There’s a dragon in Joanne Andrews’ basement. He’s a few feet tall, brilliant green and clad in a wizard’s hat and a wand. He’s also made onto a foam board. Andrews created him as the mascot for Magic Dragon, the children’s literary magazine she assembles in her Pittsford home with editor Patricia Roesch. Andrews is […]
Articles
Posted inMovie Reviews
REVIEW | ‘Project Hail Mary’
Author Andy Weir’s “Project Hail Mary,” his latest book, follows “Cast Away” (but in space) to the big screen, bookending 2015’s “The Martian.” The previous Weir adaptation, which was directed by Ridley Scott, garnered seven Oscar nominations including Best Picture and starred Matt Damon as an astronaut presumed dead but trapped on Mars. Now it’s […]
Posted inCulture
How a local suffragist led the mother of all movements
Elizabeth Cady Stanton was 26 years old when her first child, a son, was born. “I was entirely afloat, launched on the seas of doubt without chart or compass,” she wrote in her autobiography, “Eighty Years and More: Reminiscences, 1815–1897.” Stanton was one of 11 children, five of whom died as infants and small children. As she watched her mother grieve the […]
Posted inRestaurant News
For the Cavatassi family — and ‘Uncle Chris’ — St. Paul Street is worth the investment
At 12:45 p.m. on a snowy Thursday in February, every seat in the Sagra Italia dining room is full. Formerly home to Fifth Frame Brewing, 155 St. Paul St. is nearly unrecognizable, transformed into an airy, chic space somehow reminiscent of both Brooklyn and Rome. There’s a cozy sitting area off to one side and […]
Posted inMovies
The Oscars love disability stories, but it’s complicated
The trailer for “Song Sung Blue,” director Craig Brewer’s Oscar-nominated biographical drama about a Neil Diamond tribute act, sets up a familiar arc. While looking for glory, musicians Mike and Claire — played by Hugh Jackman and Kate Hudson — find each other. And when the glory arrives, so do the struggles: alcoholism, addiction and, […]
Posted inMusic
REVIEW | ‘Ugly II’ by Growing Stone
Skylar Sarkis of the Rochester alt-rock band Taking Meds has returned focus to his solo project Growing Stone. Released on January 30, the EP “Ugly II” is subtle yet disarming. The 20-plus minutes of music spread out over six tracks on “Ugly II” mirror the structure of its predecessor “Ugly,” released over seven years ago. […]
Posted inArts & Entertainment
PUSH Physical Theatre’s Heather and Darren Stevenson have built a life — and a company — together, on stage and off
When Heather and Darren Stevenson tell a love story on stage, it’s not an act. They have been married for 32 years and served as co-artistic directors of PUSH Physical Theatre for 25 years — by now, performing side-by-side is second nature. As part of the company’s 25th anniversary celebration, PUSH will host a homecoming […]
Posted inCulture
Rohrbach Brewing Company changes hands after 35 years
Brothers and Brockport natives Joel and Nathan Will are buying Rohrbach Brewing Company from founders John Urlaub and Patty Yahn-Urlaub, who started it in the German House on Gregory Street.
Posted inMovies
2026 Oscar predictions: CITY critics weigh in
The 98th annual Academy Awards take place on Sunday, March 15 — locally, you can play film trivia and watch it on the big screen at The Little Theatre — and our film critics have a few thoughts on this year’s nominees ahead of Hollywood’s glittery night.
Posted inTheater
REVIEW | ‘Barefoot in the Park’ at Geva Theatre
Nostalgia has a strong pull in times of uncertainty. Perhaps that’s why Neil Simon has been especially popular this theatrical season. His comedies seem familiar and fun, especially for theatergoers who witnessed his prolific stage and screenwriting career, which started in the 1960s. A longtime favorite of regional theater, Simon’s works have also recently been […]
Posted inObituaries
In memory of Bill Towler
Retired City Newspaper publisher Bill Towler died February 27 at age 87 after a long, courageous battle with the neurological disease Progressive Supranuclear Palsy. He was a loving, intensely engaged husband, father, and grandfather and is survived by his wife Mary Anna; daughters Elizabeth Towler-Menon and Cheryl Towler Weese; son Will; son-in-law Dan Towler Weese; […]
