited and advance reservations are strongly advised. The show is designed for mature audiences only.

There’s a well-known tenet of business that you have to spend money to make money.

However, when a pandemic hits and stalls theater renovations and the ability to make money with shows, only half that rule is visible, says Pat Burk of Batavia Players.

“We already paid for a number of shows for this year’s season. When you buy the rights and royalties to a show, you’re never going to get that money back,” Burk said during an interview with The Batavian. “COVID slowed down the demolition. We were supposed to be in there; COVID stalled that for 20 months. We had to start spending money and create a season for 2022, without a home to do it in.”

Not to worry, he said. The theater group is gradually getting back on track with its new Main Street 56 Theater space at City Centre. Well-equipped with grants of $400,000 and just shy of $700,000 for construction, Batavia Players encountered that tired old COVID script of encountering supply chain issues — material shortages — coupled with the need to haul out several containers of equipment, medical records, conduit, and electrical supplies from a defunct medical office.

“They just walked out and left it all there,” he said. “We did nothing else but two weeks of electrical demolition.”

Some actors have left during the lull, and new ones have joined the theater, he said. Those purchases of show rights have left a dent in the theater’s piggy bank, and therefore Burk is appealing to the community for help. He sent out an email asking that individuals, groups, and businesses consider buying a program ad.

“Recent events have led us to have to raise $17,000 to $20,000 in order for us to continue our season in 2022, and to make our goals for our construction of the Main St. 56 Theater,” he said. “By placing a sponsorship ad in our program all year, you will be a huge help in making sure that the Batavia Players’ 90th year of performing continues.”

He is happy to announce a seven-show season that kicks off with Love’s Labour’s Lost March 4, 5, and 6 for a perennial Shakespeare in Springtime series. Six new actors have joined the cast, and “our actors, technicians, and Board of Directors are working hard” for a successful year of classics to full stage musicals, he said. 

Other shows from April to December include The Springtime Music Spectacular, Back on the Boards Again: The Best of Broadway, The Importance of Being Earnest, Peter Pan (Summer Youth Theater), Godspell, Uncle Vanya and Miracle on 34th Street, the Musical.

Deadline for program ads is March 1. For more information, go to: www.bataviaplayers.org

Top photo: Main St. 56 Theater's shop has been ready for patrons with lots of theater trinkets and memorabilia at the new City Centre location. Batavia Players is set to begin its 2022 season with Love's Labour's Lost the first weekend in March. Photo by Howard Owens.

Press Release:

 On November 20, 2021 at the Stifel Theatre in Downtown St. Louis, GCC Admissions Recruitment Specialist Dan Konopski accepted the Stan Musial Award on behalf of Buffalo Bills fans for their charitable donations to Blessings in a Backpack, a Louisville-based charity that helps feed elementary school students across the country.

While watching the Baltimore-Buffalo AFC playoff game last January from his home in Tonawanda, Konopski, a life-long Bills fan, looked on as Ravens Quarterback Lamar Jackson exited the game with a head injury late in the third quarter. While Jackson's exit helped Buffalo advance to the AFC Championship, it didn't sit well Konopski. After some research, he discovered that Jackson was affiliated with Blessings in a Backpack and decided to make a donation. He posted the receipt on social media, encouraging others to do the same. Bills fans took notice and a few days later, 18,450 individual donations were made in Jackson's honor and more than $550,000 was raised.

"An individual doing whatever they can to make a difference will always mean something. An army of united and inspired people doing whatever they can do to make a difference means everything. It's a good cause, it was a good game and he's a great player. It just made sense to me at the time. I never imagined it getting to this level but I guess that's just the Bills Mafia way," said Konopski.

Named for Baseball Hall of Famer Stan Musial, the Musial Awards honor the year's greatest moments of sportsmanship. The show is presented by Maryville University and produced by the St. Louis Sports Commission and the National Sportsmanship Foundation, a charitable nonprofit organization. In addition to keeping Stan Musial's legacy alive, the mission of the Musial Awards is to encourage kindness, selflessness, integrity and civility in sports and society - and to inspire people across the nation to be good sports. The event has occurred in St. Louis since 2005. Other 2021 Musial award recipients included Wayne and Janet Gretzky, Bryce Harper and LSU Gymnastics.

