As the weather turns, I think fondly of a lit-loving Austin Phelps quote: “Wear the old coat, buy the new book.” Don your shabby duds and seek some pages to keep you company in the cold; head to the Pub Fair and Litsplosion, hosted this weekend at Visual Studies Workshop (31 Prince Street). The annual […]
Rebecca Rafferty
Posted inArts & Entertainment
DANCE | NYS Ballet’s “The Raven”
Usher in autumn this weekend with New York State Ballet’s performance of “The Raven: 3 Tales by Edgar Allan Poe.” The performance, held at Hochstein Music Hall (50 North Plymouth Avenue), promises a lavishly haunting dance interpretation of three of Poe’s most famous works. These include a dramatic theatrical representation of Poe’s short story, “The […]
Posted inSpecial Sections
Rebecca reviews RIT’s Photo House, “The Fiery Sword of Justice,” and “Me, Ray Charles, and Sammy Davis Jr.”
I stopped in at The Little to check out RIT’s Photo House, a grouping of photos displayed on the walls of the theater’s 2-5 lobby. Ranging widely in style, genre, and talent, the showcase is a window into what current students are working on, presented to the shifting audience of moviegoers. I’m always impressed by […]
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Rebecca reviews “Percentage,” “Krapp’s Last Tape,” and “Bridge Club of Death”
My Saturday night at the Rochester Fringe Festival was full of death, running the gamut of age. I was moved and impressed by “Percentage,” presented by RAPA at the School of the Arts’ Black Box Theatre. A production penned and performed by SOTA students, the play presents a series of vignettes that explore the various […]
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Rebecca reviews “Sure-Minded Uncertainties,” “Conscience,” and “Mystic Castle”
“Think of this show as a series of dreams over the course of the night,” the audience was instructed before the mesmerizing, multi-sensory performance of “Sure-Minded Uncertainties” at the TheatreROCS Stage on Sunday. Presented by CaveDogs (cavedogs.org), the show featured large-scale shadow projections layered with video imagery and an engaging original soundtrack. Depicting the balance […]
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Rebecca reviews “Twain’s Amazing Tales” and “Shitty Lives”
I spent the second night of the Rochester Fringe Festival taking in two shows staged back-to-back at MuCCC. “Twain’s Amazing Tales,” put on by James Landers and Classics Theater of Rochester, featured dramatic readings of excerpts from “Captain Stormfield’s Visit to Heaven,” which I have not read, and “What Stumped the Bluejays,” which was part […]
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Rebecca reviews “Cabinet of Wonders” and “No Safe Word”
I saw the very entertaining "Cabinet of Wonders" in the packed Spiegeltent last night, which included everything there’s to like about the circus, without the animal cruelty. The show began with the subtlest of clowns — a wiggly goofball who worked the audience with priceless facial expressions — performing some tricks while the husband-and-wife hosting […]
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Fringe’s Shakespeare options
Shakespeare’s plays are timeless, and you just can’t have a theater-heavy festival without Will’s work. Fringe is featuring no fewer than six shows based on the Bard’s plays. Here’s a little guide to the something-for-everyone lineup. Bring your rain poncho, because METHOD MACHINE is bringing the blood. Featuring excerpts of the Bard’s goriest plays, “ShakesBLOOD” […]
Posted inCulture
Toy Halls of Fame exhibit unveiled at The Strong Museum
The Strong National Museum of Play on Thursday unveiled its new Toys Hall of Fame permanent exhibit. The $4 million state-of-the-art addition to the museum brings together The Strong’s National Toy Hall of Fame — which for years has showcased beloved, classic toys — and the Toy Industry Association’s Toy Industry Hall of Fame. The […]
Posted inArts & Entertainment
SPECIAL EVENT | Bee for Books Spelling Bee
On Wednesday, September 23, from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. (doors at 6 p.m.), head to Webster Columbus Center (70 Barrett Drive, Village of Webster) for a spelling bee that is and isn’t for the children. While the Bee for Books Spelling Bee event is geared toward adults, it’s a fundraiser to support the Webster […]
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Seasonal exhibitionism
A preview of the 2015-16 art season With the first tastes of autumn in the air comes the energy of a fresh arts season. Here are a dozen or so not-to-be-missed shows to distract you from the dead-weather doldrums. Some exhibition details may change, so check back with the galleries as time moves forward. Admission […]
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Throwing sculptural shade
Mercer Gallery kicked off the academic art season with “Elliott Arkin: Lifetime Achievement Exhibition” a retrospective of five decades of the artist’s work. Arkin is known for his clever, satirical sculptures that poke fun at everyone from artists, art dealers, and art critics to politicians and popes. While the sarcastic pieces punch at exalted art, […]