The Musial Awards will air on CBS on Christmas Day at 5 p.m. EST

For more information about Blessings in a Backpack, please visit https://www.blessingsinabackpack.org

Photo courtesy of GCC

Pavilion Central School presents "The Wizard of Oz" this week.

Dorothy is played by Kali Markek, the Scarecrow by Anthony Brown, Tin Man by Alex Stalica, the Cowardly Lion by Jacob Taylor, and the Wizard of Oz by Aiden McConnel.

Showtimes are 7 p.m. tomorrow, 7 p.m. on Friday, and 2 p.m. on Saturday. Tickets are $8 for adults, and $6 for seniors and children.

Press release:

The Forum Players, Genesee Community College's Theater Arts students, and members of the local theater community are excited to open the 2020 spring season with "Doubt: A Parable," written by John Patrick Shanley, which won both a Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award in 2005.

This performance is a brilliant and powerful drama that tells the story of Sister Aloysius, a Bronx school principal who takes matters into her own hands when she suspects the young Father Flynn of improper relations with a male student.

Shanley not only wrote the play, but he also wrote the screenplay and directed it as a film starring Meryl Streep and Philip Seymour Hoffman.

GCC's talented Forum Players bring this parable to life with four live performances, directed by Maryanne Arena and Jaime Arena, which are intended for mature audiences (age 16 and up). Performances are in the Stuart Steiner Theatre, 1 College Road, Batavia.

• Friday, Feb. 21 and Saturday, Feb. 22, both at 7:30 p.m.
• Sunday, Feb. 23, at 2 p.m.

The cast includes:

• Lucine Kauffman, of Elba, as Sister Aloysius
• Sam Rigerman, of Batavia, as Father Flynn
• Nevaeh Vindigni-Kretchmer, of Rochester, as Sister James (alternating the role)
• Alyssa Young, of Holley, as Sister James (alternating the role)
• Francesca Pieter, of Willemstad, Curacao as Mrs. Muller (alternating the role)
• Caitlynne Tape, of Syracuse, as Mrs. Muller (alternating the role)

The crew includes:

• Brodie McPherson, of Rochester, as technical director and production designer
• Emily Grierson, of Perry, as stage manager
• Tiago Ortega, of Sao Paulo, Brazil, as a backstage assistant
• Leah Plummer, of Bradford, Pa., as a backstage assistant

Tickets for these shows are available online here. The cost is $8 for adults, and $5 for seniors (55+) and students (16+) and GCC faculty/ staff. GCC students with ID are $3, and GCC alumni with ID will receive a $2 discount on an adult ticket.

To reserve seats, you may also contact the GCC box office at boxoffice@genesee.edu or (585) 345-6814. 

Photos by Howard Owens.

Press release:

The Forum Players, Genesee Community College's theater arts students, and members of the local theater community are excited to open the 2020 spring season with "Doubt: A Parable," written by John Patrick Shanley, which won both a Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award in 2005.

This performance is a brilliant and powerful drama which tells the story of Sister Aloysius, a Bronx school principal who takes matters into her own hands when she suspects the young Father Flynn of improper relations with a male student.

Shanley not only wrote the play, but he also wrote the screenplay and directed it as a film starring Meryl Streep and Philip Seymour Hoffman.

GCC's talented Forum Players bring this parable to life with four live performances, directed by Maryanne Arena and Jaime Arena, which are intended for mature audiences (age 16 and up). Performances are in the Stuart Steiner Theatre, 1 College Road, Batavia.

• Thursday, Feb. 20, at 12:30 p.m.
• Friday, Feb. 21 and Saturday, Feb. 22, both at 7:30 p.m.
• Sunday, Feb. 23, at 2 p.m.

The cast includes:

• Lucine Kauffman, of Elba, as Sister Aloysius
• Sam Rigerman, of Batavia, as Father Flynn
• Nevaeh Vindigni-Kretchmer, of Rochester, as Sister James (alternating the role)
• Alyssa Young, of Holley, as Sister James (alternating the role)
• Francesca Pieter, of Willemstad, Curacao as Mrs. Muller (alternating the role)
• Caitlynne Tape, of Syracuse, as Mrs. Muller (alternating the role)

The crew includes:

• Brodie McPherson, of Rochester, as technical director and production designer
• Emily Grierson, of Perry, as stage manager
• Tiago Ortega, of Sao Paulo, Brazil as a backstage assistant
• Leah Plummer, of Bradford, Pa., as a backstage assistant

Tickets for these shows are available online here. The cost is $8 for adults, and $5 for seniors (55+) and students (16+) and GCC faculty/ staff. GCC students with ID are $3, and GCC alumni with ID will receive a $2 discount on an adult ticket.

To reserve seats, you may also contact the GCC box office at boxoffice@genesee.edu or (585) 345-6814. 

The Batavia High School Drama Club will present its newest play next month, called "45 Plays for 45 Presidents."

According to Caryn Leigh Wood, musical and drama director, BHS swapped show time slots this academic year and held its musical in the fall, so the play that used to be in December is now in March.

"Basically the play is exactly how it sounds; one scene for each of our 45 presidents," Wood writes in an email. "It is considered experimental, historical, comedy and has some really interesting content."

It is performed in the black box format, the same format as in the past. Seating is limited.

Be advised the play is not intended for children under age 13.

"45 Plays for 45 Presidents" is offered through special arrangment with Playscripts Inc. It was written by Andy Bayiates, Sean Benjamin, Genevra Gallo-Bayiates, Chloe Johnston, and Ken Weinberg.

Shows are in the auditorium at 7 p.m. Friday, March 6th and Saturday, March 7th, with a Sunday matinee and 2 o'clock on March 8.

Tickets in advance are $9 and available here. At the door, they are $10 for adults and $8 for students and seniors.

The school is located at 260 State St. in the City of Batavia.

"Our Town" -- tickets on sale now! Please join the Batavia Players for this  American classic. The lives of a small New Hampshire town at the beginning of the 19th century. A warm and loving look at the people and the day to day activities in Grovers Corners. A true treasure of American theater staged in a traditional but unique way. By Thornton Wilder. Directed by Patrick D. Burk.
7:30 p.m. Friday, Jan. 24th & Saturday, Jan. 25th, 2 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 26th. Tickets: Adults $16, Students/Seniors $15.

Submitted photos and press release:

Besides the traditional ribbon-and-bow-wrapped gifts, there are gifts of shared experiences -- such as tickets to events. With the latter in mind, the Genesee Center for the Arts located at Genesee Community College announces its spring season lineup in time for the holidays.

Spring 2020 brings a playbill fit to entertain everyone.

Excited to begin the season, GCC's student performers, the Forum Players, will perform "Doubt: A Parable," written by John Patrick Shanley, which won both a Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award in 2005.

This performance is a brilliant and powerful drama which tells the story of Bronx school principal Sister Aloysius, who takes matters into her own hands when she suspects the young Father Flynn of improper relations with a male student. Shanley not only wrote the play, but he also wrote the screenplay and directed it as a film starring Meryl Streep and Philip Seymour Hoffman.

GCC's talented Forum Players will also bring this parable to life with four live performances, directed by Maryanne Arena and Jaime Arena, which are intended for mature audiences.

• Thursday, Feb. 20 at 12:30 p.m.
• Friday, Feb. 21 and Saturday, Feb. 22, both at 7:30 p.m.
• Sunday, Feb. 23 at 2 p.m.

He draws inspiration from the giants of blues guitar, such as Freddie King, Earl Hooker, Magic Sam and Albert Collins, among many others.

As a special addition to the evening, fellow Rochester guitarist Joe Beard (inset photo below right), originally from Ashland, Miss., will join the Roadmasters as an opening act.

Beard has played many major festivals in the United States and Europe and was inducted into the Rochester Music Hall of Fame in 2017. He has released four albums to great critical acclaim.

Then, in May, the Forum Players return with a Children's Theatre production of "Jack," written by Mike Kenny. Kenny's version of "Jack and the Beanstalk," directed by Norm Gayford and Rob Reiss, adds a wonderfully creative and contemporary twist to the classic storyline.

The production will open with Jack in a dinner pot awaiting his fate as the main course for the hungry giant. As Jack recounts how he found himself on the giant's dinner menu, he talks his way out of the soup pot with a fun, humorous outburst that keeps audiences laughing and begging for more. 

Take a magical journey up a beanstalk into an unknown world above the clouds and back again. This is perfect family fun for all generations.

• Friday, May 1 at 7 p.m.
• Saturday, May 2 at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m.
• Sunday, May 3 at 2 p.m.

Tickets for shows at GCC's Stuart Steiner Theatre are $8 for adults, $6 for alumni (with ID) and $5 for seniors (55+), students (16+) and GCC faculty/ staff. GCC students with ID and children under 16 are $3. To reserve seats, contact the GCC box office at boxoffice@genesee.edu or (585) 345-6814.

Batavia High School's Production Club this weekend presents "Shrek: The Musical."

Tickets are $10 at the door and $8 for students and seniors. They're available in advance for $9 through showtix4u.com.

Showtimes are Friday and Saturday at 7 p.m. and at 2 p.m. on Sunday.

Submitted photos and press release:

What happens when you bring brilliant writing and wonderful actors together? This Nov. 8th and 9th at 7:30 p.m., the Batavia Players and the Harvester 56 Theater will be answering that question as they perform "Off Our Rockers," two one-act plays that are both insightful and hilarious in nature.

Starring in "I’m Herbert" is perennial actor and local internationally known artist Kevin Partridge (inset photo left) and longtime Players' actress Dorothy Gerhart (inset photo below, right). Both Gerhart and Partridge are recipients of the Performance of the Year Award at the Harvester 56 Theater and they are two of this area’s premier actors. They have appeared on stage in many memorable roles and are a consistent part of the Batavia Players acting troupe.

Michele Stamp (inset photo below, left) Emily Crawford (inset photo bottom left) and Kathy Johns (inset photo bottom right), who have also been nominated for acting awards and have portrayed many of the theater's most memorable characters, will be bringing to life the one act play "Laundry & Bourbon."

Stamp has been memorable in her award- winning portrayal of Martha in "Who’s Afraid of Virginia Wolfe," while Johns is best remembered as Joanne in "Come Back to the Five & Dime Jimmy Dean, Jimmy Dean."

Crawford, who also works on many of the technical aspects of the show, played the mother Marmee March in the musical "Little Women." All have appeared on stage many times over the eight-year history of the Harvester 56 Theater.

“This is a very special cast with a tremendous amount of talent and stage presence,” said "Off Our Rockers" Director E. Jane Burk.

Both of these well-written plays have been perennial favorites of the short-play set.

This is the first time they have been presented by the Harvester 56 Theater and the Batavia Players. There are only two performances and tickets are available at the Box Office.

Press release:

The Batavia Players are entering the Holiday Season by presenting a truly wonderful Christmas story, "A Charles Dicken’s Christmas." This musical is a highly original take on "A Christmas Carol" that gives a behind-the-scenes look at the creation of the holiday classic.

The theater company will be looking for actors and singers between the ages of 8 to senior. Rehearsals are slated to begin the first full week of November.  Auditions will be 6:30 p.m. Friday, Nov. 1^st and at 2 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 2^nd.

Those interested should check out the Batavia Players website at bataviaplayers.org. Information about auditioning is available on that website.

“This is a great musical for the whole family as well as a wonderful show for someone who may want to try being a part of live theater,” Director Patrick Burk said. “It allows for a wide array of talent, ages and characters as well as some traditional Victorian music and well know Christmas carols.

In the musical, Charles Dickens attempts to provide his publisher with a Christmas story that he promised to write but keeps coming up short. With the aid of his artistic muse, Dickens faces – and comes to terms with – his own troubled youth, learning the true meaning of Christmas and finding the inspiration for his immortal holiday classic.

This humorous and sentimental show is pure family entertainment. Each character in this small cast plays a large part in telling the alternate story of Charles Dickens.

Its rich musical score is sure to put the holiday cheer into every member of the audience. The show will also include a Victorian Christmas chorus as well as some dance and choreography elements. The cast will number approximately 25.

"A Charles Dickens Christmas" is written by Robert Owens Scott with music by Douglas J. Cohen and Tom Toce. It is presented by arrangement through Music Theater International (MTI).

Press release:

The sets are being built, the costumes are being bloodied and now the talent has been cast for next month's production of "The Rocky Horror Picture Show" at Genesee Community College!

Brodie McPherson, director of the show and also GCC's instructor of Theater Technology, released the cast list today (Sept. 27) for what promises to be the college's biggest theater production of the season!

GCC's Forum Players Theatre Company will perform Richard O'Brien's “The Rocky Picture Horror Show,” Thursday, Friday and Saturday, Oct. 17, 18, and 19 at 7:30 p.m. and again Sunday, Oct. 20 at 2 p.m. in the College's Stuart Steiner Theatre.

"The Rocky Horror Picture Show" will feature GCC students representing many majors and four different countries, as well as a GCC alumnus. Audiences will enjoy the talent, style and a little craziness from the following:

• Tiago Marques, of São Paulo, Brazil, as Frank-N-Furter
• Runo Suzuki, of Hokkaido, Japan, as Janet Weiss
• Samuel G. Rigerman, of Batavia, as Brad Majors
• Benjamin Reiner, of Pembroke, as Riff Raff
• Lacey Sloat, of Bergen, as Magenta
• Fu Kikuchi, of Fukuoka, Japan, as Columbia
• Chris Barbis, of Pavilion, as Rocky Horror
• Jack Diskin, of Le Roy, as Eddie and a Phantom
• Grant Calcote, of Le Roy, as Dr. Everett V. Scott and a Phantom
• Josh Pacino, (GCC classes of 2008 and 2009), of Batavia, as The Narrator
• Marissa Carbonell, of Batavia, as Trixie The Usherette and a Phantom

And playing Phantoms throughout the productions will be:

• Marissa Carbonell, of Batavia
• Sam Ciesla, of Hamburg
• Haylea-Ann Nicole Self, of Brockton
• Brittany Mayes, of Medina
• Jessie Pierce, of Batavia
• Tiffany Smith, of Arkport
• Brandon Ribbeck, of Warsaw
• Ai Jitozono, of Nagasaki, Japan
• Ayaka Nakamura, of Osaka, Japan
• Francesca Pieter, of Willemstad, Curaçao
• Alyssa Young, of Brockport
• Andrew DeMeo, of Staten Island

This show will take full advantage of all the high-tech sound and lighting equipment at the College's state-of-the-art theater. The full scene and costume shops provide dynamic sets, clothing and special effects to take this production over the top. In addition, special "Goodie Bags" to be sold for $5 are in development as is some pre-show, intermission and post-show opportunities for the audience to interact with the cast.

"This show promises to be among the most memorable experiences not only for GCC's Forum Players, but also for our audience and supporters. It really is not to be missed," McPherson said. "Everyone should enjoy the perfect prelude to the Halloween season with a performance that is 'out of this world!' "

Tickets for "The Rocky Horror Picture Show," performed by GCC's Forum Players Theatre Company, are: $8 for adults; and $5 for seniors (55+) and students (16+) and GCC faculty/ staff. GCC students with ID are $3, and GCC alumni with ID will receive a $2 discount on an adult ticket.

To reserve seats, contact the GCC box office today at boxoffice@genesee.edu or (585) 345-6814. Seating is limited and advance reservations are strongly advised. The show is designed for mature audiences only.

Press release:

Most Western New Yorkers are sad to see the summer ending -- but the fall season brings comedian Samuel J. Comroe, finalist on NBC's hit show America's Got Talent, to the Stuart Steiner Theatre at Genesee Community College on Saturday, Sept. 28 at 7:30 p.m. for a performance of his "I got 99 problems...but a twitch ain't one" tour!

Comroe's comedy, which is for mature audiences only, is based on the trials and tribulations of living with Tourette Syndrome. A native of Los Angeles, he performs widely each year from Las Vegas to San Francisco, at colleges and universities across the country. He also has more than 40,000 subscribers to his YouTube Channel.

Seating is limited and tickets are available now at boxoffice@genesee.edu or (585) 345-6814.

In October, GCC's Forum Players will perform their biggest show of the season -- Richard O'Brien's The Rocky Horror Picture Show! On Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights, Oct. 17, 18 and 19, the show will begin at 7:30 p.m. and the final performance will be a matinee Sunday, Oct. 20, at 2 p.m. All four of these performances, which are for mature audiences only, will take full advantage of all the high-tech sound and lighting equipment at the state-of-the-art Stuart Steiner Theatre.

The full scene and costume shops will offer dynamic sets, costumes and the outlandish regalia that Rocky Horror fans look for. The talented and enthusiastic Theater Department is already busily preparing for this performance. For a little extra fun, specially prepared Prop Bags will be available for use during the show for just $5 -- while supplies last -- and can be pre-ordered from the box office. No other props will be allowed in the theater.

Tickets to see Samuel J. Comroe or The Rocky Horror Show at GCC's Stuart Steiner Theatre are $8 for adults, and $5 for seniors (55+) and students (16+) and GCC faculty/ staff. GCC students with ID are $3, and GCC alumni with ID will receive a $2 discount on an adult ticket.

To reserve seats, contact the GCC box office at boxoffice@genesee.edu or (585) 345-6814.

Genesee Center for the Arts offers something to appeal to the art lover in everyone and the Fall Season is no exception. The Rosalie "Roz" Steiner Art Gallery will host the following exhibits to distract and inform your mind, appeal to your senses and evoke a variety of emotional responses.

Artist: Bruce Adams

On display until Sept. 21

"Untitled" -- Adams is best known as a conceptually based figurative painter who references various painting styles. In exploring the act of painting, Adams peels back the layers of meaning inherent in art making and viewing.

Artist: Nigel Maister

On display Oct. 1 - 31

Artist Talk: Oct. 10 at 12:30 p.m. with receptions at 1 and 5 p.m.

"tight. word. lit." -- Through the pairing of unrelated photographic images, Maister creates a narrative both implied and explicit and manifested in emotional, formal, aesthetic, intuitive and intellectual expression, and an evocation of action.

Artist: Heather Jones

On display: Nov. 12 - Dec. 12

Artist Talk: Nov. 14 at 12:30 p.m. with receptions at 1 and 5 p.m.

"M is for Mindful" -- This exhibition highlights acrylic paintings by GCC Professor of Fine Arts, Jones, created as illustrations for the book "M is for Mindful." Including a playful narrative that guides children through an exploration of the themes that shape the way we think and live, "M is for Mindful" is a nature-based ABC/poetry picture book written by Robin L. Flanagan.

The Roz Steiner Art Gallery is open to the public Wednesday through Friday from 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. The gallery is also open during special events as published here. Admission is free. For more information, contact Gallery coordinator Mary Jo Whitman at (585) 343-0055, ext. 6490, or via email: mjwhitman@genesee.edu.

Shake on the Lake, a Shakespearean troupe from Perry, is wrapping up its eighth season of touring Western New York with free and low-cost performances of William Shakespeare's "As You Like It."

Typically, the performances are at outdoor venues and Thursday the company was planning to perform in Centennial Park. But yesterday's rain drove them indoors, to the Steiner Theater at Genesee Community College.

The show opened with a series of song performances to warm up the audience.

Yesterday's performance was free thanks to a donation from Tompkins Bank of Castile.